The week's not quite over yet but I wanted to report on it because I got really philosophical when considering how this week counts on the continuum between success and failure. I concluded that in some ways, it is more of a success than last week when I was really gung-ho and accomplished all kinds of things, like lifting tall buildings and leaping speeding bullets.

Specifically I want to swim MWF, go to the gym for weights and then run T/Th, do my core exercises every day, go for a bike ride on weekends, and of course bike commute during the week. Technically I did all that except Monday, when we were traveling, I did not swim (although I could have) or do my core exercises.

The problem is, the rest of the week I did a half-hearted job of the running and swimming. The reason I decided this was more of a success than last week's accomplishments is because it is harder to get out there AT ALL when you are having a rough week for whatever reason (I think I was having trouble because it got cold), than it is to do well when you are feeling really motivated.

So I gave myself credit for doing it at all.

I also gave myself credit for doing the core exercises every day. They count for more, to me, because I follow them up with my jaw and neck stretches, and so the whole thing counts more as "taking care of myself" instead of "training for the triathlon". (One is less selfish than the other in my head.)

Finally I gave myself credit for commuting. Not that that is difficult. In fact it is the easiest thing which is why I continued to do it. Each time I might think "It's cold, maybe DH will give me a ride", the next thought is "How will I get home?" and the logistics of that are so complicated that immediately I say "Screw it, I'll just ride, that's easiest". So this 'credit' was earned by the years of bicycle commuting that has made it a habit, and by the investment of ~$500 in cold weather gear three years ago (a lot of money but how much have you spent on your car over three years?), and by the fact that we never did buy that second car.

We're riding out to the corn maze this afternoon, and tomorrow I plan to run again.

Overall, this week was strongly on the "success" side of the continuum. And that makes me feel more motivated for next week's swimming & running.