The Sportbum way

This is my first newsletter for Sportbum and I want to go straight to the core of why I am excited about this project and hope that some others out there can relate.

I am super curious about the motivating forces and the effects of getting out there and doing some physical exercise that I know I will not regret and which will make me feel better about myself. I think that I think about running, (cycling, swimming - and any other sport-related activity I may talk about from time to time) more than I actually get out there and do it! Whether that is planning goals with friends, feeling optimistic after creating an exercise schedule, feeling slightly depressed after not running for a few days, beating myself up for not completing a goal, not hitting a PB, or the worst thing - procrastinating for a few hours before I head out for a ride (the list could go on).

Please don’t get me wrong, planning and setting goals etc can be really important but if I spent even a fraction of the time I spend overthinking things related to going for a run and simply get out of my own head I would run so much more. And when I exercise more (especially with friends) I am just a happier, healthier and more resilient version of myself.

I think I am not alone in this. So I am writing this in the hope that others can relate to what I write about and act as a form of encouragement to get out of our own heads, exercise more and be the happier, healthier and more resilient version of ourselves  - I call this the Sportbum way!

I hope you enjoy the musings, stories and ideas that I will share. I plan to write my first 100 newsletters and see if what I put out in the world resonates with a few people and take it from there. The topics I plan to cover will be broad and will include but not be limited to my own personal adventures; challenges; ideas that pop into my head whilst I am running; taking part in sports events; sports tech etc.

I hope that the Sportbum content I put out there in some way acts as a nudge and reminder not to overthink and just go for that run, swim, ride, walk - whatever it might be. I also hope it is the start of a community of like-minded folk who can encourage each other to exercise more, be truthful about the life challenges that can get in the way and never judge themselves too harshly.  

I don’t know yet how long each article is going to be, or how often I will publish. I am just excited to start and see where it goes. Even writing this and acknowledging to the world that I over-complicate my exercise routines is encouraging me to go out for a small second run today, not take the Garmin watch and enjoy this hot day in London.