Rightio guys and girls. I have spoken to many members at rides and weekenders (you know who you are) over the years and a common topic that comes up is fitness, or lack of it. Yes there is ride fitness which is achieved by riding most weekends but lots of us can't commit/aren't lucky enough to be able to get that amount of seat time. I want this thread to help try and encourage each other to pull on the runners, get out the sweatpants, pump up the tyres on the pushy, pull on the budgy smugglers, grab the squash racquet, pump some iron or whatever it is that you may choose to get fit and we post up in here when we do and encourage each other to help get through winter. I find it harder in winter as I am running at night in the dark and even carry a torch so I can see or not scare other pedestrians I sneak up on in the dark. I don't want this being a joke thread, we are better than that, if we can help each other to help ourselves and inspire each other than that can only be a good thing.
Here's my story. I was told by the DR that I had to change my lifestyle as I had really high cholesterol a year ago (I was 10.6, 5.5 is high). To counteract this I changed my diet a bit but I try and run (usually after work) 3 times a week or 2 times if I get a ride in on the weekend. I used to run for fitness at various stages of my life and have had great results so I have found that running works for me. I have tried gyms but I just cant get into that scene. I got my cholesterol levels back to good but due for a check up again now.
So the benefit of running has been showing to me for the past 2 years odd with a bit of weight loss, fitting into smaller clothes, healthier for my wife and kids and the best bit, feeling pretty good at the end of a ride when other riders of similar skills are a bit shagged. If I have been sick then I wont run but I know that I need to get out there as soon as I can as I quickly lose motivation and even the moderate fitness that I have built up making the first week or so back even tougher. I started out just running from home and along a nearby walking track (about 3 k's return) and pushed myself to go further going to 5 k's, then 7 and now I have settled on 8.5 km's being my average run/jog. I vary it a little if its the first run back after being sick or a little time off but I try knock off those 8.5 kms 3 times a week, with a rest day in between. I try to make my loop continuous as well, a kind of trick on my brain to say that its still a fair way to get home/no shortcuts so if I wanted to slack off and walk, its takes a hell of a lot longer so I might as well keep running.
Remember to stretch before and after.
So who is going to join me???
