A HillRunner.com community member I follow on Strava often titles his lunch hour runs “Recess”. I love this!
Many of us are thinking about 2024 goals and how we are going to achieve them. Maybe we’re even using the word “resolution” to describe what we want to accomplish in 2024.
We often set goals or resolutions based on things we’re not good at. We’re usually not good at those things because we don’t like them. This year, I’d like to challenge you to find ways to make those things you don’t like a little more fun or at least less of a drag so you’re more likely to successfully accomplish those goals.
I’ll use myself as an example. I don’t like strength training and I dislike weight rooms even more than I dislike strength training in general. However, I know strength is important for my overall health, not to mention a tool in remaining a more resilient and even faster runner. So I really want to get in some kind of strength training.
Given these restraints, I try to find the best compromise. I despise weight rooms? Fine, do bodyweight exercises at home. I don’t like long strength workouts and have trouble fitting them into my day? A lot can be done in 30 minutes or under. Even 15 minutes is better than nothing.
Likewise for even running itself. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: as much as I love running, if you don’t like it, you should find something else. Yes, I’m telling some people to NOT run. If you despise running the way I despise the weight room, what else can you do? Is walking better? Riding bike? Rollerblading? What things do you like to do? Figure out what you do enjoy and do that, even if it means I’m telling you not to run.
In short, find something you like to do enough that you will think of it as “recess” if at all possible. If you can do that, you are far more likely to succeed.