Finding balance

I've been slightly less hapless at running this past week, which is a rather encouraging sign.

I mean, it couldn't have gotten much worse.

I have also spent some time focusing my energy on non-running stuff. I'm still hitting the trails, and I do still have some goals for this month and year that I'm working to accomplish, but the lack of pressure to put in big mileage has allowed me some time to work toward some other achievements.

Fortunately it doesn't take big mileage to get to some of my favourite trail spots

With last weekend being a bit cooler, I didn't get out paddling...but I actually got on a bicycle for only the 2nd time this year!

Tanker wore his super appropriate Endurance Conspiracy "Hyperspace" shirt as we went noodling around the neighbourhood, bouncing through the park on our mountain bikes.

 

It was goofy good fun, and I still got out for a lovely trail romp that evening as well. I mean, I know I used to spend my weekends getting in a swim, bike, AND run each day, but that was awhile ago now. Honestly I've been a little leery of getting on a bike; I wasn't sure how my back would react, but it turns out it was ok. So, now that I know, maybe I can stop neglecting my bicycles a bit!

If I get super brave, I might even try riding some trail again!

What I've actually been putting real work into, though, is almost totally unrelated to endurance sport, though it may help with some aspects...and maybe my poor, damaged back.

I've always been on the clumsy side, and despite growing up taking various kinds of dance & gymnastics, I've had to fight quite hard to improve my sense of balance from "atrocious" to merely "pretty awful" over the last couple of years. I spend a lot of time standing on one foot, or on a wobble board, or on an inflatable disc in an effort to become slightly less awkward... but now I'm trying things from a different angle.

It might look pretty basic, but this is one heck of a challenge for me!

For no reason other than having seen an Instagram post about arm balances and headstands, I decided to give it a whack on Monday after we got home from work. When the world's been turned upside down, what better time to learn to stand on your head? I didn't have a lot of success, but I could feel that I was getting a sense of how it worked. I stopped myself before I got frustrated, though not before I tumbled a bit awkwardly out of a tripod headstand. I feared for my back, but it seemed to be ok. I'd fortunately avoided striking any furniture on my way down. I have a sort of dedicated workout space in my livingroom - where I was making my attempts - but between the weight bench and the recliner, there's not quite as much space as I'd really like in case of a fall.

I tried again after work on Tuesday, and there was definite improvement already: I could get myself into crow pose (above), though I couldn't hold it. I was also right on the cusp of being able to get my legs fully extended upward in a headstand. Once again, I kept it down to 10mins or so of trying...especially after I nearly faceplanted out of crow, rolling over on my left wrist rather painfully. It wasn't until that happened, though, that I gained an appreciation for just how far that wrist has come since I broke it in 2012; it was close to a year before I could do a push-up with my left hand flat on the floor (I'd use rotating grips instead), and here that same limb was supporting 50% of my not-inconsiderable bodyweight! 

Wednesday evening, I finally felt like I really got it - three tripod headstands, all with full leg extension! 

No, I don't really recommend doing all this in a dress, but it's certainly not impossible. 

By Thursday, I was able to unfold myself upward to full extension (I don't kick my legs up, I press my knees up from the back of my elbows in a tuck, then extend fully), hold a few seconds, move my legs around a bit (one leg forward, legs out to the sides), and begin to fold back down again without toppling over. Four times! I couldn't quite manage to bring my knees back down to my elbows, though..

..until tonight!

Yes, I may have utterly failed to stick the landing, but for 5 days from my first attempt I'll take it!

I'm hoping that the additional core strength this is developing - make no mistake, even after years of dedicated work on my core strength I definitely feel this in my back extensors and intercostals, not to mention my shoulders - will help stabilize my back, and help me dance over the trails.

Not that I don't already, in my own clumsy, dorky way.

It's also just a fun challenge in its own right - a new stupid human trick, and one that I can't wait to try on my paddleboard sometime. I fully expect to get wet, but with the heat that's come back to town and summer ready to begin tomorrow, I'm sure I won't mind making a splash!

So I ask you - how are you challenging yourself now that traditional races are mostly cancelled? Are you mastering a new skill, practicing a new hobby, or learning a new craft? If not, maybe it's time to try something..

You might find yourself a little more balanced for it!