Colder Weather

I try not to complain. I know that I have nothing to complain about. If I'm tired, there's someone out there who is training harder than I am, with a heavier workload, and most likely 7 kids. I get it, my life is not that difficult. But recently I've had a really hard time dealing with winter being here. I know that for other people, they are training in basically the arctic tundra. I understand that to those people weather in the 40s and 30s is nothing to complain about. However, I'm not those people. I LOVE hot weather and the cold just makes me want to cry.

Since coming back from Florida I've had a hell of a time getting myself motivated. My training has consisted of strength training, a tiny bit of yoga, running on the treadmill, and swimming (indoors obviously). I cannot get myself motivated to go outside. I do not like the cold one little bit.

When I left for Florida it was warm, summer was winding down. It was starting to cool off a little bit, and we were seeing the first signs of fall. Then I spent a week in Florida, where there was nothing but absolutely awesome weather, having the time of my life. When I came home, it felt like winter.

Are you sick of seeing this picture yet? No? Ok, good because I'm not done sharing it! :)

I had a little training break and then slowly but surely, I've been trying to get back into the swing, but I'm having a hard time. I am not supposed to be officially "training" right now, just doing whatever I feel like and staying active. And I have been mostly. But the hard part is that I want to run, outside, not on a treadmill. But I hate being cold. I hate putting on running tights or capris before going outside. I hate having to contemplate what layers should go on over top of my tank top. I much prefer stepping outside and being drenched in sweat before I even start running. Give me the heat and humidity of summer any day over putting a headband on to keep my ears warm while I'm running (which I'm not sure really works anyway...I sweat so much that I think having a wet band around my head makes it colder than if my ears were just exposed).

I was hoping to come off of Ironman super motivated to jump into training for the next big thing. And I am. I am so excited about what's to come. I'm not just excited about the races, I'm excited about the training. However, when I think about the training I'm excited about, it's the hot, summer, long runs and the scorching-hot 80-mile bike rides. It's not the bundle-up-and-pray-you-don't-get-frostbite training runs or the rides on the trainer. I feel like the cold weather has dealt my motivation a substantial blow.

So I guess all of this is to say I'm having a hard time getting back in my groove after Ironman. Maybe it's the weather? Or maybe it's just my excuse for that post-Ironman let-down I've heard so much about. I'm not sure. What I do know is that for the next while I'll be here, running on the treadmill or riding on the trainer, dreaming of the summer. Until then, bundle up y'all.