It doesn't have to be graceful...

My workouts with Tim has turned out to be a mini (maybe two mini's) triathlon for two days out of the week.  Every Monday and Tuesday we start with a swim, move on to a run, and finish with the stationary bike.  Yeah, that's out of order, but at this point I fear that my run will turn into a jello-legged crawl if I try to use the bike first.

Finish up with an ab workout and a quick burnout session in the weight room (weight room has been off an on, depending on if we have anything left in the tank) and the ensuing Wednesday afternoon turns into awesome nap day.  I haven't slept this good for a very long time.

Anyway, I have to say that when Tim first suggested the mini (mini) triathlon my first thought was "This is not going to end well for me."

But, to my surprise, I'm hanging in there.  I'm nowhere near where Tim is, but I'm hanging in there.  The sense of accomplishment I feel has made all the grunts, groan, aches and pains worth it.  It hasn't been graceful ---- but that's okay.  I wouldn't know what to do with style points anyway.

What makes this workout difficult for me is the fact that:

1. Compared to Tim, I am not a distance runner. and
2. I am not a good swimmer --- at all......

But it doesn't have to be graceful....It just has to be done.

The Run...

It's amazing how much your time improves when you run on an indoor track.  No hills, no traffic, no cold weather and, most importantly, no raspy lungs.  It's nice knowing that I can go for a run indoors and not have to take a puff on my inhaler.

My 5k run outside with Tim resulted in an average nine minute mile; along with some hacking, coughing, and wheezing.  The mucous factory was working overtime on that run. A good time was not had.

My 5K run inside was significantly better.  The first time Tim and I ran we averaged 8m 23sec a mile -- a noticeable improvement.  And while I had a knife in my side and my legs were wobbly I was breathing just fine, sort of --- and that was after a swim.

The second indoor run Tim looked at me and asked "Get it under 8?"

I had assumed that there were two ways to answer this question. But then I remembered who I was talking to.......

If yes, Tim will say "Awesome."

If no, Tim will say, "We can do it."

So since there is really only one answer to the question I said yes.

As soon as Tim set the pace I knew that I had my work cut out for me.  I passed a mother who was running and pushing her baby in a stroller.

"Wanna trade?"

"You wanna push this?" she asked.

"No,  I'm talking to the baby."



"Can you keep this pace for a mile?" Tim asked

(yes -- awesome  no---you can do it)

"Yes."

"Awesome."

There are a lot of words that I could use to describe that mile run and "awesome" would not be one of them.  But when I found out that we ran it in 7m and 47sec?

Yeah, that's pretty awesome.

The rest of the 5k went to shit and I actually had to stop and walk couple of times.  But it certainly didn't take away that great feeling (mentally, not physically) that I had about running the first mile in under 8.

Meanwhile, Tim wasn't even breathing hard.  I found out later through casual conversation that Tim once ran nine miles at around a 7m/mile clip.

First off --- nine miles....Why?
Secondly....That's incredible.  Why did Tim have no interest in sports?  Probably because there isn't a gun involved.....But that's another story for another time.

7m and 47sec.......Wow.  It hurt....But it was worth it.

Still.  I'm in no hurry to do that again.  I would like to go at a pace where I can run an entire 5k without stopping.  Which would put Tim to sleep.

I told him once that if he needed to go to just leave me......He hasn't yet.  He's blown me away with his sprint to finish the run (I don't have a kick left in me by that point) --- but he's never left me.....He pushes me --- and I'm not ashamed to admit that I do better when he is there to push.

It wasn't graceful....But I got it done.....


The Swim.....
I may not be built for long distance running --- but I'm even worse at swimming.  I'm slow, I'm awkward and, for some reason, I always manage to choke at least once or twice by getting water up my nose.  It's safe to say that I have no future as a lifeguard.

Fortunately, the indoor pool where Tim and I go to swim laps has lanes that are only four to five feet deep.  Had the lanes been deeper when Tim told me that we were going to attempt 500m I would have said I'm out.  I'm just not that comfortable in the water.

But the 500m actually didn't go that bad.  I was tired, but I felt that I could have gone further.  Granted I didn't keep pace with Tim; who easily doubled me --- but I felt really good about what I accomplished.

So much so that on the day when I was working out on my own I decided to set the bar high.  I was going to swim 1600m.

And by God, I did it!!!!  I looked like a sloth on valium wading through mud (it took just over an hour to swim 1600m)  --- but I did it.

Man.... (Cue James Brown) I feel good!!!



Working out with Tim has kick started the long dormant motor within me.  I had reached a point where, physically, I was "okay" with where I was at in my life. (Even though I really wasn't)

When complacency appears, goals disappear.  And when goals disappear ---- so does ambition.

I kind of lost my way there for a bit.  But now I'm back in the saddle and, as difficult as it has been at times, I am amped up and raring to go.

A conversation that Tim and I had before one particular workout stuck with me and serves as a reminder every time I think I can't go any further.

We talked about reasons to stay motivated.

When I thought about what would motivate me I thought about my own kids and all the kids that I coach.  Every practice, every game I preach "Effort and Attitude".

"Give me your best effort along with you best attitude and all is right with the world."

Then I thought about me standing there and coaching first base with a pot belly.  I thought about my son or daughter or any one of the kids that I coach out running me around the bases.

I thought of how much of a hypocrite I would be if I didn't practice what I preach.

It was a good conversation.  One I would've never had if not for Tim.

Yes.....I definitely found a reason to stay motivated.

I will run...I will swim.  I'm not very good at either --- but that's not going to stop me from trying.



It doesn't have to be graceful......It just has to be done.