What were your favorite (exercise related) moments of 2020?
NorthCascades
Posts: 10,968 Member
There's been a lot wrong with 2020. Really a lot. But we all made it. This is a time for reflection, and there's room for positivity. Tell us about things you've enjoyed this past year. Did you get a PR that meant a lot to you? Try a new sport and realized you love it? Do a hike that's been on your list forever? Share your stories!
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NorthCascades wrote: »There's been a lot wrong with 2020. Really a lot. But we all made it. This is a time for reflection, and there's room for positivity. Tell us about things you've enjoyed this past year. Did you get a PR that meant a lot to you? Try a new sport and realized you love it? Do a hike that's been on your list forever? Share your stories!
Two things immediately come to my mind:
- I started (and successfully finished) C25K. I love walking, but I never ever imagined I could run, let alone enjoy it. I've kept the habit of running three times a week since then. I run at turtle-speed, but who cares?
- I joined a gym for the first time in my life (I'm 48) and that's something else that I never ever imagined I would do. I'm still a noob, but I no longer feel intimidated by the machines, the weights, or the other people training. I'm slowly improving and that makes me happy.7 -
My fitness journey has been up and down in 2020. I broke my foot in April, gained unwanted weight, and slacked off more than I would like to admit. But I have not given up and staying healthy and fit is still important to me. Also, we did a few family hikes that were fun and swam as much as we could over the summer.5
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Falling the wrong way out of a headstand, at home, during a zoom class.
I’m glad I did it at home so I didn’t make an *kitten* of myself in front of everyone else.
But mostly I’m glad it happened. It’s been a
huge fear of mine and now it’s happened. It wasn’t painful, I didn’t break my back or
neck, and it’s given me more confidence to move on.9 -
After dealing with an injury for way too long, I was able to hike with a good friend in a place I've wanted to see for years. It was better than I hoped for. We did about 15 miles, I had been afraid I would never be able to walk that far again. We came out of the woods into a high meadow, and a wildflower riot. I've never seen that many flowers in my life. We could see the three southern volcanoes around us. We didn't get back to the highway until dark, had dinner under the stars.
Another favorite was Norse Peak, because I got two friends I don't get to see that often to join me.8 -
I added 3 new routines/workouts to my rotations. I’m pretty sure I’ll stick with them because I love doing them.
1) I’ve always worked out at home, but I joined a gym this year only to have it close a month later due to covid. I really enjoyed going because I like being around like-minded people, and I can’t wait to get back. As a matter of fact, I just saw Planet Fitness changed their weekend hours to open at 5am from 7am. I used to go at 5am pre-covid so I’ll be back this weekend, mask and antiseptic wipes in tow.
2) While at the gym, I started using the rowing machines and found I love using them. I love it so much, I’m thinking about investing in a C2 or Hydrorow.
3) I love love love jump rope. I do it almost every day, and look forward to doing it.6 -
Getting back on the water once the rowing club's boathouse was open to > 1 person at a time, for sure. Each summer, for the past few years, I mother-hen a group of new rowers, and also row with my long-time buddies in the same sessions. Ages, sexes, experience levels, and fitness vary, 20s to 70s, brand new to decades' experience, past collegiate (Big 10 champ!) rowers to total late-bloomer newbies.
For a while, the pandemic rules (partly because the boathouse is in a public park) limited us to one person in the boathouse at a time. My group includes only a couple of people who can carry their own boats solo. (Context: A racing single weighs 31+ pounds, and is around 26 feet long, very awkward. Most of my group are 50+, many female, many late bloomers. Pretty much only my friend J. (age 74, hip replacement last year, been weight training among other things since her 30s, a time when Women Didn't Weight Train) can carry a boat she can row, besides me (age 65). Some of the others can't row the light boats (too tippy/challenging/agressive), some just can't carry them yet, some are only comfortable rowing multi-person boats.)
Even among those who can solo carry, some prefer to row when others are on the water - we hauled a young strong guy in the water who'd flipped his single, at the end of the warm weather - us in the double, a young post-collegiate rower and me, towing his boat alongside, and him (in the water, draped over our double - won't lie, it was challenging for all 3 of us). My double (slightly bigger boat, 2 rowers) acts as safety boat for the singles: The club is so small it doesn't have coaches in launches to help with this.
So, it was a great breakthrough when we could have 2 people at a time in the boathouse (a pole barn with big, airy barn-type sliding doors), with masks. That meant we could help each other carry boats. Yay: Everybody can row! It made me sooooo happy. There were lots of good things after that, but this was one:
That lineup, from left to right, is F, age 73; F, age 74 (the long-time weight trainer and general superwoman); M, age 29 (new rower, almost-credentialed medical doctor, infectious disease specialist, PhD candidate besides DO!); me, age 65.
I love all of this *so much* that typing this makes my eyes moist with memory. Longer seasons are better, but this was most poignant, easily.
@NorthCascades: A great, great thread topic, among many wonderful things you post. MFP granny loves ya! ❤️11 -
Some of the exercise videos I used last year incorporated some kickboxing/shadowboxing moves and I found them really fun! I think in February I might seek out more kickboxing/shadowboxing stuff to try for cardio. I briefly flirted with the idea of joining a boxing gym in 2018, but the fees were way too expensive for the money I was making at the time. I could probably afford it now, but I'm not eager to get back into an enclosed room full of people breathing heavily anytime soon.3
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Gym highlight:
Ticking off a goal of getting back to 100kg bench press before my 60th birthday with just two days to spare.
I first hit that number 42 years ago but this marked recovery from a shoulder injury and I was getting back to my benchmark (excuse the pun) from a low point in an ambitious timescale.
Cycling highlight:
Did a few rides with my son who is fit but not a regular cyclist showing him some lovely country roads and just enjoying still being able to do father/son activities together. We have always had a jokey but competitive edge to our sports, he is a gifted sportsman who is dreadful at training and I'm a low talent sportsman but dedicated trainer so we can meet somewhere in the middle.
Best moment was ghosting past my son just before the summit of a 17% gradient climb when he was gasping and controlled my breathing to appear I wasn't really working hard started a conversation I knew he couldn't respond to.....8 -
Love the thread @NorthCascades, and LOVE the anecdote @sijomial!
Mine was reaching a mile in swimming having not swum for 2 years or so.5 -
Bringing a group of friends to the summit of Amabilis Mountain. We all met at the trailhead, most of them were on snowshoes. We kept lying to Dora about how much further, we're almost there, it's not far; she made it and she was elated to take in the views from the top. We all had lunch together on the broad summit plateau. Great company, with people I haven't seen much of this year.6
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Picking up this:
102.5 kg (225.5 lb) not quite twice my body weight but SO close...
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My favorite part of 2020 is that because my son only has real school 2 days a week, he’s been coming to the gym with me. Fun mother/son time. He’s getting jacked. Must be nice to be a 16-year-old male. 😂
I did deadlift 400 pounds, but couldn’t lock it out.8 -
My favorite was 1.25 mi swim around the perimeter of the lake where we train. It was a beautiful sunny day in late summer and good swim conditions. I enjoyed exploring all the areas along the shoreline and got used to using my new camera. I stayed close enough to shore that I could’ve walked out at any time, if I had a problem.
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I hip thrusted over 200 lbs for 5-6 reps.
Even though they weren't "heavy" by serious lifter's standards, I back squatted and deadlifted without low back pain. This is huge for me, because I've had chronic low back pain (significant disc degeneration in lumbar spine) for years and never thought I'd be able to progress with these. After I finished out PT at the beginning of this year, he told me that I didn't have to avoid any moves, so I didn't, but listen to my body.
I started ballet again after 30 + years! I've been taking some dance classes for the past several years, but not ballet. It's been more challenging for me, which is a good thing. It has made me even more aware of my muscle imbalances, and got me to add ankle strengthening/mobility exercises into my routine.
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I still remember @NorthCascades meadow pictures. They were gorgeous.
@lorrpb props to you. A whole lake. Wowsa. I see that thing in the background. I can’t swim for more than a few feet without gasping for breath and wishing I were anywhere else in the world. I raced small catamarans in my early 20’s and would never acknowledge there was water underneath me. If it didn’t exist, I couldn’t fall in. Until the time I did, but that’s another story. I loath water unless it’s in a hot bathtub.4 -
Mine was completing over 1200kms running 🏃🏻 outside. With Covid shutting down the gyms hit me into running outside a lot. The problem now is its below freezing temperatures so back to the treadmill.
I did feel really great with my summer runs.6 -
I completed a 780 mile ride in the upper peninsula of Michigan over the course of 4 days. 265 miles, 211 miles, 180ish, and 124. It was supported but my rides were all solo. An amazing experience. Completed over 25...100 mile rides (again mostly solo) to prepare. Ended the year with 33 outdoor centuries+ and 788 hours of riding.6
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All of it. Highlights would be first 10k run post fractured patella (late 2019) and 140km ride. When the restrictions dropped and we could move outside 5km, then 25km radius and the infinite. Zwift is probably like 2/3 of my riding last year.
I completed a 780 mile ride in the upper peninsula of Michigan over the course of 4 days. 265 miles, 211 miles, 180ish, and 124. It was supported but my rides were all solo. An amazing experience. Completed over 25...100 mile rides (again mostly solo) to prepare. Ended the year with 33 outdoor centuries+ and 788 hours of riding.
Friggen Epic man!4 -
I ran my first marathon, in 3.5 hours. That was the best thing I've done in my five years of running. They postponed the race from May to October, but I was just glad they didn't cancel it altogether.5
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I achieved my first ever unassisted press up. And I managed to get hold of lots of exercise equipment, including some decent weights, so I can face the ongoing lockdown with less trepidation.5
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I’ve always done my workouts in the form of indoor fitness classes with a couple miles of treadmill running before. When they shut the gyms down in March, I took up outdoor running- 5 miles every day. I would not have done that if I wasn’t forced to, but will probably continue to mix it in when things get back to normal.3
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My 200# deadlift was a big success for me, right before having surgery. I knew it would help me mentally get back into lifting after surgery if I got that lift, and I did!3
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For all that the lockdown has been brutal and my usual sports were canceled, I'm proud that I pivoted and my fitness year has actually been great. My 2020 highlights:
Getting back to regular running after a long break and a surgery
Discovering online hip hop dancing workouts that helped me connect with my teenager during lockdown.
Doing some great hikes with my family.
Starting weekly power walking with friends
Being fit and keen enough to lead dry land conditioning (bootcamp HIIT type) for my daughters hockey team.
Starting regular pilates-based stretching
Losing 10lbs while gaining muscle as well as flexibility!
Thanks for giving me reason to reflect on my 2020 journey!2 -
The cross country ski area near my home has two different dog friendly trails that I love. I use them all the time and rarely venture on the rest of the trail network. Our dog died in 2019 so last year was my first dog-less winter. I knew we'd be getting a puppy in the Spring so I took the opportunity to ski the other trails, with the goal of completing them all, at least once. I ended up skiing every trail in 2020, except for one small connector. COVID shut the club down early so I never got that one section completed.
So my story isn't a COVID exercise triumph one. But unless you've skiied most of your life with a dog, you can't understand how different it feels to ski without one. Their joy motivates me to get out there, even when I'd rather stay inside my nice warm house with a cup of tea and a book. So for me, finding a reason to continue skiing three or four times a week, without my best friend, was a triumph.
Epilogue: We got a puppy in March and re-homed another dog in the summer. So this winter I have two buddies on the trails with me 🥰
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I just gotta say - LOVE your dogs!1
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I'm 59, and after swimming laps in a lane next to two college-age guys, as I headed to the locker room, I heard one say to the other, "*kitten*! That old broad in lane 3 kicked my *kitten*" to which the other replied, "she's right behind you, bro."3
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skinnyrev2b wrote: »I just gotta say - LOVE your dogs!
Thanks! The Golden Retriever came to us as a puppy. In all my years having dogs, I've never had a puppy before, so its been fun. The border collie was re-homed and he's an awesome addition.0 -
1.Purchased my preferred Garmin watch with music player, no more phone( luv it soo much)
2.Discovered CAFFINE WATER!!0 -
Running from the bottom of the city to the top of it (approx a 200-meter elevation difference if I'm to believe Google Maps). It was a foggy day in early August and I wanted to see what the view looked like so off I ran before it dissipated.
Thing is, the last few meters involve a staircase that I lovingly call "Satanic Stairs." 😈 I snapped this pic almost near the top of those (and you can virtually walk the stairs - a popular local exercise feat - here). I'm not the best pic taker but this is what I got...
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