Tuesday, January 19, 2010

WILLIE-NILLIE

As I think about my 6-week cycle of seizing the day a few more things come to mind. The biggest thing is getting consistent with my training. Consistency may be the number one thing our college coach used to harp on us about. It doesn’t necessarily mean starting a 30-year running streak all the sudden. It’s more about making the time to train and then sticking with it. If there’s day off planned, that counts too. It’s not about letting things interfere with your training, which causes you to move things around all willie-nillie - and leads to being inconsistent.

The best way for me to get consistent is to set my alarm for 5 AM and get out the door before work. Putting my workouts off until the evening often proves to be a disaster. On the front-end of getting up at 5, is getting to sleep by 9 or 9:30. If I get less than 7 ½ hours of sleep, I get cranky.

Also to keep me on-track, I’d thought I’d post my previous day’s successes and/or failures of staying on track.

Yesterday, literally seconds after submitting my blog post, I got this email;

Subject: Gingersnaps with Hershey's kisses

I have a dessert calendar this year, and I’m going to try to make the dessert each month. This month’s dessert is gingersnaps with Hershey’s kisses on top. Stop by my desk for a cookie!
It’s like someone above is testing me!

Five minutes later, this email came across my computer from a different co-worker;

In addition to those gingersnaps, I brought some more of those Death-by-Chocolate-Cookies from Friday. I don’t have many, but there is at least one here for each of you. Come get one if you want it.
Death-by-Chocolate? Come on, you’re killing me here!!!

So was it a success or a failure?

It was day 1. Of course it was a success as I avoided both temptations.

I’m also going to share other reasons to Carpe Diem as I come across them. For example, Sunday I was finishing up a Marathon Pace workout on the treadmill. I was near the end and as I was getting tired I was thinking about what I wanted to write in yesterday’s post. Right about that time the news of Gaines Adam’s death came across the TV. I can’t say I knew who he was, but he was in the NFL and only 26-years-old.

Carpe diem!

Quote of the day;

“My parents had a certain idea of what they wanted their ‘little girl’ to be and it did not include a budding track star.” – Grete Waitz

5 comments:

Julie said...

Hi Chad,
I just wanted you to know that I have a big shit ass grin across my face right now!!! So happy to hear you have a few new running subjects:)

Also, I can sympathize with you on the treats! Yesterday I got an e-mail saying it was someone's b-day and there was chocolate cake in the break room!!! I was very good and stayed far away from the break room:)

Have a good one!

Old Man said...

Chad,
Can you exercise at noon? That works best for me. I started doing that right after the birth of my second son.

MissAllycat said...

Dude, send those cookies my way! I'm still reveling in the off season. :)

Blair said...

I want to work in your office!!!

As long as there is balance, then a treat isn't such a bad thing. I figure a couple of cookies and an hour's run means I'm probably still on the good side of the balance. It's limiting the cookies to a couple that takes the discipline (sometimes more than I have).

Chad said...

Julie, there always seems to be treats around the office.

Old Man, on occassion I'll sneak in a run over lunch. However, I only take a "30 minute" lunch, so it doesn't leave much time for exercise (and blogging).

Allison, you should have stopped by. I got another email today - last chance for the death by chocolate cookies.

Blair, you're right about seeking a balance. I'm talking about a thin mint or two, rather than the whole sleeve.