Running is fun....but I LOVE TGU's!

Yesterday we did Helen (400m run, 21 kettlebell swings-16 kg, 12 pullups-3 rounds) , I was with Patty and Mary who, unlike me, far prefer running over jumping rope.  So, despite being given the option, I couldn't feel left out, so I went with majority rules. UGH!  The last time I did regular, running Helen, I finished in 14:40.  Today...14:55.  Yep, added 15 seconds on. Pullups were Red bands, high bar, as opposed to Blue bands, but still......  No big deal, I know my issue is with the running thing.  Cripes! I really dislike running.  I'm really gonna work on bonding with it....I will keep telling myself..."I love running, running is great, running is fun..." I will envision myself doing really well before a workout, to try to get that psychological bump going that, yes, indeed, I can do it and do it well.   Let's try that.....see how that works.

Today - Turkish Getups. I've said it before, and I'll say it again.....I think these are the coolest!

I did much better than I thought I would today.  Warming up, I wasn't really certain if I was feeling the Turkish love.  We did 5 rounds for max weight.  My last PR was 1 arm at 60 lbs, with a barbell. I did them all with the barbell again, because they just look so impressive!

Round 1 - 45#  

Round 2 - 55#  got it, but faltered a bit balance wise at the top and on the knee descent-right side

Round 3 - 60#

Round 4 - 65#- again, I got it, but faltered on the knee descent, not sure which arm though.

Round 5 - 70# - failed completely on the left. SUCCESS with the right arm.

Overall - VERY happy with the results, even if the 70 was a bit lopsided.  Still a big PR.

Forewarning...I'm about to get blabby. 

This morning, as I was laying in bed deciding whether to get up or not (it wasn't even 7am-on a Saturday, that is definitely something to think about).  Into my head popped this big debate on the pluses and minuses of the competing and comparing yourself with others.  I think I'm typing it up now, because it has been weighing on my brain for quite a while.

On the positive side, when you compete with those around you,  you tend to push yourself harder than you may otherwise, which can bring around excellent times, PR's, etc.  Which increases confidence amongst other things.

On the "not so positive" side, it can also do the exact opposite.   At the end of the Filthy 50 last time, I just didn't care who beat me timewise, I just wanted to get through it.  Of course afterwards, it was a bit different.  The "new" girl kicked my butt!  What was that?  She has some nerve!  Well, taking a step back, in reality, I didn't know her background, where she was coming from, what she had done before, etc.  All of that makes a difference when trying to compare yourself.  I was talking to one friend who was feeling particularly frustrated after a workout.  The main issue was that she was comparing herself to everyone around her, and not feeling like she did as well as she should have.  In this case, she has only been coming for a month or two, and came from a background that did not include anything close to this physical in years.  In the end, she was comparing herself not to her previous scores, but to everyone else. While she should have seen how much better she did, than when she started, how far along she had really come, all she saw was that she was last, and finished with a higher time (not taking into account the higher weights on several elements).  Unfortunately this is an easy trap to get into, and in reality everyone falls into it once in a while.  But it can definitely be a confidence basher when you do go there.

I have also done the compete thing in my head for the heavy lifts.  I have finally come to the conclusion that for me, at least, all it does is mess me up.   I get far too into my head, focus more on what the other person is doing than on what I am doing, and it's just not as much "fun". ....and it's the "fun" that keeps us coming back isn't it?  The last month or two, I've tried to stay focused on my performance and just trying to do a bit better each time, and not looking at or caring what everyone else has done, and overall, I think I've performed better for it.

This was alot of my morning thoughts today - just thought I would share because, I know there are people struggling with the comparison thing, including me.  But I think focusing on myself and my abilities is going to be my new overall mentality, and I know I'm alot happier for it.