Alright team! quick mindset reframe for your next mesocycle. Every 4 weeks, it can be gold to hit a “mental restart” button by doing one session that’s different. Not because your plan is boring or broken, but because your brain loves novelty, it boosts engagement, fuels motivation, and can make you feel keen again when training starts to feel like Groundhog Day. (Fernández-Espínola et al., 2020) My example: This week I swapped one “normal” session for a massive trail hike. Big climbs, uneven terrain, zero pace obsession, full nature immersion. It was still endurance, still time on feet… but mentally it felt like someone rebooted my system. Why it works (science sass edition 🧠): 1️⃣ Novel experiences can support motivation (it’s literally a psychological “need” linked with more self-driven motivation to keep moving). (Fernández-Espínola et al., 2020) 2️⃣ Exercise supports brain health and plasticity, including pathways linked with learning and mood (hello, better headspace). (Mandolesi et al., 2018) Aerobic exercise is associated with increases in BDNF, a key molecule involved in neuroplasticity. (Szuhany et al., 2017) 3️⃣ Nature exposure is linked with restorative and cognitive benefits (aka less cooked brain). (Rhee et al., 2023) 🔥 The “4-Week Novelty Reset” The Challenge: Pick ONE “novelty session” over the next month (4 weeks) and post it in the thread, your post must include: ✅ What you did (and where) ✅ Why you chose it ✅ A pic or screenshot (optional but encouraged) ✅ One sentence: “After this, my brain felt…” Ideas (steal these) 🤣 👇 ✅ Trail hike (steep = spicy, poles optional) ✅ Beach run or sand walk + strides ✅ Parkrun as a “social tempo” (no watch judgement) ✅ New route ride with a café turn-around ✅ Swim somewhere different (new pool / open water with a buddy) ✅ “Skills day”: drills, cadence work, single-leg strength, mobility flow maybe reformer 😁 ✅Active recovery adventure: long walk + podcast + sunshine 📢 Bonus points: pair up with someone in here and do your novelty session on the same weekend.

Run a 5 km time trial on New Year’s Day. 🥳🏆🏃‍♀️ Parkrun is perfect! but any flat 5 km is fine. No race. No hype. Just an honest effort to set your baseline for the year ahead. This isn’t about being fast. It’s about knowing where you’re starting. I’ll be doing mine on New Year’s Day too. Post your time when you’re done. Anyone who completes the New Year’s Day 5 km and logs their time will go into a draw. I’ll randomly select one person to receive one month of structured run programming — FREE!!! December is expensive. This is about supporting people who show up. LFG 🔥