So, you tell me, you're bored. You're not into this whole "running" thing and it's just not doing it for you. It's like a boyfriend who only plays nintendo and gives you doritos for dinner when you want to be playing Wii and eating fro-yo.
That didn't make sense, but it was fun to write.
The best cure for boredom is something new, so get on out there and give it a shot. Running doesn't have to mean running the way I do it. It can mean that you find a track and do some sprints. It can mean that you decide to go catch butterflies in the park and spend some time chasing them like a lunatic. Running can be a run/walk experience.
You HAVE to add some new stuff in though.
Change your ipod playlist. Right now. Do it! Do it now!!! That will definitely help. If you want me to make you a cd, let me know. I have, as I've probably mentioned, notoriously bad taste in music. But I make a mean workout playlist, so send your requests my way.
Try bribing yourself. My freshman year roommate used to get on the treadmill and her mantra was "more food, more food, more food." Whether it's food, a massage, a shopping trip, a new haircut, or just TV time, setting goals and limits for yourself will help you.
Think of a mantra. Mine used to be "3 miles? 3 miles is nothing!" Now that I'm doing triathlon training, I need to find something new.
Keep a journal. Or a blog. Or mark your calendar on days that you run. Have a run log. Or, call me every time you run. Call me as you run. Set up some sort of system that requires accountability.
Go out and buy some new running gear. I know that sounds shallow but you will not be able to resist running if you have something new to wear that you're excited about. Go buy some delicious chocolate GU, because then you have to run more than 5 miles. Go to a running store and buy something fun for yourself. You're beautiful. You deserve it.
Get the Nike +. The startup kit is like $15. You don't need to buy the shoe. Just buy the kit, stick it in your ipod and go, go, GO! It will inspire you, I promise!
YOU CANNOT EAT THAT COOKIE UNTIL YOU RUN!
Friday, May 22, 2009
Monday, May 18, 2009
Training Buddies
GustyGeise got me thinking about training buddies. It's good to have a friend who can motivate you and get you out there. I'm a seriously anti-social trainer, so what am I to do? I tend to scare friends when I train with them, or else we just end up giggling the whole time which isn't very productive.
So I went on the DC Tri Club site and found someone in my neighborhood and went swimming on Friday.
Waiting for a blind training date is worst than a regular blind date. Because on a blind date, as long as you're cute, they're generally happy for that one date. With a training date, you wonder if they will judge you for your skill or ability. Will they like me turns into will they respect me. My new friend told me that he would have a black training backpack and that is how I would recognize him.
Do you know how many men in DC have a black backpack?
Who would he be, I agonized. Will he be a crazy man who tries to drag me into a van, never to be seen again? Will he be a strong, crazy trained athlete who chuckles at my progress and then never trains with me again? Will this be someone I search out at events or run away from? I couldn't even guess.
As it turns out, he was a very nice, normal man who is slightly more intense than me in training and we had a good time. We didn't swim in the same lane even, just walked to the pool and back (he lives VERY close to me). Which was great, because otherwise I never would have made it to the pool.
So the moral of this story? It's good to go out and meet strangers for training. OH! That sounded bad. But all the networking we have access to in cities means that you can meet people in public places and they can be people at your ability level who will work with you to motivate you. You're even more likely to go if it's someone you don't know that well, because the fear of what they'll think if you punk out is greater than the fear of a workout. So go out there my little chickadees! Spread your wings and interact!
So I went on the DC Tri Club site and found someone in my neighborhood and went swimming on Friday.
Waiting for a blind training date is worst than a regular blind date. Because on a blind date, as long as you're cute, they're generally happy for that one date. With a training date, you wonder if they will judge you for your skill or ability. Will they like me turns into will they respect me. My new friend told me that he would have a black training backpack and that is how I would recognize him.
Do you know how many men in DC have a black backpack?
Who would he be, I agonized. Will he be a crazy man who tries to drag me into a van, never to be seen again? Will he be a strong, crazy trained athlete who chuckles at my progress and then never trains with me again? Will this be someone I search out at events or run away from? I couldn't even guess.
As it turns out, he was a very nice, normal man who is slightly more intense than me in training and we had a good time. We didn't swim in the same lane even, just walked to the pool and back (he lives VERY close to me). Which was great, because otherwise I never would have made it to the pool.
So the moral of this story? It's good to go out and meet strangers for training. OH! That sounded bad. But all the networking we have access to in cities means that you can meet people in public places and they can be people at your ability level who will work with you to motivate you. You're even more likely to go if it's someone you don't know that well, because the fear of what they'll think if you punk out is greater than the fear of a workout. So go out there my little chickadees! Spread your wings and interact!
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Guest Posting from GutsyGeise
I have decided to start doing guest posts to offer motivation and the chance to interact with each other. I highly encourage commenting on these guest posts - if you never comment on mine that's cool, but I'd like to start a dialogue.
And now...a message from GutsyGeise:
"So I have been on organized sports teams since I was 11, filling almost every season. So now that I am 23, have graduated from college and have joined the working world; how can I continue to stay motivated to work out with a coach, teammates etc? This is my current conundrum. I have to find a way to motivate myself. The first option that I am trying to make happen is to find a workout buddy. This is difficult because the only person that I see on a daily consistent basis is my roommate and we have very different schedules. She works out in the mornings and after 4 years of 5:30am wake ups, I don’t think I can make myself do it anymore. I live away from other potential buddies which puts a little bit of a hold on my buddy idea. My second option is to find a running group or something of the sort. This is a secondary option because given the choice of working out with a friend or a group of strangers, I’ll take the friend. Another option would be to sign up for races and workout events to keep myself focused and on target. This is lower on the list because currently I am signed up for the Marine Corps Marathon and it is doing nothing for my motivation. (Maybe I just need a little push to get me going)
That’s pretty much it for me as far as ideas for motivation. I’d love to get some feedback and other ideas that have worked. I’m still developing my routine and am far from perfecting it. Still trying to figure out how to make that transition from team to alone."
And now...a message from GutsyGeise:
"So I have been on organized sports teams since I was 11, filling almost every season. So now that I am 23, have graduated from college and have joined the working world; how can I continue to stay motivated to work out with a coach, teammates etc? This is my current conundrum. I have to find a way to motivate myself. The first option that I am trying to make happen is to find a workout buddy. This is difficult because the only person that I see on a daily consistent basis is my roommate and we have very different schedules. She works out in the mornings and after 4 years of 5:30am wake ups, I don’t think I can make myself do it anymore. I live away from other potential buddies which puts a little bit of a hold on my buddy idea. My second option is to find a running group or something of the sort. This is a secondary option because given the choice of working out with a friend or a group of strangers, I’ll take the friend. Another option would be to sign up for races and workout events to keep myself focused and on target. This is lower on the list because currently I am signed up for the Marine Corps Marathon and it is doing nothing for my motivation. (Maybe I just need a little push to get me going)
That’s pretty much it for me as far as ideas for motivation. I’d love to get some feedback and other ideas that have worked. I’m still developing my routine and am far from perfecting it. Still trying to figure out how to make that transition from team to alone."
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