6am on Sunday morning is a time that not many of my friends, the 20-something-year-olds really ever see. 6am on a Sunday morning is the time that my alarm goes off to start the day. I told myself yesterday that I would run outside today on the lake path because the treadmill is starting to be get to me psychologically. I think after 3 months of running on one, upping my mileage and my pace, I have finally hit a wall at a 10 minute mile pace and 6 plus mile workouts. And although I try to convince myself otherwise, in the end you're still only running on a belt and not really going anywhere. The convenience of being in the gym though, so as to move from machine to weights to pool is infatuating. Anyways, Thursday's workout was less than fulfilling; I managed to accomplish one of my goals--to get Peter out of the fricken apartment and into the gym! But it wasn't as gratifying when he could only do 35 minutes of cardio before insisting that we go do weights. An hour of lifting later and we went to do some abs and stretches. I thought it was sweet when he tried to help with my sit-ups but after past working out experiences, it's not always the best for me when he tried to give me tips--honestly it really just pisses me off and I get an attitude about it. Well, not much has changed, so after 15 minutes I called it quits with him and we ended up going to Subway.
I swallowed the bitter taste in my mouth towards my shorter workout and decided tomorrow would be better....right. Well after a long morning of work, my least favorite class, and a meeting, I finally got to the gym at maybe 4:30? I was burnt out but pushed myself to shoot around for a little while with a friend before getting into a workout. Stupid me. I should have known that everyone and their uncle would want to workout at 5:30 on a Friday, because everyone is a health nut now right? Well that put a damper in my plans and my motivation levels. I was on the bike for 15 minutes, awaiting the use of a treadmill. Once on it I could only do 35 minutes before I decided I was too bored to keep going. Suddenly I noticed the pain in my knees and the fatigue of the day setting in, so I called it quits but not without feeling horribly self-defeated. And well, knowing me I couldn't give up like that so I hopped over to the elliptical and did a 30 minute cross country. After that I was really feeling tired but the "I'm ready to go home" feeling hadn't set in. So I opted for a hard ab workout. 100 full sit ups, 100 crunches, 100 side crunches with a 20lb weight, some leg lifts and planks later and I was done. It seems like after all of that I should have felt accomplished....but I didn't. I went home and sat my sweaty butt on the couch, watched the Ohio game and passed out.
Saturday morning. I can never sleep in. Even if I wanted to, I'm up at 6 but don't start work until 8:45. What the heck is wrong with me? Optimal time to shower, check email and do absolutely nothing. Me time. After an unproductive 4 hours at work and lunch I was less than willing to get back on the treadmill. I'm starting to have a love hate relationship with it. I love running. I hate that I'm not going anywhere and that everything is adjusted through buttons. Well so I ended up doing another run around of 25 minutes on the treadmill, 30 on the elliptical, 15 on the bike and my ab routine before I called it quits and hit the shower.
So maybe I'm being a little ridiculous because the fact of the matter is that I am working out, and I didn't punk out on any of the days, but for me and where I'm at, it wasn't fulfilling. I needed something more. So despite the fact that I have a huge portfolio due tomorrow at 11:30am that I have barely anything ready for, I promised myself I would do a long run tomorrow (today) outside.
6am on Sunday morning. My alarm goes off. The sun isn't up yet. Reset the alarm for 6:30.....
6:30 I am barely even awake and I go back and forth in my head about whether or not to get up. I deserve to stay in bed, but I promised myself.
6:38 I am out of bed and putting in my contacts. I grab a few layers of clothes, some gloves, keys and my phone and I run out the door before even thinking twice about my decision.
6:54 I am running down south Everett and on to the lake path. It was beyond beautiful. At this time the sun is just starting to rise and light up the skyline in front of me. I'm running to the same mix I made two weeks ago but it hasn't gotten boring yet; besides I'm too caught up in how amazing the waves look this morning. Sure it's cold and that sucks but one of my favorite parts of doing morning runs is starting out with your body completely numb from how cold it is and progressively getting feeling back as you run and warm up. It evokes a sense of accomplishment that is, to me, intoxicating.
The past few times I've run the lake path I always try to go just a bit farther than the last time. Well...this time I went a whole hell of a lot farther. Before you know it I was running past a sign that said "Welcome to McCormick Place" and I was like, 'hmm, I wonder how much further the 7.5 mile sign is?' (Oh right, so I started off at the 2.5 mile sign, that's the closest one to the 57th street entrance where I get on). Before you know it, oh hey, there' the Shedd and Soldier Field....wow I'm far from home! But there was the sign and I couldn't help but take a picture of it, part because I wanted to stick it on my blog but also in part because of the accomplishment.
The run home was a little harder, mainly because I was so fricken thirsty! The water fountains haven't been turned on yet along the path and as much as I loved watching those waves on the way up, they were damn near torturous on the way home! But I made it, mind over matter, I reached the 57th street exit and walked myself home. The sun was finally all the way up and I was ready to start my day. Stretch it out, shower it off, and it's back out the door for the next part of my day....couldn't ask for more.
So part of taking care of myself in all of this is my decision to starting taking protein supplements. Being a vegetarian I am somewhat, or completely, deficient in protein, which my muscles need. And I have also decided that the reason why I wake up sore as hell everyday is because of this. Well so I bought some supplements from Trader Joes, but I was told by a good friend of mine that I don't wanna take that shit. haha Oh, and the reason why it tastes so bad, he says, is because I need a shaker to mix it not a spoon....huh no wonder it tasted like glue? :) Anyways I have gotten used to the taste of it now and my body is taking to it well. That doesn't go without saying that I still feel kind of more "intense" than I'd like drinking it. After buying the supplements online I couldn't help but think of the youtube video, New Haircut, which I pasted to the blog and if you haven't seen it, watch it. (Although I should warn that for some, it has a bit of crude humor to it).
And for now I should probably wrap up because I have a portfolio due in a little over 12 hours that I am no where near ready to turn in....and despite the title of this post being "Mind over matter" I don't think that attitude will get this project done. :)
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