Coaching myself through it.

I like to think I'm a pretty good mentor and coach. 

For all the days I feel pretty good about, I suppose there are at least the same number of inconclusive results. There are platitudes to help with this, spun by famous coaches and motivators. I'm not sure if the real reason we are drawn to them is because we, ourselves, are discouraged but I suspect that was part of the reason this morning: 

“Your talent determines what you can do. Your motivation determines how much you are willing to do. Your attitude determines how well you do it." - Vince Lombardi

Of course, that's not to say that I don't completely love this quote, or believe it, but it's hard to keep grinding when you have no focus. 

I'm focused on the 2012 Get-in-Shape-by-Physical-Torture-Routine. I suppose I could go work out only three or four days each week and "orchestrate" some sort of "other" routine, but I know I won't. This is the reason I keep taking my lunch of random vegetables lacking taste and/or enjoyment. This is why I don't want to drive through town and why in some ways, I'm not that mad to be feeding myself dinner this week. I can have something simple, quick and with no requirements. I went to bed last night at 8:30.

Still, I lack the critical focus I need while pulling off tough workouts. Dragging in the trash can tonight I realized that my back hasn't felt tight for at least six months in the muscles I could feel today. My guess: flipping a tire solved that problem..

Today's workout wasn't too hard: 40 jacks + 20 med balls slams + 20 wall balls + 20 side lunges + run to light. However: 

1. I'm pretty sure that I did four rounds, but it might be five. If it was, I don't feel good about it. 

2. My legs felt like straight concrete when I was "running" - I think one trip to the light actually resembled the definition of the word.

3. My shoulder was clicking during slams. That's weird. And makes me feel old.

4. I cannot form a thought that doesn't include this sentence ... "Damn, this workout really SUCKS" most days. But then, most days I like that part.

5. I keep getting up later in the morning, and I need to get to work earlier. A paradigm, indeed.

And finally, it irks me to hear people talk about some genius idea they came up with while running, or some multi-million dollar project that they figured out while simply performing bicep curls. That's a joke. 

If I could completely clear my mind tomorrow - not think about the things that hurt or how much I hate insert-name-of-crazy-exercise-here or worry about what I forgot to do at work and just focus on the task at hand, I'd be happy. We'll see what happens.