So lately it's been pretty damn cold out here. And it had me thinking what determination means. I'm determined to get in fantastic shape. I have the time and I have the facilities. I have the drive. The only problem is those facilities, lately, have been encased in air colder than ice. That means frost accumulates on the barbells. The LCD screens on the rowers are frozen and work poorly. The treadmills slowly rotate up to speed and sometimes stick. But instead of complaining and hiding in my slightly warmer room, I still get out there, in that frozen ice box. I endure frozen hands and fingers, toes and feet. My toes and fingers get so cold in five minutes they literally burn in pain.
Determination means you keep pushing. You keep lifting even though you can't feel. You keep focusing on form, and getting that barbell over your head. You keep hitting those personal records. So what if I have to take an extra ten minutes to warm up? Another 100 DU and 500m row isn't going to kill me. Determination means overcoming the obstacles that would normally slow or stop the others. You keep going. Screw ice, anyway.