Habits>Resolutions

 I’ve never been a resolution guy for the same reason that I believe New Year’s Eve is amateur night out.  Yes, it’s the start of a new year and I know some people look at it like a clean slate, a turn of the page a chance to start a new.  However, there is a saying that “Motivation is crap.  Motivation comes and goes.  When you’re driven, whatever is in front of you will get destroyed”. Just look at the gym parking lot on any given day in January or February…..packed, can’t get a spot.  Show up to that same gym in March……different story.  The motivated have moved on and the driven are thrilled to have their gym back.  

I like to think that I am goal oriented and therefore driven.  Don’t get me wrong my motivation comes and goes throughout my training cycle, but my drive toward my goal is what keeps me moving forward.  On December 31st I take my calendar down and replace it with the next year’s calendar.  This year as I did it Jordan was standing in my room and as he flipped through 2021 all he saw was red lines every single day through workout after workout.  He just looked at me and said, “wow, that’s a lot of workouts Dad and a lot of red lines”.  That is drive,   Turning my Training Peaks green every day, putting a red line through ever workout ultimately leading to a goal.

Typically on New Year’s Eve I’ll go for a run with friends.  This year I had a 1:40 minute bike ride followed by a run.  It always feels good to finish the year on a high note.  On New Year’s Day my coach gave me a “choice” day, something easy or nothing at all.  Mondays are my off days so I couldn’t see doing nothing on a Saturday so I chose to do a short yet effective workout created by David Goggins called, Nickels and Dimes.  It’s rather simple yet effective, set a timer for 10 minutes and every minute on the minute you do 5 pull ups and 10 push ups.  The faster you do them the longer your rest.  I chose to do assisted pull ups using a band, brutal nonetheless.  I loved the simplicity and brutality of this workout.  I felt accomplished that I had done something to start the year off and my sore arms this morning let me know that it was effective.

At the end of the day I train for me.  Yes, Lori and Jordan are my “why”, but I train because I like the sense of accomplishment that I get.  For me, New Year’s is just another day, it’s the day that 18 years ago I lost my father so maybe in some way my New Year’s workouts are a little more special because I feel like he looks down on me with a little more pride on that day.  Who knows…….

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