Coin Toss

I had someone tell me once that one of the best ways to make a decision is to flip a coin on it and then evaluate the gut reaction to the outcome of the coin toss.  Not bad advice really...maybe...huh...interesting...

One of the beautiful things about triathlon training, and the time investment it requires, is that it allows me a lot time to really think about people, places and events in my life.  One of the hardest things about triathlon training, and the time investment it requires, is also that it allows me time to really think about people, places and events in my life.  It can be a sort of blessing and a curse all at the same time, and both can happen during the same workout.  I never really know going into a training session where my mind will take me that day.  Some days, it gives me clarity and allows me an escape or way to work off some frustrations, yet other days it can make me crazy with the places my mind tends to wander and I can leave a workout more frustrated and confused about something than when I started.

After a weekend consisting of almost 10 full hours of high intensity training (LOVE IT!), where I was looking forward to gaining some fantastic zen clarity, I instead got home from the final workout completely exhausted and way more frustrated about some things in my life than I was even before the weekend started.  (Crap!)  Guess it's maybe time to toss a coin...or two (or ten!).  (The fact is that I could make a laundry list of items that I'm mentally sorting through during my workouts at the moment, but I won't...at least not publicly that is. :))  Here's the short list...

Issue #1 - talking to someone I care for about a somewhat delicate matter...heads I do, tails I don't.  Aanndd the winner is...heads.  (Crap!...maybe 2 out of 3 :))  Heads again!  (PHUCK...ok, 3 out of 5! :))  Heads-tails-heads!!!  Well phooey!  (Obviously, I'm not quite ready to have THAT conversation!...but, then again, if it's bothering me that much, maybe I should anyway.)

Issue #2 - taking a risk on something new...heads I do, tails I don't.  (Coin flip.)  Heads.  (YAY!!!...winner, winner chicken dinner!)

Issue #3 - letting go of something from my past...heads I do, tails I don't.  Tails.  (Fair enough.) 

Huh...surprisingly, I DO feel better about all these issues (nice!).  I guess the coin toss really does work...who knew?!?!  (My gut reactions to each outcome definitely surprised me too...at one point I was laughing almost to the point of tears...really, who knew?!?! :))  I'm still probably not going to give up extreme workouts as my main form of therapy...after all, some days I NEED those issues and frustrations to get me through a particularly long or grueling workout, but I also don't see the harm of keeping a coin in my pocket just in case.  :)