095: Moving Outside Your Comfort Zone

Running can be a challenge and it can get especially hard when we are adding in workouts at higher intensities.  Naturally, when we find a workout that we are good at, we are going to want to repeat that workout. That’s where we can get into a little trouble. 

Over time your body will become very efficient at accomplishing your favorite workout, and you will stop taking in significant benefits.  It will not be pointless, and certainly not negative, but you will not be progressing very much.  

When you want to see improvement, you must put your body into a state of stress.  You must move outside of your comfort zone. You must first recognize what your comfort zone is, and then try something else.  

On this episode, we talk about how Angie and I have very different comfort zones, and what we both need to work on that makes us feel uncomfortable. 

Here are some quick options:

• Find a race distance you do not normally run
• Find a pace you generally avoid, like strides, miles pace, 1 hour race pace…
• Find new terrain to run on like dirt, grass, sand, pavement, hills, tracks

Now the best part of running outside of your comfort zone is that it opens up a whole new world.  You start seeing that new options are just experiments, and failures are just data points to learn from.  

Viewing your running as a big experiment can give you confidence to see more areas of your life as experiments.  You can start to try more adventures in the name of experimentation. Some may not work out the way you planned, but you are open to the possibility.  

In this world of trying new things and being open to advancement and improvement, remember an important idea.  Consistency is still incredibly important. While trying new ideas or training methods outside of your usual comfort zone can help move the needle faster, it is the months and years of consistency that makes the biggest gains.  I find that a bit comforting.  

Resources:

• Our Coaching Programs and Training Plans
• Our Favorite Products to Make Healthy Living Easier 
• We have SHIRTS! Show your Real Life Runner Pride!

Hope you enjoy it!! Let us know if you have any questions that you would like answered on our show!    

Thanks for Listening!!

Want to support the show?  Check out our options here!

If you have a topic you would like us to talk about, please send us an email at [email protected]  or [email protected] 

Come find us on Facebook and Instagram and say hi!  

Instagram page for the show @realliferunners

Kevin @kevinbrown.rlr 

Angie @angiebrown.rlr

Click here to request to be added to our private Facebook tribe!

Leave an honest review on iTunes. Your ratings and reviews really help and we read each one!

Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, iHeartRadio, or Google Podcasts