Why I Workout In The Rain (and snow and mud)
March 11th, 2011 // 8:10 am @ admin
Jacket after the workout
This morning as I left for my SEAL Team workout at 5:30am, it was 37 degrees outside and dark. It rained over 3 inches yesterday and the ground was completely saturated, with puddles everywhere.
By 5:45 I was in pushup position along with 85 other intrepid souls in an inch of standing water and mud. A few minutes later we were on our backs doing situps in the muck. For the next hour we alternated running through the puddles and doing more situps, pushups, back extensions and lunges on the soaking wet field. By the end, everyone was drenched and covered in leaves, grass and mud.
Many of my friends think I’ve lost my mind. They can’t understand why I would go workout in the rain (like yesterday), the snow (like January) and the mud (like today). They wonder why I don’t just go to a nice warm, dry gym and do my workouts there.
For me, these workouts are reminders of some very important life lessons:
Everything is temporary – The wet, the cold, the rain – they will all pass. So will all of life’s other challenges.
Contrast makes life more intense – The rain makes me appreciate the sunshine. The cold makes me notice my car’s seat warmers and the heat in my house. The mud makes me grateful for my hot running water and clean clothes.
It could be worse – No matter how hard the workout or how awful the conditions, it’s better than some people’s daily living conditions. I am thankful for my body’s ability to run, jump, and move as some people don’t have that luxury.
I’m tougher than I think – I have never, ever regretted finishing a workout. At the end of a grueling hour, soaked to the skin and covered in dirt, I feel strong and alive. I know that I’m one of only a few folks who got up early and toughed it out to get stronger. Hoo yah!
Good people make anything possible – I can honestly say I would not be doing this without the support of my teammates. Knowing that there are others who have my back, who will miss me if I’m not there and who will cheer me on to make it through makes all the difference.
What do you do that challenges conventional wisdom, that pushes your boundaries or opens you to new experiences?
Category : Blog &Motivation