Do you ever feel like you are spinning your wheels or that you are taking one step forward and two steps back? That has been my week. No matter how much effort I put out, I don't seem to be making any forward progress. I sit at my desk and two hours later I have nothing to show for it. How do you break out of a rut like this? It's terribly frustrating. I can often find relief from these annoyance by pounding the pavement or spinning the wheels of my beloved bike. Which reminds me, I should post a picture of him. I call him Paulo. He is a beautiful Cervelo Dual. I love him and he loves me. Anyway, I digress....
In about 10 days, I am suppose to leave for a two week research cruise where I will hope to come across a few whales that have "forgotten" to migrate to their breeding grounds while the rest of the crew pokes around looking for fish. Fun, right? Well it is, except for the fact that I am on a boat. For two weeks. Is this striking anyone as problematic for the ol' training schedule? Well, it should. So, who knows how to help me? What can I do on a boat to keep things on track? There is also the minor problem of the availability of healthy food choices, or should I say the lack of healthy food choices. Do you think I would be considered a snob if I bring my own groceries?
Wow! Alaska. I have been to Anchorage twice, briefly, for marathons, in the summer. My favorite place on this earth...and I have been many places. It's fascinating to see someone who is actually training for and competing in triathlons way up there. Anyway, in response to being unmotivated...just take it one day at a time. It will get better. I don't know if it's the time of year (rains a lot here in MS during the winter too), but I feel the same way. After work, I just want to go home. The gym, the pool, the trainer, have no appeal. But I try not to focus on it. I pack my gym bag so I don't need to go home first; I bribe my husband into going with me; I tell myself I'll just run/ride/swim for 20 minutes, and then I usually end up doing the whole workout...if I don't, I at least did something. I only worry about today. I don't even think about tomorrow's workout. And somedays, I just say WTF and grab a beer (not too often).
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your research cruise!
ReplyDeleteIn terms of training on board, you might find Thera-bands useful to do some resistance type training. Inner tubes work, too. The bonus is they take up very little space, which is usually a good thing on a boat.
http://www.thera-band.com/
G'day mate. Or should I say Ahoy matey? training on a research boat could be a little suckey unless your sailing the tropics, scuba diving, and docking every day to swim, bike, and run at local races. Wouldn't that be great!? OK, so here's a bunch of unsolicited advice and suggestions. Try Plyometrics for strength training and keeping your legs snappy. I do this a few times a week:
ReplyDeletewarm up with 3-4, 50 skip rope jumps and some deep knee bends. Then jump up on a sturdy bench or steamer trunk (18-24 inches high) 20 times. Do 3-5 sets. Start from shoulder width stance on floor with bench in front of you, squat and explode/leap up onto the bench with both feet. Slowly step down, take 2 breaths, reset your stance and repeat. Rest 45 sec. tween sets. Keep your eyes on your feet and the bench while leaping and best to have a wall (or something to catch ahold of) about 16 inches past the bench incase you catch a toe while jumping and fall foreward. I caught my toe and fell foreward into a pile of medicine balls at the YMCA and got a lot of unwanted attention.
Rope jumping is good, yoga, or even floor Pilates for core strength.
Heck yeah, bring your own favorite foods to supliment what comes from the galley. Can you catch fresh fish? I spent some time on various vessels in the Gulf of Mexico and got real creative with workouts and diet.
I hope you don't see any whales (meaning they migrated like they're supposed to) and the seas are calm. take pictures.
"How do you break out of a rut like this?" All I can say is so many times these last few months I have thought about you and what you do. You inspire so many others and make so many others jealous with what you do. I would give anything to start over and work outside with nature. So next time you feel that way, remember how many of us are wishing we could be in your shoes. Spring is almost here. Race season is here! I also agree with Wendy about the bands. Anytime you want to switch jobs let's give it a go. You can work for the biggest law firm in the world, or do research on the greatest of all human sightings - the Humpback Whale. I'm still jealous - maybe it is not as glamourous as it seems, but the bigger issue is you get to work out in the wonderful world of nature! You so rock!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteThe last research cruise I went on was on the Tommy Thompson (http://martech.ocean.washington.edu/) and there was actually a spin bike and treadmill... any chance your ship will have either of those? Are you going on a NOAA vessel or a fishing charter?
ReplyDeleteI would def bring some of my own food. I do that even with 3 day out of town meetings. I can control some of what I eat!
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