Let’s get physical
- Go back
- 02nd Mar 20
With Sport Relief just around the corner on Friday 13 March, make this month the time to push yourself and test your abilities with some new fitness challenges from obstacle course races, muddy adventures to fun activities with friends.
Running
Keen marathon runner Radio DJ Chris Evans is bringing back his three day running and music festival on the 22-24 May. RunFestRun offers something for everyone, from a novice runner to a multi-marathon veteran. There will be lots of amazing run routes to choose from, a programme of wellness and kids’ activities and music from bands such as All Saints, The Feeling and Basement Jax as well as a number of top DJs such as Judge Jules.
www.runfestrun.co.uk
Cycling
On the 24-25 October, the Red Bull Timelaps will pit teams of four and solo riders against each other and the clock in a race through the night. On the weekend the clocks go back, this gruelling 25-hour race against time will feature special features such as the Power Hour, activated at 0200 where riders shift to a shorter course where laps count double. The winning team will be the one who can rack up the most laps.
www.redbull.com/gb-en/events/timelaps
Climbing
With bouldering set to make its debut at the Tokyo Olympics in 2020, the sport is getting its moment in the spotlight. The benefits include both physical and mental stimulation with a full body work out together with the social aspects of climbing in a group of family or friends. Bouldering will improve your strength, boost your concentration, improves your stamina and develops problem-solving skills. There are climbing centres all over the UK and lots of opportunities to give it a go, whatever your ability.
Swimming
Need some motivation to get you into a challenge. Join thousands of other people in Swimathon, an event to raise money for Cancer Research UK and the Marie Curie charity. The organisers are hoping that 22,000 people will take part in one of the swimming challenges on the weekend of 27 to 29 March. The longest distance available is 5k which is 200 laps of a 25m pool but you can do the triple 5k challenge where you swim 5k on each day of the event.
Obstacles
Mud, mud and more mud! Tough Mudder UK is a ten to twelve-mile long obstacle course with between twenty and twenty-five obstacles. From ice-filled pools to scrambling over walls and under tunnels, this event will challenge your strength, grit, stamina and most of all how well you work in a team. You are not required to complete every obstacle; the challenge is to push yourself to your limits and get all your team to come through the finishing line together.
https://toughmudder.co.uk
Let’s play
Remember Total Wipeout, Ninja Warrior or Gladiator? Now is your time to reminisce and give it a go with this gameshow-inspired obstacle course which is available for people of all levels who want to have fun while testing their fitness. Rough Runner will have a number of events between 5km, 10km and 15km with twenty epic and unique obstacles all inspired by favourite TV game shows. There are a events in London, Oxford, Salford Quays and Birmingham.
30-day challenge
A 30-day challenge is often used in the health and fitness world to establish good routines and the chance to commit to a period in which you will embrace a fitness challenge to change your psyche in terms of what you think is possible in your life. This new outlook on life can be applied to both your physical and mental health and can be achieved through setting clear, tough yet achievable challenges. The idea is to take both simple and complex tasks and do them for thirty days. Ideas include: take a ten-minute walk every day, do ten minutes of bodyweight circuits, run a couch to 5k in thirty days, use kettlebells every day, do 12 times one-hour activities in as many different disciplines as possible and thirty days of mindfulness where you meditate for ten minutes every day. If you development has a gym, challenge yourself to use the equipment that you normally avoid for thirty days and see if you can develop new routines.
Small changes, big results
You don’t need to take on a mountain to push yourself past your comfort zone. Get into a better mindset with these new habits and routines.
- Change up your run or bike route to keep motivated and incorporate a few more hills.
- Walk a neighbours’ dog.
- Try a skipping rope routine online.
- Use the stairs instead of the lift and walk part of the way to work.
- Put music on and burn through those household chores.
- Go paintballing or laser tag with friends.
- Join a running club or just agree to run with some neighbours.
- Use your local park for a simple circuit course.
- Go to an open day at your local gym to try new classes.
- Challenge yourself to do a ten to twenty minute Youtube workout every day.
- Buy some handheld weights and incorporate them into your workout at home.