Hello
Here I am... a tad late this week ! Life and a whole load of stuff held me up... but I am here now...
I had a fairly hefty work schedule, ( physical work), over the last week and the weekend, Another one on Tuesday and yesterday too. Those days, which were workouts in their own right, got me thinking. Always worrying for you, I know
I thought a lot about the exercise, that I was doing which was incorporated in those days' activities and that led on to other thoughts about the forum and all the forum friends. The conclusion I came too resulted in my putting my planned post for this week on one side and researching and writing a new one.
So!
Take a seat, and rest a while... lots to think and chat about today, and all a tad different !
Reading posts across the forums, I have, as ever been in awe of the way you fit your exercises, your running, your walking and everything in between into your lives. The more experienced of us, do, I feel tend to realise very quickly, that we need to organise our exercise, and make sure that we are listening to our minds and our bodies, although, with events occurring or after time out, there may be a temptation to push a little harder. Our newer forum friends, do sometimes, take a little longer to appreciate that.
Our strength and stamina work for so many of us, is essential to support our other main exercise, but maybe we do have to realise, that we have to try to make time for easing back, and relaxing the tighter routines we may have. In other word, be a little kinder to ourselves, realise the value and the importance of what we have achieved and what we are still achieving and in the words of our own @Yesletsgo, celebrate that.
I realised that I had done a huge amount of strength and stamina work over the last days, and although I kept to my morning routines, my T'ai Chi, my yoga wake up and my relaxation time at bedtime, I did not, apart from a couple of wet runs, do any other specific exercise. I rested after the work, and I made time to just relax.
Based on this I had a scroll around, to find out what is considered, widely, to be the gentlest, easiest form of exercise, I was not surprised to find, that it was, of course, walking.
Literally, just take a walk, short or long, just head out and let it all go. Know that however far or not, you travel, it is impacting your well being.
Then of course, just ease off completely and take a rest. A real rest. Doing whatever makes you feel good, but trying to make sure that it will rest your body, and your mind.
There have been many, many posts written about walking and rest, over my years here, and the sentiments echoed in them, remain the same.
Just taking one day off, now and then, with complete relaxation and rest can ensure that your ability to carry on with your exercise and your enjoyment of that exercise will ensure your love of that sport, remains.
For me...
I write and I watercolour paint. Total physical and mental relaxation. In the better weather... I get out in the garden...not hefty tasks, but pottering, seed setting, sitting and planning. Things that ease my mind and rest my limbs.
So... not a post today about what kind of exercise we do...but about what exercise we do not do, and the way we rest.
Okay.
Now it is your turn. We would love to hear how many of you do take rest days , complete rest days. What tips do you have to encourage someone who isn't taking those days, to find the time to do so. What do you do to make your rest day special. Has there been a time maybe when you have not taken enough rest and have had to stop and rethink?
Looking forward to hear from you...
Oldfloss x
PS
Link to Walking post
healthunlocked.com/strength...
One about rest too... not specifically for runners!
healthunlocked.com/couchto5...
PPS...
The painting in the photograph...? One I started in the first lockdown, from our ZOOM art class sessions... They are my Glamorous Gobblers! I have improved a lot since then
