Choosing which plates to keep spinning

Saturday ended up being a pretty full day, so I didn't have time to 'blog' my limited exercise activities...just racquet ball (RB). Due to the forecast of cold strong winds, I decided not to ride in the morning.  Instead I went and played RB with four others. I haven't played for several weeks. It was fun to do that again. (It didn't seem like to much, but I did wake up this morning with some aches and discomfort that surprised me; but crashing into the walls does take some getting used to!) I was hoping to swim some afterwards but a quick phone call home let me know the activities of the day required my involvement sooner than later, so there ended my exercise for the day. I was considering riding on the trainer later in the evening, but choose to trade that for a family movie (Madagascar 2) and pop corn - Good Trade! (The chart is not happy - missed 4 1/2 hrs of riding, but the family is.)

[The photo is my souvenir from the time of RB. This is the second time this person (you know who you are J) has drawn blood from my face in the RB court. Last time it was his racquet, this time it was the ball. That's why I wear safety glasses and am considering full leathers and some more safety equipment...!]

I've been thinking about the "blahs" that have been a struggle for me these last few days. I've been thinking about why I like to exercise. I've been thinking about what is important to me and what I would like to be important to me. "Do I train to be better than others, or to be as good as I can be?" It's a character question more than a training one - and one that I need to work through until I'm happy with my answer. And then I need to make that answer more than my belief in my head but my practice in life!

Since I do most of my training by myself, I have been letting myself get by with a reduced intensity. This isn't what I want, but to have intensity day after day in different events (riding, weights, running, swimming) is enormously challenging-especially training alone. So I'm at a place where I'm thinking and re-thinking about what I'm doing. The Saturdays are just going to fill up more as there are more soccer games to go to; training in the mornings yields to birthday breakfasts; life is pushing back - even against the early morning hours making it difficult to accomplish what I had hoped to accomplish. Time to reconsider what needs to be accomplished and what can be let go of.

So, the training may have to change, not sure yet. Not sure what it will look like. I think my Saturdays are going to be reclaimed by my family. I had hopes of a few 100 mile rides in preparation for the 6 day ride in may, but may have to train differently. Not sure what that looks like. What I am convinced of is that I need to get my intensity back for the times that I am able to train-I need to have some hard days of training every week. I also learned today that the registration for the TRI that I was planning on doing is closed. The four others that are doing it have registered, but I was waiting until I had a better idea on my swim time; and that date is still 9 days away. For now I will continue with the running and anti-drowning routines and we'll see if I get to participate. I will still go and encourage if I don't get to participate.

My life is a challenge for me: full of training in many domains where exercise is one of them, but a lesser domain. Still worthy of attention, but having it's place change when other 'higher' issues of life need my time. I have resolved long ago that I would not let my work rule my life. I have also resolved that I will not let exercise rule my life. As I said, my days are challenging and there are more things to do than time to do them; more people to interact with than time available; this is real life.

I need to continue to Look Up and not be overcome with the "Blahs" - an apathetic response to a challenging life full of promises, consequences and potential!!