Challenging Myself Out of My Comfort Zone.
When our latest #workoutprogram was announced in July via our Zoom Summit I was excited and a little freaked out. All of our workout programs are streamed online, you know it's like Netflix for workouts. This is what got me back to getting healthy. There were no more excuses that I didn't have time to go to the gym or eat nutritional foods. I did it all from home and if I did want to take it to the gym, I would just put on my wireless headphones and get to work. Well the newest program was going to be a combo of indoors and outdoors. A first for the company, plus it was from our only Puerto Rican Super Trainer, so you know I am going to support. It's a #5KChallenge. It's 20 minutes of indoor strength training and then 20 minute of outdoor running. I don't know if my knee could take it but I am going to give it a go. Once they announced you would get a medal at the end of the training after you ran a 5K there was no doubt in my mind, I am going to do this.
I was counting down the weeks and as I was finishing my last workout program my body started getting tighter and my knee was hurting badly. I haven't been to therapy in a long time and quarantine did not help. Well I couldn't take it anymore and I went to physical therapy the week before I was suppose to start training. My physical therapist was like oh no! I was advised to take a week off from working out and I needed to see him 3 to 4 times a week. My muscles were tight and my knee was in so much pain that just a slight touch with his finger made me flinch. I took the week off and he worked my hips, knees and thighs. I stretch everyday and meditated. Then Monday came, okay time to train. It was pouring outside so I did my strength training portion and luckily they planned for bad weather days. They created a "running" portion or treadmill training indoors and I did the cardio training at home. Okay tomorrow I will challenge myself. Tuesday came and another rainy day. I didn't pay attention to the calendar and it was an upper body strength day and the second portion was a stretch/foam roll day so no running necessary. Then finally today, Wednesday, the day came. It's was about 60 degrees and sunny outside. I did my strength training portion at home and then went to the park by my apartment to do the running portion.
I put on my headphones, jumped on the track and did my interval training. I kept my mask on and just reminded myself to just control my breathing. It was running and walking intervals, broken down from 1 minute, 45 seconds to 30 seconds. There were people in the park but I was so focused on myself, I didn't care how I looked. When it was time to run I started jogging very slowly. I knew I couldn't even go 8 mph since I could feel my knee, it was Day 1 after all. Baby steps! I made sure each step was intentional and just listened to my trainer in my headphones. It felt good, I wasn't out of breath as much as I thought I would be. Then again I was in slow motion. The 20 minutes were done, and I went to the side of the track, took out my phone and played the stretching video. Wow! I did it, my knee was not hurting as much as I thought it would. I knew I could do this. I know it's only Day 1 of running but it felt so good to get out of my comfort zone. I have 29 more days of this. 5K may not seem like the longest run or the most challenging but for me it's feels like a marathon. I've avoided running for over 10 years because of my knee but having the right tools in the palm of my hands makes it so much easier.
I jumped on my instagram page and asked my audience, What new or old challenge are you doing to get out of your comfort zone? This year has been extremely challenging to say the least but I really want people to think about that one challenge that they did before, want to do, or tried and failed. I ask, What can you do for yourself? Are you doing something that you know will spark joy and pride? Are you doing something that will get you out of your comfort zone? I ask my team this question every time. What are some of your successes today? It doesn't have to be monumental. But every once in a while you have to do something for yourself. Do something to remind yourself of your power and strength. So I'll ask you too. What have you done or will do to challenge yourself to get out of your comfort zone?