A New Reason to Exercise

There’s more than one reason that motivates me to hit the gym or the running trails. Aside from being a habit, I exercise to keep my weight in check, build muscle, and clear my mind. I love the energy at the Fitness and Recreation Center. (Freshmen, if you haven’t hit the campus gym, you’re really missing out.) While I love working out and the great feeling I have after a sweat session, I do get bored with the routine sometimes. As the semester goes by, it gets harder to get creative and mix things up.  Nearly all of my fit friends have expressed this feeling of discontent and mental plateau with exercise.

My suggestion? Train for something. (Already are? Good luck! Clap, clap, clap…) Training for an event gives exercise a lovely twist. Last fall, I fell into a mundane workout regime. Lift one day, cardio the next, stretching once in a while… It was nice to have a routine to keep me on top of fitness, but after a while this pattern got dry. I needed something different, something fresh!

I’ve always been a runner. Last fall, I decided to bite the bullet and register for the Seattle Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon. Registering was a big commitment. It made exercising completely different. Instead of feeling like I needed to hit the gym for no apparent reason (other than my health and vanity) I knew I had to take a run because my body needed to be strong for the big run ahead. I had a workout plan on my wall, and it felt great every time I checked off a workout and found myself one day closer to the big race. I wasn’t working out because I ate dessert the day before or because I was trying to bulk up my biceps. I ran I knew there was a finish line that I needed to cross.

Training for an event puts a new spin on exercise. Mix it up this fall. Train for a race. Running is boring? Base train for the Grizzly Triathlon next spring. I don’t care. Find something you like (or don’t like) that combines physical activity with competition. Working out may be intrinsically rewarding to you, but when that is no longer enough, try training! There are a lot of fun races this fall. October 8th is Missoula’s all women’s Diva Run, a 5K. Run it competitively. You fell off the bandwagon? It’s walker friendly! Check out runwildmissoula.com if you’re a runner or if you are remotely interested in running. Get your feet moving in a fun way this fall. Winter will be here all too soon!