Bad Habits

I think it started with the blistering heat we've had a few weeks ago. The kids started spending more time inside. Specifically, more time inside watching television. They now are beginning to organize their activities around particular television shows. Not the good educational shows - Nova, Nature, Discovery Channel, History Channel. No, they're hooked on the stupid mindless cartoons and teeny-bop sitcoms that channels like Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon are pushing these days.

I didn't really notice it until I was working from home yesterday. I knew the kids were home, and when I went upstairs a couple of times it struck me how quiet things were. Quiet? Our house hasn't been quiet since my son was born. Even less so since my daughter arrived. What the heck?

I went upstairs and saw my daughter laying in bed watching cartoons. My son was in the spare bedroom. He was playing cards (he's recently become fascinated with Poker) but also watching TV. I realized that not only are they watching more (too much) TV, but they're also getting more antisocial. They each go to separate rooms since they can't agree on a program to watch. They're more agitated because their attention is unfocused and splintered. This is a bad path.

In my training I've learned constantly evaluate how my routines are going. Too much? Too hard? Too little? Am I getting any benefits from the effort? Why am I suddenly getting injured? In response to each of these questions little adjustments are made and then reevaluated later. Failure to do this periodically can keep you on a path that yields diminishing returns for your efforts. It places you on a wasting path, instead of a strengthening, building path.

So there will be changes. They'll each get to pick two shows - one in the morning and one in the evening. Exceptions will be made for programs that are educational. After dinner we'll spend time doing active things indoors or out depending on the weather. We'll do things that everyone can participate in, not things that exclude one or the other. Most importantly we'll make it fun. Because if it isn't fun, the strengthening path can quickly become the wasting path.

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Workout Summary

1440 yd swim - form

17 mile bike - Z3/Z4 boundary, form focus

5 mile run - Z3/Z4 boundary, form focus

30 minutes core/circuit

Now that we're past the equinox it's staying darker longer in the mornings. Today the sun was just beginning to come up as I got on my bike, so I might not be able to do the outside rides for very much longer - too bad as I've really enjoyed them and I think they've helped me considerably this year.

Still tired (big surprise) so I dropped my workouts down a notch and focused on form. Improvised a bit on the bike route to keep things interesting. On the run I had good turnover and felt pretty smooth. Will be shooting for a 15 or 16 mile run this weekend to start my ramp up to 20 by the beginning of September.

Had to cut my swimming a bit because I realized 10 minutes after I left home that I had forgotten my bike shoes and had to go back. Long swim tomorrow should compensate for that though.

In a somewhat radical shift I'm going to cut back on stretching, at least after my bricks. I think that it's actually causing some of the minor injuries (pulled muscles and tendons) that I've experienced over the summer. I'll still do some stretching later on the day but I'm going to be a lot more careful right after workouts.