What’s Your Challenge - Part 3 of 4.
This blog builds on the previous post series based on the Snakes and Ladders theme and enables you to set goals through virtual challenges and events that are available to fuel your motivation, get you on the right road to participation in events that can be completed at home or in your local community. It’s based around getting your chosen activity running, finding where you sit on the ladder and setting clear goals with challenges that recognise the unpredictability of managing LTHC’s and disabilities.
Virtual challenge versus virtual events are two different things. It’s important that we establish the differentiation of these before we begin so that the correct challenge can be put into place to aid with motivation, interaction with others and support packages of varying levels of effort, time and commitment. This will clearly depend on the type of LTHC/Disability and its affect on the body of yourself/participant, the type of activity that is selected and the reason for exercising. Whether this is for health or for fitness or progression to a higher level of participation.
Race at your pace is a regular of ours and they have clearly defined the difference between the two in an interesting blog post Virtual Running Races V Virtual Challenges as;
‘a virtual challenge is when a participant signs up to complete a certain distance goal via a certain exercise method over a certain period’.
These then allow complete customisation to suit your own personal journey up that ladder to where you want to be. They have the advantage of being able to be adjusted to match how your health may be from day to day, less pressure and the ability to change targets up and down as required. You can put aside whatever time that you want and work it into your pacing and chunking activities throughout the day. You can sign up to a recognised programme or just utilise some ideas and come up with your own. A really flexible way to get yourself moving!
and then we go to the virtual event which is;
‘Much like a real-life race, a virtual running race involves participants racing against the clock and against other people. The virtual aspect is that you can do the race wherever, and simply upload your time to compare with others; you don’t see your competition in person, just their time on screen’.
These will be accessible at home. However, the virtual level needs to come first as a stepping stone to taking on further steps on route to higher levels. Many virtual events will have cut off times that need to be achieved in order for you to submit the data and be a part of the event.
ASPIRE & The London marathon made significant adaptations this year which have made them more accessible to those with Disabilities and LTHC’s. On a CoVID free scenario these would be beyond the reach of many which is why the focus here is on Virtual challenges.
So now we know what to do, we need to select the best option to match your criteria. Considerations for this are ability, desire, commitment, enjoyment, flexibility, openness, financial constraints and motivation. Three of the best to try and if you want more then head back to the Winter Warmers Blog we posted over New Year!
Top 3 Virtual Challenges
Race At Your Pace has so many options available and it’s definitely something to look at again, it’s just an amazing resource and so easy to be a part of. The beauty/joy of this site is that you can access so much without signing up for the specific challenges. It has the individual at heart and if you want or need a tangible reward then you have that option.They also advocate other programmes, have free tracker sheets to download for both adults and children and an extensive, detailed and supportive range of blog posts to scroll though at your leisure. These could be changed and customised/decorated without the need to commit to anything! You can also get Monday’s Motivational tips on the Facebook page and some regular emails. Signing up is easy and rewarding. For just £10 per month(£7 for children) you’ll get a beautiful medal, some encouraging emails and become part of a community. The challenges through 1000 steps in a month to walking, running, swimming and cycling starting on low levels of 2 miles all the way up into the hundreds! You could even utilise your physio. Count up the repetitions you do and make each one a step or a mile. Break it down further to blinks of the eye or knee lifts sitting down. Remember you are in control!
FitBit Step Challenges require the purchase of a suitable watch and so an initial outlay unless of course you already have one or a special someone brought you one for Christmas and you haven’t fully explored it yet! The range starts at £40 so not a significant amount of money for long term goals. As ever there is a range of products so whether you are at entry level or a fitness fanatic there is something there for you. Many have other functions that help you track your health in general which could be excellent for those with LTHC’s and disabilities. This is essentially a step, walk, run programme again. Wearing your band and linking it the app you can map your progress throughout the day. There are even ways to aid your motivation by competing with family and friends through the Daily Showdown, goal day, weekend warrior and work week hustle! Great to do in these uncertain times, a way to stay connected virtually to support you through these COVID tiers and uncertainties. Something that can be used easily at home if you are under the higher tiers of COVID restrictions. Marching on the spot, using the stairs or your garden if needed will help you meet your target. You’ll get encouraging messages and badges along the way. There are additional purchases that you can make if you wish but the basics are there for free! This blog highlights an Adventure Challenge In The Yosemite National Park! Not only can you take on this epic challenge but you can challenge up to 30 others to do it with you! Solo adventures are just as good and you’ll get to enjoy landmarks and treasures along the way. The goal is simply to finish and no more than that.
The Conqueror Events is a fantastic programme and all challenges can be viewed here.There are so many to choose from starting out with the English Channel Swim heading upwards into climbing Mount Fuji and travelling along route 66! With 12 different routes to try theres plenty here to keep you moving and a perfect step up from Race at your Pace and the Fit Bit Challenge! What is special about this is that you can use any kind of activity, although the plan is to walk, run, swim or cycle. But once signed up you can access an app that will allow you to convert other exercise that you do into distance. For example Yoga and exercise classes that you might attend! Full details can be found on the website challenge page. There is of course a fee and most challenges are £25.00. You can complete them own your own or as a team. Once you have your challenge you’ll be able to follow your route from start to finish with their very own my virtual mission app which links with manual data collection, tracking apps and smart watches that you may already have! They also have the option to buy merchandise if you wish to.
Top 3 Virtual Events
Something a little different to try. The Let's Bloom Project is the beginning of something else! The company produce training, counselling, custom events and other opportunities to help with well being, stress and anxiety management. Through the pandemic they have run Relaxation, Meditation, Yoga and retreat sessions online as 2 and a half hour events (£25). Here you’ll have the opportunity to try a variety of easy activities that can then spark a desire to pick out something enjoyable and useful, ask them lots of questions and potentially find something you enjoy. This short video gives an insight into what the evening re-treat sessions may include as well as the aromatherapy oils that you’ll get ahead of the event. They have gift vouchers on offer if you have a Birthday coming up this could be a real treat for someone special! On a day to day basis they work with companies and groups to provide bespoke training for individuals, groups and schools. Could be a great opportunity to engage with your sports group /teams especially if you cannot run your normal sessions or you feel your team need some support in these troubled times. You can see the full programme on offer here.
Active Essex produce a regular weekly timetable of exercise which still counts as a virtual event. It’s something that you can tune into alongside the instructor and others. You can find their weekly timetable on the Facebook and Twitter pages every Sunday. There is the added extra that you can also view the events again on theYouTube Page. They also run special events such as The Women Like Us Festival, where special programme videos were aired. You can still watch them and look out for more announcements in the future
Sport For Confidence is an organisation who have; ‘A very much targeted programme is sport for confidence who are; a unique, pioneering and multi-award winning organisation placing allied health professionals into leisure centres to support and deliver meaningful physical activity or sport sessions to anyone that faces barriers to participation'.(https://www.sportforconfidence.com) making it a perfect programme for those with LTHC’s and Disabilities. They run special events like the Christmas Jumper Dance as well as sessions at leisure centres and via Zoom during periods when they know that people are most vulnerable, such over the Christmas Period and through the high tier lockdowns imposed in certain areas. Full details can be found on the website, Facebook and Twitter pages. The Stay Connected Programme is running in response to the pandemic in order to support adults in self-isolation and so again works for our target audience.
These are just some ways to get exercising and we are scratching at the surface here. Plus we haven’t finished yet, so…………………
Next week we will continue with progression when we focus on some transitional home based challenges from The Superheroes Team which lead into mass participation in actual events. Alongside that we will look at events that have the added extra of a fundraising element attached to them, whether that be on a virtual level or getting outdoors and moving!