New Spin on the Routine

The last couple months have been nice.
Simple
Relaxing
Moderate Activity
Lots of Family Time
and
Lots of Eating w/ Naps (and don't forget ALL that FOOTBALL, followed by more naps)

I've been hitting the gym regularly and my strength is coming back to to last year's pre-race-season numbers. No cycling, no swimming, a fair amount of running and a lot of time off. The family time has been wonderful, especially on the weekends when I know Bree loves for me to do the shopping and help w/ the chores. It's much more desired than taking off for 1/2 day workouts and laying on the couch recovering the rest of the day.
Well, that was going pretty good through October and 1/2 way through November, but things were getting stale. The sun was out much less, the warm days fewer and shorter and my psyche was sliding down. Running was becoming more difficult as the sole cardio on my schedule, plus my knees and back were begging for relief. But I just could not get the bike into my schedule. It takes so much more commitment w/ gear and time and w/ the little experience I have, I just couldn't get the timing or mindset to fit cycling into my days.
Thanksgiving came, along w/ a nasty cold, and I took the entire week off, allowing for indulgence after indulgence. The week after Turkey Day, I was miserable, feeling fat, unfit and w/ fewer options and motivation to really get back in a groove w/ any enthusiasm. The only solace I can find is that the extra food around my midsection translated into more energy and strength in the gym. Somethings gotta change. Swimming and cycling need to be picked up and integrated if there's any hope of building on the fitness of this last year.
Doubt was filling my thoughts and spreading like Cancer.
"I can't go to the pool w/ this gut, I can't afford a bike trainer, the spin classes at the Rec. Center suck, running is killing me."
"Maybe my window has closed, no more Marathon, sure as hell no Ironman."
That's only a minuscule fraction of the onslaught of negative thoughts that permeated my brain on a daily, hourly basis. Money, time, ability, motivation. All necessary components to at least attempt triathlon and/or long distance running and I was feeling out of all them.
Sometimes a fault, other times an attribute, I wear my heart on my sleeve. I tell people how I feel, what I'm going through and somewhere, through that process, I get it out and gain some determination to change it if needed. Last week I looked at the various gyms around town, gathering info on times and costs of spin classes, lap pools and some options became clearer.
I can do this.
HELLO, last year at this time I didn't even know how to swim and had never been on a road bike. I AM NOT behind the curve. I CAN start anytime now and be light years ahead of my fitness level a year ago. Just F&$#ing DO IT. It doesn't all have to be done this week.
Just START.

Today, I purchased a punch card to another gym w/ spin classes and have mapped out some swim times. I left work at 5:15pm w/ heavy snow falling and made the short trip to the gym. Walking in for the first time, I asked where the class was and went and got my bike set up. 5-6 others came in and just like that spin class was in motion. 80% max. output was my limit and I didn't want to go there very much. I resisted the urge to get out of the saddle every time and instead kept the cadence up but not too much, I did not want to feel an oncoming fatigue. It doesn't matter what activity it is, weightlifting, running, cycling, if I've been away from it for 2 or more weeks, I come back into it slowly. It's much better finish w/ some gas in the tank than burn through all of it and sputter on empty for days afterward.
The result, a workout high I haven't felt in months.
The spin instructor was good, the energy level of the class was good and I felt great.
I went to my main gym to meet Tom, my workout partner. He had to work late so after stretching my legs, I dove into a nice bicep workout. After that I jumped on the treadmill for a few miles just to let them know that training is coming.
And this year is going to be different.
More Bricks, more speed drills and more learning.

There will be lapses, valleys between the hills and there's no telling what obstacles are bound to come up. Right now, the benchmark is doing at least as much as last year but I'm realistic to know that plans do not come w/ guarantees.
Just keep moving forward.
Even if I fall, I hope to fall forward.

That's my spin on things today.