When you read blogs and are around people who train/work out many hours per week, you can get kind of skewed and think that’s what everyone does. Not the case.
I realize Ironman training is slightly extreme (okay, mother eff’ing crazy). Yet, this has become my new norm. Don’t get me wrong – it took awhile to adjust to the high volume and to not roll my eyes, panic and flip off the computer each time I looked at my training plan for the week (or maybe I am just pissed at how messy my desk is).
Yes, that is a bobblehead of myself to the right
I’ve mostly adapted to the 15-18 hour weeks and might even be a bit lost when this goal is finally met (or in the words of my mom, “You are seriously not going to know what to do with yourself”).
The other day I was reminded that while this training might be my norm, many people think I am ridiculous.
I was in the locker room at the pool, post swim. I see a woman there, about my age, almost everyday. Today she introduced herself as Jane .
Jane: I see you wear an Iron Girl triathlon cap. Do you do triathlons?
Me: Yes.
Jane: Are you training for one now?
Me: Yes, I’m actually going to do my first Ironman in November
Jane. So what is the Ironman? Is that a triathlon?
Me: Yes, it’s a really long distance one.
Jane: Oh, so what are the distances?
Me: 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike and then a marathon.
Jane (pausing, looking confused): Uh..well, do you get breaks between or just do it all at once?
Me: No, you just do it all at once throughout the day and into the night.
Jane (looking kind of disgusted): Wow. That is seriously my idea of HELL. I like to quilt.
To each his own. Maybe I’ll take up quilting in November.
I wonder how much people really do exercise. So, I did a bit of research. A Gallup poll done in July showed that Americans are actually exercising less than before. These days only about 53% of people exercise at least 30 minutes per day, three days per week. Not a huge drop from 2012 (which was 55%), but slightly.
So, that means 47% of people are either not exercising at all or doing it less than 90 minutes per week.
Okay, so not everyone likes to exercise. I get it. I can definitely see the benefits of not exercising:
1. Less laundry to do
2. You get a cute muffin top for free (I know this because I kind of had one when I was 30 lbs. heavier)
3. You don’t smell as bad as often
4. You don’t have to spend extra money on new clothes because your old ones are too big for you
5. You won’t lose your spot on the couch to one of your kids or pets
6. Treadmills are boring and dangerous.
7. You don’t have to remember to charge your Garmin, iPod, etc.
8. More time to watch Dolvett on the Biggest Loser while eating ice cream
9. Finally, locker rooms at gyms are dangerous
How often do you work out/train/exercise? I do 6 days per week, with one complete rest day (no yoga, etc). These days it’s high volume, but when I’m not IM training, it’s more like 7-9 hours per week.
Got any other good reasons to not exercise?
SUAR
