Pennies in a Jar
Triathlon Jar: 1
1 penny for making my modest triathlon workout. Gotta start small and workup to the big event. No time for injuries. 30 minutes of walking is just fine.
PhD Jar: 0
Right now, there are no pennies earned, however, I have 3 possible pennies, aka, defined goals: made edits to my proposal, get data from the intrument computer, and get some statistics books from the library.
The pennies in a jar analogy comes from Tri-DRS. Someone's coach used the analogy to describe all the workouts that go into Ironman training. Each workout is a possible penny and you want to get as many pennies as you can. You can't make up a penny when you miss a workout, just focus on getting the rest of the pennies.
Tuesday, November 30, 2004
What the difference an entry fee makes.
If the difference between a jogger and a runner is a 5K race application, then the difference betweem myself with or without a 1/2 Ironman application must take me towards the lunatic category.
Yesterday I entered the Great Floridian Half Ironman Triathlon. What was I thinking? At the time, I wanted to come back to the part of my life that I missed. I gave up everything for graduate school these past few months. Outside jobs, triathlon, volunteer work: all gone. The financial burden on my husband and parents has been great. However, I've made progress and reprioritized my life. Now it's time to re-evaluate. Giving everything up for grad school has not made me happy. It made me realize which parts of my life were integral to my self concept and which were extraneous. These past few months I've wondered what I could add back. Fate intervened and required me to get an outside job. A bummer, true, but the truck is gone and if I have any hope of replacing it, I must work. Also, the extra money gives everyone a little financial breathing room and gives me a small piece of independance that I missed.
A little more self evaluation made me realize that the process and lifestyle around triathlon had weaved it's way into the fabric of my existence. I saw myself as a triathlete whether I was racing or not. Worse, I started degrading myself for not finding time to workout. It's one thing to say "I don't have money for race fees", it's another to give up the workouts all together. I was like a poser, saying I was a triathlete but living like the couch potato.
But that's the way I am. I need a tangible goal for motivation. Be it grad school, physical activity, or life, there needs to be the carrot at the end of the string. The bunny to chase, barely out of reach. Entering a "scary distance" race is a nice tasty carrot. If I don't train, I will not finish. Period. Even if I train as hard as I can, I may not finish. That's the risk and the joy of it. And, to keep things going until I need to start heavy training in May 2005, I entered an olympic distance race at the same venue in April. I can't fake an olympic distance. Does it scare me? No but I respect the effort. Must train. Can't do like I did for Mad Beach last year and skip my swims for the 6 months before the race.
And so the glorious return to traithlon begins. HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!
If the difference between a jogger and a runner is a 5K race application, then the difference betweem myself with or without a 1/2 Ironman application must take me towards the lunatic category.
Yesterday I entered the Great Floridian Half Ironman Triathlon. What was I thinking? At the time, I wanted to come back to the part of my life that I missed. I gave up everything for graduate school these past few months. Outside jobs, triathlon, volunteer work: all gone. The financial burden on my husband and parents has been great. However, I've made progress and reprioritized my life. Now it's time to re-evaluate. Giving everything up for grad school has not made me happy. It made me realize which parts of my life were integral to my self concept and which were extraneous. These past few months I've wondered what I could add back. Fate intervened and required me to get an outside job. A bummer, true, but the truck is gone and if I have any hope of replacing it, I must work. Also, the extra money gives everyone a little financial breathing room and gives me a small piece of independance that I missed.
A little more self evaluation made me realize that the process and lifestyle around triathlon had weaved it's way into the fabric of my existence. I saw myself as a triathlete whether I was racing or not. Worse, I started degrading myself for not finding time to workout. It's one thing to say "I don't have money for race fees", it's another to give up the workouts all together. I was like a poser, saying I was a triathlete but living like the couch potato.
But that's the way I am. I need a tangible goal for motivation. Be it grad school, physical activity, or life, there needs to be the carrot at the end of the string. The bunny to chase, barely out of reach. Entering a "scary distance" race is a nice tasty carrot. If I don't train, I will not finish. Period. Even if I train as hard as I can, I may not finish. That's the risk and the joy of it. And, to keep things going until I need to start heavy training in May 2005, I entered an olympic distance race at the same venue in April. I can't fake an olympic distance. Does it scare me? No but I respect the effort. Must train. Can't do like I did for Mad Beach last year and skip my swims for the 6 months before the race.
And so the glorious return to traithlon begins. HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!
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