FINDING BALANCE--Writing, Workouts & Event Management
One of the challenges I knew I would face once I dove back into "serious" writing was finding a balance between writing and other things that are important in my life--my family, my workouts and my Endeavor Racing/Life's A Beach Triathlon events.
On Monday, July 31, I committed to finishing and self-publishing Wendall's Lullaby. For most of the next week I did little for my event planning and got in almost no workouts. I wasn't heartbroken about the workouts--I had just finished a rigorous mountain bike race in North Carolina the previous weekend--but, my event planning definitely suffered just a little. Still, I was okay with the temporary binge-focus on writing, editing and formatting--managing to get an eBook version for Kindle and a paperback version up on Amazon within eight days.
Since that time, I've been inspired (by notes I found stashed in a box) to start my follow-up to Wendall's Lullaby AND have been spreading the word out about the book. I've spent a little more time working on my trail running and Life's A Beach Triathlon events--especially since my Sarasota Life's A Beach is coming up fast. I've even managed to get in a few more sporadic workouts.
The BIG challenge I face--especially with workouts vs. writing--is the mornings. I've typically been a morning workout person. I love to start the day with my workouts--it's a beautiful time of day (sunrise), it's when I seem to have the most energy and focus and it "guarantees" I'll get something in before the other activities/needs of the day can interfere or derail.
I've been drawn to writing in the mornings for much the same reasons--the refreshed focus, mental clarity, high energy and quiet beauty of the morning. Of course, this puts me directly at odds with getting in my workouts/training.
The added challenge is that writing (for me) can be very much a "flow experience." Once I get started, if I'm "inspired," I may continue to write past the time I had allotted for writing for that day. Or, I may have all intentions of starting a workout first thing in the morning (or even trying to squeeze one in during the afternoon) but have an idea I want to write out that preempts the workout (because I don't want to risk losing the thought forever or because the thought prompts a longer bout of writing). In some ways, as a writer, that's a good problem to have.
In other ways, it messes with the head of the Kip who likes to feel fit and healthy. So, as I move forward trying to balance these elements of my life, I'm especially working on fine-tuning my morning workouts so that they are more efficient--in the amount of time I put in and the results that I get. It means more use of the Concept2 Rower and the local streets for rowing and running intervals. It means more circuit-style workouts that incorporate full-body movements. And, it means putting in more efficient time on the water--more intervals in the surfski and less of the long, steady grinds (except with my OC6 crew) I love.
What was this morning's workout?
4x through this circuit:
Concept2 Rower: 2 minutes
Kettlebell Thrusters
Web Mountain Climbers
Then, 4x through this circuit:
Concept2 Rower: 1 minute
Sissy Squats with Side Lateral Raise
Low Back Extension w/"Row"
Crossover Rows on Ball
On Monday, July 31, I committed to finishing and self-publishing Wendall's Lullaby. For most of the next week I did little for my event planning and got in almost no workouts. I wasn't heartbroken about the workouts--I had just finished a rigorous mountain bike race in North Carolina the previous weekend--but, my event planning definitely suffered just a little. Still, I was okay with the temporary binge-focus on writing, editing and formatting--managing to get an eBook version for Kindle and a paperback version up on Amazon within eight days.
Since that time, I've been inspired (by notes I found stashed in a box) to start my follow-up to Wendall's Lullaby AND have been spreading the word out about the book. I've spent a little more time working on my trail running and Life's A Beach Triathlon events--especially since my Sarasota Life's A Beach is coming up fast. I've even managed to get in a few more sporadic workouts.
The BIG challenge I face--especially with workouts vs. writing--is the mornings. I've typically been a morning workout person. I love to start the day with my workouts--it's a beautiful time of day (sunrise), it's when I seem to have the most energy and focus and it "guarantees" I'll get something in before the other activities/needs of the day can interfere or derail.
I've been drawn to writing in the mornings for much the same reasons--the refreshed focus, mental clarity, high energy and quiet beauty of the morning. Of course, this puts me directly at odds with getting in my workouts/training.
The added challenge is that writing (for me) can be very much a "flow experience." Once I get started, if I'm "inspired," I may continue to write past the time I had allotted for writing for that day. Or, I may have all intentions of starting a workout first thing in the morning (or even trying to squeeze one in during the afternoon) but have an idea I want to write out that preempts the workout (because I don't want to risk losing the thought forever or because the thought prompts a longer bout of writing). In some ways, as a writer, that's a good problem to have.
In other ways, it messes with the head of the Kip who likes to feel fit and healthy. So, as I move forward trying to balance these elements of my life, I'm especially working on fine-tuning my morning workouts so that they are more efficient--in the amount of time I put in and the results that I get. It means more use of the Concept2 Rower and the local streets for rowing and running intervals. It means more circuit-style workouts that incorporate full-body movements. And, it means putting in more efficient time on the water--more intervals in the surfski and less of the long, steady grinds (except with my OC6 crew) I love.
What was this morning's workout?
4x through this circuit:
Concept2 Rower: 2 minutes
Kettlebell Thrusters
Web Mountain Climbers
Then, 4x through this circuit:
Concept2 Rower: 1 minute
Sissy Squats with Side Lateral Raise
Low Back Extension w/"Row"
Crossover Rows on Ball
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