motivation

Two A Days (get your mind out of the gutter!)

/ Sloan / Leave a comment

Two a days are probably my favorite. Right? I mean, how can you go wrong when you give yourself two killer workouts in one day? I’m realizing that though it’s really nice to have someone else kick your butt on a workout, it’s just (if not more) awesome to kick your own ass.

When all you have is yourself then all you have to depend on is yourself, right? (DUH)  I worked all morning yesterday (by all morning I mean I rode my bike to open the gym at 4:30am and worked until noon…) then some how I continued to keep myself motivated until after the noon hour and do a killer leg work out and intervals on the elliptical.

Holy shit this girl is ripped and this is nowhere near what I do for my leg work out, but whoa. Don’t mess with her!

Then I bike home and laid around until 5:30 and had my friend pick me up for my FIRST SPIN CLASS EVER. I know, how have I been missing out on spin? The class/instructor was just okay, but what I liked/hated about it was that I was in control of my workout. Sure the instructor was there to try and motivate me, but in reality once the music got pumping and I was warmed up it was all on me to get it done and feel the burn. I kind of like knowing that I can push myself hard enough to be wobbly on my legs today. (and I sure am.)

When it comes down to it, we have to realize that fitness isn’t comfortable. We have to push ourselves to hurt and work hard on our own, because, you know what? No one else is going to do it for us.

 

“The only lack or limitation is in your own mind”

NH. Moos

 

The entire spin class I was yelling at myself (other people yell in their head, right?) to work harder, it’s only going to last a bit longer, keep going, you CAN do this, you’ll be mad at yourself if you don’t work as hard as you can NOW!!

In other words, don’t get in your own way. I’m learning to re-motivate myself, and I think that that is one of the most important things we can do for ourselves, not only with running or fitness, but in life itself.

 

How do you motivate yourself?

Ever done spin?

Inspiration From A Lonely Run

/ Sloan / 7 Comments

For the last two months I have not only been surrounded by runners, but surrounded by world class athletes. Everyday I hear about another race my boss has won, is competing in, or another hundred miler my co-worker is getting paid to run by his sweet sponsors. I run with the ladies group run, errrrr, I run behind them, huffing and puffing trying to keep up while I hear laughter and training plans they have laid out for their spring ULTRA.

I see a picture of another co-worker on a New Balance poster, starring at me intensely, I know that he helped design one of the shoes I’m trying to sell every day. A female co-worker is a student, teaches spin, personal trains and is training for an ultra, and Ironman and applying to grad school, (aka she’s Superwoman) I hear whispers of the ‘girl from Born to Run’ works there…she doesn’t, but she and her dog come and hang out a lot.

Needless to say the list could go on, I am surrounded by amazing people, amazing athletes and should be inspired. But being around all these incredible people is intimidating. I’m no great athlete, I lace my shoes up, I run, I work out, I like it but can by no means make any sort of money off it. It’d be sweet if I could, but it’s not one of my dreams.

I should be inspired. But unfortunately it’s doing the opposite. I’m putting immense pressure on myself to do better. I’d love to run an ultra one day, I have wanted to for awhile, but at this point my looming stress fracture won’t and lack of real motivation won’t allow it. So what do I do?

I was feeling super down about this earlier in the week. This pressure, intimidation and self-reflection is all put on by myself, these people I see daily are AWESOME and it’s my own issues making me feel this way, FYI.

I think it was a combination of things, but feeling inadequate athletically was definitely one of them. Invited to go on a ladies group run, I mentally had decided that I didn’t want to go, I didn’t feel like getting left behind and feeling bad about myself and my running again. I didn’t want to run at all to be honest.

Some how I forced myself outside and did and I realize that being a lone exerciser isn’t such a bad thing. I need to feel good with my run before I share it with others. I learned this week that I can push myself pretty hard at the gym or on the road when I really want to. Remember that was super important for me to get out the door and feel good about my run.

When it all comes down to it, a short run outside in the sunshine is way better than moping around at home ANY DAY! Trying to find inspiration daily can be tough but I know I have it within me somewhere. Thanks for listening to my rant…

 

Have you ever felt really intimidated by your surroundings?

 

What pulled you out of it?

Motivation

/ Sloan / 1 Comment

I often regret not going for a run.

I never regret going for the run I didn’t really feel like going on.

 

Today I forced my ass out the door.

 

It wasn’t long.

It wasn’t fast.

But I got it done and am so much better for it.