Does exercise ever make you examine your life's choices?

NorthCascades
NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
edited November 22 in Fitness and Exercise
On Saturday I drove my bike up to Snoqualmie Pass and rode to the top of Amabilis Mountain. I knew it would be long and steep, but I somehow I hoped it would be paved, and instead I found rough gravel. The ride was much harder than I expected.

I kept having thoughts on the way up: I don’t have to do this, I could turn around right now and find an easier road to ride on, Do I really want to beat my rims up on this *kitten*? The last one sounded like a good excuse. No one will care or even know if I don’t make it to the top. This went on right up to the top. I got a mediocre summit photo and turned around, rode back to my car.

Does your favorite type of exercise ever make you contemplate life as a couch potato?
«13

Replies

  • tbonethemighty
    tbonethemighty Posts: 100 Member
    Yup. Usually right before I hit the ground after falling 3+ meters from the top of the bouldering route I was trying to scale when my sweaty hands slipped.

    But then I usually blame it on my climbing partner's poor advice (he is 8 inches taller than me, probably 20 pounds lighter, the *kitten*). Nothing like ducking out of personal responsibility for the choices which benefit my health...
  • Jthanmyfitnesspal
    Jthanmyfitnesspal Posts: 3,522 Member
    Giving up on a challenge like that would be very hard for me, although you listed some good reasons to turn back. If I made it up and back down, I would consider that a great success.

    However, one life choice to consider would be if you own the right bike(s)!
  • katsheare
    katsheare Posts: 1,025 Member
    edited October 2017
    Just was having those very thoughts, pushing to a longer plank time. So I just breathed more determinedly and made the better times. I find myself focusing on that sense of accomplishment I know will come if I get it done.

    ETA: And congrats on finishing the ride. I hope you didn't damage your rims, that's the height of annoying when that happens!!
  • Steff46
    Steff46 Posts: 516 Member
    Yes! I've had a lot of revelations about my life while riding my road bike. I'll be on a long ride and by the time I'm done I'll usually have worked out some problem I was thinking about. No other workouts have that affect on me though....hmmm.
  • Alidecker
    Alidecker Posts: 1,262 Member
    I was in the gym working out one Sunday morning and two guys I know were working out at the same time. We had all lost a significant amount of weight. We started discussing what we used to do on a Sunday morning and all the delicious brunch food we would have been eating too much of. We wondered which one was really the better choice :). We did all still workout on a regular basis thankfully.
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
    katsheare wrote: »
    Just was having those very thoughts, pushing to a longer plank time. So I just breathed more determinedly and made the better times. I find myself focusing on that sense of accomplishment I know will come if I get it done.

    ETA: And congrats on finishing the ride. I hope you didn't damage your rims, that's the height of annoying when that happens!!

    For me most of the challenge with planks is mental. Yeah, it's tough, too, but the real question is how long can I put up with it? If I can distract myself, it's a lot easier. That's where plank selfies come in!
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    I was definitely questioning my life choices last month during the Army Run, I signed up for the Commanders Challenge (you run the 5K before the half-marathon) and race day ended up shattering previous high temperature records (it was more like July) needless to say I ran my worst ever HM but as long as there was breath in my body I was not going to DNF.
  • collectingblues
    collectingblues Posts: 2,541 Member
    I've been in an aircast for the past three weeks, and will be in it for three weeks more, thanks to a stress fracture. I am totally rethinking that whole "why did I take up running when I couldn't swim?!" thing right now. As well as the "damn, I should have eaten consistently in my 20s and teens" thing.
  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,486 Member
    Hmm, I don't have a favourite type of exercise, but I have been doing a couple of the local 10k's for a while now.

    At the local one last year I had a terrible time my legs were like lead and all I wanted was for it to be over.
    I put it down to being slightly out of form because we had only returned from a cruise the week before - all the drink, food and sunny India took its toll.

    This year for the Vancouver Sun Run (the largest 10k participant race in Canada) I was in great form, set off, lead legs again! Got to the 5k and decided to give up.
    Ha! I was at the start of a huge bridge and the fastest route back was the way I had just come. I finished the race, but that is probably the last 10k race I will do for a long time.

    Life choice:
    I have no need to do any more 10k races, but I won't spend all my time on the couch either. I'll just carry on doing the variety of exercises/activities I usually do, and maybe some things I haven't tried yet, including none race10kms.

    On the other hand, or from a different perspective-
    It is coming up to 10 years since I started doing any exercise, yup I had managed to avoid it for 54 years, and now I can't imagine doing nothing, or how I just wouldn't be able to enjoy so many of the things I do now if I hadn't started to move my butt off the couch.

    Cheers, h.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,622 Member
    There were a couple of races, at opposite extremes, that had me wondering if I was nuts to be racing.

    One was 90-something degrees F, high humidity, midsummer sun, little wind. I took two bottles of water in the boat and poured one all over myself before the start alignment, in hopes that we'd self generate enough breeze for a little evaporative cooling to happen.

    The other was the local last of Fall head race, early November, Detroit River, temps probably in the 30s, overcast, intermittent precipitation (rain? snow? sleet? dunno - maybe all of them) and enough wind to kick up close-to-gunwales waves.

    Only made me question racing, though, not rowing in general. Rowing machine races always made me question my sanity, too. I don't really race anymore, but still row regularly and often.
  • mph323
    mph323 Posts: 3,563 Member
    Yes. A lot of times I'll start a ride and start bargaining with myself on the route, just not feeling it today, skip that hill, don't do that extra loop kind of thing. I just have to push through; if I give in I'm afraid it'll be the beginning of the end for pushing my limits on the bike.

    I have to say the worst was the first century I rode, over 20 years ago. The route was 103 miles and the last 3 were the absolute longest miles I've ever ridden in my life.
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
    I'm really enjoying reading everyone's responses.

    I do this (outdoor exercise) because I enjoy it, and because I don't know what else to do. I mean sunny days are meant for being outside, and riding a bike it walking or skiing or swimming or whatever else is more fun than sitting on a park bench taking in the scenery. Being with friends is always great, and you can do that exercising too.

    Of course there are times that can't be enjoyed. It's part of it. Definitely worth it.
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
    It makes me question why I ate that pizza.
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,699 Member
    As a long, long distance cyclist ... yes, there are moments where I'm wondering what in the world I'm doing.

    Those moments usually occur about 2 am on some dark and lonely road when my brain is telling me that sensible people are at home sleeping in warm comfortable beds at that hour.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    yep, when the husband is still in bed on a weekend and i'm getting up to have breakfast ahead of my long run...

    but once i'm done, i'm always happy with my choice!
  • KANGOOJUMPS
    KANGOOJUMPS Posts: 6,474 Member
    FOR SURE!, minus 30, swirling winds, cannot see anything, feel anything, and I am snowshoeing in the middle of nowhere! Those are THE BEST HIGHS! I am the only one outside, and everyone is on the couch!, gotta love it!
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
    yup - typically around mile 20 of a marathon or similar on an ironman or half-iron...typically i'm like I'm NEVER doing this again...then sure as heck, i sign up for another one
  • guacamole17
    guacamole17 Posts: 109 Member
    Usually when I feel like that, thinking about when I couldn't do the workout physically puts me in the right mental place to get it done.

    If that doesn't work, thinking about WHY I'm doing it helps (usually a race looming in the distance).
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    Yep... I planned on no more races till March 2018 and then I open an email a week ago and it says 'Join the 36.2 Mile Challenge'. It includes a 10 miler Nov 18, so I have to do it (I already run the 2 half marathon to meet the 3 race requirement).

    For the life of me, challenging my self is not ever going to end as long as I can still walk/run. I don't even have to do these things to myself, I just do. I become stronger in the end for doing it, and I end up having fun too, I guess that is why I keep doing it.
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
    ccruz985 wrote: »
    Yep.

    "No one will care or even know if I don’t make it to the top." Not true. The most important person will know; you.

    I like you.
  • DX2JX2
    DX2JX2 Posts: 1,921 Member
    I've had those days. When the thoughts happen mid-activity I usually give myself permission to go as easy as I want to go. It usually only lasts for a minute before I can get back on pace.

    Oddly enough, it's those days that I tend to have my best performances. Just shows that getting out the door is most of the battle.
This discussion has been closed.

Categories