Solo Week: The Prelude

Today was a swim day.  As usual, Jessica and I went over to the pool after she got off work and swam.  It went alright.  I continue to feel more and more comfortable in the water (stroking) and I seem to be swallowing less (no tridelt jokes please) so that's good.  We had to get out early though because for some reason (which neither Jessica nor I understood) lightning outside and a few miles away is dangerous to people swimming in an indoor pool.  I think they just wanted an excuse to close early...especially since the soccer team was still practicing under the big metal lights when we drove home. 

Anyways...this coming week, from Tuesday to Sunday, I'm on my own.  I won't be able to work out with Jessica at all during that time.  I think I've mentioned before that my personal motivation is somewhat less than stellar.  Well...now I've got a week of nothing but personal motivation to keep me going. 

This should be interesting.

I mean, don't get me wrong, I love to work out.  I love pushing my limits and proving people wrong, but therein lies my problem: I have to be competing.  I can't "compete" against myself.  Trust me, I've tried.  It doesn't work.  I need someone, just a few steps ahead of me, taunting me (not literally), egging me on, daring me to go faster to pass them.  I (unfortunately) need some completely innocent bystander to be the target of my stubborn anger. I know this sounds overly dramatic, but it's true. I need to be able to convince myself that I have something to prove, and when I'm by myself, this is incredibly difficult.

Tomorrow is a double day, so I have to run and bike all on my own.  Sigh...wish me luck.

Technicalities

Yesterday we went biking.  It went fine as far as how I felt, but there were still some issues.  Jessica doesn't get off work until 6, so we can't normally start working out (whichever activity we're doing) until around 7.  That was fine over the summer, but summer is over now.  It's getting darker earlier.  Yesterday, we could only ride for about 30 mins and that was kind of pushing it.  This is going to be a problem.  Not only is the getting dark thing going to get worse, we have to start bumping up our mileage (and therefore time) on all three activities.  Both of our apartment complexes have gyms, but they aren't exactly stellar, and call me a whiny baby, but I'd rather not ride a stationary bike 15 miles.  I have a friend that does triathlons professionally.  I thought about asking him what he normally does to combat these issues...but then I realized that although I love Daniel dearly,  he's a pyscho. (he's got the shattered hip to prove it)  =) He probably just rides his bike at night through the wind, rain, snow, and ice. 

So, any ideas from the normal people out there of how to combat work schedules and mother nature?

Tales of the Cement Pond

We went swimming this morning.  I swam farther in one circuit than I have ever swam before (250 yards) but after that, my legs were shot.  I'm not exactly sure why they were so tired this morning.  It could be because adequate sleep hasn't exactly been my forte this week.  I swam a little more after the long swim, but not very fast and usually not freestyle.  On one hand, I'm glad I was able to swim farther, but on the other, I'm disappointed that I couldn't continue to swim very well after that.  Baby steps I guess.