Weeks 8 and 9 SHM: It Started with 12.25

Weeks 8 and 9 SHM: It Started with 12.25

I'm a little behind on my blogging right now. I haven't been particularly busy, but I have been lacking in rest. I started a post for Week 8 but never finished it. Here's the recap:

Week 8 
I survived Week 7's Pain in my Butt. I took a few days off from running and focused on foam rolling, stretching, massage, yoga and ART therapy. My mid-week run was an easy four miles and Saturday I had my longest and probably best run of the training season. I completed a 12.25 mile long run followed by a nice, cold ice bath. Saturday's long run felt really good. I let myself relax and just enjoy the run. As I started to blog about the week, I thought about my 12.25 mile long run and Romans 12:2 came to mind:

"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."

At that moment, I realized it's time for a renewing of my mind. I've been neglecting my spiritual fitness and my body, heart and mind are suffering. The physical warning sign came in the form of my tight and strained muscles. The mental warning sign came from of my sluggishness and irritability. My training routine has been off for the past couple of weeks and I have been feeling out of my element. I know it's time to take a rest and renew mentally, spiritually and physically. It's time for me to refocus and renew my mind.

Week 9 is the point in my training when it gets hard. This is the time when mileage is high and race anxiety starts to set in. Miles eight and nine are also the point in the race when I'm tired and I want to quit ~ be transformed by the renewing of your mind. However, I'm deciding to renew my mind and not let the enemy get a victory. I'm better prepared for battle this time around. I'm stronger, better and more confident. So, what's a little pain in my butt or some mental fatigue? I can handle it. I can handle it as long as I continue to focus on the source of my strength. I can handle it as long as I focus on renewing my mind. Every run is different, but God's promises remain the same. Entering week 9, is a great time to meditate on James 5:6:

"The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much."

This week my renewing of my mind begins on my knees with some time in prayer. When you are open to God, the impossible is possible.

Gratitude Journal
I am grateful for friendships.
I am grateful for new perspectives.
I am grateful I know when to rest.
I am grateful for cool weather.
I am grateful for the seeds planted in faith.
I am grateful for the rain to make the seeds grow.

Week 7 SHM: A Pain in MY Butt

Seriously, my training came to a halt on Thursday when I woke up with a pain in my butt. Six weeks into training and I have a flare up in my hip muscles. The piriformis muscle runs deeply behind the glute muscles. It helps to rotate the hip. My hip flexors were a little tight and overworked in part due to tight hamstrings which tighten up the low back muscles. The tightness and strain of the hip flexors helped to cause the pain in my butt.

Now what? Little to no running, yoga, massage, ibuprofen, stretching, tennis ball and heat, heat and more heat. I plan to attempt and easy run on Monday and some evening yoga and hopefully I can get in for a quick chiropractic appointment. I'm praying for a good running week! I need my RunningTherapy to keep me sane!

Week 7 Mile Verse:

"Be still, and know that I am God!" Psalm 46: 10 (NLT)

I'm reminded of the comforting of this scripture. Sometimes, you just have to stop, be still and remember God is in control and he already knows the outcome. Instead of running ahead, running too fast or running too much, I am reminded to be still and just stay in the mile that I am in. There's no need to worry about the miles ahead, I need to focus and run in my present mile. God is working on me in this mile. From my last two half marathons, I learned that miles 7-8 have been the hardest both mentally and physically. I break down. Mentally, I'm thinking I still have 5-6 miles to go; physically, I'm feeling the heaviness in my legs and the burning in my lungs. Meditating on Psalm 46 says to me, Be Still and run in this mile and Know that God will give me the strength to run the next mile.

Gratitude Journal
I am grateful for a warm Epsom salt bath.
I am grateful for rest.
I am grateful for hope.
I am grateful for running friends.
I am grateful for the friends who call/text just to check on me.
I am grateful for this heat wrap I'm sitting on J.

Week 6: SHM – I AM a Fighter

 "No Weapon formed against me shall prosper…. "

Isaiah 54: 17

I am more than just a Survivor. I am a Fighter. When I finished my 10 miles on Saturday, that thought came to my mind. With the exception of Monday, I had a good training week. Three good runs including my long run. I even had the drive to complete a recovery run on Sunday. Imagine that! I actually ran five days last week! Look how far I've come in one year. It's been an up and down physical, mental and spiritual journey, but I made up my mind that I will not be defeated. I made up in my mind that I'm not just a survivor. I am a fighter. God's Word says "no weapon formed against me shall prosper". Going into Week 6 of training, I'm hiding this Word in my heart and standing on God's promise.
This morning I was listening to Joel Osteen and he said "there are some situations that you just can't pray away." I had a moment of God speaking to me. The things we face in life may not be fair or pleasant, but it's necessary for our growth and refinement. God doesn't cause bad things, but he does allow things to help us grow and reach our destiny. We just need to understand it's a process. It's a process that can not be rushed or hurried along. Each day, experience, challenge, or irritation is a test of our faith, our endurance, and our perseverance. When I run, I get new revelations. I remember how much I wanted to increase my mileage, how much I wanted to not suffer with the nagging pain in my ankles, how much I wanted to get rid of the tight calf muscles, and how much I wanted to be rid of the foot pain. I remember thinking maybe I should stop running for a while. Maybe, I should just give this up and not try to run half-marathons. But, something in me just wouldn't quit. I learned how to work around my issues, how to strengthen my legs, how to train the best way for my body. I stayed in faith and started to believe in my abilities more than my circumstances. And, slowly, I'm coming around. I see a different runner. I see a stronger runner. I see a determined runner.

My Running Revelations:

1. Every run is not going to be a good run and it's ok because I know I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.
2. God didn't take the physical limitations from me, but he gave me grace to run another day.
3. I am running with endurance the race God has set before me. Confirmation from Pastor Joel: "Sometimes you can't pray away your situations, you have to learn to endure (long-suffering is another way he explained it).
4. All things are possible, if I believe. When I believe in myself, I have confidence to keep running.
5. Praising and being thankful takes the focus off how hard this feels and puts it on the one who gives me the grace and the strength to run this race.
6. No weapon formed against me shall prosper. I am not just a Survivor. I am a Fighter.

 
"A Fighter is a person who does not easily admit defeat in spite of difficulties or opposition"

Gratitude Journal
I am grateful that the Lord is revealing to me my strong.

Week 5: SHM: Miles to GO

"I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth." Psalm 34: 1 (NKJ)

It's Week 5! One month of training is complete and now eight more weeks of increasing mileage, building stamina, and improving endurance. When I get tired, I tend to look down instead of looking up. I tend to look at the miles ahead instead of looking at the distance I've covered. I tend to look to the end instead of looking at the present. This week is a reminder to praise God not just petition him with my requests. It's a reminder to say thank you for keeping me and thank you for protecting me. It's a reminder to not get so focused on the distance that I forget to take notice of the process. While I was running on Saturday, I looked up and it was the most beautiful picture of the trees and a clear path of light with an opening. It was so peaceful and pretty right before I reached the busy highway. Sometimes, you have to stop in the middle of it all to give praise and say thanks. God, it's not about the distance I have to go, it's about the praise in my heart as I run my way through.

Mile Verse for the week: I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. Psalm 34: 1 (NKJ)

Gratitude Journal
I am grateful for long runs.
I am grateful I can listen to Joel Osteen podcasts while running.
I am grateful I never lost my hope.
I am grateful I never lost my joy.
I am grateful I never lost faith.
I am grateful I never lost my praise.

I'll be running and praising!

Is it all worth it?

As I'm preparing for my long run in the morning, I'm thinking about how much time and energy is invested into training. I plan my life around my running. It's Friday night and my biggest concern is turning in early and making sure I'm prepared for Saturday morning. Sacrifice comes to mind. As I nurse tight muscles and nagging aches, I wonder is all of this worth it? It's almost time for bed and I need to get a head start on laundry, prepare my heat wrap and I still have to ice my feet and have some prayer and quiet time. For a moment, I stop and think is this all worth it? My answer is unequivocally, YES!  Yes, it is worth the sore muscles, the stiffness and achiness, the loss of sleep, the fatigue, the occasional dehydration, the never ending preparing and packing and everything thing else that goes along with running and training. I've learned that every run will not be a good run, every race will not be my best race and every morning after the long run will not always be a joyous day. But that's ok. Good, bad or indifferent, I know that I am committed and in love with running. Running is about my self discovery. I can push myself to new levels, higher limits and get past my pain. Running helps me discover my strength, my endurance and my courage. Running is my therapy, my spritual journey and my love. So, when I'm tired and I just want to sleep in, I think about the experience of running and I know and know that I know that it is all worth it. 

God made the ultimate sacrifice when he sent his Son to die for our sins. Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice when he died on the cross. When I think about my Saviour's sacrifice, my heart is overwhelmed. Nothing I do, give up or sacrifice can ever compare. I realize that sometimes you have to lose some things and make sacrifices. And yes, the reward is greater than the sacrifices you make.

Gratitude Journal
I am grateful for RPM.
I am grateful for dying to self.
I am grateful that Jesus died upon the cross.
I am grateful for Girlfriends Praying. 

I have one more run this week, so let me remind you "Jesus said, If uou can believe, anything is possible to him who believes. " Mark 9:23
     Yes, Lord, I do Believe!

Week 4 SHM: Finding My Strong

Jesus said to him, "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes." Mark 9:23 (NKJ)

I was reading a blog on Saturday and she talked about finding her strong when things look seemingly impossible. After I finished reading the blog post, Mark 9:23 came to mind: all things are possible to him who believes.

Finding My Strong

Saturday ended a high mileage week for me. I ran nearly 25 miles (highest mileage since April). This was a tough training week. I completed a hilly run, long hill repeats, an easy run and a 10+ mile long run with nearly four of those miles being track work. Any double-digit run is tough, but especially mixed with track repeats. I remember thinking I'm only on my second set of repeats. I have one more left to go. Does anyone else want to quit? I remember thinking I want to stop, but I have to hit my splits. Instead of stopping, I started talking to myself. Pick up your feet. Quick turnover. Get the legs moving. Quick turnover equals faster pace. Remember, I told you guys a while back, I drag my feet when I'm tired and it slows me down. More foot contact time equals a slower pace, especially for someone who has short legs like me. I completed the track workout and I ran the four miles back to the Clubhouse. At times I wanted to walk and I wanted to stop, but I just kept on going. I'm Finding My Strong. I'm Finding My Strong in a combination of ways. Sometimes, I find it when I'm running alone on the track. There are other times I find it when I power up a hill and just keep on moving. There are other times I find it when I'm been pushed by other runners or simply pushing myself. However it happens, it's the way God intended. It all starts in what I Believe. If I Believe I can, then all things are possible. Finding my strong is not giving up because I'm tired or because I don't feel good or I'm uncomfortable. Finding my strong is not giving up on running because my feet hurt or my shins or sore. Finding my strong is about digging in deep and saying I can do this. Finding my strong is saying I Believe I can do this. I will overcome fear and doubt and I will Believe because "all things are possible to him who believes." That doesn't mean I won't have doubts or that I won't have bad runs. It just means that I won't let the doubts and the bad runs overcome me. God never intended for anything to take us out. On Saturday afternoon between naps, it really clicked to me what Finding My Strong is all about.

Finding my strong is about believing anything is possible.

Finding my strong is about running with endurance the race God has set before me.

Finding my strong is about depending on God's grace to give me strength in my weakness.

Finding my strong is about knowing that all things are possible through Christ who gives me strength.

Finding my strong is about my attitude, my belief, my determination and my faith to keep on running.

Finding my strong is not an option. It is my destiny and my purpose.

My gratitude journal is simple today. I am just thankful…..

Week 3 SHM: Endurance

"And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. "

Hebrews 12:1

Week 3 is all about Endurance. I have this feeling that I haven't had in a while. I had forgotten about this feeling; the one after the long run when my muscles hurt and I'm tired. Last week was tough training. It was my highest mileage week since May and Saturday I ran my longest long run since May. Endurance. That's what I'm training towards. I'm working towards better endurance. Each day I put on my running shoes is a new day to test my endurance. How will I stand up on my next run? 

Week 3 is more miles, more hill repeats and more track work. It's more time in training and more time on my feet. It's only Week 3, but I need to declare Hebrews 12:1. I need to believe that I can endure another test, another training, another race.

Gratitude Journal

I am grateful for Sunday dinner.

I am grateful for family.

I am grateful for the month of August.

I am grateful I can step, walk and run foward.

I am grateful I have grace to endure.