College basketball fans are in their glory this month. And rightfully so. The action is always intense, exciting, and impressive. That’s March Madness!
But today’s message is about a different kind of insanity. Well, maybe not insanity, but certainly the condition of dynamic opportunity. You could even say mild craziness. Early spring weather, especially during the month of March, can vary wildly. From winter storms to wind and rain, to pleasant days, and everything in between. Lion and lamb stuff. The groundhog may not have been right.
These fluctuations in atmospheric conditions can make it tough to plan ahead or stay consistent with outdoor training and recreational activities.You are often forced to modify or change your plans around the March weather. That hike you had planned could turn into a ski trip…or vice versa. The bike ride or tennis match might have to move indoors. It’s all good.
The secret to success is to have more flow and less fight. Instead of trying to force the situation, as in heading out for your bike ride in cold, pouring rain because by gosh you said you were going to ride so by golly you will…change your mindset. Accept that it’s raining hard, undesirable for cycling, and flex your focus. Doing this is easy for some and hard as hell for others. That’s due to personality differences and that’s fine. You do you.
Look for that silver lining. If the dark cloud of the last example, experiencing conditions not conducive to cycling, exists – there may be some really great alternatives that you wouldn’t have considered otherwise. A rain gear test hike. A trip to the indoor pool or basketball court. A kettlebell hammerfest in your garage. The key is to not worry that you’re not doing what you thought you were going to do. Just do something. A fitness or athletic endeavor that keeps your soul fed and your body functional.
I live in an area where some of our popular trails become packed with ice and standing water for a few weeks. If I use crampons and trekking poles, it’s not bad to get out on the milder trails. But the hilly stuff can present slipping hazards and safety concerns even when using the best gear.
Not far to the east of my location, the prairie soil composition creates a unique springtime mud known colloquially as “gumbo.” It’s both crazy slick and super sticky at once. Trying to walk even a short distance across a flat field can be equal parts frustrating and hilarious. If you manage to stay upright, you sometimes get 6 inches taller as the “mud stilts” build up on the bottom of your shoes. And don’t even think about driving in those areas during mud season. That causes road damage and gets expensive quickly (repairs and recovery).
Spring runoff can make rivers unsuitable to downright unsafe for navigation. Hit the lake instead or be patient. It won’t be long.
Here’s our challenge. When March weather makes things a little maddening – and it makes sense to shift your plans – explore and embrace the alternatives.
You can see that my suggestion is not to give up and do nothing. An occasional goose egg in the training ledger is fine. Maybe you need to get an indoor project done anyway. But more than a few off days doesn’t help Lifetime Athletes. Stay regular with being active and keeping your training and playing habits going. Be consistent in moving as opposed to consistently doing the same movement. Just be a little more flexible in your application this time of year. Turn March Madness into a time of stimulating variety.