This morning, while riding my trainer for the zillionth time this winter, two things struck me.
First, from the moment the alarm sounded at 5:15AM I did not want to ride this trainer?
Second, how the heck did i get 25 minutes into the ride?
For me it's called Let's Make a Deal. It's probably the most important skill I've learned. Being the stubborn little feist that I am, if you tell me I can't have something, I want it. If I MUST do it, I won't. So rather than mentally beat myself up that I MUST run 8 miles or swim 2500 yards or ride the trainer, I agree that I don't have to. Just walk to the top of the hill, then see if you want to run. Drink your coffee on the trainer as a warm up, then quit. Every now and then I still skip the workout, however, this skill gives me a 90% success rate for workouts on the verge of skip.
Then the THIRD thing hit me.
Why can't I use this technique in my life? I get mental blocks about stuff I MUST complete all the time, especially writing. Why not? Indeed. I'm trying it today.
How many of you have learned skills during training that have helped you in life? What are they? Can I borrow them.? :)
9 comments:
Great trick!!!
Sometimes I LIE to myself. I tell myself I'm only going to do a mile or so, then skip out early on my run. Once out there...I just DON'T turn back. For every step FORWARD on an out-and-back, you have given yourself another step to take on the way home. Being sneaky sneaky with progressive little white lies can sometimes add LOTS of training miles! I've turned some little mile runs into hour-long and PLUS runs by misleading myself.
I've done the opposite. Turned a dealing with pain skill I learned in lamaze preparing for childbirth and used the same techniques when dealing with pain in training and racing. Focus on something else other than the pain. Get a visual focus AND focus on controlled breathing.
When I don't want to run, I tell myself that even though it sucks right now I will be glad I did it when it's over. And I always am...how many times have you looked back at a workout and thought, "I wish I hadn't run today"? But if I skip it, I always regret it. Same way with cleaning a bathroom...i hate it but it looks so much better afterwards!! :> Val
Well, this is how i trick myself.
You aint' gonna just run for 15 min. It takes you 10 min to put your gear on and 15 min to warm up. And you need 10 min to cool down. Ok. That's 25 min.
while running 25 min...
If you run 10 more min and cool down, you will have 45 min. Let see how u feel 45 min.
at 45 min
might as well run 5 more min and cool down for 15 ..u will get an hour
done...a 30 min run turned into an hour :) I try to break it up with doing some exercise..say...4 min at 140 HR and 1 min at 150 HR etc. Do that 3-4 sets, that's 20 min, add a 15 min warm up and a 15 min cool down, u will get lots of running done.
I have learned that no matter how hard the pack ( or life) seems to be going they eventually slow up,...all you have to do is hold on...a little while longer..
Ah yes, I just discovered this skill last week myself! Isn't it great? It gives you a whole new perspective on life.
The only tip I can think of is to learn to pace yourself. Break things down into manageable chunks instead of getting discouraged about the big task at hand--look for short term goals to get to the bigger goals.
Vickie
In approaching my first marathon this summer I was very at peace with it, because I'd done all I could do over weeks and weeks of training. Heck, I even had time for a 3 week taper.
I need to apply the discipline I learned in scheduling and executing my long runs in preparing for next Christmas. Maybe I'll even accomplish a 3-week holiday taper!
When my daughter was a teen she would spend her time finding ways to get out of things. One day I said to her if she applied just half of the cunningness and thought to her school work she'd be a straight A student. Too bad she never listened...lol.
Merry Christmas and all the best to your training in 2007.
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