The iPod question

I typically work out on my lunch break at Flex (the gym across the street from work). It's a habit that I started when I was going to night school to get my MBA, about 5 years ago, and am now to the point where it's pretty rare for me to not make it over there at least four days a week. Sometimes this means staying late at work, but I feel that I'm more productive, focussed and energetic in the afternoon after taking a step back and exercising.

Anyways, there are a few other people that I work with that also make it over there occasionally at lunch (including a group of women who have made a pact to exercise more and eat better, and have been doing great - this is no flash-in-the-pan new years resolution, they're committed!). While I was running on the treadmill yesterday, I was asked by a co-worker why I didn't wear an iPod. I wrote about this a few months ago, and explained that sometimes you need a pick-me-up to get through some workouts. However, I was thinking about it, and that day back in October was the last time I've worked out with an iPod. I've probably been averaging 10-12 hours a week of cardio since then (mostly skiing and some running), plus 1-2 strength workouts a week, and haven't touched my iPod except for airplane rides (haven't even thought about it).

In general, I have a personal policy which states that workouts over an hour alone dictate that an iPod is acceptable, and workouts over 2 hours alone, it's all but required for sanity's sake, however, it depends on how mind-numbing of a workout is planned for that day. I think the following things have been factors recently as well:

- It's ski season and I love skiing

- I've done a lot more training over the past couple of years than I had done previously and maybe I'm just getting used to longer workouts mentally.

- I have some awesome training buddies, who enjoy training and racing but are also certifiably insane, which keeps the conversations flowing (always a key part of any workout over 2 hours)

- I've been enjoying the workouts I've been doing - even the hard ones and even the "boring" ones.

I think the last one is probably the most important. While it can be a pain to fight traffic after work, drive an hour to bristol mountain or harriet spencer, and not get home until 9pm, it beats roller skiing circles around cobbs hill in the dark and or running with poles, or almost any other workout that happens in the fall in Rochester. I still stand by my previous post though, that when needed, using an iPod is OK (because without those fall workouts, the winter is nowhere near as enjoyable), but when it's not needed, all the better, it's amazing the things you can think about during a 3 hour ski with some peace and quiet.