Fiona Outdoors logo My independent guide to the best of Scotland outdoors

5×50 Challenge: Four days in

Written by Fiona

April 01 2015

The 5×50 Challenge calls on participants to do some kind of exercise for 30 minutes or 5k every day for 50 consecutive days. Having done the Marcothon before (30 mins or 5k of running every day in December) I know that there are easier days and much tougher days ahead.

I am not too daunted by the idea of 30 mins of daily exercise. There are few days in my life when I do not do some kind of exercise. However, there are, of course, days when I am ultra lazy and do nothing so I need to focus to make sure I do 30 minutes of something every day for 50 days in a row.

The 5×50 Challenge started on a Sunday (March 29,2015). Weekends are always focused on sport in my world so it wasn’t difficult to plan in at least 30 mins/5k of exercise. The day before I had walked two Munros in very tricky weather so a two-hour off-road mountain bike ride was the perfect as a next day activity.

My legs were tired and the headwind for the first hour of the ride north of Milngavie almost made me give up and go home but in the end the off-road adventure from Stockiemuir to Croftamie and along the old railway line on Sustrans Route 7 was a great adventure

Day two of the 5×50 was wet and cold. Monday is my yoga day so I might normally have a rest day from cardio exercise. However, I had only just started the 5×50 and so I was determined to do a short run.

I left it until the last moment and just 30 mins before yoga I pushed myself out the door for a jog with the dog. It was raining and a little windy but once I got going it didn’t seem so bad.

I have learned from previous challenges that it is the getting out the front door that is the hardest part. Once you are out there you think to yourself that you might as well get on with it!

The yoga was a welcome hour of stretching and relaxation. I do yoga each week with my friend, the Mighty Vickster. We do our own version of yoga for creaky fit ladies who run and cycle too much and do not generally stretch enough!

One of the people in my team, FionaOutdoors Does 5×50, Mark is not a daily exerciser. he is not inactive but he is keen to be more active. He told me: “Having the focus of knowing I have to do exercise for 30 minutes every day is really good. There is no-one telling me I must but I don’t want to let myself down. I am actually enjoying the challenge so far.”

IMG_5104

Day three and four of the 5×50

Day three of the 5×50 was wet and windy (yet again). I also has a meal out planned for the evening and so I needed a form of exercise that I could fit in and that didn’t seem too yucky.

I ended up heading to the local pool at 3.30pm only to find out that it’s a perfectly brilliant time to swim with a lane all to yourself. I did almost an hour of swimming before arriving home to do a little more work and the  family duties.

Much of the 5×50 Challenge is learning how to fit exercise into your daily routines.

Day four (today) actually began brighter. There have been many rain showers since but I managed to get out for an early-ish dog walk before the worst of the wet arrived. I also plan to head to my Glasgow Triathlon Club spin session this evening.

So far, the 5×50 has not been unduly daunting although I suspect I  might have given yesterday’s swim a miss if there had been no challenge focus.

How are other 5×50 Challengers getting on so far?

More Like This

Kit

Review: New ‘traceable activewear’ collection from BAM

Adventure

Online safety tips to protect your data while you travel

Kit

Review: Berghaus 3D Freeflow 30+5L daysack

Adventure

Cruising for the first time: What to expect on board 

Adventure

Road trip essentials: How to pack and prepare for your rooftop tent adventure

Adventure

Beinn Ghobhlach: Fiona bagging on the Scoraig peninsula