Being ok with not being perfect
It’s two months to go until Nuts Challenge, and whilst I can continue to update you on my physical training, there’s something that’s currently bigger, and that’s the mental side.
Over the Christmas period and with Tom starting a new job, my running has fallen by the wayside, but that’s nothing unusual. I would be amazed if all of a sudden I was able to be training perfectly when I couldn’t manage it pre baby! I have however managed to attend a couple of mum & baby crossfit sessions, so I’m happy about that.
Over the holidays I went to a place called Total Ninja in Manchester. A pretty awesome facility filled with courses that you’d usually only see on TV. When I arrived I wandered around- not going to lie, pretty intimidated, and decided to start with the “easy” course which started off with incline monkey bars. I did half and dropped down.
I watched Tom have a play and tried the second course which had swinging bars. Not trusting myself I didn’ t use my normal one handed technique and only made it half way.
When I could finally make the way across I then struggled with the dismount. When Pregnant I’d avoided finishing any hanging obstacle, because I was scared of slipping and falling and it seems as though those thoughts were still in my head.
I eventually made it across and could dismount but it made me realise; it doesn’t matter how much I train my body, if my mind won’t play along.
Nuts isn’t a massively technical course, it’s mostly a crushing slog over, under, and through, which is one of the reasons why I love it. Regardless of this, it’s a horribly tough course, and if I can’t think I can do it, will I be able to finish?
So the question is, how do I build my confidence?
To start, I’m going to accept that it’s ok to not be perfect.
I am not the girl I was a few years ago, my body has changed, so I need to be understanding and know it’ll not work in the same way. Today I went for a run. I told myself I won’t do 5k, and I won’t worry about walking when I need to. This doesn’t mean I didn’t try, but in order to improve, I need to work with what I have and be patient with it.
I have two months to go until race day, so what’s my plan? Keep with the running, continue with my at home workouts, and fit in Crossfit sessions whenever I can. And most importantly, forgive myself. Scale workouts when I need to, take rest days when I need, run consistently but I don’t need to worry about getting a new PB. slow and steady. I’m not trying to win the damn race anymore just take part.
Part of me blogging about my journey is so I can encourage other women to get fit alongside me, and take on Nuts, whether one lap, or four. So am I saying you can’t do it unless you’re in peak fitness? Nope. In fact, Nuts is a course that If you can slog, you can complete, but you need to be able to believe in yourself and have faith you can do it, so I hope alongside me you’ll start being a little kinder to yourself, be gently but disciplined, and this way I hope we’ll get even stronger. Who’s with me?
Your new daily at home work out:
Press-ups (can be knees)
Mountain Climbers
Jumping Squats
Plank
Plank Jacks
Alternating Lunges
30 seconds on per exercise/10 seconds rest between each exercise
3 rounds.
