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I try to swim two mornings a week with the local Masters Swim program. (“Masters” just
means you’re an adult swimmer, not necessarily a master.) Yesterday morning when the alarm
went off, I had no desire to get up. It was dark. It was cold. I didn’t want to get into
any pool, not even a hot tub. And here in Northern California a lot of pools are outdoors—including the one I go to. Swimming outdoors in the fall and winter is great if you’re a polar bear. But why the heck was I doing this?
What kept me from weaseling out was knowing that several of my friends were swimming that
morning, too. The day before, we’d all promised each other we’d go. Some of them had to
drive a lot farther to get to the pool than I did. I’d be ashamed of myself if they made
the effort and I didn’t.
Another thing that got my butt in gear was the thought of you—you, the person reading this
column. I’ve already committed to training, with you, for a triathlon or some other
challenging event next spring. How could I blow off this morning’s swim and still write
this column with any sense of integrity?
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From Coachin’ Karin: Did you find a sport yet? |
Last week I suggested that you try to get out and find a sport that you really
enjoyed doing.
Did you succeed? What was the activity? Did you do something but
not enjoy it after all? If not, why not? Did you have trouble finding time to do
anything? No matter what actually happened, it’s all useful information. It’s all
stuff you can use to create the fitness lifestyle that really suits you.
If things
didn’t go the way you planned, ask yourself why not. Was the goal too ambitious?
Do you have less free time than you think you do? Is there a different way to
organize your day to free up more time? Is it possible the goal was something that
you thought you “should” do but really didn’t want to do? |
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So I just quit thinking about it—sometimes it’s not good to think too much. I put on my
swimsuit, put my warm clothes on over it, and left. It was still cold and dark when I got
to the pool. The water was so much warmer than the air that the mists were rising off it
like an enchanted swamp. But sure enough, five of my friends were there, and suddenly I
wasn’t struggling on my own any more. I might be a nut, but I was among other nuts.
This week I have two suggestions that I hope you will find fun and enjoyable. First, if
you didn’t get out and do something fun and physically active last week, try it again this
week. And start to take some notes on what happens. Analyze what works and doesn’t work
for you. Like I said, it’s all useful information. If you have trouble achieving a goal,
odds are your goal wasn’t the right one for you. We’ll talk more about that in the weeks
to come.
I’d also like you to start thinking about finding one or more fitness friends, real people
that you can physically work out with. Our online community will be very supportive, but
you need someone who’s going to actually pick you up (or wait for you to pick them up) and
drive with you to that running trail or pool or yoga class. Don’t limit your thinking here.
You may have a friend or family member in mind, but your training buddy may be someone you
haven’t met yet.
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