Summer update

Surviving Summer, Ragnar round 2, and thoughts on fitness culture

If you’re like me, you’ve likely been trying to survive the Summer heat. Days where it’s too hot to even play outside have left us searching for any kind of hobby to pass the time - which is fun with kids who take on approximately 15,926 tasks per day, anyway. Despite trying to keep my tiny humans busy, we spent the first half of Summer taking a few short, local family trips. Then, it was my turn!

Earlier this month, I completed the Ragnar Northwest Passage with an incredible team of women - some whom I had raced with before. This was my first time in that region of the country and after sweating in 400% humidity in the South, the cool breezes, 50-60 degree temps and ABSOLUTELY ZERO humidity was a balm to my soul.

Here’s how it works: a team of 12, split into two vans of 6 people (preferably the 12 passenger kind. This time we ended up with minivans and it was…. snug), runs roughly 200 miles in relay form. After all six runners in one van finish their leg, the other van takes over. You “rest” in the time that you wait for the other van to complete their round.

Two years prior, I attempted my first Ragnar. I was finally getting back to full-time exercise postpartum, hadn’t run in ten years (no exaggeration), and had no idea what to expect. I was so desperate for something to do for myself and for social connection that I even surprised myself by saying yes when asked by a friend to join their team.

I didn’t quite understand the logistics of Ragnar and thought I could just grab food throughout the race. However, in this race, the food consisted of trucks and roadside trailers serving hamburgers, hot dogs, and BBQ. I didn’t eat red meat or pork at the time and knew it would be a disaster if I started now.

So, I tried to exist off of the little food I brought (trail mix and Clif bars) and found myself running my last leg at 3am, bonking so hard I thought that I’d have to just lay in a field and wait for daylight so my team could find me. Aside from the camaraderie and awesome teammates, my race experience was miserable because I was so depleted.

not this time. I was ready.

With preparation on my side, I actually was looking forward to this one - so much so, that I recruited a friend who spontaneously agreed to join. For me, there’s something really magical about a race experience (even for those of us who aren’t racing to win). Seeing people of all ages, stages, and abilities who have trained for something, show up for themselves and crush a goal gets me every. single. time. The collective display of people choosing to do something hard, or maybe something scary, but ultimately something for themselves is powerful.

Ragnar has the added bonus of being a team event, so when you’re not running in beautiful landscape, you’re sharing stories, cheering for someone (or complete strangers), connecting with humans, slinging snacks, or laughing so hard about aluminum blankets while trying to get cozy on the floor of a high school gym for a solid 3 hours of sleep, that you can’t breathe.

start line shenanigans

This is the kind of fitness that younger me never knew existed because exercise was always a means to an end. Exercising….for fun… without the constant loom of pressure that I’m not working hard enough, becoming strong enough, or running fast enough?! Instead, being fueled by a deep, inner motivation to move my body and become my best self. Not because of how it presents but because it heals my soul. Sure, I want to be a 90 year old woman still lifting weights and running. Lifelong fitness is possible when you embrace the drudgery in the pursuit of joy.

I’ve taught hundreds of classes over the years. I know the gym is an intimidating place to be. Most people hold the belief that fitness is an effort in suffering and the only way to become more fit is to figure out what degree of suffering is necessary to produce results. I also know that the start line of a race is even more intimidating. I wish more people realized that movement doesn’t have to feel that way. However, that requires a bit of discomfort to step out, try new things, and fail.

Fitness culture can be elitist. In a world where displays of performance and hustle at the expense of health is the norm, it’s easy to see why fitness culture negatively affects our mindset. We don’t talk about our failures enough because we’ve been conditioned to hide the messy parts of our lives, but that’s where the beauty lives. Instead of showing up to see what happens, we let the fear of being bad at something keep us from even attempting it. Even though my first Ragnar was a physical nightmare, training for it was the catalyst that got me back into running - and well-fueled running at that. Multiple half-marathons, a full marathon, and a second Ragnar later, I can wholeheartedly say that once I started failing, I finally started living.

P.S. I recommend The Joy of Movement by Dr. Kelly McGonigal for a book that explains the power of social connection through exercise.

---

Simply Fit is a free newsletter that focuses on simple living and practical fitness in pursuit of a joy-filled life. Subscribe below to add some intention to your inbox.