Spring/Training
Ahh spring. Beautiful isn’t it.
Finally gone are the days of dark, cloud filled, snow spewing skies when the “time of sunrise” on the weather forecast might as well have a crying emoji next to it cuz you ain’t getting your dose of vitamin D today my friend. A season that only a few months ago was cause for celebration as the young’ns in our family all jumped out of bed early to see the presents under the tree and we got together with the people we love. We toasted to the season, ate a little too much pie and hunkered down for those long winter nights watching the glow of the street lights off of the freshly fallen snow with a glass of wine in hand, struck by its beauty.
How quickly things change!
Now its 10 days later and you’re stuck in January, acutely aware that you have woken up to yet another long, dark and cold Canadian winter and there’s nothing more to celebrate. The holidays have come and gone and life outside ceases to exist most days as everyone tries to stay inside as much as they can lest they have to brave the soul crushing 80km/h winds that are all too common in our fare nation. And somehow, in defiance of the laws of physics themselves, time…slows…down. So you put your head down and do what’s necessary to get through, until the sleeping bear inside you opens its eyes to see the blossoming flowers once more.
I can’t help but think this is a lot like training.
We start things off with the best of intentions, motivation abound and workout schedules laid out on our iPhones, relishing in the picture of what is to come should we stay on track and put in the work. We jump out of bed at ungodly hours to pound the pavement, fulled only by the fire in our bellies and the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. We walk into the gym and celebrate the opportunity to get fit with those around us, endorphins flying high and high fives flying, pushing ourselves to the limit and basking in the glow of sweat spilling off you symbolizing a jog well done.
How quickly things change!
Now it’s 10 days later and you’re sore beyond all reason thinking that it couldn’t possibly be this hard. Now you drag yourself out of bed with just enough time to pound the pavement, this time around fulled by caffeine and the thought of what a nice hot shower is going to feel like if you can just get through this. Despite all your efforts the picture that you see in the mirror doesn’t resemble the one in your head, and so those endorphins don’t quite have the same effect that they once did. And this is where it’s time to choose. You can either leave and resign yourself to the fact that you will never reach your goal, or you can put your head down and do what’s necessary to get through, until one day you open your eyes to see the person you always wished to be staring back at you.
The stress of winter is always a difficult time. When you’re stuck in the middle of it it’s hard to envision the sun coming out or to feel it’s warmth on your skin. But it’s also a time to see what you’re made of. A time to choose. A time to get outside and let the cold air into your lunges every once in a while and to realize that it’s not all that bad. And that if you just put our head down and enjoy the shock to your system every once in a while, time will fly by and spring will come again.
I think you get the point.
It’s not going to be easy and if it was well, it wouldn’t be worth having. After the sun goes down and the motivation falls away it’s just you and the barbell. And this is where it’s time to choose. Stay in the moment and enjoy the process. Let the pain coarse through your body every once in a while and realize, it’s not all that bad.
Spring is just around the corner.