This one is a readers question ~ how do I pace myself so that I don’t wear myself out. Now, this one could be taken in a number of ways & we will pop through some of the angels and avenues we could take.
Literally Pacing Yourself
So this would be about looking at a single session of exercise. I know that the person who asked this question is a hiker & a biker and it might be that we are talking about the actual pace of each of those activities.
I would say that in order to make up a training plan and to how to look at the overview of your training you need to be looking at a number of factors. If you are seeking to increase your fitness, train for a specific event or making progress towards a specific event then I would always look at plotting that plan backwards. You take the date that you want to do that event (or when that event is on) and you work your plan backwards. The common time frames are usually 12 – 16 weeks. When I first entered a marathon I had a year to train for it and I worked on 4 x 12 week blocks one block was about moving towards 10k (6.2 miles), the next block was up to half marathon, the third block was about half marathon to around 16 miles and the final block was my marathon preparation block.
You don’t want to overload your body with a massive amount of volume quickly, you want to grow incrementally. One of the commonly cited rules is 10% Increasing your training load by no more than 10% per week.
The next thing to think about when you’re increasing your training is that you are concentrating on increasing either volume or intensity. NOT both at the same time. So you are either increasing your mileage OR you are looking at increasing the efforting within that mileage ~ not both at the same time.
Other factors to consider so that you don’t burn out is making sure you are fuelling your activity (~I talk a little bit about that here ~) , making sure you are getting sufficient rest (a blog is incoming on that one) and that you are well hydrated and SLEEP!! Sleep is the secret (or not so secret) accelerator in your training arsenal. Making sure you get sufficient sleep will help a whole boat load to you not burning out!
The All Or Nothing
So, I’m going to do all the things!
“RAH” is the warrior cry from within.
It’s time to change EVERYTHING. I can be a catalyst from a “fuck this shit,” that vibrational undertone of “I’m done” or “I’ve had enough” or a “fuck it” which comes from a kinda feeling of being bored of being in indecision. Just as a side note on this one – sitting in indecision is a choice to stay stuck, you’re not deciding one way or the other. You’re not in or out. You’re choosing to sit smack bang in the way of the carriageway and watch everyone else move in different directions around you.
So, the catalyst may well have sparked BUT then you think about the enormity of everything that needs to happen now in order to execute. My advice is always to write down “what will it take for me to……<< insert whatever it is you want to do” and then brainstorm the ass off it. See what comes up, what actionables will need to occur in order for change to start to take form.
It might feel overwhelming at first. The tasks list might be epic BUT we don’t need to focus on that, we need to focus on starting to take the steps.
Change Does NOT Come By Thinking, Change Comes By Changing Your Thinking AND Taking Action
Anyhaps, that list ain’t going to make a micro of difference if it remains unexecuted or if it tips you into overwhelm.
Overwhelm is a choice 🙊 I know that lots of people hate it when I say that because it’s a stark reminder that we can take responsibility for it and control of it. At the moment, sat in overwhelm it definitely DOES NOT feel like a choice. It’s bloody heavy and exhausting. BUT, overwhelm is usually a symptom of having stacks to do and no idea where to start. Having a long to do list is a good thing (<< there another one that I know often brings a stack of epiphanies for people I work with). I LOVE having a long to do list. It means that there’s stacks of scope to change and evolve, develop & progress. A tiny or finished to do list means that stagnation is close by. Stagnant smells #dontbestagnant
AT THIS POINT, I so often see people think that they are going to change all the things. They are going to go gung-ho straight into the whole lot.
RAH, comes the cry again.
I do it AND I do it all (and often it’ll also be accompanied by the toddler stamp of the feet and the “all by myself” bit).
It’s normal to wanna dive head first into the whole damn lot. You don’t wanna be in the position you’re in anymore, it now feels like a shit show so it’s going to take BIG ass action to create that change.
You probably then have an element of “shit, will I even be able to do this” together with a whole load of self talk about why you might not make it happen.
If you manage to quell that then we are into the ALL IN! I’m a huge advocate of going ALL IN!
Half Ass Action Gets Half Ass Results
BUT, you don’t have to go ALL IN with all the things ALL AT ONCE! Because that’s a recipe for NONE OF THE THINGS being seen through.
All or nothing usually results in NOTHING because all the things is usually unsustainable to create change around all at one time.
It only takes one dropped balled and then everything comes crashing down.
“See!!!! You were never going to make it work.”
“Look at what a fail you are.”
The reality is that you can’t pop all your attention on all the things all at once. Would you have any idea of the plot line of 5 different programmes if they were being streamed simultaneously on 5 differently TV screens in front of you? How can you give your attention to every area, in every way, all at the same time.
Change takes being conscious and present. You can’t try to make a gazillion changes all at once and expect yourself to be able to concentrate on them, be present with your behaviours around them and excel in them all.
The mindset of all or nothing rarely allows you to create the progress you want.
When I am making change or working with my clients we look at establishing “non-negogitables” first – the shit that needs to happen, no matter what, to support the change that they wish to see. We then look at “most important tasks of the day” which are micro activities that create progress day by day. We look at behaviour change and starting to cascade what we’ve nailed, what we already know and what we are creating momentum around into other areas.
Change doesn’t have to be hard unless you make it so.
My advice? Don’t try to change everything all at once because one tiny little detour on the everything thing means that you’re likely to throw in the towel as use it as evidence that you’ll never make it work.
Brilliant article! This was so helpful for where I am right now 💜
I’m so pleased that it’s helped you with where you are right now lovely 🙌