Good Morning!

I've always been an advocate for morning workouts and this morning was no different.  My trend has been changing since I work pretty early most of the week, but when I can, I'm all over the early morning workout.

Morning workouts just get me ready for the day.  It's like me screaming at my body "Good Morning!... It's time to WAKE UP!"  Luckily, my body does respond to the early morning wake up calls and I usually get really great workouts in.

Plus, I've always been an early riser (something I thank my parents and swimming for) so I can usually get through a pretty decent workout, clean up, and get most of my chores done before my roommate and the rest of the world wake up.  Of course, I'm then asleep in either the middle of the day or I'm going to bed earlier than most.

Now, most of my friends do think I'm crazy considering I workout and then go to a very active job.  I'm usually the one at work complaining about the few hills I have to walk up or just complaining about being sore.  Still, everyone is pretty supportive and amazed with my workout schedule and determination which is a really great environment for me to work in (if you want to call it work...).

Starting Over Again and Again and Again

The worst part about balancing a crazy life with workouts, is that when life gets really, really crazy and the workouts get forgotten for a bit, it seems like I'm starting all over... again.  This cycle is absolutely killing me!

It's not like I'm giving up and then deciding to restart in my determination.  Even in those periods where I don't want to run, I still am running and working out.  Yet I always feel like I get to a good place and then something happens (busy work schedule, vacation, getting sick...) and I'm back at square one.

Today was no different.  I was having a hard time getting going and getting back to the same speed and fitness level I was at before everything went crazy.  I know I'll eventually get there, I just hate the waiting and rebuilding.  Plus, I have my first real vacation home next week, but luckily I'm not planning on taking a vacation from running.  If anything, the change in scenery and the lack of a work schedule will probably be better for my motivation.

How Swimming Habits Help Me Now

I was a competitive swimmer for 14 years and loved it (at least most of the time).  This means that for a majority of those years I was working out 7-9 times a week, driving endlessly for competitions, and learning how to listen and train my body.  Well today, I realize that it's another aspect of swimming I really didn't think too much about that's helping my today.

With competitive swimming we don't just swim (ok, some of us distance swimmers do a majority of the time, but still).  We have dry land aspects to our training.  In fact, for some sprinters the dry land (weight lifting and cardio) can actually make up quite a bit of their workout.  Swimmers will come in, get whatever dry land their coaches have planned and then get in the water.  For me, it was running, stretching, or calisthenic circuits.

Well today I working on some calisthenics and weight training when I realized something.  My morning routine of either running or circuits was just like my dry land.  Maybe not the methods or the actual exercises, but I was getting my dryland done to transition into what I see as my second workout of the day... work.  I never really thought about it before, but have multiple aspects to a workout can actually train you for multiple aspects of life.  I'm not going to throw 100% of my energy into my dry land because I know I have a few tours at work today, but I will through 75%-80% in.  '

I doubt I've explained it clearly, but for me I've just seen the connection between my competitive swimming life and my real life.  It's amazing how many life lessons I learned through swimming.  Leadership, work ethic, and now balancing life in more ways than just scheduling out my day...

On The Road Again

I was able to get back outside and run again today.  I didn't feel 100%, but I really wasn't expecting too.  I could still feel the fatigue and dehydration that I've been fighting since my flu, but it is getting better, and that's what I'm excited about.  Maybe now I can finally get back into a routine and get some work done!

While today's run was a short one (only 2.45 miles), it was also a hot run.  The sun was already coming up and I definitely felt it.  It's going to get harder and harder to beat the sunrise during the summer, or even wait till sunset since it sets so late in the evening.  It's looking like I might have to wake up early and get in the miles I can and then wait for cooler temperatures before really getting serious about my long runs for the marathon training (I still think I'm crazy for signing up for a marathon).

I don't know if it's summer or old habits trying to re-emerge, but after my runs I've been craving a smoothie, particularly a Jamba Juice.  Those who have gone to Jamba, I'm sure you understand how amazing they are after a workout or on a hot day.  I cannot tell you how often I went growing up and now I don't have any.  Funny enough, they don't have any in Florida, or at least close to Orlando.  Of course, I think this sucks because I'm severely missing them.  Fortunately, I'm already planning at least 1 trip to a Jamba while I'm home in a few weeks.  Still... I wish I could get my Matcha Green Tea Blast, or a Strawberry's Wild, or if I feel like indulging a Chocolate Covered Strawberry (it's on their secret menu...).

When Life Gets In The Way

So I was completely ready to get back into running and then life got in the way again.  I was starting to get runs in, was getting a few circuits in, and then Wham! I got whatever is going around.  Ya, that stomach bug.  Luckily, it wasn't the worst flu in the world for me, but it still made life uncomfortable for a good few days.

The good news is that I'm finally getting over this bug and I'm anxious to run again.  Now, I am being a bit safe and making sure I'm completely over the bug before I do anything too crazy.  I have my friend's wedding and my first real vacation back to California since I moved just about a year ago.  I want to be healthy for the fun and craziness that is about to happen.

While I'm taking it "easy", I have gotten a few new toys.  I got a new physio ball, as I didn't bring my original one to Florida when I moved, an ab wheel, and a jump rope.  Everything I got was from Gold's Gym (apparently they have a commercial line now?) and the jump rope and physio ball are weighted so they should be fun to play with.

I used my new toys today and I was definitely feeling my light workout.  The physio ball was ok, but it's smaller than my original one so I'm debating on how I really like it.  I do like the stability of the ball, but of course balancing on my old one was also a part of the workout.  I was definitely feeling my jumping jacks since the rope is just slightly weighted.  My arms and legs were burning when I finished each set of 100.  Then there's the ab wheel which used to be one of the torture devices my coach loved to use.  It gives you a great workout, it's just a hard one.

Tomorrow I'm going to try and run, just a few miles, but I'm anxious to get out there again.  So life might have gotten in the way for a little while, but I'll eventually get it to balance out again.

In A Rut

Life has gotten to me once again and I'm struggling, if not completely failing at keeping up my running.  Just in the last week I've had 3 birthday parties (mine included), a white trash bash, and a failed expedition to a trampoline place (not really sure what you call them... but it's just a giant building filled with trampolines).  Due to my busy schedule, I have not been getting out on runs or even getting in regular workouts.

And I feel like crap currently because of it.  I was able to get my ass off the couch tonight to get a short, but sweet abs routine in, but that was pushing it (I also was at work for 10 hours today...).  I'm planning on some arm and leg workouts in the next day or two, but we'll see what life has planned for me.

Hopefully I'll be hitting the pavement very soon... and hopefully I'm able to get some motivation again...