This is the first summer in as long as I can remember that I do not have something to train for. No race looming on the calendar, no weekly mileage penciled in, no Sunday sweat session with a countdown clock ticking. I do have a lot of activity planned for this summer, but I’m not signed up for a single event.

Here’s the thing: I thrive with a plan. Give me a schedule, a spreadsheet, a coach’s notes, and I’ll follow it to the letter, with highlighters and sticky notes. But when there’s no structured training block to chase? I flounder. And I know myself well enough to admit that “winging it” is just a more charming way of saying I’d sit on the couch and binge-watch true crime.

So I made a plan that’s flexible but structured enough to keep me moving. If you’re feeling a little aimless this summer, maybe these 5 steps will give you some direction.

The trails in summer are my happy place

1. Pick an activity you love and an activity that’s new

Let’s start with joy. What’s something you can’t wait to do? For me, it’s hiking. I live in Colorado, and I’m spoiled with an entire choose-your-own-adventure map of trails within driving distance, and hiking fills my tank in all the right ways. It’s a no-brainer: Lacing up and hitting the trail is part of my summer rhythm.

But I also want to stir the pot a bit. I don’t want my body (or my mind) to get too comfy. I’ve also chosen something that feels unfamiliar, even a little awkward: jumping rope. It will not be pretty but that’s part of the fun. I’m chasing variety and built-in HIIT.

2. Pick a level of consistency

No set training plan means I need to build my own blueprint, because saying “I’ll work out a few times this week” probably (definitely) means I won’t. I’m committing to five hikes a week and jumping rope twice a week. The hikes can be short and local and I can jump rope in my garage. That’s enough to feel purposeful but not so much that it overwhelms.

Your weekly number might be different—four yoga classes or twice-daily walks with the dog. What matters is the commitment to getting it done.

3. Pick a goal

It doesn’t have to be a PR, but you do need to aim at something. Me? I’m targeting three tough hikes this summer, including the infamous Incline. On the jump rope side, I’d love to build up enough stamina to go five minutes without tripping—and to feel like I’ve added a little bounce to my step by the end of August.

Your goal might be hiking every trail in a certain park, mastering crow pose, or running to the farmer’s market and back. Big or small, it just needs to excite you.

4. Pick a time

As Dimity loves to preach in Many Happy Miles, decide on Sunday what the upcoming week will look like and plan your workouts. I love the flexibility of choosing when to move, but mornings are best for me to beat the heat and begin the day focused on myself. Longer hikes that require travel need to be planned well in advance, so this is a reminder to myself to get them on the calendar! The jump rope sessions? I’m slotting those into my morning right before my coffee—short and snappy.

These mugs are so tempting as a reward!

5. Pick a reward

There’s no finish line photo or shiny medal waiting for me right now, but that doesn’t mean I don’t get a prize. I’m probably choosing a reward that feels indulgent and fun and totally unrelated to fitness. Might be a new coffee mug or something from the clearance section in Anthropologie.

Whatever it is, it’s mine—and it’s a reminder that moving my body this summer is about joy, not pressure; play, not perfection. And it all comes down to making a plan.