Thea Newcomb Online

30 March 2014 marks the 3rd year running (pun intended) of the 5×50 Challenge. The 5×50 Challenge is the brain child of Kelly Mason who is based here in Glasgow Scotland. Kelly, along with a “core team” of fantastic people, created this life-changing challenge. The main aim is to encourage “people to run, walk, jog or cycle 5K (or 30 minute exercise equivalent) every day for 50 days”…hoping that, in turn, will create ongoing lifetime habits.

For some, it’s an easy feat, for others it seems an impossibility. This is my third year taking part in the challenge (and yes, I did manage to complete it successfully both previous times!) Essentially it is a GLOBAL fitness challenge for both fitness and charity!

I mostly walked it in both the previous years, but on some days, when energy levels were up, I would run. On other days, when it was low, I would bike it.

Breaking it down – all a 5k is is 3.1 miles. That’s really not so bad.

One up the “upshots” that I experienced in doing it, was shrinking more than a stone! (After being a total-winter-sloth, it’s my aim to slim down by at least that – and hopefully more this time!)

1) Vary your workout in terms of the route you take and exercise you do. Bike. Swim. Run. Walk. Roller skate. Play football. Whatever.

2) Get a Fitbit (or similar wearable device) to keep exact track of your daily fitness. I never leave home without my Fitbit Flex (see it here on Amazon UK or here on Amazon US).

3) Team up with family and friends on the challenge to keep motivated. There will be times when you just “can’t be arsed” – so you’ll need people to keep you motivated to stick with it!

4) Reward yourself from time to time. For me, that reward might be to psyche myself up for 5-mile walk (did I mention I tried to average five miles a day not K? I did), and then come home to a big scone with jam and clotted cream!

5) Use workout time productively, sometimes! I mixed it up. Some days my walks were head-clearing walks, so silent. Others were working walks so I’d listen to podcasts about Social Media and the like. On some days, perhaps when I needed it most, I listened to inspirational or motivational speakers. Super rainy nights I’d often go to use the treadmill at the gym and read Ebooks (work or pleasure – depending on my mood). Finally on days like today, I’d do the entire walk writing a blog! This very blog was written as I’ve weaved through Glasgow’s south side (taking care to keep eyes peeled for pedestrians, puddles, poo and of course cars too!)

So yeah, that final tip is a big one really….Simply find a way to weave the 5×50 fitness into your routine so it becomes a part of your daily life, and hopefully a habit that will be set to continue.

As I say, it’s not starting until the end of March, but I am already trying to get back into the swing now, so it’s less of a shock to the system when the launch day kicks off.

Plus I really need to tackle that aforementioned winter sloth poundage I put on!

One last thing – another way I document my #5×50 journey is through pictures. I tried to take a picture (or many photos depending on where I was) on almost every workout. (Not the treadmill workouts, but when I was out and about).

Now that I am new to the Instagram party – I’ll aim to do so there – join me on Instagram if you’re on it. I could use a few more people to interact with over there!

Why not join me in the challenge? Follow along on social media #5x50Challenge. Check out this video by Tim Berridge at Dividia – below or on the 5×50  Youtube channel!