The workout rut

Over the last few months, my workout regimen has consisted almost exclusively of running, or lifting weights at the gym (free, brand new gym I might point out). Recently, it's been getting a little old - the act of distance running is inherently repetitive, and sometimes that can be a little dull, even as routes, weather, podcasts, etc. change. I needed to sprint, jump, throw a ball, something more stimulating. This mindset led me to do two things:

1 - I signed up for the Tough Guy competition. It's impossible to describe this event, but the web site is pretty funny. From what I gather, the race consists of running through bogs, climbing over big wooden obstacles, jumping through burning hay bales, dodging electrically charged poles, swimming in a river, and crawling underneath barbed wire, just to name a few components. But it looks like a lot of fun - I don't think many people take it too seriously, it's just a good way to challenge yourself in a way you probably never have, and get really muddy doing so.

2 - I also went to the Imperial College hockey practice last night. It was nice to get back on the ice, even if I was renting amazingly smelly gear to do so. In England, "hockey" generally means field hockey, and the ice-based version is still seen as a pretty exotic import. But perhaps not surprisingly, that may be changing as media becomes increasingly global. If hockey is to grow here, London desperately needs more ice rinks - our practice rink is in an old convention center type place way out in zone 3 (aka, the boondocks).