A New Challenge

I've spent a good couple of weeks trying to get my head around my new normal.

I know that I am incredibly fortunate to have a secure job and am able to work safely at home. I've enjoyed being able to break up the work day with music or creating a meal in the slow cooker. 

I know that having outside space and my little balcony is a real privilege. I've really enjoyed eating breakfast outside, especially in the recent sunshine. 

I know that I have good friends and family members at the end of a video call for support. I have actually enjoyed navigating new technologies and I've even been on a podcast!

But some days have still been better than others. 

I'm not sleeping as well as I usually do (and this helpful article probably explains why) but it's given me time to clean out bathroom cabinets and kitchen cupboards.

I'm probably having too many mid-morning / mid-afternoon biscuit breaks (stay away from the fridge) but we are trying to cook proper meals and use up lots of ingredients in new and imaginative ways. 

I'm missing my morning walk to work and lunchtime strolls; but I've been pretty good at trying to find new ways of exercising at home (kitchen dance breaks, stair climbing, boxercise, skipping and hopscotch all attempted). Thank you to everyone who has shared ideas. 

And I've lost my training goal - as with many other events, Race to the Castle has been postponed. In many ways, the decision came as a relief. Training for an event under the current situation just felt strange and a little bit selfish, especially as close friends were under strict quarentine or dealing with significant stress as key workers. Running the distances required in training to cover 100km at the start of June seemed an unnecessary risk. In the couple of weeks before the decision came through, I just didn't feel like running very much at all (although did manage a 7-lapper 5k on Saturday with Mr T - sort of like parkrun but not parkrun).

The rearranged date for Race to the Castle is not until June 2021. That's too far into the future to think about at the moment.

But it would be good to have a new focus. I do like challenges, as demonstrated by my blogging challenge in 2019.

So what to do?

Something that will give me a focus but won't take me out of the house. Something that is a change as well as a challenge. Something that's possible with hard work.

At the start of lockdown, I bought myself an exercise bike. I've been riding most days, trying to create a replacment for my usual walk-to-work commute. It's been a good distraction. I started off by managing 10k at a time. My weekly distance has reached about 75km.

This morning I woke up a bit early and decided to do some exercise whilst watching an episode of Grey's Anatomy (thankfully back on Sky). I covered 19.5km in 42 minutes whilst Meredith saved lives and the general drama at Grey Sloan unfolded.

Inspiration strikes.

I won't be able to run 100km on 6th June. 

But maybe I can cycle it instead. 

On my exercise bike. 

In my lounge. 

Watching the canal through the window. Or a box set on Netflix.

I'm definitely not going to manage it without a few breaks along the way - but then the breaks were my favourite parts of my Race to the King adventure.

But it seems like something I can aim for.

If we are out of lockdown, give me a wave through the window or pedal along with for a few kilometres if you can.

If we are all still at home, join in on your exercise bike if you've got one.

It may not have the wow factor of other challenges but it will be certainly something that tests me. It will give me a focus and make sure I stay active and stay at home.

And it's a new challenge. And I like those.

So I'll give it a go.

Happy cycling.

LizT