1.29.2010

What makes you get up?

The last 2 mornings that the alarm has gone off to go swimming, I have lay in bed dreading getting up. One of the reasons that I have been getting up is to get another workout in for the Healthy Lifestyles Program - I'm towards the end of the 120 that you need to get a reimbursement. Another reason is that I don't get nearly as good a workout when I swim by myself. I lay there and think about the reasons I should go and try to motivate myself not to go back to bed. It's worked - but sometimes it doesn't. For the early risers, what gets you out of bed to workout? For the afternoon/after work workout crew, how do you motivate when the day is coming to a close? I always like to get ideas of what to think about when I'm trying to get out the door or onto the treadmill.

The knee. When I kneel - do it alot more than normal now when getting down and up to play with Nick - I have this shooting pain right below my kneecap of my left (bad) knee. It feels like there is a black and blue mark there and hurts if I touch it. Yesterday I was holding Nick right after his nap and kneeled down to sit down on the ground and OUCH! I just said OW OW OW OW OW OW OW and Nick started scream/crying - I think post-nap I scared him. I was trying to look up some things and came across Runner's Knee or Chondromalacia patella. I can't say it hurts when I'm running though. Anyone have knee things going on or does this sound familar at all?

Do you know what my life has been devoid of? Peanut butter - almond butter- nut butter. Either I overdid it or this baby isn't into it. I ate peanut butter everyday with Nick and he LOVES almond and peanut butter. I'm going to have to start digging in - but I'm not dying for it or even craving it in anyway. Weird huh?

20 comments:

  1. I am not a good first thing without breakfast work outer, nor am I good at doing later in the evening. In many ways I'm very fortunate as due to my working hours I have all morning to go out for a run/exercise so I can get up, have breaky, do some chores while food digests and then head out.

    If I'm tired I try and visualise the work out. When visualisation lifts my mood I know I just need to move my bahookie; if it makes me feel worse, it is often a sign that I need to rest.
    Another trick is to say I'll just go out for a short run / workout and then once out if I'm feeling good can add on if I so wish.
    If I do have an early morning workout to do, I have my kit beside the bed to pull on immediately.

    Hope the knee sorts itself out - sounds sore.

    Kaz

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  2. The knee pain sounds like it might be an inflammed bursa (bursitis). There's a bursa (fluid filled sac that cushions the knee) just below the knee cap. If it gets inflammed (from too much kneeling, for example), it will hurt when you put pressure on it.
    Maybe try to stay off that knee, if possible, and get all the way down on your butt when you get down on the floor with Nick?

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  3. Do you usually listen to music when you run? Sometimes I keep my ipod next to my bed, and if I don't want to get up, I'll listen to a running song or two to get me motivated.
    Sorry about your knee! Hope it gets better fast!

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  4. Honestly, I have NEVER been a morning workout/run person. I like to sleep til the last possible moment, even if I went to bed super early. I wish I could tell you what changed this week, but I just told myself 'You are getting up early enough to go to the gym EVERY DAY.' The alarm goes off and I am up. I just can't give myself that instant to roll over and think 'Just 10 more minutes...'

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  5. Your question caught my eye on the blogroll of Michelle's blog.

    The answer is simple: My drive to be a better person and #2: my competition is up swimming somewhere!

    I love peanut butter - hope you are doing/feeling ok. Knee too! :(

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  6. I've really been struggling with this lately!! Some mornings I get up...and others...like today...I cop out. On the mornings when I have a hard time getting up and manage to talk myself out of it, it's because I think:
    1. You're going to be really mad at yourself later today if you don't just get this over with.
    2. You're not going to have time to fit in your workout if you don't do it now.
    3. You know you're just going to lie in bed and not really sleep and feel guilty for not exercising.
    4. You can make it through a day a little sleepy. You have done it 100x over in the past year.

    Sometimes it works. Other times, I'm just too *d@mn* tired.

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  7. I am NOT a morning runner. Never have been, never will be. I am a morning person though, weird, hunh? With that being said, I do go home after a long day at work and get my runs in, no matter the distance. I try to remind myself how I will feel when I get back, how my dinner will feel that much less guilty, and how going to bed that night will be that much more sweeter. I could easily do nothing when I get home, but I remind myself of how good it does feel.
    Good luck with the knee, my knee pain right now is tight and across the knee cap. It's hurting while I run, especially hills...I think it's my tigh hammy's pulling on it.

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  8. My thought process runs a lot like DC Mama's. Morning is my only shot to get a workout in, and if I miss it, I usually end up having a crappy day. That said, most mornings I have a group (or at least 1 person) that I am specifically meeting to work out with. That makes me JUMP out of bed! :)

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  9. I like to workout in the morning to start the day off right. That way no matter what happens during the day at least I go some portion of the miles in (I usually can not get them all in before work). I remind myself of how wonderful it is to be out using a part of the day that many do not take advatnage of.

    I hope that knee quiets down. Take it easy on it!

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  10. You're not eating peanut butter?! What? Lil Runner=peanut butter in my head. You can't go changing that. Suck it down!

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  11. For me, it's really simple. If I don't do it in the morning it doesn't get done. I don't really even think when I wake up. Getting up and getting at it is my routine. I guess the fact that my mind doesn't work that early in the morning is one of my strengths.

    And I've got no good thoughts on the knee. Hopefully it's just some weird thing that mysteriously comes and then just as quickly mysteriously goes.

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  12. guilt. that's what gets me out of bed each morning! that and i want to have my evenings free to study.

    maybe i need to get pregnant so i stop eating almond butter.

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  13. The sun! Its so easy for me to get up when its light in the mornings. I hate darkness when I wake up, its tough.

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  14. PB toast or PB bagel- thats what i eat! The sun is helpful in the summer- as for winter- waking up on a saturday early to run is nearly impossible!!

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  15. if i really don't want to run, i just go into robot mode--i don't think, i just do it. it seems to work for me.

    hope your knee is okay!!

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  16. Hey!
    I just came across your blog the other day and I really enjoy reading it!!
    I would love it if you could check out my blog and follow as well :)
    Jenna

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  17. i can't get up early either if i have another option to work out later in the day. i felt SOSOSO good 2 winters ago when i would get up early to do sunday long runs/races preparing for the marathon. when the alarm went off, i made myself get out of bed IMMEDIATELY with the mantra "don't think, don't think" going through my head. it worked.

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  18. I just can't work out in the mornings. I have to leave for work just after 6 and I can't even begin to imagine what time I'd have to get up if I was going to run first.

    HOpe your knee feels better :)

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  19. Hi - I found your blog thru Mama Simmons and am interested in it because I'm a new mom who runs (swims/bikes).

    Just wanted to call out a 2nd to this comment: "If I don't do it in the morning it doesn't get done. I don't really even think when I wake up. Getting up and getting at it is my routine."

    That's me too! Good luck!

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  20. It sounds like pre-patellar bursitis...rest,ice, compress, elevate. You may need a corticosteroid injection if it continues. Also, pregnancy can loosen everything up via progesterone.
    I think having some extra sunlight is the best motivator, looking forward to spring!

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