At the end of last week’s training I battled the “I don’t want to’s”.
Yes, even with views like this:
Week 7 Workouts:
Monday – Strength
Tuesday – 45 minute Run
Wednesday – Strength + 40 minute Bike
Thursday – 30 minute Swim + 30 minute Run
Friday – Rest
Saturday – 60 minute Run
Sunday – 30 minute Swim + 60 minute Run
I knew I had two back-to-back six mile runs + a 30 minute swim one of those days but every bone in my body was making excuses for not getting my workouts done.
Ever since my running hiatus, I dread every run.
Not because I’m in pain or even because I feel slow and lethargic.
These days my runs are fast, pain free and fun.
I have a new-found love for running and every one leaves me wondering why I dreaded it to begin with.
So why the dread? I dread my runs because I doubt myself. I’m scared of a bad run. Worried that one off day will leave me feeling defeated.
But I still get out there and get it done.
That’s because I have a “why,” something that motivates me to get out of bed every morning and get my booty moving.
This is my why:
After a great Chaise23 class the other week, I was talking to the instructor and a few others about my triathlon training. I was explaining how good the Chaise23/tri training combo makes me feel and what it’s done for my body.
Then I blurted it out.
“I finally have the body I’ve always wanted”
First I was embarrassed. Did I really just say that?
But then I thought, why shouldn’t I love how I look — and feel? Why shouldn’t we ALL love how we look?
When you make good choices and do the things that energize you, you naturally will.
So the truth is, right now, I feel like my best self. But that hasn’t always been the case.
I didn’t blog about it at the time, but the past few years had taken their toll. I was:
- Working in a corporate job that was draining me physically and mentally
- Building a business on the side that I couldn’t fully embrace (see above bullet)
- Dining out more than ever
- Falling into a workout rut
I was uncomfortable with the way my jeans fit around my waist, annoyed with the problem areas that even lululemon couldn’t flatter and ashamed that my fitness level had reached an all-time low.
If I wanted sculpted arms, I had to make changes. If I wanted weightless-feeling runs I needed to set goals.
So I started with climbing out of my exercise rut and trying something new (Chaise23) and going back to something old (triathlon). Both set something on fire inside me. I looked forward to my early-morning workouts again.
Then David got laid off and I left my corporate job so we committed to eating at home more often. Best decision we ever made — we both agree.
And this play list keeps me in the mood too.
In the comments, tell me what’s your why? What keeps you motivated to stay moving? Share your favorite songs in the comments below and I’ll create a reader playlist.
If you have a friend who’ll dig what I’m sayin’ or what what I’m playin’ share this post via the social media buttons below.
[…] I came to Chaise23 last March on the day it officially opened to the public. I had read some write-ups and wanted to see what it was all about for myself. I’ve always been a huge fitness fanatic, having tried almost every workout, but few were as fun as the Reinvention Method. After coming at least three days a week for a month, I was seeing results like I’ve never experienced from a workout. My body was tighter and leaner. I finally had the body I’d always wanted. […]