Last Tuesday I shared that I am back on a legit training plan as of the start of February. Between Christmas, a few colds, and the polar vortex, I really struggled to keep consistent with work it's in December and January.
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| Capturing the sense of impending doom that comes before the frozen long run... |
But no more! Last week I said screw it to excuses and got those workouts done! Here are a few of the things I've been doing to hold myself accountable...
1. Schedule It
I am so hooked on Google Calendar. I swear, when I started using it back in the day, it changed my life. Every weekend, I take a look at my training plan and my schedule in Google Calendar for the week and figure out where everything will fit in. I typically stick to the same days for each workout each week, but if week's are busy or schedules are weird, I'm flexible. Mapping out the week in advance is a huuuge help.
2. Keep Track
I love my training log, but lately I've been loving another simple way of keeping track of my workouts. I have a note in my phone that I save as a "screen widget," and I check off each workout as I complete it. Quick, easy, and helps me stay accountable.
3. Pack a Bag
...Preferably the night before, since God knows I don't need one more thing to get done in the morning!
4. Have a Buddy
This has been a huge thing keeping me running outside this winter. Meeting friends for weekend runs makes it so much tougher to bail.
5. Focus on the Goal
Whatever the reason you workout, keep it in the forefront of your mind to keep you going. For me, it's all about my race goals. It's easier to get myself into a freezing pool when I remember that I want to be able to swim through the lakes in my tris without freaking out!
I totally bribed myself with watching Switched at Birth on Neflix and the promise of post-run Jimmy Johns to get myself through 7 treadmill miles on Sunday. It sucked, but it was worth it. And it got me through the workout!
This winter has been brutal! Yuck. You are smart to make a plan & stick to it! I adore Google calendar as well. When I went through the Google educator trainings, they shared an example of a school that uses Google calendar for every student and every teacher's schedule. They could even keep track of room availability that way. Very cool!
ReplyDeleteI would love for my school to use Google Calendar! Google educator training sounds awesome!
DeleteThis winter does feel never ending! Great job staying motivated and working hard. i find writing it all down helps me too.
ReplyDeleteGreat tip to pack your bag the night before!! I struggle with that but find that if I do, it makes it so much easier to get ready in the morning and stay motivated to workout the next day!!
ReplyDeleteI struggle to stay motivated in the winter... the weather is just so blah and when it snows I just want to lay on the couch all day! lol
7 TM miles is a lot. Bribery is good!
ReplyDeleteIts been hard for me to stay on track this winter too...illness, death, life, yada yada yada....thank goodness for my running partner otherwise I probably would have blown off half marathon training already! Keep up the good work!
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