How summer messes up our exercise routine – and what to do about it

Schools out for summer and while the lack of routine can be a welcome relief, it also brings its challenges. With small legs under your feet all day it can be hard to make time for yourself and stick to regular habits. You are not alone if you feel your fitness has slipped down the priority list as you try to keep everything else afloat this summer. You may even feel annoyed for not being as productive as you hoped you might be. But feeling guilty for missing exercise sessions is no way to spend the season. It won’t do your health, stress levels or indeed the mood in your home any favours as your frustration will spill into your family life.

Redefine training

If you don’t have a big race coming up or a specific training goal you are aiming for, why not reframe your definition of training and try to adapt to what the summer brings? I’m not telling you to do nothing. Certainly keep on moving and keep getting outside when you can. But if personal time is at a premium, I encourage you to multitask your exercise with other commitments, rather than only see exercise and fitness as something you need to dedicate time to. If we aim to move more, move differently, explore outdoors and be willing to try new things this summer, we might not replace our old routines exactly, but we can return to them fresher and stronger in the autumn.

Away from home

If you are lucky enough to be getting a change of scene this summer, it is quite likely there will be more activities and schedules in your day as you embrace holiday mode and leave the grind behind. Holidaying with friends or family is not always a relaxing break. These days can often be the hardest to make time for yourself. If you can escape for a short walk or run before the day kicks off, go for it, and enjoy your freedom and headspace. If that is not possible, accept it, but then make a conscious effort to be outdoors and moving with others where possible. On a beach you might swim, climb rocks, or even walk barefoot over sand or small stones. Parks and playgrounds offer endless opportunities for outdoor games and chasing if you should choose to get involved. Let’s call it all cross training – moving our body differently, while having fun.

Rainy day staycations

While you may have great expectations of sunny staycation summers, it’s not all about leisurely hikes and cycles on sunny Atlantic trails. We all know there will be plenty of rainy days this summer. But even a game of snakes and ladders can be a training session. Choose to play the game on a mat on the floor instead of at the table. Young kids will be just fine with this, and for adults the move away from the comfort zone of chairs is great for mobility. Getting up and down off the ground, moving when down there, squatting, stretching and simply adjusting your seating position while you play the game at floor level will work your body in different ways. While you are there, notice how much the kids move up and down during the game. Bonus points for you if you can match their moves.

Should you train for a marathon this summer?

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Co Cavan: one walk, one run, one hike, one swim, one cycle, one park and one outdoor gym

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‘Why do you work all the time?’ My son’s question felt like a punch to the gut

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From rock gods to high crosses – exploring Ireland this July

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Dress for success

You are more likely to want to move if we are wearing comfortable clothing and have your hands free. Think about what you are wearing right now. Would you be happy to roll down a hill or run around the garden? There has been a boom in leisurewear sales in the last year and while we may not be as stylish as before, I know I’m much more likely to want to play hide-and-seek or jog to keep up with a scooter if I am not carrying a handbag or wearing shoes that might slip off when I pick up speed. Please enjoy your summer wardrobe, but think about how likely it is you will join in the fun and games in the clothes you select. There are opportunities to move everywhere, if you just look around. I challenge anyone to keep up with the energy levels of a child in a park or playground. While it can be very tempting to sit on the closest park bench and observe, being open-minded to moving, stretching, hanging, climbing or even just playing tag can build up a sweat as much as any run.

Zoom out for a few minutes

One of my favourite ways of moving more is to slot in short bursts of light activity by following virtual classes . One of the huge benefits of the pandemic restrictions is that many fitness instructors now have a virtual offering with classes as short as 5 minutes that you can access from your phone. You don’t need to travel or be able to dedicate a whole hour to a class. With a guiding voice in my ear I know I’m more likely to follow along than get distracted. In fact, I tend to sneak these mini classes in when I have a child happily playing on the floor near me. It might not be perfect, but I can usually squeeze in about 10 to 15 minutes before I’m called on to answer another 10 questions about dinosaurs. Once again, if you are wearing comfortable clothes and can quickly access the class, you are more likely to grab this time for you when the opportunity arises.

Time for yourself

When you don’t get to complete your usual training sessions, you don’t only miss the fitness component but you also miss that valuable “me time”. That wonderful headspace and escape from responsibilities is what keeps our mood and our days moving smoothly. You may need to work extra hard to carve out even a few moments of escape for yourself during school holidays. It might just be a cup of tea outdoors, a few minutes reading in the garden, a couple of stretches or indeed some barefoot steps on the grass. These little pockets of time outside, especially if your phone stays indoors, can really refresh you and help you to take on the rest of the day better. The less stressed you are, the better you will sleep, the more likely you are to eat better and in turn the better your body will be able to perform when you do have the opportunity to do the training that you love.

Return refreshed

We are still in the early days of summer. You have time to change your mindset and accept you can’t do it all, but there is plenty you can do differently even if your freedom to have time to ourselves is limited. It won’t be long until we are back in that back-to-school frame of mind with planning and organising taking centre stage again. So let’s do our best to embrace the madness, see opportunities to move everywhere, seek out pockets of time alone and always be dressed and ready for the next adventure that might be awaiting around the corner.

Sign up for one of The Irish Times' Get Running programmes (it is free!). 
First, pick the eight-week programme that suits you.
- Beginner Course: A course to take you from inactivity to running for 30 minutes.
- Stay On Track: For those who can squeeze in a run a few times a week.
- 10km Course: Designed for those who want to move up to the 10km mark.
Best of luck!