Getting my mojo back

[oldbanger]

I haven't been my usual bouncy self for a while. Various reasons, and I posted earlier but decided I'd gone into too much detail.

Suffice to say I am stagnating at work but am sole earner so have to play safe for now, especially with everything else going on, I have big family commitments, with two special needs kids, my OH is long term sick and I am trying to finish a big distance learning course, having run out of extensions. No family live nearby and friends tend to melt away when I reach out.

I seem to be crawling through my days right now. Efforts to recharge take me away from the kids, which doesn't help the home situation.

I am not sure I am really asking for advice, as much as needing to vent really.

[smn159]

How's your fitness? Running will give you some space, allow you to clear your head and you may well find that your mojo comes back as your fitness levels increase. Couch to 5K to get you going then running 5K will take you away from the family for 30 minutes max and give you something else to focus on.

If that doesn't appeal find something non-family related that you can focus on from time to time to give yourself a break - project car?

[oldbanger]

I am a bit of a pudding. I have taken up walking with a view to doing the three peaks in summer. It's a solitary activity mostly though. Could I cope with running? It's worth a try I guess.

I am planning on an mx5 but it will have to wait as I have no budget .. and no garage either. I do motor sport marshaling but it has to wait until I get the course finished.

[grumbledoak]

Exercise is good. Something hard enough to get the endorphins going. Running is tough on the knees if you are a pudding though. Swimming is gentle on the joints and it's hard work if you actually try - bobbing about trying to keep your hair dry won't cut it.

You can leave an MX-5 on the road. Don't make excuses. Get one; they're a hoot.

[J4CKO]

Walking is fantastic, get everyone settled for the night if possible, and then, late on, march the streets, I do a couple of miles most nights, clears my head and I pick litter up as I go, stick some tunes on the phone and go.

I do my best thinking when walking, work, home life, future whatever, gets the brain and endorphins going.

[oldbanger]

J4CKO said:

Walking is fantastic, get everyone settled for the night if possible, and then, late on, march the streets, I do a couple of miles most nights, clears my head and I pick litter up as I go, stick some tunes on the phone and go.

I do my best thinking when walking, work, home life, future whatever, gets the brain and endorphins going.

Ha, so I am not the only litter picker. I generally take the dog (though at 20kg and nearly 15 years old he's a bugger to lift over any stiles) so have loads of little bin bags with me... one inevitably gets used for any cans and wrappers I pick up on the way.

I try and do it in the morning as there's few street lights round here. I only have time for decent mileage at the weekend

Edited by oldbanger on Tuesday 28th March 22:16

[oldbanger]

Right, I've just gone to spend a bit more time on a college assignment to discover that the server it's saved on seems to have wound back 24 hours. Fingers crossed I can find something autosaved in the temp folders on the workstation tomorrow. Grr

I think I might try running - the couch to 5k website makes it sound easy - I'll dig out my trainers from the back of the wardrobe. I tried jogging in my teens, but was a heavy smoker back then so it didn't work out very well.

[Thank You For Calling]

I know the feeling all too well. Went from on top of the world to completely demotivated in the space of a few days around 12 months ago and struggled to recover. Walking has been great for me - I don't find I have much time during the week but I've dedicated Sundays purely to just throwing some old trainers on and walking for miles to explore what's around. Gym has also been a good one, although finding the motivation to get there hasn't been the easiest!

Tempted to try couch to 5k - let us know how you get on!

[gareth h]

oldbanger said:

Right, I've just gone to spend a bit more time on a college assignment to discover that the server it's saved on seems to have wound back 24 hours. Fingers crossed I can find something autosaved in the temp folders on the workstation tomorrow. Grr

I think I might try running - the couch to 5k website makes it sound easy - I'll dig out my trainers from the back of the wardrobe. I tried jogging in my teens, but was a heavy smoker back then so it didn't work out very well.

Or try cycling, much easier if you are a little overweight, I find a couple of hours off road on my mountainbike lets me put things into perspective, its always a struggle getting out the door, but I have never get home and think "I wish I hadn't done that" even if the weather was crap.

[fido]

As above, exercise (press-ups are fun - started myself 6 months ago and have gone from struggling with 3 - don't laugh - to 30 in one-go without resting) ..
and in the longer-term an MX-5 (has helped me to enjoy driving again).

[oldbanger]

I have had a chesty cold all week, just starting to clear up. Today is the first team practice for Y3P and I've had to cry off after a mile or so. I just can't breathe my chest is on fire, but this is partly down to just not being fit enough yet. I could do the planned 15 miles on the flat but not the climb or the pace. I am so cross but hey ho, better to know now that I have to up my game. So, couch to 5k in 9 weeks eh?

I have 3 months left to the event itself. Is that enough time?

Edited by oldbanger on Sunday 2nd April 10:49

[grumbledoak]

oldbanger said:

I have 3 months left to the event itself. Is that enough time?

It's going to have to be. Good luck.

[Piginapoke]

Good luck with the C5K. Last year, I managed to give up smoking, start running and ended up doing a marathon, so be careful where it leads you!

I know a few serious walkers, and it is a very solitary and lengthy pass-time. Running, cycling swimming are all a bit more impactful, in every sense.

[fat80b]

Sounds to me like you need a bit of "you" time - Responsibilities can be wearing.

You say in your profile that you like driving &/ maps - How about finding a local motorsport club and getting into a bit of road rally navigating.

It won't take up much time as it is mostly evenings / nights and doesn't have to cost very much / anything at all - plenty of people out there looking for a keen map reader.

Could be a bit of fun to do something totally different.

Bob

[williamp]

Good advice and good luck. Last April I was the same so tried the Couch to 5k. It took me untilo August before I could do the whole 5k, but since then I have ran 5k at least twice a week. last month I really pushed myself nd ran 100km in 1 month. Cant believe. Lost 2 stone too..

[oldbanger]

fat80b said:

Sounds to me like you need a bit of "you" time - Responsibilities can be wearing.

You say in your profile that you like driving &/ maps - How about finding a local motorsport club and getting into a bit of road rally navigating.

It won't take up much time as it is mostly evenings / nights and doesn't have to cost very much / anything at all - plenty of people out there looking for a keen map reader.

Could be a bit of fun to do something totally different.

Bob

Funnily enough my cousin has been a rally navigator since his uni days. I'd briefly considered years ago it but not seriously. I might ask him about it.

I've got myself into marshalling which has been loads of fun so far, and would love to drive myself at some point. In the meantime I've been collecting promises of rides in interesting vehicles, like a Holden and a Westfield (actually I think I've been offered a test drive in the Westfield, but we'll see).

[oldbanger]

Thank You For Calling said:

I know the feeling all too well. Went from on top of the world to completely demotivated in the space of a few days around 12 months ago and struggled to recover. Walking has been great for me - I don't find I have much time during the week but I've dedicated Sundays purely to just throwing some old trainers on and walking for miles to explore what's around. Gym has also been a good one, although finding the motivation to get there hasn't been the easiest!

Tempted to try couch to 5k - let us know how you get on!

I did loads of hill walking in my younger days - South Downs, Dartmoor, Lake District, Malverns, Snowdon. I could do 20-30 miles no problem (apart from sore feet). I also worked outdoors carrying kit with me (e.g. animal traps and 15l water). Smoking 40 a day.

I stopped walking seriously when I met my OH (who doesn't like walking) and at the same time got my first office job. Even with a dog, it's been short strolls through the country for more than a decade, 10 miles would be a biggie, until I decided I wanted to go for Y3P this year. I would also like to do Hadrians Wall in the next couple of years, and that was never going to happen unless I got back in the saddle.

I've been upping my game and increasing my walks in frequency and length since December. The kids stopped coming with me regularly when they were too old to go in he backpack (they're 10 and 12 now) and my 15 year old dog can't really do more than 4 or 5 miles. The area round here is pretty flat, so I've been doing the 12 floors at work every day as a substitute. It has reminded me how much I loved walking though. I find it so relaxing.

[oldbanger]

williamp said:

Good advice and good luck. Last April I was the same so tried the Couch to 5k. It took me untilo August before I could do the whole 5k, but since then I have ran 5k at least twice a week. last month I really pushed myself nd ran 100km in 1 month. Cant believe. Lost 2 stone too..

Brilliant! You're marshalling as well too as I recall?

[oldbanger]

Piginapoke said:

Good luck with the C5K. Last year, I managed to give up smoking, start running and ended up doing a marathon, so be careful where it leads you!

I know a few serious walkers, and it is a very solitary and lengthy pass-time. Running, cycling swimming are all a bit more impactful, in every sense.

Thanks, the plan is to start tomorrow. I anticipate a whole world of pain to begin with. If you're comfortable, you're not growing, right?

Edited by oldbanger on Sunday 2nd April 23:28

[oldbanger]

Day one done. I even had one of the kids come with me.