Total Posts: 42
3.5 Months Ago

I was just reading an article on Alberto Contador, winner of this year's Giro d'Italia and the 2007 Tour de France. They were talking to many of his teammates and coaches, both past and present, and they all talked about his great self -discipline. In thinking about the article I have decided I don't have great self-discipline. I don't even have good discipline. And recently, I mostly have a case of the F-Its (from most recent Dana Carvey HBO special).

When I was preparing for the Terrible Two ride earlier this year my discipline was pretty good. Each week Tim, my coach, would send me a spreadsheet with what rides I should do, at what pace, what heart rate, etc. I would guess I stayed on track and performed 90% of his workouts at the level and intensity suggested. It absolutely worked. Not only was I ready on the day of the ride, I was the best cycling shape of my life.

After the Terrible Two came the 5-days of cycling in Colorado. During the month in between, I wasn't nearly as motivated to go on training rides. I mostly rode with friends on the weekend nad relied on my strong base for endurance. Now that Colorado has come and gone I've got nothing. I am down to riding 1 or 2 days a week (at best).

Let me share how easy it has become to skip the ride. Sherry and I are remodeling our kitchen. Okay, a contractor is doing the remodel and we're just watching. Sherry also managed to recently break a bone in her foot. So I have spent the last 10 days hauling every thing out of our kitchen and laundry room and moving it to the garage (we are gutting the room so everything had to go). I need to talk to Chris about a Fitness Journal category for that so I can log it as exercise. Yesterday the real work started and this is how my day went.

My plan is to leave on the bike by 6:30 for a 2-3 hour ride. We have an appointment with the counter top people at 10:30 so I need to be back for that. After getting up, I decide I should really hang around for the contractor. This is the first day and there may be lots of questions. That was a smart move. So no ride for now. I re-negotiate to ride in the afternoon.

Sherry and I run errands, eat breakfast and lunch, and generally avoid the noisy destruction going on in the house. One of the errands was going to NorCal Bike Sport and buying gift cards for some friends. At least that's near a bike. Does that count?

Finally, back home and now I can ride. Wait! Sherry's closet will be impacted by the remodel so we need to empty part of it. Since I want her staying off her foot as much as possible, I take care of it. Job done, now I can ride.

Then my good friend and neighbor, Bob shows up to see the progress. Our contractor is a very good friend of Bob's. Next thing I know Bob, Sherry and I are drinking wine in the back yard and talking about the remodel. I give up on the idea of any ride and instead I go out and install my new Yakima Swing Daddy bike rack onto the SUV. Once again, at least it is somewhat associated with cycling.

So that's all it took. Currently, any little excuse to stay off the bike is fine by me. The cure? Coach Tim. He is putting me back on a strict training schedule starting next week. But with nothing to train for only time will tell if that is enough to overcome the dreaded F-Its.

Ciao!

From http://leelifeadventure.blogspot.com/

Total Posts: 202
3.3 Months Ago

1. my neighbors AND the paperguy all think I'm crazy--really at some point in time they have all witnessed me running circles around the neighborhood...just a few weeks ago on a LONG HOT 14 mile jaunt around the neighborhood (on the 1.4 mile loop--can we say BORING) a man asked me how many more times was I going to run by--I had only passed him 5 times and thought he really should have just set me up a water stop-instead of harassing me about my redundant path...I replied..."at least 5" at which point he told me I was crazy and he went into his air conditioned home...

2. I have one neighbor how LOVES pink flamingos...you know the first christmas in my home I was going to put santa and his sleigh being pulled by a red-nosed flamingo, but with neighbors that honor the flamingo and have 20 million (ok, maybe only 2 dozen) in their yard I was forced to put lights on my bushes instead.

3. And speaking of lights...many of my neighbors did not take them down after the holidays last year...it's not that VAB has a cold climate, in fact there were many 70+ degree days in January and February alone that would have accomodated a comfortable removal. Now it's one thing to have those lights up still, but in a couple cases, they actually turn them on...just last night I passed a home where the lights were in full LED color changing mode...

4. My neighbor around the corner is single handedly supporting a cell phone company (as well as a tobacco company...)...this lady is always on her phone no matter what time of day or night it is that I am running by, she's out there talking...and smoking...the irony is that I'm sure she thinks that I'm going to have a heart attack one of these days...

5. The olympics spur on a new year's resolutionesque workout commitment from many of those same people that made and did not stick to their new year's resolution...for example, I normally swim after work at one of the local rec centers...because I usually start work before the crack of dawn, I am most likely done my warm up and into my actual workout well before 4pm...and the pool is normally empty...not this week...all the lanes are full and I'm sharing the lane with a man in a 20 year old saggy speedo who apparently either has not read my position paper on men in speedos or choose to blantantly ignore it...why can't I have some eye candy in the pool...surely that will help motivate me!!

6. maybe if I got hypnotized I could re-discover the motivation I had last season as I trained for IMFL...I mean, I did probably 98% of those workouts over the course of 8 months and never once thought of sitting around eating soft pretzels and drinking beer...ok maybe I thought about it...

So in the end I came to realize that only I can control my motivation...I can sit around and eat chips and drink milkshakes and blame my hop-a-long running partner, but ultimately if I want to break that 4 hour mark I need to get out there and get those workouts done...so with the thought that in order to create a habit you need to do it for 21 days straight, I will slog along, sing a little song and enjoy the holiday lights on day one of my journey to re-discover my motivation!! :)

Happy Training

Total Posts: 637
3.3 Months Ago

You do have to stop though, you're killing me at work, I am laughing and no one knows why...

Smokin Cell Phone talker on front porch... HAHA We have on two doors down.

Not sure how you can handle short loops, I have to go out a distance to get in my miles. I can not stansd repeating the same area. 2 problems I have run into:

1. Water and Food - I now carry it with me, but it's heavy and a pain.

2. Bathroom - All I can say is thank god for small towns, I happened to be having the worst stomach cramping as I was exactly 1/2 way out on an 8 mile run. Fortunately, I spotted a high school friend getting ready to leave for work, and I imposed on him to borrow his restroom, waking up his sleeping family in the process. Have not found a way to completely avoid this one. Sometimes nature calls at the most inappropriate time.

JC1.5

Total Posts: 459
3.3 Months Ago

la·zy [ley-zee], -zi·er, -zi·est, verb, -zied, -zy·ing.

1. averse or disinclined to work, activity, or exertion; indolent.

2. causing idleness or indolence: a hot, lazy afternoon.

3. slow-moving; sluggish: a lazy stream.

4. (of a livestock brand) placed on its side instead of upright.

5. to laze.

6. triathletes who take hours to post blogs, eat milkshakes and lay on their

sides like livestock (a.k.a "tipped cow" syndrome).

[Origin: 1540–50; cf. LG lasich languid, idle]

—Related forms

la·zi·ly, adverb

la·zi·ness, noun

la·zy·ish, adjective

—Synonyms 1. slothful. See idle. 3. inert, inactive, torpid.

—Antonyms 1. industrious. 3. quick.

Example: Tri-geek, after lazing like a tipped cow, will attempt a modest sprint race after a truly lanquid season.

- Greg

Total Posts: 202
3.2 Months Ago

Total Posts: 42
3.2 Months Ago

I have done hill repeats on the bike where the local neighbor ask the same question. "How many more times are you going to climb this?" I am usually to out of breath to answer.

Hang in there. Your partner will need to someone to train with as he starts his rehab.

P.S. To JC 1.5 - What the hell do you mean, you "get to witness Lee's lack of motivation first hand"? Where were you this weekend???

Total Posts: 459
3.2 Months Ago

Total Posts: 637
3.2 Months Ago

Reports of my demise were much exaggerated. Well maybe not much, but exaggerated.

Lee - I didn't mean anything bad, you mentioned this on our weekend ride up at the lake, and how your were coming out of the funk. Thus, I get to watch you. With Nicole, there is a a certain amount of mental imagination that goes on,which (with my mind) can make the mental picture more funny that it really was.

lastly, this last week of exercise SUCKED... Nothing - GOOSE EGG. Family life has been very difficult, my wife is traveling abroad, and I am here with the kids alone.

So, I am trying to balance:

- WORK (MAKING IT UP IN THE EVENING).

- FEEDING THE 2 DOGS, 3 CATS, 2 BIRDS, 3 GUINEA PIGS (CARABINI ZOO). 2X PER DAY.

- CLEANING UP THE AFTERMATH OF FEEDING THE ZOO.

- DOING LAUNDRY - FOLDING, WASHING, PUTTING AWAY. - HAPPY TO SAY THAT THIS IS MORE COUGHT UP THAN IT HAS BEEN IN YEARS.

- MAKE THE KIDS AND ME 3 MEALS.

- WASHING DISHES. PUTTING AWAY DISHES.

- WATERING PLANTS.

- CLEANING THE HOUSE.

- TAKING THE KIDS TO THEIR PRACTICE OR ALTER SERVING, ETC...

- DOING THE SHOPPING (WHICH USUALLY MEANS 2 TRIPS DOWN EVERY ISLE SINCE I MISS EVERYTHING THE FIRST TIME THROUGH),

- THEN, I HAVE ACTUALLY FELT LIKE WORKING OUT, BUT BEHOLD, I HAVE NO ONE TO WATCH THE KIDS, SO I CAN GET OUT.

I may be starting to settle into a routine, I think I can squeeze 30 minutes of Yoga in the AM (would love to run, but they are too young to leave alone in the house.), then 30 minutes in the afternoon, I just got a Reebok Spinning machine and I moved it into my family room tonight. So I can spin, or have the girls ride their bikes as I go on a run.

(This has not worked well in the past though as the youngest one whines the whole time and causes me to contantly stop and give her a push to start her again.)

Just call me

Mr Mom 1.5

Total Posts: 459
3.2 Months Ago

Ha ha ha hahee hoooooo! Classic tale of dad stranding with children and zoo. I suppose if there was a ritual to the chores at hand (e.g. shopping) you wouldn't miss the items on the list and have to circle back thus enabling you to find at LEAST an hour of work out time.

But lo, no childcare is an issue. I find that locking the children in the playroom for an hour with snacks works in a pinch. Just don't serve anything as a choking hazard. Also don't leave small toys out as they too might become a hazard.

As for the zoo, oye, that is a problem!

Nonetheless, I hope you find releive soon so you too can get your feet to the street.

Over and out,

Delinquent dad and tri geek.

P.S. For concerned mother's out there, I haven't locked any children in the basement....lately.

Total Posts: 202
3.1 Months Ago

:)

Total Posts: 637
3.1 Months Ago

Total Posts: 202
3.1 Months Ago