Couch to 5k Weeks 2 & 3

Some pics I have taken on my early morning runs.

I've been going really well with the Couch to 5k challenge. Sometimes it's hard to get myself out of bed at 5:30, but then I get out there and it is totally worth it. I've been running bridge to bridge around the lake while my neighbour does bootcamp. I've also started playing ultimate frisbee and the netball season starts up again next week. So in the interest of keeping my motivation going and letting others know that you really can do it - here are some of the ways I've been able to achieve what I have so far.

Tip 1: Prepare yourself.

If I had started doing this amount of exercise at any point last year I would've crashed and burned. I just didn't have the energy! I think the only reason that I have been able to achieve this much is because I was able to rest up so much over the Christmas break, while at the same time easing myself into it by walking a lot more. I think it also helps that I have been able to remove a lot of stressors from my life recently and going off hormonal treatments has made a world of difference for me. But we're all different - try to work out if there is any stressors you can remove from your life and if there is anywhere that you can squeeze in incidental exercise.

Tip 2: Have a motivational buddy.

My neighbour has been a total saviour when it comes to motivation to actually get out of bed at 5:30. I know if I don't get out of bed and go running that he will probably come throw rocks at my window. If that failed I'm sure I wouldn't hear the end of it for quite a while. Definitely the easiest way to stay motivated.

Tip 3: Don't push yourself too hard.

Go at your own pace. Fitness is not a race, it's a way for you to have a healthier, happier life. If you find yourself struggling, repeat some of the workouts on the app (if you're using it) or just keep whatever pace you can manage. The quickest way to end up injured/fatigued is to push yourself too hard. (As a side note, for me at the moment I have struggled with wanting to push myself too hard with running because I feel like I can do it, but I try to keep to what the app says to avoid injury.)

Tip 4: Just do it!

You have to actively make time to do this - and for me that means getting up at 5:30 at the moment. I know if I waited until later in the day I would have a thousand excuses. That means that I haven't been blogging so much and I also haven't been able to read as much as I would like, but I know that exercising is better for my overall wellbeing and makes me happier than spending time on the internet or staying up reading.

Try to exercise as consistently as you can. Although I have had two visitors (sleeping on my floor no less!) in the last week, I still got up and went running at 5:30. I could've easily said "So-and-so is here, I shouldn't go." but I didn't. For me, if I let myself fall for one excuse, I will continue to be able to make up any and every excuse not to do it. I even dropped a pole on my toe on Monday night resulting in a very painful visit to the doctor where they drilled my nail. But I still got up on Wednesday and went to the lake. I figured that I would walk if I couldn't run, just to keep up the routine. Note: I'm not saying run if you have injuries - you should definitely follow your doctor's advice.

Note: Don't be too hard on yourself if you can't manage as much as other people can - we're all different, and those with chronic illness often cannot achieve as much as healthy people. I wrote a little about this here.