Not having a race on the calendar has given me a lot of flexibility in what I do to stay fit and healthy. I am not one of those runners who is lost without a race to plan my life around.
I have fully embraced the freedom of unstructured training for life. Sure I am still running – much less than when I am training for an event – but I am not obsessing over time on feet or mileage. I’m having fun!
Earlier this summer I set a new goal of hiking/running 20 different peaks/trails in 2020. In no time I have surpassed my goal. It’s been super fun exploring new-to-me paths and summiting new-to-me peaks. Two of my favourite hikes this summer have been the Northover Ridge Loop and Wasootch Ridge.
There is still plenty of 2020 left so I am excited to add even more mountains and trails to my 2020 list. I am still chasing 75,000 metres of vertical in 2020 despite my late start. I am confident I can put in the metres before the end of the year.
Starting soon I will start doing hill workouts with a friend on Tuesdays. That should add to my weekday elevation tally. Lately I haven’t been getting any vertical in during the week due to my reduced kilometres.
The cycling
I am still cycling about 75 kilometres each week. There’s a loop along the Bow River from my place that I basically ride on autopilot. It’s both rewarding and relaxing.
I love the cross training benefits of cycling. On days when it is super hot, I can still cycle without becoming too overheated. Usually I stay on the shady side of the river. It’s perfect for those days when you want to do something but it’s too hot to run.
A few weeks ago, I convinced Laura and Sona to do the Legacy Trail with me. We had a great day – cycling and eating plant food in Banff and Canmore.
Several of my friends have also taken up cycling this summer. We’re all novices so we can learn together. Who knew cycling could be so much fun? (OK clearly millions but not I am always a little slow to the game.) I am looking forward to keeping up cycling into the fall.
Not sure what the pathways will be like once the snow arrives but I am determined to get full use of my bike.
Final thoughts
These last six months have really allowed me to put things into perspective, and think about the things that bring me joy in this life. That’s why I am once again trying new things and exploring in unstructured ways. Our time here on earth can be fleeting so why not make the best of it?
What are you doing this summer to stay motivated to keep moving? Are you running unstructured? I would love to hear from you in the comments below.