Rest is so, so, so crucial, whether you are running or simply a human being, we all need rest, so why don’t we make time for it, why don’t we see rest as something so important in our everyday lives. Be warned you might want to pop out for a siesta when you’ve read this!

When I started running three years ago I used to go to gym three times a week but when I was there I used to use the cross trainer for 2 hours at a time on the hardest setting. Then I used to run 15 miles at the weekend, combined with another 2 hour gym session on a Monday. It was draining me, yes I was feeling good after each workout but I wasn’t strategically thinking how could I be a better runner. By the end of the week I was useless, I felt like a squashed bugs bunny. Couldn’t the same be said of our working lives? Today, I combine my gym and running sessions so I ensure I get benefit from every session. This is so much better for me, one because every time I workout I’m strengthening my muscles and become stronger, faster and fitter everyday.

I Love Mondays

I start Monday morning feeling amazing, fresh as a daisy ready to go, feeling motivated and always smash them but when we hit Friday I feel mentally and physically drained. Yes, it’s the weekend, but why are we celebrating, we’re drained, we haven’t strengthened ourselves to be a better worker, all we’ve done is pushed ourselves to the limit. REST is so, so, crucial, not just to be a better runner, but be a better worker and all round human. After all non of us are super-humans, unless you’ve got a Spiderman suit hiding in your cupboard, pssst…. grab me one if you have, I won’t tell.

“Let’s come back stronger, fitter and faster!”

Let’s take a trip to Spain, well in your head anyway, imagine, the sun’s out, the sky’s blue, you have an ice cream the size of Big Ben but they’re all happy. Before you say it, this isn’t because of the sun, it’s because they strategically make rest a crucial part of their life. They have a siesta in the afternoon, this could be to sleep, get in the community or RUN, but then they go back to work. I’m not suggesting we start having siestas, but let’s start thinking how can we get more benefit from our lives by including rest in it so we ultimately can come back stronger, fitter and faster, whether you’re a runner or not.