Or, “Why You Should Never Share Your Plans With Someone Smarter Than You.”
As y’all know, I’ve been working very diligently on my motivation and mental state with regard to my running. I’m taking it very seriously, but, clearly like so many other times, Hubz is not.
Hubz: So, how are you doing? Are you feeling better about everything?
Me: Much better. Especially about my swimming.
Hubz: Huh? I thought you were working on your motivation for running.
Me: I am. But I’m tricking myself by focusing on swimming.
Hubz: I’m not going to even ask what that means.
Me: Instead of worrying about running, which is really making me hate it, I’ve switched over to worrying about getting eaten by a shark.
Hubz: Please don’t explain that. I don’t want to know.
Me: What? Now that I’m back to swimming, I’m visualizing swimming the Catalina Channel. And not getting eaten. That is motivating to me. I’ve been needing motivation – there it is.
Hubz: And what does this have to do with your running?
Me: Getting eaten by a shark would hurt way more than running for 24 hours, so I’m reverse psychologizing myself.
Hubz: That isn’t even a word. And I’m not going to even start on the craziness of what you are saying.
Me: Seriously. It’s going to work. I was feeling all groovy after my swim yesterday, and then I met our new neighbor.
Hubz: WHAT are you talking about!?
Me: Our new neighbor saw me all wet and asked if I’d just been swimming. I said “yes” and then he told me he’d been on the Syrian Olympic swim team.
Hubz: I still don’t understand what this has to do with anything.
Me: I told him I wanted to swim the Catalina Channel and he said, “No way. You’ll get eaten by a shark.” And I thought, See, it’s working.
Hubz: What’s working?
Me: I’m totally distracted from worrying about running for 24 hours.
Hubz: You are crazy. If you really want to swim the Catalina Channel, then stop dismissing the potential for getting eaten by a shark. That is a serious threat.
Me:Â But the guy’s from Syria.
Hubz: What does that have to do with anything?
Me: How would he know. He’s from one of those barren desert countries in the middle of…wherever it is. He’s got an unnatural fear of something he doesn’t understand.
Hubz: Ummm, Carilyn? You do know that Syria is on the Mediterranean, right?
Me: Oh. Well if he’s a swimmer, and grew up around water, he should be brave. It’s even weirder then that he’s afraid of sharks.
Hubz: Kind of like a runner who lives by the mountains being afraid of mountain lions?
Me: Shut up.
Mom, ultrarunner, four-time US 24 Hour National Team member, adventure athlete, food writer. Graduate of the Pro Cooking Program at the New School of Cooking, Los Angeles. Will run for food.
{ 13 comments }
I swear, we are married to the same man.
Tell him to bring home Rice Krispies, I want to make Rice Krispie Treats.
This is hilarious. And at least your husband realizes you’ve been having motivation issues. Mine would welcome them and suggest I spend more time on the couch.
I live in a country where there are no mountain lions and I’m not afraid of them. You live in an area that mountain lions have made their home and you’re afraid of them. Sounds perfectly rational to me.
I don’t know how your husband doesn’t understand your rational. I get it – perfectly logical if you ask me. (but I’ve just been to a psychologist because according to the government and the test that I cheated on, I’m just a little nuts so my logic may be flawed)
Of course we married the same man – we are so similar it would be weird if we didn’t 🙂
He used to do that, Kate, and then he realized it was more dangerous than just humoring me 🙂
Thank you, Char! Men just don’t get it sometimes 😉
What a nice way to start my morning. Thanks for this post.
Ha! This totally sounds like a conversation I’d have with my Hubz …
Okay this is hilarious! I can totally see you two having this conversation! But I am with Hubz – don’t discount the shark threat. (Of course sharks are my #1 phobia….. only slightly ahead of insane clowns.)
Thanks for reading, Nelson! 🙂
They just don’t get it, do they Kirsten? 🙂
Hey Tish! Yes, since you know us both, you know exactly how that conversation went :). And I’m totally with you on the insane clowns!
Hahahaha! OMG. You sound like me. The way I think about things and motivate myself is VERY unique according to my husband as well. What a crack up!
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