I meant to go to yoga today and woke up with a brutal upper back/neck pinchy pain that takes my head feel too heavy for my body. I have to laugh at moments like this because I had a client years ago that made the joke that on her tombstone it should read “It’s always something!” And I have to say that in my experience, truer words have never been spoken.
I have biked and hiked and had an overall wonderful summer but despite having been back at the gym twice a week for a few months, I somehow managed to miss 4 weeks in a row due to circumstance and who knows what. The first day back, I took it easy and reduced my volume a lot…the next two days I could hardly manage going down stairs! But I got back at it and have continued and feel that old excitement I’ve had about the weight room and feel motivated to regain my former perceived glory.
I am finding excitement in thinking about training for my next marathon and getting back into that kind of condition and distance with my running. I have reviewed training plans and considered when I need to start, and what days I want to fit in what training modality, and have a bubbling at my surface thinking about how great getting stronger and faster will feel. But the best laid plans…
The trouble I find now is one of trying to fit it all in, and I don’t work conventional hours and have pretty stellar time management skills, so I should be able to do such things. But I am finding that every week there is truly something. Whether it is a body ache or some stupid ailment that requires modification or total change of plans; or it is prior commitments and appointments. It is plans with my kids or boyfriend or lack of sleep or some variety of other distraction or interest. There is always something!
I then need to call on my former self, and rigid trainer mentality, and realize that yes; there is always something so get it while the getting is good. If your quads hurt from Tuesday, modify your workout and still show up on Thursday. If you planned on yoga but you can’t move your neck, do what stretches and alternatives you can do at home. If breakfast plans with a friend fall over a regular run time, pick another day and do it instead.
My ideal would be running 3 days per week, weight training 4 days and doing yoga one day. I pretty much can’t see how I can fit that, but I can sure as heck make the days that work, a priority. I don’t really know when life will get in the way, or if I’ll be sore or sick or if any other variety of unplanned detours will occur. Sometimes I just sleep really poorly and am like “nope!”
It is such a flip from a former me that was much more obsessed and concerned about missing a day or what ill fate would befall me if I didn’t work out for a few days. I want that feeling of mobility and strength and vitality, but also have mellowed down a whole lot and realize that shit happens and you can prioritize and plan but end up just working with what you have.
So as I try and gingerly move around this morning due to whatever I did to myself overnight or yesterday, I am sure glad that I made it to the gym on the days I did this week. I plan to enjoy a weekend away and therefore miss a long Sunday morning run or ride, too! I’ll be back to trying to fit it all in next week.
Periscopecake 