Dragging my feet

I can feel. my motivation. slipping.

I didn't blog yesterday - which is a good indicator that I didn't run either. I wasn't too worried about it then - the C25K program recommends days off, and I had a ton of research to dig through for my teaching assistantship next semester anyway. But in the back of my mind I was worried that one day off would mean two, and then three. And then my running shoes would get pushed back into the depths of my closet, never to be seen again until January 1, 2011.

That fear is not unfounded. I have a long history of short, energized bursts of physical activity followed by long periods in a relatively comatose state. Still, I usually last longer than a WEEK! So in spite of a lack of energy or motivation, my running shoes are on and I'm getting ready for my last Week 1 workout.

I am finding that I just can't over think it. If I spend too much time thinking about when to run, or where to run, or what to wear while running, I'll just talk myself out of it. Instead, I make this deal with myself: I tell myself that if I get all ready to run and am standing outside ready to go and I STILL don't want to run, I can turn around and go back inside, no questions asked. By the time I'm down there though, it just doesn't make sense not to run, and I almost always end up doing it. Even if I start out feeling pessimistic and grouchy, I always end my run feeling proud, energized, and accomplished.

So that's where I am now. Feeling unmotivated, but hoping that a self-imposed run will help me to beat some of that and start being productive with my day (hmm.. a clean apartment would be nice...). I think I'd eventually like to make a list of ways to motivate myself, and keep it handy for days like today, when my butt would rather park itself on the couch with the laptop than truck its owner up a hill in the name of recreation. Now there's some good thinking material for my run.