Last time we did a 5K run as our workout of the day, I had to rethink my strategy…
A longer run is a good opportunity to try to beat or at least get close to someone else in the class that you know is faster than you. That external competition is good for both athletes, as the slower runner is trying to make themselves faster by chasing “the rabbit”, and the faster runner is trying not to get passed when they hear the footsteps and heavy breathing behind them!
This time I was going to stick with that overall plan of setting my sights on someone in front of me, but the way I would do it would have to change.
Before, I would conserve my energy in the beginning, letting “the rabbit” get well out in front, and then plan to try to catch up at the end. It usually didn’t work, as the negative chatter started in my head about how far behind I was, and that it was going to take an extraordinary amount of effort to catch up. So I didn’t.
The new and improved strategy was to keep up with “the rabbit” the entire time! I knew if I could put out the same amount of effort that he did in the beginning, eventually he would settle into a little slower pace, and so would I. We would run together the entire time (even if he was trying to shake me), and with my goal in plain sight it became much easier to keep visualizing success, and stay positive through the run. The rabbit beat me by a harsh 20 seconds, turning on the gas at the very end while I gutted out my last 1/2 mile, but I PR’d my 5K time — SUCCESS!
This same approach relates to your fitness and health during the holidays. It’s easier to Keep Up than to Catch Up. The holidays are full of fun distractions, yummy food and plentiful drinks. And my message today is not to stay away from that stuff and be a Grinch. But you need to balance that with Keeping Up your fitness and health, keep moving toward your goals, so that come January you don’t feel like you’re starting over at square one again. Keep Up this holiday season, don’t put yourself in the position of having to Catch Up. January will come and you can still redouble your efforts and start off the year swinging for the fences, and you’ll have the mental energy and confidence to actually make it happen, rather than quickly getting discouraged trying to catch up to “the rabbit.”
To that end, we’d like to encourage you to spread the holiday “Keep Up” message with your friends, so through the month of December, you can bring a friend to any class FOR FREE! Show your friends what CrossFit Kent Island is all about – the benefit to you is another workout buddy and some more accountability through the holidays and 2019! Remember our Referral Bonus too – if your friend signs up for a membership, you get one free month!
Here’s to a great holiday season filled with good times and a renewed focus on your fitness, with friends!
Ryan
Previous Post:
Next Post: