The best laid plans of mice and MFPers...

BerryH

We all know that having smart, measurable, achievable, realistic and timely (SMART) goals is essential to weight loss and fitness success.

With that in mind, a few months ago I set myself some ambitious yet achievable fitness event goals, all of which are coming up in the next couple of weeks.

This Friday I am doing a 15km night hike. The following Sunday I am doing my annual Race For Life 5K, which I had aimed to achieve a personal best at. The week after, I'm doing a challenge race that involves running, cycling, kayaking and a number of mystery challenges!

However, life has thrown some upsets at me. I've had a lingering chest infection for over a week (it's become so familiar I've dubbed it Chestikoff, like a Bond villain), I sprained my ankle falling over on holiday last week which meant I couldn't do anything high impact until now, and I'm just recovering from a bad back. To top it all, a practice walk revealed that the friends I'm doing the hike with walk at around 3mph rather than the 3.75 - 4mph I've been training at.

So for the night hike, walking is the ONLY exercise I'm doing until Friday, which should help my chest recover. I asked a pharmacist for advice and have some much better cough medicine. There's no prizes for the walk and it's far more important I chat with my friends. Even though it means I won't be back before closing time which ruins my plans to have a pint as a reward!

On Sunday I shall try a very slow, steady 5K practice run to check my legs still have it in them and I don't cough too much. Based on this I might have to revisit my plans for a PB and take walk breaks instead, or indeed show off my walking training and go for a walking PB instead.

The challenge is mainly a big mystery. They haven't even sent race details out yet! There's no way I can practice kayaking, so I've been using the rowing machine. But the biggest fear for me is the cycling. I've done plenty of indoor pedalling, but I haven't been on my road bike for about 5 years. It really scares me. Last time it took ages just to learn not to topple over at the end of the road! So I just have to bite the bullet on this one. I've checked the tyres still pump up, so this weekend I'll just go for a potter round the park to make sure I can at least stay on!

What traps has life thrown at your fitness plans and how have you worked around them?

mrstudz

Motorcycle crash august 10th, 2004. Broke my collarbone, ribs and trashed my s6 vertebra in my lower back (yeah im a mutant, its a birth "defect"). I still have the plate and 8 screws....


Best thing that ever happened me.

Made me realize I didn't want to die a fat lazy slob and 7 years later here i am.

geekyrunner

I always find that when I start exercising heavily that I come down with a cold or some kind of injury! I think it's because I start off too quickly so I too have decided to take it slower. I set my goals now by distance, not time. If I need to walk, I do and I don't beat myself up about it (well, that's the plan).

It is better to recover slowly and build back up than be stubborn and work through it, risking further injury.

Good luck!