shortcomings

I've set this goal of doing six workouts per week: 2 of each sport.

That doesn't seem so unreasonable when you consider that I'm running very short distances, and eventually will be able to bike to work, thus eliminating some of my gym time.

Still, I keep falling short by one workout a week. The past two weeks, it swimming, and this week, I ran out of time to run.

I'm not too worried about it, since overall, I feel like I'm doing really well. My swimming is coming back into shape, and biking is...well, like riding a bike. Running will come, I think, if I'm patient with it. I'm not as terrible at it as I was and it's turning out to be all mental. Plus, I'm insanely jealous of Kate's Vibrams and will probably consider forking over a chunk of my next paycheck to similar shoes.

On top of all this, I have SAD like crazy. Was there ever a syndrome so effectively acronymized? Seasonal Affective Disorder is killing me, slowly, by rotting out all trace of sanity I ever had and replacing it with the steadily building urge to kill everyone in the world one by one with hunks of solid ice I found on the street corner. My demands are simple, if you want the carnage to stop: Rapidly melting snow, 45-60 degree days, and clear bike paths from here to eternity. I want to wear shoes without socks, capris, and light jackets, if no jacket at all, and I want to leave my house and be greeted with fresh, warm air that doesn't freeze me to my very core.

I'll take all of these things by the end of the month, please, Minnesota, and no haggling.

In the meantime, my gym has graciously starting offering free Balance Bars near the towel rack, and my life has been 45% better for it.

in french it's called 'la vitesse'

Already this week, workout-wise, has gone better than the two previous. I've made my first running and biking goal, and I've already swam twice. Running is still not really all that pleasant on a treadmill, but I'm gaining a bit more endurance. Still holding out for nicer weather...except that tomorrow's forecast calls for snow and the beginning of next week on my phone weather app simply states 'big storm'. Balls.

The joy of my week is that my swimming speed is coming back. I'm finding my reserves on longer hauls and remembering how to use my legs to propel a graceful and powerful arm stroke. While I was exhausted after both my swims this week, the during bit felt strong and fast. I'm getting better at creating a workout that utilizes the Hilton's incredible short pool so that I don't go crazy trying to calculate distance and times. And it's just so good to be in the water again.

Of course, I don't so much like going outside afterward and having my hair freeze. That bit sucks a big one.