Day 38, 327 To Go

February 7, 2013

Hello folks, today, I'm going to talk about motivation.  Tonight, Honey did not want to run.  She just wasn't into it.  Understandable.  After you factor in taking care of your family, your kids, your husband, the house, etc., sometimes, you just don't have anything left for exercise.  This is something that happens to everyone.

I often don't want to run.  I often want to sit on the couch with the remote in one hand, a bag a chips on my lap, a beer in my other hand, and the night open and free of responsibility.  In fact, if I could do that every night (and day and morning) I would.  In fact...see ya later!!

Ok, ok, I'm back.  I guess I should at least finish the blog today before I get smashed and pass out on the couch while watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer reruns. 

Motivation.  Motivation, basically, has to come from within.  If your spouse, friend, lover, brother, mother, whomever is pushing you to do something, especially exercise, and you don't want to do it for yourself, you will eventually stop.  Exercise is, by design, personal.  You are the one who struggles through a run.  You are the one who has to deal with any injuries or aches and pains.  You are the one who has to carve out the time out of the rest of your day to exercise.  So if you are doing it for someone else, your heart will not be in it.  You have to do it for you!

I exercise for reasons that are all my own.  For one, I enjoy the challenge.  Second, I like the way it makes me feel and look.  I also like the camaraderie and friendships that have developed from my running and triathlon training.  At the end of the day, I do it for me.  I often need to put aside other things I like to accomplish my exercise and racing goals.  That only comes from my internal motivation.

So, how do YOU find what motivates you?  It isn't as hard as it sounds.  Other than running, there are only, oh, like 1,000 different things you can do to get in shape or stay in shape.  You can bike, swim, walk, dance, zumba, yoga, hike, rock climb, rollerblade, ski, cross country ski, snow shoe, jump rope, have lots of sex, chop wood, play with your kids, mud wrestle, hula hoop, martial arts, and on and on and on.

Find what you like and just do it for yourself.  Chances are, there are lots of other people who like doing it too and you'll soon have a new group of friends to exercise and hang out with.  You may even meet someone special.

Now, you may have to find your own internal motivation, but if you find someone else who likes what you like, you can lean on each other and push each other to achieve your goals since they are parallel.  This is the best way to keep up with any routine...find a like minded person and get moving!  And even if you don't both like the same thing, you can trade...you do an activity with them and they can do something you like with you.  Whatever gets you off your ass!!

Here are my numbers today:

Time: 15:00

Distance: 1.61 miles

Pace: 9:18/m

Max Pace: 7:38/m

Calories: 209

Avg HR: 137

Max HR: 154

If you are reading this...send some positive vibes (or better yet, actual comments) to Honey to help get her motivation back.  I need my running partner! 

Run for life!!