I’m usually not one for challenges.
I know myself. I get all excited in the beginning then I fizzle out. That’s not to say I don’t like a challenge. It’s just that the monthly challenges particularly popular in the fitness and running world don’t last long with me. I get sidetracked by life or my training plan or a stormy day.
But there was something different about this challenge for the month of April, posed by my friend Heather. Called My April Running Story, it was a series of things — fun things — to do each day that related to running. Actually it wasn’t always about doing. Some days it was about sharing your favorite post-run food (hello PANCAKES!) or your favorite running shoes.
Heather in particular posed each day’s task with a true spirit of inclusiveness. Just post something related to the theme. We don’t care if you walked your mile instead of ran it. We don’t care if your run at sunrise photo was from a vacation five years ago. We just want to build a little bit of community during this time when we can’t run together.
I definitely enjoyed seeing other people’s posts. But I also loved having fun with running. I loved fitting fartleks into long run Saturday. I loved getting new sneakers. Loved playing with new apps to record videos of my cross-training and yoga.
It was a fun way to play. And that’s running has always been to me — a fun way to play. Some days I let my mind wander and work out problems and emotions. Some days I try to be mindful, focused on my breathing, what I’m feeling, and being in the moment. Most days it’s a combination of both. But whichever it is, running is my way to play outside (well, outside most days) and connect with the wisdom that lies within me.
What I loved about doing this challenge is that it added some whimsy to my day. It allowed me to be creative — not just check something off my to-do list. It inspired me to add a bit of whimsy to most of my workouts. Who knows when we’ll get to race again, so why not keep a smile on my face and back away from hard-and-fast goals?
How might you have add a little fun, a little whimsy, to your training?
