On the run with Ryan: The new year, always a good time to shape up!
After all those years thinking that I wouldn’t gain weight or get tired running up the stairs in the wake of all the Christmas and end-of-semester parties, I was finally proven wrong. And, like everyone else, I said that this new year would bring a new me.
By Ryan Keigher [Contributor]
After all those years thinking that I wouldn’t gain weight or get tired running up the stairs in the wake of all the Christmas and end-of-semester parties, I was finally proven wrong. And, like everyone else, I said that this new year would bring a new me.
But then the lack of sleep hit. Plus, I had to hit the books, and I needed to fit in as much friend time as possible. All these other things began to eat into the time of getting back into shape. However, other obligations don’t have to get in the way of shaping up, there are many options to explore.
We might still be a ways away from the spring and summer seasons, but the days are getting longer. I always find that with more daylight, the easier it is for me to get out there and keep active.
We have the Olympic break next month as well, we can use the extra couple days off to kick start our bodies into feeling good.
Then, there’s the Sun Run. Although it’s usually held in mid April, this year it’s May 9th and that means that many Sun Run clinics have started up. Kwantlen has a running club as well, which you can find on the athletics section of the Kwantlen website.
Let’s face it, there are many excuses not to get into shape, but there is no reason why we cannot try. We have many options, more than I mentioned above, and they’re a great opportunity to get involved. Plus, if get your friends and family involved with your exercise routine, you get valuable social time in as well.
Find your motivation: exercise to clear your head, relieve stress from school or just look good for the summer.
Remember you need to start off gradually and not rush in. When you set a time to exercise for, say, 30 minutes, the key thing is to be sure you stick to that amount of time. Don’t repeat the same routine, and change it up a little. If you try to run 5 kilometre every time you go out, expect to get faster and realize that if you run the same 5 kilometre route each time, you’ll get faster each time you are out there.
Before you head out remember to stretch and dress for the weather.
