Having Fun – RunningWell

Hey All!

Hope you’re all enjoying watching the Olympics. Wow. So much drama and emotion and so many stories!

I have always loved sports. To me, sports have always represented fun and play. When I was a shy little kid and my parents asked me what camp I wanted to do in the summer, I always said “Sports Camp”. There was such a thing. It was completely generalized – which worked for me. I didn’t care which sports I played – I just wanted to play. My favourite day of the year at school was Journée Sportif which was basically a mini-Olympics but we all did all of the sports. I think that’s where I began to self-select into the longer running events vs. shot-put and high jump, but I certainly had the opportunity to “play” at everything. All through elementary and even high school, my favourite class was always Phys-ed. Again, I didn’t really care what game we were playing – to me Phys ed meant running around, laughing with others and basically having fun. Phys ed was my absolute relief from math and science and geography – sitting still at a desk was so boring!!! (still is tbh). So of course when I learned that Phys Ed was an actual degree you could take in university, that is what I took!

Aren’t we lucky that as adults we still have this opportunity to play and run and laugh together? That is what I want to remind us all about. When did sport become so serious? I guess I get it for our Olympic athletes, although in some you can definitely still see the elements of play and fun they have managed to hold on to. For the rest of us who are running and biking and swimming for our “goals”, let’s not forget to keep it fun. Fun, play and enjoyment are the reasons I got into all this sports stuff over 40 years ago. And to be honest, they’re the reasons I’m still doing it. And yes, it’s “fun” to work hard, but let’s not lose the ability to keep the lightness in there – to laugh with others and at ourselves, to show up with excitement and enjoyment and to remember that we’re playing here. This is what we do as a relief from work and stress and obligations. So keep it fun. Or if you prefer, I could always give you a sheet of long-division problems to do on Wednesday mornings!

Tomorrow’s workout: (and here’s a sub-goal – smile as you pass ppl every time)

3 x 800 @ HM pace, 3 x 800 @ 10K pace (all w 1:30); 3 min rec,; 2 x 400 w 1:15 @ 5K pace
If going fartlek style: 6 x 3 min on, 1:30 off (first three @HM, second 3 @ 10K), 3 min easy, 2 x 1:30 w 1:15
If training for 5K: 2 x 800 @ HM pace, 3 min, 4 x 400 w 1 @ 10K, 3 min, 4 x 400 w 2 @ 5K
Tempos are written in your plans

See you at 6:15 and Have Fun!!!!

Seanna