A new weekly routine

I am very much a routine person. I like to know what I am doing, and like to have things planned in advance. My weekly routine with regards to being active was:

Monday- walk after work

Tuesday- run after work

Wednesday- walk after work and then yoga class

Thursday- run after work

Friday- walk after work

Saturday- morning run and afternoon walk

Sunday- morning run and afternoon walk

Since lockdown 3 (or 2.5, seeing as the November lockdown was only a half-hearted one) I’ve been trying to find out what works for me. As we are back to the leaving the house once a day for exercise, it’s meant either a walk or a run, and really I feel better after a run. I tried a few times to run after work, but felt so awful sat in front of the laptop all day, whereas going out first thing seems to help me feel more focused and awake. I tried one lunchtime run, but it felt like a rush to fit that in before live lessons, so I’ve gone back to morning runs. On a few days I have really wished I could have a walk in the afternoon too (it was suggested to me that I could pretend that I was walking to the shops if anyone asked- but I want to do my best to follow the rules and not find loopholes) but hopefully if we all stick to this then it will be over sooner.

The last few weeks  I’ve had a day off running on a Saturday- Andy and I have had breakfast together and then headed out on a long walk, making the most of the daylight.

One Saturday breakfast of No Knead Cinnamon Pull Apart bread from A Virtual Vegan

Plus enough for breakfast and afternoon tea time left over! Also date+pb as the best post-run snack

Our zoom yoga classes were back a few weeks ago, and I had forgotten quite how wonderful I feel after doing some yoga. So I have set an alarm at the end of the working day to do some yoga, and so far I’ve managed it. I’m only doing a 15 minute ish session, but it helps so much to move around after being sat for so much of the day, and it is a good reset between work and home (as there’s no commute to break up the time otherwise). It’s also good to change out of work clothes and into “home” clothes, and the alarm works as a reminder to do that too.

So now, my weekly routine is like this:

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday- run in the morning, 15 min yoga in the evening

Wednesday- run in the morning, 90 min yoga class in the evening

Saturday- long walk (6 miles ish)

Sunday- long run day

Last Sunday I even got to wear sunglasses! There’s been so much rain, so the route I wanted to take was very flooded, which meant a less scenic run around residential streets. Still enjoyable to be out in the fresh air though.

Earl Grey tea loaf, nut roast and leftover cranberry sauce, a teaching meme which sums up my live lessons and matcha whisk.

I’ve been doing a bit of baking at the weekend- I made an Earl Grey tea loaf which has been really tasty, and we’ve been having some matcha to keep the energy levels up.

Lentil spag bol, pretty sunrise, rain coat and visor for a rainy run, and a hint of a rainbow from my office window.

Spinach pasta, Water Watch and fluorescent top for staying high-viz on the runs

On Friday I had the most beautiful sunrise on my run. After work I washed my hair and put on comfy clothes before making a hot chocolate- Andy put the fire on and it was so cosy and relaxing.  Making the weekends feel different to the weeks seems an important thing for the next few weeks,  and doing that this week felt like a break between work and home.

Saturday breakfast this weekend was pancakes- banana ones from the Fearne Cotton Happy Vegan book. They were tasty but I wasn’t the best at flipping them.

I also did some filing (oh I know how to live) sorting all of my home learning resources into subjects so I can keep my office a bit tidier in the week. I decided to treat myself to Muppets Most Wanted as a Saturday afternoon movie- all is good in the world when you can sing along with that soundtrack.

Do you like a routine?  How are you coping with the one exercise a day rule?