Why do you take a vacation?
I take a vacation to see a new place, visit family, share time with my own family or escape the routine or stress of my normal home life. I take a vacation to leave behind the thing I don't enjoy. I want to experience something new. I want to relax. I want to learn. I want to have fun...all without a time clock.
But one thing I do not want to do is take a vacation from my fitness.
Yep. That's right!
When I go on vacation I still get up early and go run.
I plan to have what ever amount of time I can or feel I need to stay on track for the goals I have set on my racing schedule.
This summer our family has a variety of mini-cations planned. I took the little kids to an amusement park.
Even though I knew I'd be on my feet running from one end of the park to the other, I still got up early that morning and went for my run.
Did I need too?
You might think the answer is No but I feel you'd be wrong.
Let's look at the facts:
~ I easily woke up in time to fit in a run.
~ I felt as though I could give my entire day to the kids because I had already done something good for me.
~ The kids enjoyed a happier mommy since I had already released all those wonderful feel good hormones
~ I was able to eat a little bit of not-so-healthy park food and not feel quite as guilty
~ I have made a commitment to daily purposeful exercise and I am keeping it
~ I not only tell others that daily exercise is essential, I show them
In terms of my overall fitness or race readiness missing a workout or two at anytime whether the excuse be vacation or laziness will probably not have a negative effect...any where but your mind.
It usually shows up in a marathon about mile 19 or 22 or in a 50 miler at about mile 33 when self doubt arrives.
I love running. I am committed to purposeful movement every single day. While it may not always be defined as running, it might be backpacking through the Grand Canyon or hiking the Appalachian Trail or zip lining in some tropical forest, whatever it becomes I will be doing it every day because I love it!
So now tell me, do you take a vacation from fitness?
Tell me why. Make me see it your way.
If you can't, maybe you can see it mine?
Love the pics! No vacation from fitness for me. I map out runs wherever I am and those adventures become part of my vacation memories.
ReplyDeleteI agree... no vacation from fitness for this gal either! Our family has a camper and whether we take it for a little weekend away or for a week long trip the #1 item on my "list of things to pack" is my running shoes!
ReplyDeleteAs someone who only goes on vacation to places with races, I would say, no, there is no vacation from fitness. More people need to adopt that lifestyle!
ReplyDeleteI take a vacation from fitness every now and again, but rarely discard fitness when I am on vacation. The best way to see a new place is to go run through it!
ReplyDeleteI usually don't take vacays from fitness. When I take vacation I usually spend more time running. It comes down to having a happy mom on vacation so my family is great about pretending to sleep when I get up and head out on a run during vacations.
ReplyDeleteI agree, morning runs are essential on vacation!! I know it has to be done early or it won't happen, and I feel sooo good once I've done it!
ReplyDeleteI can't even imagine a vacation from fitness! My family doesn't take a lot of vacations but every one we do has been centered around a race for me. Perhaps that makes me selfish but I feel it allows us all to enjoy the efforts of my training and be part of something big. On the even rarer occassions when I go home to Texas to visit family, I still find a way to run. I still laugh at the time I ran around and around and around an RV park my parents were at just to get my run in. People were laughing at me with each loop but I kept going!
ReplyDeleteI do more exercise while on vacation. I have more time for it. I do things I normally wouldn't because of that. And I have less stress. My husband and I have discovered some pretty neat places by going out for runs/bike rides on our vacations. Then when we get back, we pack up the family and go exploring together. It's great!
ReplyDeletei don't take a vacation from fitness because I love it. i'm not someone who is like ohh i wish i could stop, what why would i it's fun!
ReplyDeletei think i really do need to take a vacay from fitness. but i don't. since my time off of work (aka vacay) doesn't really involve travel i usually have to time to work out and not have to rush.
ReplyDeleteI never take a vacation from fitness. Even if I'm not running there'll be other fitness activities substituted. It's usually walking - around a new city, down a beach or up a mountain.
ReplyDeleteI love running on vacations, its a great way to explore a new place
ReplyDeletePerfect timing for this post. I am on vacation and have run two of the three days I have been here, which is what I would have done at home too. I can't enjoy my vacation if I feel I feel unhealthy. I don't want to take a vacation from running either. It gives me the energy to enjoy everything else more fully!
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your vacation. And your runs =)
I do not really táke a vacation. Not in the sense of going somewhere. As a kid I always got homesick and as a grown up I like it better at home!
ReplyDeletemomshomerun.blogspot.com
Yes, a running mommy is a happy mommy. Fortunately, my boys get that - too much so these days.
ReplyDeleteGreat pics from your trip. I can't take a vacation from fitness; it is just too important a part of our family lifestyle.