There are definite parallels between blogging and going to the gym. If I could do both at the same time, I'd be happy! Maybe when A & I eventually move out of our flat and into our house I'll get a treadmill - then I'll be able to tone my thighs and fingers at the same time...
Blogging and exercising might not seem like natural partners, but believe me when I say they are.
1. When you get into the habit, it's easy to keep up. Even set aside especially for it. And the more you do it, the more you want to do it.
2. They're really social activities - I follow my friends' blogs and those of a few strangers. It's a great way of keeping in touch with friends I don't see often. With those I do see fairly frequently, we chat about anything interesting we've read recently. The very few friends who have my blog address (I think we're up to 3, now?) get an insight in my mind that they probably never wanted. You can consider yourselves the lucky ones or the unlucky ones, I don't mind.
3. When you get out of the habit, you find yourself making excuses. I'm getting unfit now, won't be able to just pick up where I left off... Easier to leave it for a bit and start afresh. I'll do it more when I've finished this phase of work and have more time/energy. I've fallen way too far behind now - too much to post about.
4. I feel incredibly lazy for doing neither at the moment.
Clearly, though, this post marks a change for number 4. I am going to blog more often (stop rolling your eyes, this time I mean it) and I am going to attend the gym more. Or at least, get running outside. The ten mile run is sneaking up on me rapidly!
Last week I trekked 18 miles up several hills with a couple of friends from my course. In fact, it was pretty much ALL uphill. You know the saying 'what goes up must come down'? It's a lie. It is entirely possible to walk 18 miles uphill and spend only about half an hour or so of your day walking downhill. This is one of the hills we walked up (note the rare downhill slope en route!):
Yep, we nailed the whole of that white path in about 10-15 minutes. Sooo good for the calves, but only doable if you break into your stash of Cherry Lucozade and Kit Kats.
In total, we were out for 12 hours (that includes the travelling, which was about 5 hours - NOT 12 hours of walking! Pfft.) but we had such a laugh together so it went really quickly. Plus the scenery (all countryside and coastline) was beautiful, and there was something quite cool about being part of thousands of people all walking in the same direction! The line of people snaked for miles - literally - so that we couldn't see the beginning or the end of the line.
Walking is apparently the best exercise you can get (source: old wives' tale/my school), and we did keep motivated by ticking off how many takeaways we thought we were working off. Please don't tell me it takes more than that to burn off an Indian takeaway; I might just cry. I also learned others things I hadn't expected to:
Fact 1: you will be in agony that night and will probably need to call your boyfriend for assistance getting out of the car when you arrive home. He will laugh at you and you will hurt too much to thump him.
Fact 2: you will feel exceptionally smug when you don't hurt the following day.
Most unexpected fact was that I wanted to do it again. Seems like I have finally found the motivation I need to get running more often. With only six lessons left between now and qualifying (round of applause, please!) I suddenly have so much time! Sion doesn't know what's hit him the past fortnight, poor thing. And, even though the 10 mile charity run is at the forefront of my wanting to get fit, I'd be lying if I said that my gorgeous new bikini for A and I's holiday to Greece didn't provide a fairly healthy dose of motivation...
