“Be miserable. Or motivate yourself. Whatever has to be done, it’s your choice.”
-Wayne Dyer
Eight weeks to go until the first triathlon of the year and I haven’t seen the inside of a pool in many, many weeks. There is something in me that finds the thought of jumping into a pool in winter incredibly offensive. Yes, it’s an indoor pool, but the mind is a powerful thing and I can’t fight the feeling that it’s going to be as miserable as I think it is. There is no Nashville chapter of the Polar Bear Club that I know of and I’m happy to stay unaware. It may take me being pushed into the pool. Tough love. Any takers? I’m open to it.
Not helping matters is the fact that Mother Nature has lost her marbles and dropped them all over Nashville in the form of erratic weather. In the past few weeks, we’ve had 70 degree days (which I did take advantage of with outdoor workouts,) ice storms, rain showers and as of this very moment, 38 degree temperatures. Make up your mind, girl. Your crazy behavior is seriously affecting my training chi.
The only base building I’ve done in the last week was constructing the wheat-free sugar cookie crust I made for a pan of lemon bars that I polished off in less than 24 hours. In my defense, I did bring half of them to a friend. The lemon bar situation further exacerbates my lack of desire to get myself into a swimsuit and into the pool. Like I said, I’m willing to be pushed in, fully clothed and all.
I am, in general, highly skilled in the self-motivation department. One has to be to be in the songwriting world that I work in. Today, however? Not so much. I’m currently accepting all forms of advice and welcome any tips regarding this winter workout issue.
Thankfully, my first race of the year is a super sprint with distances of 400 meters in the pool, 10 miles on the bike followed by a 5k; great distances if you’re new to the sport like me and looking to get in some practice before bigger races.
Motivation. If only it tasted like lemon bars.
I love that Dyer quote. And girl, TX weather has been super cray cray lately too. I hope you get your motivation mojo back!
Girl thank you! It’s a great quote, huh? It’s global warming, I swear. Have a beautiful day in TX.
Goodluck on your race!!
Thank you!
I too wish motivation tasted like lemon bars! Or maybe even dark chocolate. Swimming motivation has also been tough for me this winter. Indoor pools depress me. I hope you are able to find your training groove soon!
They are a bit depressing, right? I hope I find it soon, too! Thank you for the encouragement.
Yes, lemon bars would motivate me…
probably to eat more lemon bars.
Lemon bars beget more lemon bars. In my experience.
When you find your motivation, maybe mine will be hiding alongside it. 8 degrees in Chicagoland today. No way was I getting outside!
Yes, I’ll keep an eye out for yours as well.
8! The temperature should never be only one digit, in my opinion. Have a great day in Chiacagoland.
Maybe you can take some motivation from the fact that in here (Finland) the weather is cold as hell. -4F to -13F. When it gets to 14F we think it’s almost summer. So if you imagine that it’s -13F there, maybe to warm and cosy pool might be a bit more tempting?
That’s REALLY cold. Oh, brrrrr…That makes Nashville feel practically tropical.
Wanna trade?
Ummmm….is it ok if I say no?
Just think of the results! Looking good, feeling strong, flying high!!!
Yes! Yes! So true!
What distance triathlon are you doing? I’m sure you’ll do fine. I know how you feel about the swimming thing. It has been frigid cold here lately, and it is tough to go get in a pool when it’s so cold.
I’m doing sprints for now, but hope to do an Olympic later in the year. Being cold and wet is not my ideal state of being, but there are worse things in the world, I suppose. Like not exercising at all.
I don’t think about not being motivated – I think about the ramifications of not getting a workout in… The end point is me, fat on a couch with potato chip crumbs on my rotund belly… That’s enough to get me to do damn near anything fitness related. I HATE that guy, lazy p****… And he’s in there, just waiting.
This made me laugh! It’s true. What’s the alternative? Or who is the alternative? The alternative is the lesser version of myself.
haha. the first step is often the hardest to take. Get moving and ideally the training will fall in line once it becomes a routine again!! Also, remember how good a workout can make you feel.
All true! It’s getting one’s ass out the door that is the hardest thing! Thank you for the encouragement.