It's Not Just Me
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Back in grad school -- when I was single-but-still brokenhearted way too long after the preceding breakup, living alone in a two-room apartment with no cable in one of the coldest, places on earth -- I had a brief stint with morning workouts.
Each morning at 7 a.m. I would get up, layer up, and Lewis and I would head out into the howling wind and everyday snow for a four or five mile run. And I hated every minute of it.
People would tell me that I just had to give it time and eventually, if I did, I'd become a morning exerciser. I gave it a semester. Every day for four months. Every day for four months I hated it.
Mercifully, my morning running spree was cut short by a stint as a bartender and cocktail waitress at a local club, and later on, teaching 8 a.m. classes. I've never gone back.
Truth be told, I've always felt less-than for not being able to drag myself out of bed long before I absolutely have to (even though it is sooooo not pretty for those around me when I do). Less of a runner. Less of a writer (Toni Morrison starts writing at 4 a.m. each day). And now, less of an Ironman-in-training.
I come from a family that's evenly split on early-rising. Like me, my dad likes to sleep. He's an early-to-bed, late-to-rise sort of sleeper. My sister and mom on the other hand, seem physically unable to lay in bed past 6:30 a.m. There are days when my mom is up and at 'em at 4:30 -- cooking spaghetti sauce, cleaning the basement, taking advantage of the fact that Iron Mountain finally has a 24-hour grocery store, and/or hitting the treadmill or Lake Antione for a 5 to 8-mile walk. As my dad likes to say, "Your mother gets more accomplished before work than most people do in a week." And it's true.
So, for a long time, for me, getting up early has been associated with productivity and hard work. And for just as long, I've felt like I'm less productive or not as hard of a worker for liking my sleep.
When starting the process of Ironman, I had visions of 4 a.m. workouts and heading to bed by 8:30 each night. Because, I figured, that's what Ironmen-in-training do and that's what I'll do. But I just can't. I don't have it in me -- not day after day, anyway. And so, my schedule hasn't changed much. I'm up about 7 a.m. or a bit later each day to do a bit of yoga, clean my apartment, or unload the dishwasher. Sometimes I fit a morning pool workout in. Then it's off to work by 9 a.m., and I start my workouts right after work. I finish anywhere from 8:30 to 10 p.m. depending on the day, head home, eat something, and fall into bed.
I can do this because I don't have kids, or a spouse, or even a dog at the moment, and because my horse is in full-time training. I've largely cleared my calendar of obligations like Junior League meetings for the summer months. So, my time is my own, and I'm choosing to construct my schedule to best fit me.
And yesterday, I happened upon this great IM-related blog (boy, does this girl have a story to tell...and humor to tell it with), with this dedication at the top:
This Blog is Dedicated to All Those Triathletes Who: Have blown a morning swim to sleep in, used their trainer to avoid cold weather (and watch Tivo'd shows), did speed interval training to make treadmill runs end sooner, or took a "sick" day from work to get in "lost" workouts. It doesn't mean you lack passion - it means that you sometimes get a touch of the lazy.
Apparently, it's not just me. Good to know, and on to obsessing about other aspects of triathlon.
Posted by Erin 8:33 AM
only 6 weeks to go for you! stay strong.
I hear you on the family getting up early. Sometimes my mom wakes up at 4:30 and just can't go back to sleep so will bake, clean, read etc. NO WAY JOSE!
I love sleeping. Please can I have some more.
Kelly