Literally, the answer is multisport
Oh no, oh dear, it’s that time of the year. “’Tis the season to be healthy.” But why does it also feel like the season to be guilt-trippy?
Even for those for whom fitness is already a (largely) integrated part of day-to-day life (hello, regular Multisport reader!), the idea of going back to the grind brings out the same feelings you’ve probably felt returning to the first day of work after a weeklong Christmas and New Year leave.
Likely, however, you know from experience that feelings are passing, while commitment is an active choice, the one way humans shape their destiny. You’ve got the what and the why, but how goes the how? Baseline fitness is a realistic goal. Here’s how to achieve (maintain) it.
The non-thing supports the thing
Last year, at the height of the running renaissance, I ran my first marathon after a series of shorter-distance races that culminated with the big 42: 16K in April, then a June Half Mary at 21K, and then a “teaser” (where everyone began walking at kilometer 22) at 32K amidst the August humidity.
My cousins, sister, and I went through it all, and rightfully, we dreaded the Big 42. Thankfully, the fear was actually more dreadful than the event itself. Despite injuries and near-DNFs sustained in the shorter races, we managed to run the milestone without a hitch, finishing with enough energy to dance even.
Looking back, we credit our success not so much to repeated running (but that helps, too) but to the activities (not all of them sporty) hovering around the marathon: weightlifting, yoga, pilates, swimming, pasta (lots of it), sleep (even more of it), and lazy days (see also: Netflix).
Baseline fitness is a realistic goal. Here’s how to achieve (maintain) it.
I think the same mindset applies to other sports, too. If you’re currently “off-season” from your main sport, it may just help to find “adjacent” sports if a drastic change (say, from running to racket sports) seems to be a tall ask. What do fellow athletes in your sport do on the side? Runners often cycle, for one, and when they really want their legs to rest, swimming becomes an option, too.
Literally, multisport is the key.
After all, dear (regular) reader, you probably know that overuse injuries are a thing, and that neglecting the causes leading to them prevents you from further enjoying your sport in the long haul. Interesting how whether in Love or Athletics, distance makes the heart fonder, huh?
Take a deep dive
There are many running events this year, but did you know that there are just as many bike tours, aquathlons, obstacle races, shooting events, dance-offs, and of course, the neighborhood basketball and volleyball leagues?
Events conveniently provide a goal to work for. Think accountability buddies but scaled up and public. If joining running events, especially the Majors and Qualifiers cemented your commitment to running, signing up and paying for a slot at another sporting event may cement your commitment to overall fitness.
Maybe there are physical activities you weren’t drawn to in the past, like basketball, volleyball, and dance, perhaps because you identified more as a wallflower. But perhaps now, something in you clicked, losing your social anxiety over doing “cool kid” sports, because life’s too short to box anyone, yourself included, into categories.
I remember being initially shy when a friend my age taught me how to properly shoot hoops as we were well into our 20s. There were teens all around zipping the fast break, making good calls on par with NBA Team B players. I was (understandably) judging myself at the start, but flow state happened when I realized everyone, even the pros (these teens!), looked stupid at the start.
Before I knew it, I was sinking threes gracefully. Yay to neuroplasticity!
Some dance studios and team sport leagues are aware of this demographic shift, too, marketing themselves for “beginner adults.” You can check out your local Decathlon branch. I hear Marikina Sports Center has football, Frisbee, and badminton clubs open to adults game to learn a new game no matter what age. Gender expectations be damned, “boylesque” and adjacent performance arts that also count as physical activity are also a thing.
180 for 365
And yes, maybe if a “drastic change” suits your tastes more, then go!
Maybe switching sports is what you need this season, this year. What matters is you’re active and moving. And all the better, especially as the new sport may work muscle groups that are underused in your current sport.
If joining running events, especially the Majors and Qualifiers cemented your commitment to running, signing up and paying for a slot at another sporting event may cement your commitment to overall fitness.
Aside from a (third) running boom, there seems to be a wall-climbing boom, a pickleball boom, and an obstacle course boom all in the horizon of 2025, which has been brewing since the pandemic ended around two years ago.
If you already run, bike, and swim, these other sports might be easier to learn given your baseline strong cardio. And maybe it’s time for your legs to rest and your arms to raise the roof. Does this mean giving up your main sport? Not at all. Unlike in love, no athlete ever lost anything taking on a new sport.
With variety and a commitment to switching up routines, “being healthy” is not just a seasonal goal but a lifelong constant, one day as mundane as rain or shine, 24, 7, 3-6-5.