Slip Sliding Away

Some weeks, I feel invincible.  Workouts are going great.  I feel on top of the world.

And then I hit this week, and it is all headwind.

Taxes were due today and I have been so distracted.

I have already missed a trainer workout and a swim workout this week because I have been so focused on taxes.

I have kept up with my daily runs but they feel slow and sluggish.

I have gotten up to my app Alarmy but then in 5 minutes, I go right back upstairs and back to bed.

What the heck is wrong with me?

I can not let this slip turn into a slide.

Tomorrow, I put on the brakes.

Coffee Pot Hero

So what is so special about this photo of my coffee pot?

Well, this photo of my coffee pot got me out of bed this morning.

Yes, finally.  And it was not by drinking the coffee.

I had a losing streak of not going swimming in the morning.  Today that streak was broken.

You see, I found this awesome little alarm app called Alarmy.  (I have a Samsung Galaxy S5.)

First, you take a photo of an object in your house.

I chose my handsome looking coffee machine (Keurig) in my downstairs kitchen.

When my alarm goes off, the way you turn it off is to go downstairs, down the hallway and in to the kitchen and take a good photo with all the lights on.

It must be the exact same photo...and in focus.

It sounds easy...but at 4:30am I tried to take a photo of the bunch of bananas instead.

But the point is, it gets you out of bed and you have to use enough brain power to use your camera phone. Eventually you get it right and it semi-wakes you up.

Then the trick is....you must not go back to bed.  (Like I did the first 3 times.  Ha!)

Complicated, I know.

My masters swim coach gave me a huge hug when he saw me.  That was worth all the effort in getting up at 4:30am this morning.  I also have more time with my Charlie and Gizzy after work (another huge added bonus).

The Self Torture In My Head

Today was a rough day at the office.

I trudged home through traffic.  Let the dog out.  Fed the dog.  And then layed down on the couch to cuddle with Gizzy and started surfing Facebook.

My eyes started to get droopy.  I look at the time.  It is 5:44PM.

I sure could use nice little cat nap.

20 minutes would hit the spot.  Only 20 minutes though.  I could start my workout at 7pm.

You know, I don't HAVE to do my training tonight.  I could use the rest day.  After all, I will be working hard on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

And here I am starting to negotiate.  Stop.

I jump off the couch and force myself up the stairs to change.

Then I start sorting my laundry. Putting clean clothes away.  Next I am sitting down at my vanity to clip my toenails.  Hmmm....now filing fingers.  I start dayreaming about getting a good manicure.

Tick. Tick. Tick.

Call the dog to play with me upstairs.  Lay on the floor and stare into his loving eyes and gush on him.  If I go train, I would leave him home ALL alone.  So sad to be so alone.

Started thinking, hmmm....I could take the night off and get all my laundry done instead.  I can watch Gizzy sleep.

Again with the negotiating.

Enough.

I pack my gym bag for swim and lace up my Hokas.

In my CRV finally...and driving at 7:07PM.

Perfect time for me to get 45 minute run in before dark and in the pool before closing.

I need to do track workout first so I head to the Kingwood High School Track.  It is paved nicer than the Kingwood Middle School.  I need to do a 1 mile warm up.  Run hard 800meters.  Recovery for 200 meters.  Repeat 4 times.  1 mile cool down.

I am kinda pumped to do this workout.  I need to run hard.

I turn left to face the high school parking lot and sit at red light.  Uh oh. I see people in the bleachers.

Crap. Looks like there is a game going on.  Maybe a track meet?  Too many cars in the parking lot.

Abort mission.

Now it feels like years that I sitting at this red light into the high school parking lot.  I start debating if I could break the law and get away with it.  I feel trapped. I. CAN'T MOVE.

That's it.  It is a sign.  I should go home and take that rest day.  All my time is being wasted at this red light. I should just call it right now and go home.

But damn.  I drove all the way over here already and I am dressed to kill (well, for a workout that is).

Greenlight.  I take the next u-turn and head to the YMCA.

Fine.

I will run from the Y.  At this point it is now 7:31PM.  Do I have enough time to run and swim?  Maybe I should skip the run and just swim.  Maybe I should skip the swim and just run?

Maybe I should pee first?  But I will lose too much daylight if I run inside the Y. Aye. Just suck it up and hold it.

Oh crap.  Forgot my Garmin.  Can't run without that.  Return to my car. Dig in trunk.

As I stood at the entrance of the running trail while waiting for my GPS watch to pick up satellites,  I bet I came up with 5 more reasons to abort and go home .

Finally, I am running.

This is not so bad.  Feels pretty good actually.  Nice breeze.

Ok, so I will do my favorite 5K over Lake Houston and I will stride the straightaways over the bridge.

Wow, that went faster than I thought.  Satisfied with my time.  Best of the week.

Pool time and I actually have the pool to myself.  That never happens at the Y.  I put in a good 45 minute swim and then start packing up my bag.

I start to eavesdrop on the two high school life guards ladies talking above my lane.  I pretend to stretch a lot. Bouncing back and forth like Spiderman on the wall of the pool. They both say  "like" every third word. I started to find them very entertaining and soon I was counting all the likes in their conversation.

I, Can't. Stop. Listening.

I want to ask my mom if I talked like that.  I must have made everyone around me like crazy.

Showered.  Picked up my favorite sushi roll and drove home.

I think I put in more effort on how NOT do my planned workout than doing the actual workout.

Why do I do this???  It is pure crazy.

But I must say even after all that...I am so happy it is done!  So glad I did not listen to the other me.

'Til tomorrow!