The Perils of Motivation

Right then no excuses any more, I have 10 months to get fit, lose some weight, remain uninjured and complete hours and miles of training, just so I can put myself through the torture of 26.2 miles on a Sunday morning in April with around 38000 others. Hmmmm remind me why this was a good idea again?

So what next?

My ladies group I take out on a Thursday morning all decided to run in the local carnival race on the Wednesday evening. "I think we may not run in the morning" they all decided. Nothing to stop me though, on my own, from going out and running eh? Well nothing except the heavens opening and rain deluging at a vast rate of raindrops. Hmmmm not venturing out in that......

So a pang of conscience and I took all the nice coats and jackets off my clothes horse, I mean cross trainer, dusted it off and jumped on for a 10 minute warm up. Blimey it still works!!! 10 minutes quite enough as the back started to tighten, so right, onto something else. I know, I have some old step videos from my aerobics days I'll put one of those on. Reebok step taken out of box and dusted off, video started. I knew how to do all this once, and of course it is an instructor video so moves at ten times the pace you would teach in a class. Lost the routine by the middle of the 2nd section (there were only 3) so once the whole thing was put together I followed the first and made up the rest, vowing to "teach the woman a lesson and learn the whole thing over the next few weeks to keep her on her toes". A dance DVD came out next, but after 5 mins (of a 10 minute piece) I was bored...not really what I needed. So decided I was now feeling incredibly virtuous and put everything away, restoring my coats to their rightful place.

Weather eased and everyone helpfully suggested I could now go for my run........what? Massage called anyway...excuses excuses.

Arriving home later there was a message from a fellow runner who suggested I might like to join her for a slow, gentle 5k run now that the sun was out in the evening. Choice now eh? I could ignore it and pretend I haven't seen the message or I could just get out there and do it. Something about this motivation lark isn't there, as I had arranged to meet and was out the door before you could say..Neighbours and Home and Away are on!!!

Friday morning loomed and a 3 day "free" trial at a local gym was registered for. Need to put some effort in now to get myself to full fitness ready for my impending doom, I mean challenge, and to be fair I need bullying really. So toddle off to said gym with all my gear in a nice bag. Going to make the most of the FREE!!!

Thwarted, however, by lockers that need padlocks and none available, so full day of gym, swim (well dunk and drown) and sauna was scuppered by not being able to leave stuff somewhere handy. Note to self...purchase large padlock in readiness for membership (Oh dear I am thinking of signing up already - that's worrying)

A quick tour of the facilities, and head to the gym equipment. I remember now why I stopped going to the gym before.....terminally boring, but needs must and I have some training to do, so just choose the bits I know I need to work on and get cracking with it. Cross trainer, chest press, bike, wanted an incline chest press but couldn't find one, and lat pull down was occupied, so onto the rowing machine then for some 500m intervals. Avoid fitballs and stretch mats and decide enough is enough for a first trial, bemoan the fact that a nice swim and sauna now would have been good, and head home for lunch. Worked up an appetite at least.

A friend who is also a member at said gym tries to persuade me I'd like to go back again this evening. I think too much of a good thing can't be good for you, or too much too soon will do me in. I have seen too many people join the running club and get so inspired they run themselves ragged and have to give up, so me....I shall be sensible and wait. After all, tomorrow is another motivated day.