Tuesday Topics- After the Holidays
Welcome to the Tuesday Topics linkup, which I host with Jenn from Runs With Pugs. Today’s topic- How do you reset your routine after the holidays? Well, the best way I know how to do this- or not get off your routine in the first place- is to schedule a big, scary race a couple months after the holidays are over. That way, you can’t afford to slack off! Here’s what’s going on in my world… I have a big race on my birthday, March 21st. I’ll be turning 60, and plan to celebrate by running 60 miles. I had a few bumps in the road in December, but kept up my long runs for the most part. I felt fairly confident I was on track until, just over a week ago, my calf started to hurt. At this point, I can’t afford an injury, and I also can’t afford prolonged time off. My strategy is to keep moving as much as possible in ways that don’t strain that calf. Movement=bloodflow=healing. I call this the “Scott Jurek approach”. His book, North, is the story of his FKT (fastest known time) attempt on the Appalachian Trail. Early on in the attempt he strained his quad and couldn’t run at all. He kept moving forward, walking as fast as he could for several days, until he could eventually run again. And he did get that FKT, beating the old record by a matter of mere hours. Then there’s Sally McRae, an incredible ultra runner who just came back from a major knee injury. In this video, she shares a run/walk training session in her buildup to a 100 mile race coming up very soon. Logically, too soon in her comeback- but she needs a qualifying 100 mile race to get into her goal race later in the year, Badwater 135. She explains that she is going to get out there and do her best, taking it slow and steady and see what she can do. The point is, a buildup to a race doesn’t have to be perfect. It’s looking like mine won’t be… but I’m still planning on that race. Now, what was the topic again??? Oh yes- resetting routines after the holidays. I really had no choice but to hit the ground running- or, elliptical-ing- in January. Do you have trouble getting back to a routine in January? Join us next week —> What helps you stay motivated through the winter’s blah months? Link Up With Tuesday Topics Welcome back to Tuesday Topics, as Jenny, from Runners Fly joins Jenn at Runs With Pugs to co-host this link-up! Please join us every week for a new topic! Write on our weekly prompt or choose your own topic! Make sure to add your post to the link up, link back to your hosts, and comment on the other shared posts! You are invited to the Inlinkz link party! Click here to enter Top photo by Chetan Kumar on Unsplash