Motivation

Happy Belated New Year Y'all!

I fully intended to post something introspective or meaningful around the 1st, but that just wouldn't be me.  Too many distractions I suppose.    

Spent New Year's out in the country at our annual Rally with the Airstream group out in the country drinking champagne and blowing stuff up.   Nobody lost an eye, nobody got blowed up, nothing was set on fire.  The dogs, however, were not as impressed with all of the fireworks.  Lots of food, games, drink.  A fairly sedate rally, something that us old codgers prefer.  We've held these at the same RV park for the last 20 years, so this has almost become routine.  The only I have to note is that my folks have retired from the club and they were an integral part of this event over the past 35+ years.  Ever since they officially retired last year, it is a bit more complicated to do these gigs without their participation.  

As one might surmise, I have been lacking the proper motivation to post up anything meaningful.  With our new company, I have been buried with new projects, priorities, tasks, and I am somewhat distracted.  I spent the last week with my counterpart from France going over our strategy on how we are going to cut costs and save the company mega bucks.  2016 is turning into a very interesting year.  

I have also been under the weather for a while.  Have had a nagging cough and shortness of breath since October that I cannot seem to chase away.  Been to the doctor several times for different drugs and treatment but nothing has really made the difference.  I go back again on Monday for a CT scan to see if they can figure out what is wrong with me.  Not a cold, but something that is just wearing me down/pissing me off.     

That said, I am signed up for my 8th turn in the half marathon this weekend.  No way I am ready for it this time.  With all of the distractions at work and this nagging cough, I have not been training all that much this year.  Seems like I lack the proper motivation.  Even this week is already booked full with a day in probate court and a 2 day road trip to Cincinnati. My brother asked if I would still be doing the half this weekend and I told him affirmative.  This is number 8 and I just can't quit now.  To me, this is the annual reminder of my good fortune and blessings.  

  
Besides, I am too close to 10 to give up now.  I am just not expecting to set any PRs this year....     
          

Will He or Won't He?

To run, or not to run: that is the question:

Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer

The blisters and shin splits of outrageous mileage,

Or to take arms against a sea of sore legs and sweaty bodies,

And by opposing end them?  To sleep in late, to walk the dogs. 

It may seem like a long way off right now, but I just got pinged by Marathon committee that registration has opened up for the 2014 Houston Marathon.  Earlier this month they opened early and/or guaranteed registration for “early qualifiers”.  People who have:

· Qualifying times: Marathon 4:00:00 Half Marathon 1:52:55 10k 0:51:08 -or-
· 2013 Deferment (you got a deferment from last year)                -or-
· Marathon Veteran (10+ times)                -or-
· You have run the Marathon 5-9 times                -or-
· 3rd Time’s the Charm (in the lottery for 3 consecutive years and never picked)

Seeing how I don’t make any of those qualifying requirements, looks like if I really want to sign up for the 2014 run, I’ll either have to do take my chances in the lottery or sign up for the Run For A Reason program once again.  One path, you trust to luck and the lottery gods to get picked.  The other path you agree to raise a certain amount of $$$ for your charity.  This past year I signed up to collect money for the Epilepsy Foundation.

Now the question you have to ask yourself is:  Do I go for number 6?  My time is not all that impressive (slower than molasses on a Minneapolis winter morning), I don’t train as much as I should, the knees are complaining more, and I am getting too old and too fat for this crap.  There are so many better things I can spend my money and time on.  Let the younger crowd take the torch.  Give someone else a slot.  Oh, sure, sitting here in the middle of spring with the temps hovering in the 80s, it sounds all shiny and exciting now.  But, 233 days from now, it will be hard to muster up that same level of enthusiasm come  January standing out on the cold, dark streets of Houston with 25,000 other really insane people.  

I know better than to ask everyone's opinions.  Been down that road before.  I ask my friends for advice/encouragement and I get all sorts of uplifting, inspirational, motivational support:  You can do it!  I know you will conquer the course!  6th time's a charm!  Sort of like having your friends encourage you to get another tattoo.  I keep looking for that sober friend to slap some sense in me and tell me to grow up.  Ultimately, it is up to me.  I gotta decide if I am going to go for one more lap on this merry-go-round.  The good news is, with 5 under my belt, I pretty much know what to expect.  The bad news is that I am woefully out of shape.  With all the turmoil of late, I really haven't been running very much.  I think I have only done a handful of runs in the last 6 weeks.  Maybe that's why I feel so cranky.  I could give you all sorts of excuses for why I haven't run, but, in reality, I haven't been serious enough.  Like any exercise regime, you have to have the discipline to stick with it - Make it a habit and it will stick.  I look at the half as being 6 months away and I can start prepping for it over the summer, but, in reality, I always find some excuse (too hot, too tired, to busy) for not training.  

I've been out running at lunch the past few weeks and the lack of running shows.  I have signed up for my annual Dad's Day 5k in 2 weeks.  It is a charity 5k run downtown for Prostate Cancer awareness.  Got dialed into it two years ago.  I know - 5k is barely a warm up run, but, it does force me out of my rut and gets me out on the roads.  Of course, running 5k on flat pavement in the middle of a warm, muggy June morning is not much of comparison to a 25k run in January, but it is better that sitting on my can.     

Looking for motivation

Whenever I start to feel sorry for myself, I find a good healthy dose of reality will really put things in perspective.  We've been watching the saga of the cruise ship (non story).  No working plumbing, no showers, no a/c, no phones, no internet (the horror!), food shortages (but there was an open bar).  I can emphasize with their problems and the headaches that they had to handle, but I kept thinking about all the men and women who have been serving overseas in Afghanistan or Iraq.     

When training for my half marathon in January, there were days I just really didn't feel the desire to hit the road.  Some lame excuse about being too tired, or too cold, or too wet to lace up my ASICS.  I did use some motivational techniques from long term runners:  On those days when you don't feel like running, lace up your shoes and go out for just a mile run.  You usually find that once you've gone that mile, you find it easier to go further. 

Lately I have been busy are work and my motivation is seriously lacking.  Haven't run in two weeks and I am getting testy.  I've working through my Netflix queue and some of my tv additions.  I normally don't get hooked on the latest shows.  I don't watch The Voice, DWTS, Survivor, Top Model, Jersey Shore, Here Comes Honey Boo-Boo.  I will take time for American Pickers, Top Gear, and the occasional Pawn Stars.  The latest two shows I am kinda hooked on is Walking Dead and Justified.  I missed this commercial during the Super Bowl but still found it funny.