Work it out!

Staying in shape is definitely important to me, and I find that it really supports my sustainability goals. Working out makes me feel healthier, more relaxed, and motivated to accomplish the many demands of a typical day. I also find chances to overlap simple workouts with sustainable behaviors, like walking to the bus or to meetings.

But, it's easy to get in a rut. Especially as stress skyrockets, or the weather is poor. In the last couple of years I have really benefited from challenges that I can work towards. For 2008, it was Climate Ride. I knew I could ride 50 miles in a day, but I had never come anywhere close to 300 miles in less than a week. I had to do a ton of training, including commute rides to adjust to road conditions, long weekend rides (meaning fiance-with-the-mostest had a big commitment, too), back-to-back rides, and some official rides/races to practice in crowded situations.

This year I have two exciting athletic events: 1) a 4 day kayaking trip with friends and 2) the Danskin triathlon. The kayaking trip is a guided trip, so we need to be in decent shape, have some endurance, and be willing to work hard. I really like multi-day events because they are both intellectually and physically challenging, but also all the more rewarding. Plus, we'll hopefully see some whales and other marine life! The Danksin is a sprint distance triathlon, which means we will do a 1/2 mile swim in Lake Washington, 12 mile bike ride, and 5k (3.1 mile) run. Several girls I know are training. It's great to have a support system!

My other consideration this year is "bridal boot camp." Fiance-with-the-mostest and I want to be looking our best come our wedding in summer 2010. So, while we have over a year, we want to think about things we can do together to get exercise. We especially enjoy biking, walking/hiking, and yoga.

I've added a lot of things to my calendar, including garden reminders and exercise plans. Swimming is by far the scariest part of a triathlon for me, so I have lots of times set for lap swimming, and for an open water swim practice. I also have running/walking and plenty of bike rides. I think we'll basically do yoga when the weather isn't nice or we just don't feel like running. It's a great habit to get into for the cold and wet months.

Will keep you updated on how it all goes!