Make The Best of What You Have

“Never judge a day by the weather.” – Zig Zigler  

A triathlete friend of mine was telling me about the woman who lets him store his snowmobile at her home in Northern Wisconsin.  She’s an elderly woman, lives alone, and has already reported 18 inches of snow.  She also plows her own driveway with a blade attached to her riding lawnmower.

I said, “Dude, that sounds like paradise, you should move there!”

He said, “Fuck that, it’s early November and it will be like that through the end of May.”

It’s really kind of remarkable that people even survive in those conditions.  No wonder Tomahawk, Wisconsin is known more for its drinkers than its triathletes.

I moved to Nashville from Wisconsin in March of 2003 and didn’t wear a jacket until December of that year.   I’m not sure if my blood has thinned or what, but now mornings like today give me pause, and it was probably in the low 40’s.

One thing growing up in the North taught me was that you have to make the best of what you have.  You have two choices, sit around and wait for things to change, or adjust to what you’ve been given.

I lived in Minneapolis for a year and till this day think it’s one of the most active places I’ve been.  There would literally be two feet of snow on the ground, cars plowed under, and a bitter wind ripping down Hennepin Avenue and people would put on their layers and go celebrate life’s options.

The gyms, restaurants, theaters, art galleries, and frozen lakes were always packed.  I can never remember anything being cancelled by the weather.

Living with bitter cold and snow makes you appreciate even the slightest reprieve.  Two feet of snow may stop you from running, but one foot might not.

If 50 percent of the battle is putting on workout clothes, the other half is taking the first step.  Don’t ever judge a day by the weather, just dress for it and get your ass out the door.

[follow_me]

• Click this photo for snow running tips.

Two women run down Mountain Avenue in a snowstorm.

 

The Road to Ironman Sponsorship Has a Light Coat of Gravel

I have a confession.  Last night was the first time I’ve completed the FULL bike workout . . . and honestly, I feel pretty damn good about that. 

10 Min Warmup
10 x 1:00 (:15 fast, :45 moderate)
Then 3 x 18 min as 6min Steady, Mod/hard, Threshold
Cool down to 1:30

Then my Episcopalian Guilt set in and I took my dog for a nice little mile run in the sleet to complete a brick.

While I was on the bike I watched Bill Maher’s “Religulious” which is, in large part, him having fun at the expense of stupid people, but it’s pretty entertaining.  And, it proves that my memory is shot because about halfway through it I realized I’d already watched it last year.  I don’t know, I’m a little bit of a basket case these days.

On a positive note, I actually went to bed early (around 11) and got up at 6 to complete a missed leg workout with Daniel.  I also got to meet the woman I referred to in an earlier post for reading email while doing the pigeon pose.  It was quite exciting. 

In other good news, it looks like the Fab Five is on the cusp of gaining a few sponsors (though said sponsors don’t realize it yet).  At the very least we received a large donation from a guy who is sponsored by PowerBar and that has my brain churning a bit.  Image
Well, most of Nashville is shut down today because we got a 1/2 inch of snow, but I am looking forward to a light 45 minute run after work and a brick tomorrow and a tempo run on Sunday!  Well, I’m sorta looking forward to all of that. 

Last night, I stumbled onto a 24 weak training program for Ironman Wisconsin and I’m not sure if I’m happy about this, but we are way ahead of that particular schedule and it doesn’t start until March.  I’m thinking at this pace, by the time race day comes, we’ll be at the point when someone asks, “Hey, what’s the workout tomorrow?”  And I reply, “It’s an Ironman.”  And they say, “No sweat.”