Love & Hate

I have a love/hate relationship with the gym.

I like getting into the gym first thing in the morning. It really sets the tone for the rest of the day. I get on the treadmill and I run until I'm hot, sweaty, and tired BUT the rest of the day I feel like I've accomplished something. It also makes me feel refreshed, tired, but refreshed. Best of all, it makes me feel better about myself.

On the other side of that I hate getting up so early. I spent my teenage and college years staying up all hours of the night and sleeping/napping in the day. It has been hard to get myself up and when the alarm goes off it is just to easy to turn it off.

When I first started working out I did a good job of getting myself out of bed. It was a routine. My alarm went off, and I got up.

Then work got busy. I started having to do some travel and we had some late night events going on. The gym stopped being a routine. And then I had to take time of due to family issues and it just kept getting harder to get up. I was going to bed later and I just couldn't get myself out of bed.

I was on vacation not to long around (and lucky enough I didn't kill anybody) but that was another week when I was out of the gym.

So this week was my time to get back into things. Monday morning the alarm goes off and... I reset it and slept in.

Tuesday I did better- I got up and went but I could only do a mile on the treadmill before I was huffing and puffing. How did I fall out of shape so quickly?! Wednesday the alarm went off... and I slept through it. I was mad at myself all day. Here I was trying to get back to my routine and it wasn't happening. On the way home from work I was able to talk myself going for a run down Monument Ave. It was a nice run and I don't have anything against running outside, I just have trouble pacing myself. Given the option I am a huge slacker. The treadmill keeps going no matter what speed I want to run. When I run outside, I go slower, I take more walking breaks- I don't push myself.

I didn't do awful running outside- I did about 10 blocks before my body demanded a walk. The run back 10 blocks to my apartment wasn't as easy. I bet I only ran every other. On the bright side I'm doing far better than a year ago. A year ago I wouldn't have even been able to run 2 blocks before stopping.

And I had an awesome time (for me) during the Monument 10k.

I was able to get my butt up and out of bed then on Thursday and again today. I also did a lot better on the treadmill. I still only ran a mile, but I ran a fast one and I'm hoping I can get back to my 2 miles a day by Tuesday or Wednesday.

I feel better when I work out. I'm looking better! But the big thing is that I feel better. I'm happier, I'm healthier. So yeah, I hate getting up in the morning, but I love getting into the gym in the morning.