Starting is the hardest part...

One thing I've always noticed about training is that starting is the hardest part. Getting up in the morning and driving to the pool, standing at the edge and thinking about the cold water and all the laps to come; pumping up the bike tires and filling water bottles, getting dressed and ready for that long bike ride; putting on the running shoes and fuel belt and driving to the running trail for a long run... It's that part of the workout that is always the hardest; where you start asking yourself why in the world am I doing this? Once you get into the workout and settle into a groove, life is good. Maybe a little less so towards the end of the workout when your mind begins to drift to thoughts of wanting it to finish; but it is still much more enjoyable and less of a mental issue once you are underway. And of course, when you finish you feel great!

A similar thing happens when starting a new training plan or phase of training. You look at the schedule that you are about to begin, and all sorts of doubts creep in about what you are doing and why. Do I really need to do that many workouts? How am I going to handle multiple workouts a day? That's where I'm at right now. I am still training, but at a relatively light load, allowing myself to physically and mentally recover from the 1/2 Ironman and marathon earlier this month. But the training plan shows things about to pick back up, and that little nagging voice is starting to ask all those questions and raise the same old doubts and concerns. I'll shut it up and start following the plan, I always do... but people that think this comes easy for me should be able to read my mind as I look at what is in store between now and November 29th...