spin / second sole multisport team

Come spin tonight!!!  Information about the SSSMST Five Seasons Indoor Cycling Series is here.

It’s officially Spring! 

And although there is snow on the ground as I type this, we did get to have a nice sampling of spring weather the past week or two (complete with rainy, dreary days).  It’s enough to get a triathlete re-excited about training as the winter doldrums have probably taken over, leading to motivation to eat pizza and drink beer more than to swim, bike, run.

Last Sunday I took my road bike out for a spin through the Rocky River Reservation.  It was so nice to be outside, with the wind in my face and the sun on my back!  I went out with my boyfriend Ryan, and we ran into a fellow cyclist along the way who asked to ride along.  Turned out it was Anne Callahan’s brother Mike!  He stayed with us even though he seemed like he could have pulled us through the workout.

While this ride was perfect for Sunday, it’s still Cleveland and the really nice weather is still holding out till later.  So, how do you stay motivated?  I asked this to my fellow Lake-Placid-in-Training teammates and got a couple nice replies. 

Tim says:

My motivation is renewed daily.   Well, if not daily than certainly weekly, as this is how often I visit my brothers and sisters and their families (my nieces and nephews). The balancing act they pull off on a daily basis between kids, spouse, home, and work, leaves little time for exercise and even less time for play. Whenever I feel like bailing on a workout, I put myself in my siblings’ shoes, knowing they would flip for some exercise time, and this puts a fire under my butt. The window in which to exercise is not forever open, that’s what I tell myself, and this usually trumps the winter grind.

And if you don’t have family to motivate you, a bathroom scale is a pretty good tool as well.

I couldn’t agree more!  It won’t always be so “easy” to train for triathlons, let alone an Ironman.  It’s good to stay commited while you can – I wouldn’t want to look back and think, “I really should have used that time better because now I’d give anything to have those hours back!”

And Brian said:

One of my main motivations for getting out there on the long cold course is stress relief!  I’ve been busier than ever over the past few months traveling abroad for work and it has really hampered my training.  I’ve been noticing more and more that the lack of consistent workouts is getting to me mentally.  However, I find that once I do find the time to get a workout or two in, I feel much more relaxed and ready to take on the next challenge!  It’s important to realize that despite the hard challenge of Ironman quickly approaching, you can do it, even if you never have before!  Yes, the course is long, but take it one swim stroke at a time, one pedal stroke at a time, and one step at a time…just keep moving forward no matter what the pace and you will get there!!!  Break the course down into small pieces, and keep your focus off the overall distance (it may overwhelm you at times) as the smaller chunks will make time go by faster and easier…  Lastly, especially on those less motivated training days, keep your eye on the prize and visualize yourself crossing the IRONMAN finish line; if you can visualize it you can make it happen!!!

Gotta love that excitement!  I, too, have been travelling a bunch (though not as much as Brian, that’s for sure) which makes the by-the-book training nearly impossible.  I also notice that I get mentally run down if I miss too many workouts, moreso that I notice the physical depletion! 

Thanks, guys, for the advice!  I’ve turned to, and will turn to, this often.  Anyone else got some motivation to share??

Filed under: 2011, SSSMST goes to Lake Placid |