Thursday, January 19, 2006

My Inner Whiner

I had a difficult time managing my Inner Whiner today. She was loud, persistent, and obnoxious.

First thing when I woke up: "I don't wanna get out of bed! Nobody should have to get up before 5AM just to exercise!"

Response: Shut up. Millions of people get up before 5AM to go clean other people's toilets and flip hamburgers and drive taxis and even worse jobs. And you're complaining about getting to go to a swimming pool?

At the gym: "It's too crowded. All the treadmills are full. Stupid resolutionists. I don't wanna wait for one."

Response: Then get your fat butt on the exercycle and start pedaling. You haven't finished even twenty miles for the week. Not to mention you haven't run a step all week. You've got nothing to complain about.

In the pool: "2000 meters is way too much. I've got water up my nose. I can't breathe right. I'm coughing. I don't wanna do it. My shoulders ache."

Response: Your choice. You want to repeat that horrible Eagleman 1.2-mile swimming debacle you had last year? Or do you want to be prepared and feel comfortable and competent in the water?

In the pool: "Oh, yeah, that. But that's still four months away. And my shoulders still ache."

Response: Okay, okay, I'm sick of listening to you. It's true the shoulders ache, which might have something to do with the fact that you actually managed to get your sorry carcass into the water for two whole swims this week, which is more than double what you usually do, and you're not conditioned to do much swim distance yet. We'll cut it a little short since we're out of time with all your whining. But don't forget that we've got 3862 meters to do at one crack at Ironman Florida in November. Yeah, we're talking 78 laps. So you've got nothing to complain about yet. Nothing. Shut up and keep swimming until I tell you to stop.



Does anyone have any better tips for dealing with that miserable nincompoop in my head? I don't want to start stalking around the gym talking to myself like Holly does.

15 comments:

Oldman said...

fighting with your inner self! how kewl

Cliff said...

Are u sure that's your innner whiner or your inner drill sergeant?

Can I borrow your drill sergeant?

Bolder said...

me U same page.

me CHOCOLATE down the hatch.

ME ALL BETTAH!

Chris said...

You just have to somehow convince yourself that your workouts aren't optional things. Once I got used to doing that, the whining eventually went away. :)

Born To Endure said...

Yeah..start worrying till your guts are full of it because your life is about to be turned upside down..then swimming 2000 m doesn't seem so bad.

Holly said...

Hey, to my defense, I was talking to the *Cancer* - It only "looked" like I was talking to myself....

Nancy, when I read your post, I notice you shut down your Inner Whiner with the Internal "Nancy, Ironman-in-Training" ... The key is to shut the Whiner down before she even get's started....

I suggest stuffing her in the dark spaces of your mind where things go when you walk into a room and can't remember why you are there ....

Nancy Toby said...

Ooh, I like that, put her in the "Safe Place"!! Where those missing socks go!!!

TriZilla said...

wow, you're tough!

I like it! Way to tough it out, Nancy. :)

Fe-lady said...

Take that WHINER and throw her into the pool...then swim by and never look back. (THEN reward yourself with...uhh.maybe something CHOCOLATE!)
P.S. I am a coffee drinker in the A.M and nothing gets me out of bed at five a.m. faster than knowing I have a good cup of the brew hot and ready to pour, before I head out the door. (NO ONE was out running this morning...but me! And I like it!) (evil grin)

Flo said...

The inner whiner needs to be throughly thrashed by the inner athlete!!! Some days it's much harder than others to shut her up, god knows I know!! But everyday you get up inspite of her is a great success so pat yourself on the back.

Lynne said...

I thought you killed your inner whiner years ago... You could get up at 4:30 once a week and then all the times you get up at 5:30 will seem like 'sleeping in'... right??

Unknown said...

i usually find that to calm the bastard in my head down, a couple shots of tequila do the trick. then, then the SOB starts to tell me that one more shot won't hurt me... bastard.

SeeingDouble said...

**faints** Just reading that makes me tired! Kudos to you, I bbow to your inner Goddess, and kick your inner whiner in the shins.

Rainbow said...

My inner whiner was bitchin at me as I was at the pool a little after five. Way to go being the stronger one.

BTW I got a kick out of that website you wrote down. Thanks.

Nancy Toby said...

Hee! Thanks, guys! Maybe we have to have a group effigy burning of the loathesome "Inner Whiner". :-)