Booze!

As you can see from the strapline for this blog, we do like booze. It may differ for you but I tend to find that alcohol is not conducive to training or getting fit. It can also cost an arm and a leg. As such I have a cunning plan to free up more money for Triathlon gubbins, get me to the Gym on the days I don't want to and help me get fitter still. Read on to find out exactly how.
Here's the secret plan. Listen closely. no closer than that. I'm going to whisper it. You ready? Here goes:

You got to earn it.

Did you catch that? You got to earn it, it being whatever you want to have. In my case, it is alcomahol, for you it may be cake, xbox or pizza (All things I should probably add to the list but all work and no play makes Rhys a grumpy boy).

Its not about earning the cash for your "vice", as I hope you've got lucre already or have worked out a barter system with the supplier. Its about earning your right to it. And it can work for whatever you want it to be.

As for me, I've set the criteria that for every gym, swim, run or bike session I complete as planned I earn myself one drink.  If I complete all planned sessions in a week, I get another pint for free. If I get to the Gym or start the training but don't finish,I'm awarding myself a half. (If I got anywhere near half my workout target, just walking into the Gym won't get you anything.)

Naturally I've added some caveats to this, Drinks are free for Birthdays, Weddings, Improv performance nights, Post Race day and celebrations. I'm no fool so I've left myself plenty of wriggle room. Also note how the concept of one drink isn't tightly defined. Its a very flexible system, as its meant to help me out and not be a strait jacket. I'm also reserving the right to quit this experiment at any point.

 I've been doing this for a couple of week and so far its working pretty well, although I have yet to earn myself that free pint for a full week of workouts. Maybe I'll keep going  with this system until the Ironman, maybe I'll crash and burn. We will but see.