What a few weeks of sport.
Wimbledon. The World Cup. Nations Cup rugby. The Open. GAA semi finals and finals.
The weather’s been amazing, what a great few weeks!! Lots of time exercising outdoors for people, enjoying it all.
It made me think about my own fitness.
As I’ve said before, I don’t always learn from my mistakes at the first attempt. Case in point…on a few occasions, I ran the Dublin marathon. Loved it. But the recovery after a big event like that often caught me out.
You need the break. Weeks off the legs. Then Dublin in late October rolls into November, and November rolls into Christmas, and getting back on the horse gets harder the longer you leave it.
I think I got it right once in four attempts, and entered another race a month after, that kept me honest.
I was conscious of getting it right this time too, not a marathon, but after Morocco. So I did something different. Before I even left on my last big trip, I’d already planned the return.
Guidance from my physio. I wanted to start to run again. A simple progression.
One minute jogging, one minute walking. First run back was three kilometres. Next one, four. Ankle held up, so I moved to a kilometre jogging, a kilometre walking, and repeated that a few times.
I’m back with him next week for some plyometric work. Getting the lateral movement sorted so I can get back on the padel court without thinking twice about it. Well, I may have a few moments of fear moving around the court, we’ll see.
It’s been steady. Deliberate. No rushing it.
But it’s got me asking a bigger question.
Feeling fit and good is one thing. What’s it actually for?
Is it a marathon, or an event? A padel game with Ciara? Golf with Nico? A cliff jump with Edie? The mountain?
Or is it something more simple? The energy to show up and enjoy the amazing Irish summer?
What’s your routine taking you towards?