Now that I'm training for the Tri, [ blog post on that coming] my biggest thing I forget is turning on the Garmin. Mileage and keeping track is big for me, I've always been like that, whether it's tracking calories, minutes left of the workday, hours before I go on a trip, people to arrive at a party, money left until payday....I just need to track.
So why is it so damn hard to remember to turn on the Garmin when I leave?! On a bike ride on Friday night, I was so happy to think that I'd end up doing a 5 miler for the day, or more. That's awesome....When I went to check my stats, it was 0.00. 15 minutes into a ride. Had I not been with my husband and kiddo, I seriously would have turned around and started over. Yes, apparently I am that anal. I did suggest turning around and the response I got was somewhere between a joking guffaw and a 'you're mental'. So I said forget it. Yes, I know I can always go on mapmyride.com, but I don't know how accurate that is, especially since it can't possibly get the 'details' of the street. I know... stupid, right?
I know there's such a thing called 'naked running/riding' where you just run to run. Or ride, or walk, or whatever. I don't know that I could do that just yet. I need "credit" for my efforts, if nothing else then to just see the numbers whizzing past on my watch or to see the numbers on the computer screen later. It somehow validates my efforts, because let's face it, we don't see results after a workout, right? Sure, a series of workouts we'll see results. but one single one? Nope.
For me, the sad fact that knowing that I've put in a great effort isn't good enough.
I must know numbers. Which is why I also wear a separate heart rate monitor watch on the other wrist. Yes, My Garmin does track calories, but I also fear the accuracy of that, so for the time being I double up to check the accuracy.
It's the "credit" I need. Telling myself how hard I worked, or even others noticing how hard I worked isn't enough for me. I need more. Thinking about it now, it seems so odd that the better accountability/reward for me is not human, but from a machine. Maybe because I know the machine won't lie to me to spare my feelings. I've seen that before, being congratulated on a good job, even through I know it was anything but...a machine is simply going to state the facts, not the emotions behind it, not the congratulations or disappointments...simply the facts. It's the reaction of those facts that I probably need to work on. *sigh* It's always something....
