Even though I’ve been doing it
pretty regularly since December 2006 (*gasp*
that’s almost 6 years), I still detest getting up at 5am to exercise.
Actually I go through phases of liking/tolerating/hating it. I’m in a hating it
phase right now.
Obviously winter is the biggest
passion killer when it comes to early morning exercise. It’s cold. It’s dark.
Sometimes its raining and I need to change plans at the last minute and
sometimes I just DON’T WANT TO DO IT!!! A few times lately I’ve quickly turned
my alarm off so as not to wake Peter and then dozed back off to sleep.
Ironically this is how I introduced the mini-exercise session where I do some
yoga stretches for my back (sorry the names of the moves escape me) and then
roll my ITBs over my rolled up yoga mat – ala foam rolling.
I still remember vividly the last
time I was having a love affair with the 5am training. Rewind to October 2009
and we had moved to a little cottage in a suburb called Unley, just 3kms from
the city. The room that was meant to be the gym/study just wasn’t working and
using my gym gear became impossible due to space and noise. It was Hilde from
Get Active on Line who said to me “Magda, don’t worry about the weights, just
keep up your running.” (I had just gotten back into it after a decent break.)
So I did and I ran and ran and ran some more through the late spring and early
summer. We had an early heat wave that year so I had some steamy, sweaty runs
which I loved. Before I knew it, I could run for an hour and it sparked my
desire to do a Half Marathon.
Ah, those were the days when
getting up at 5am to run was a delight. I honestly LOVED it. I was working with
Pat Carroll as my coach, following his program diligently, measuring my pulse
upon rising every morning, sending through my weekly training results and
looking forward to his feedback. Dare I say it, I felt like an athlete (LOL).
I cant run those distances now
but whether I love, hate or something in between the morning training I suck it
up and I do it. To me its still better than being sedentary, unfit, fatter and
flabbier. And no matter how much I hate getting up early, when I’m done, I feel
amazing. And that’s what drives me to keep going.
What’s your take on this? Do you
exercise out of love or duty?
M
I remember your posts back when you lived in your little cottage close to the city...I think that's around the time you and I "clicked"...to answer your question : when I've been sedentary for a while, I exercise because I *have* to...it usually takes a few weeks but before I know it, I'm working out because I *love* it...
ReplyDeleteHATE getting up early this time of year, but actually enjoy it in summer. That aside, once I get going, I love my training...the only difficulty is actually starting in winter.
ReplyDeleteHahaha Magda!
ReplyDeleteI get up at 4.50am for work each morning now which feels far too early, - however it's an improvement from when I had to get up at 3.15am for work ;-) I know I HAVE to, therefore do! If I got up at that time to train, - I don't think I would function well lol, - would want a snack/brekkie, then coffee and water first, - then of course would have to wait a bit! Maybe I could do a mini workout, - but even if I started work at 9am, I think I would train in the evening or at least straight after work. It may be different though when in NZ and without the same peak hour traffic worries.
To be hconest, my recent trainings over this 29 day challenge have been a bit of a slog! I have been really pushing it for me, both in cardio and resistance. As well as an active work day I seem to have been training at least an hour a day, at least 5 days a week, (longer in weekends). With the gym all the commuting, waiting for trains etc takes time. As I started this at 81kg :-( no clothes fit, I was tired after a busy work day and all I wanted to do is lax out and chill after work.......Not many clothes fit, I have been living in work clothes, training gear or trackies the last few weeks! I enjoy perving on all the fit male bodies at the gym while sweating/pushing it out a bit and am starting to enjoy it more again, (even more when it's done still!)
Magda I am not exercising as much as I have in the past, actually only just started again this week, going for a small morning walk, but I have come to realise it is so much more then the exercise, it's the fresh air, it's getting the heart moving, it is a great way to wake up, before driving an 1 hr to work, but saying all that I wasn't getting up this morning and going for a walk. Brrr...
ReplyDeleteSandra, I get that. Right now all my sessions are starting out with "have to" but by the end I'm enjoying it. Ala today's post.
ReplyDeleteKek, actually, me too. Love, love, love a good sweat on a hot summer's morning and 5am isnt nasty at all then.
Eeeek Pip, those early work starts would TOTALLY stuff me up unless I finished early enough to train before dinner with my family. There's no chance it would happen after dinner though.
Kristy, my amount of exercises waxes and wanes as well but overall I'm usually doing SOMETHING. Check out today's post for a good laugh.