A couple of months back, my most-disciplined-exerciser-in-the-world husband asked me what my fitness goals were for the next few months. I'm glad he asked the question because I've been rather hit or miss in the exercise department. More hit than miss, but still, on my mapmywalk monthly workout summary, there are far too many empty spaces. I feel it in my legs when I hop on the bike. I feel it in my arms when I get in the pool. I am neither as strong nor as cardiovascularly (is this a word?) fit as I have been in previous months/years. I needed the gentle nudge of Coty's question to get me thinking more seriously about my goals and formulate a plan to put them into action!
So, here are my November goals. I'm planning to ...
1) Exercise on a regular schedule:
2) Talk to the Masters Swim coach at the aquatic center and find out about swimming with the Masters swim team. OK, this feels pretty scary to me. I've never been on a swim team, never had any swim coaching or training. Just community pool swimming lessons as a kid and lifeguard training at the Y in high school. I have a LOT to learn. I feel sort of intimidated by this and don't know if I'll do it. The practices are from 5:30-6:30 AM. It's dark then. And cold. And you have to go and jump into a cold pool. After driving in the dark. And the cold. I hope the lights are on in the pool. But the water will be cold. You get my drift.
But, this is the year of overcoming cold and dark wimp-hood for me. I'm determined. I'm going to embrace the dark ... and the cold. My new motto, with thanks to a Minnesota friend, is, "It's never too cold. You're just wearing the wrong clothes." (I don't know how that works with a bathing suit. Not much you can do there, unless you don a full wetsuit, which I don't own or plan on purchasing. But I guess I can make sure I'm clothed sufficiently warmly on the way to the pool and back which, frankly, will be much easier in North Carolina than in Minnesota. Thank goodness for that).
3) Finally, in keeping with the above determination and my new motto, I plan on cycling through the winter this year. I'm figuring out what the "right clothes" for winter cycling are for a small Southern woman who is cold from October til June. I have thermal tights. I have full finger cycling gloves and insulated lobster mitts. I have a very bright cycling windbreaker. I'm looking at thermal cycling shirts, balaclavas and shoe covers. I have a warm house to come home to, hot showers, hot tea, hot chocolate, a heating pad, a space heater, a down comforter, a hot husband ; ) If I get cold, guess what?! I can warm up again. I hope.
So, here are my November goals. I'm planning to ...
1) Exercise on a regular schedule:
Swim - twice per weekThe key to maintaining this workout schedule will be planning ahead for swim and cycling days. It's no big deal to get out the door and walk, but with cycling, weather is a much bigger factor so I'll need to look ahead at the forecasts and figure out at the beginning of each week which days will be my cycling days. Swimming takes advanced planning, too, since it requires a bigger chunk of time. I have to drive to the pool and back and there's changing and shower time included. Also, I like to swim when the pool is least crowded (middle of the day) so I have to do it on a day when my mid-day is free.
Cycle - twice per week
Walk/run - twice per week
That gives me one day off.
2) Talk to the Masters Swim coach at the aquatic center and find out about swimming with the Masters swim team. OK, this feels pretty scary to me. I've never been on a swim team, never had any swim coaching or training. Just community pool swimming lessons as a kid and lifeguard training at the Y in high school. I have a LOT to learn. I feel sort of intimidated by this and don't know if I'll do it. The practices are from 5:30-6:30 AM. It's dark then. And cold. And you have to go and jump into a cold pool. After driving in the dark. And the cold. I hope the lights are on in the pool. But the water will be cold. You get my drift.
But, this is the year of overcoming cold and dark wimp-hood for me. I'm determined. I'm going to embrace the dark ... and the cold. My new motto, with thanks to a Minnesota friend, is, "It's never too cold. You're just wearing the wrong clothes." (I don't know how that works with a bathing suit. Not much you can do there, unless you don a full wetsuit, which I don't own or plan on purchasing. But I guess I can make sure I'm clothed sufficiently warmly on the way to the pool and back which, frankly, will be much easier in North Carolina than in Minnesota. Thank goodness for that).
3) Finally, in keeping with the above determination and my new motto, I plan on cycling through the winter this year. I'm figuring out what the "right clothes" for winter cycling are for a small Southern woman who is cold from October til June. I have thermal tights. I have full finger cycling gloves and insulated lobster mitts. I have a very bright cycling windbreaker. I'm looking at thermal cycling shirts, balaclavas and shoe covers. I have a warm house to come home to, hot showers, hot tea, hot chocolate, a heating pad, a space heater, a down comforter, a hot husband ; ) If I get cold, guess what?! I can warm up again. I hope.
So, that's it. Those are my November fitness goals. If I survive the month, I'll press on through the rest of the winter. Hold me to it. OK?
1 comment:
I'm impressed! It's so good Coty is prompting you to make goals. I imagine like most things, you'll get used to the cold after a while. Miss you!
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