Trial Run

Recently, I have been looking for ways to get more exercise. In the winter, we row only at the weekends, and odd evenings when there are enough people to row and a willing night cox. Instead the focus is on land training: circuit training twice a week, or the dreaded rowing machine. But that still leaves lots of time when I could be getting out and doing more. Crucially I don’t want to spend a lot on the gym. I would love to get back into swimming, but need to get the council to provide proof of residency in Cambridge before I can apply for a City leisure card and get it cheaper.

Partly I have been inspired to do more exercise by the website www.heiaheia.com. It’s a social networking site where you can record your training, and see what training your friends have been doing. It ranks you and your friends according to how much training you’ve done that week. It have brought out the competitiveness in me, as I can see how much training the boys are doing and want to encourage the girls to match it! I’ve definitely been doing more since I joined the site, since I know others can see, and I’d feel embarrassed to leave it blank for days! 

Training logs on Heia Heia

 
Lots of the boys enjoy running, and  so I thought I would have a go. It’s a way to get out and do some cardio/legs training without needing to involve a single other person or any complicated kit. So last night I began with a short circular run up and down the river, alternating between walking and running. I rather enjoyed it, but I need to prove to myself that I can keep it up regularly. I already have most of the kit I need, in that rowing kit serves well as running kit. But I will need to invest in some better shoes if I am to keep doing it more seriously. So I’m going to build it up over the coming weeks, gradually increasing the ratio of running to walking. I also like the idea of doing interval training, to make it more interesting. And if I still enjoy it, I’ll invest in new trainers. This will also hopefully keep me doing it, as I won’t want to waste the investment!