Not that I didn't know this beforehand, but this is hard. I am still struggling to get into the "habit" of training.
I remember hearing that a habit is formed in roughly 21 days. 3 weeks. That doesn't seem like all that long really. But what I am forgetting are the events of the rest of my life that are lined up and competing for top billing in the Nathan Show.
Some of competing factors are legitimate; I have a job that requires a lot of time and effort; I have a wonderful wife who deserves more than a passing comment or two as we brush our teeth (We do brush twice a day so at least we have that time). But it is just shaking the little miscellaneous wastes of time that get in the way of creating the Ironroutine of training. The simple joys of watching random movies online, the chat time with friends and family both actual and virtual, and of course my mistress, the one and only Ms. Pac-man who, as much as she is a wonderful stress reliever, can ruin a large chunk of time in my pursuit to break 200,000 points.
Over the years I have kept stats on a huge excel spread sheet and tried to use it both as motivation and a way to track progress (for Ironman not Ms. Pac-man for the record). Both have worked. There is nothing sweeter than checking off all the workouts you planned, or comparing your work over time and realize you are actually improving. The spreadsheets change from year to year, but the same result usually comes about in the end. Me crossing a finish line.
But this is still hard... I need to remember that. Or, I need to forget it for 21 strait days and start this new habit.
Maybe the key would be to get rid of every quarter I currently have!
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Top 10 things I learned this week:
10. I am capable of doing 11 workouts in a week and still feel fantastic. Completely wiped out, a little sore, possibly dehydrated, and fought through some ugly moments, but still... 11 workouts baby!
9. Swimming at the local pool is a lot like the movie rating system. The slow lane is more the PG rating, the fast lane is more for the PG-13 swimmers, and the "speedo" lane is definitely the R rating. Swim suits shrink as the rating gets higher... regardless of age, body type or physical ability. There are definitely people who are overshooting their suggested rating. Sure I have upped it to the "speedo" world, both in lane choice and swimsuit brand, but I hope I have the self awareness to "live within my means". :)
8. Cliff bars contain peanuts. Peanuts contain salmonella. I eat a lot of Cliff bars. So far, I have dodged the bullet.
7. Professional triathletes are very soft spoken. I, the small talker that I am, was chatting it up with a guy who I assumed was a triathlete. He had the gear. I am talking my talk, sharing my race plan for the summer, even the "Yup... Ironman for the first time". I get silence in return. I ask a couple questions. Short answer responses. This has happened to me before where I unknowingly was talking with the then to-be Ironman Canada champion Jasper Blake. He too had the short, soft spoken answers. Deja vous kicked in and I had to ask the question, "Are you by any chance a professional?" Of course he was. How crazy to have all these pros around! I gotta start paying more attention!
6. I got a new bike. It's freaking awesome!
5. No seriously.... FREAKING AWESOME!!!
4. I changed pools to avoid seeing my students in my swimsuit. There is a certain comfort level that you can't maintain when your students walk into your class and the last time they saw you, you were on a pool deck in a speedo. That being said, this new pool has way more people, and smaller locker room and the "I am comfortable walking around the locker room in the nude" factor is far higher. Far higher. Win some, loose some, I guess.
3. Simon Whitfield rode a similar bike in the 2008 Olympic Triathlon when he won the silver medal. I don't know what he rode when he won gold in Sydney, but any triathlete who has won two medals seems like a good judge of a good ride... like I said, freaking awesome!!!
2. My mind is stronger than I give it credit. I had a moment in Bikram yoga this week where my body became heavier than any substance known on Earth. It was just after the standing series and I could hardly lift my arms or legs. It was as if someone had literally put 100 think heavy down comforters over me and then drenched them in water. Couldn't move. I think I even laughed at myself... the pitiful, sweaty mess that I was at that moment. I could have stopped. I could have laid there. But, I tricked myself into just doing "one more", then one more after that, and yes, one more. Either I am not very smart and am easily tricked, or I am able to get myself going again. I know there will be moment on the marathon at Ironman where I am going to want to lay down and just lay there with my 100 down comforters, but that day was not yesterday. And if I keep at it, it wont be Aug. 30th either.
1. Seriously, it's the coolest bike ever!
10. I am capable of doing 11 workouts in a week and still feel fantastic. Completely wiped out, a little sore, possibly dehydrated, and fought through some ugly moments, but still... 11 workouts baby!
9. Swimming at the local pool is a lot like the movie rating system. The slow lane is more the PG rating, the fast lane is more for the PG-13 swimmers, and the "speedo" lane is definitely the R rating. Swim suits shrink as the rating gets higher... regardless of age, body type or physical ability. There are definitely people who are overshooting their suggested rating. Sure I have upped it to the "speedo" world, both in lane choice and swimsuit brand, but I hope I have the self awareness to "live within my means". :)
8. Cliff bars contain peanuts. Peanuts contain salmonella. I eat a lot of Cliff bars. So far, I have dodged the bullet.
7. Professional triathletes are very soft spoken. I, the small talker that I am, was chatting it up with a guy who I assumed was a triathlete. He had the gear. I am talking my talk, sharing my race plan for the summer, even the "Yup... Ironman for the first time". I get silence in return. I ask a couple questions. Short answer responses. This has happened to me before where I unknowingly was talking with the then to-be Ironman Canada champion Jasper Blake. He too had the short, soft spoken answers. Deja vous kicked in and I had to ask the question, "Are you by any chance a professional?" Of course he was. How crazy to have all these pros around! I gotta start paying more attention!
6. I got a new bike. It's freaking awesome!
5. No seriously.... FREAKING AWESOME!!!
4. I changed pools to avoid seeing my students in my swimsuit. There is a certain comfort level that you can't maintain when your students walk into your class and the last time they saw you, you were on a pool deck in a speedo. That being said, this new pool has way more people, and smaller locker room and the "I am comfortable walking around the locker room in the nude" factor is far higher. Far higher. Win some, loose some, I guess.
3. Simon Whitfield rode a similar bike in the 2008 Olympic Triathlon when he won the silver medal. I don't know what he rode when he won gold in Sydney, but any triathlete who has won two medals seems like a good judge of a good ride... like I said, freaking awesome!!!
2. My mind is stronger than I give it credit. I had a moment in Bikram yoga this week where my body became heavier than any substance known on Earth. It was just after the standing series and I could hardly lift my arms or legs. It was as if someone had literally put 100 think heavy down comforters over me and then drenched them in water. Couldn't move. I think I even laughed at myself... the pitiful, sweaty mess that I was at that moment. I could have stopped. I could have laid there. But, I tricked myself into just doing "one more", then one more after that, and yes, one more. Either I am not very smart and am easily tricked, or I am able to get myself going again. I know there will be moment on the marathon at Ironman where I am going to want to lay down and just lay there with my 100 down comforters, but that day was not yesterday. And if I keep at it, it wont be Aug. 30th either.
1. Seriously, it's the coolest bike ever!
Monday, February 2, 2009
Limits
This gets me every time. But then of course you have to have some fun too!
Caution: This song will get stuck in your head, triathlete or not!
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