It's hard to believe that Chattanooga is 14 weeks away!
People keep asking me how my training is going. It's going pretty good so far. But I tend to not talk too much about it in depth. This may sound weird to some, but I'm almost afraid to talk about it too much or get too excited. It's like I don't want to get all pumped up to just be let down. All the hard work put in last year and then a week before the race to have a wreck that put me out of the race really took a toll on me. Maybe it was also the loss of a father-in-law and a step-son during this same time.
They say writing down your feelings help... I've been dealing with a lot of mix emotions that I've been keeping inside. I know this is not good. What we push down inside will eventually explode like a volcano. I have so many WHYS.... Why did God allow me to have that bike wreck?... Why did God take Drew who was only 40 and had 3 young girls? Why do I have friends dealing with cancer? ...... Why do I have friends that are grieving a child? ..... Why.. Why ... Why... I feel as if I can't talk to my husband about all of these Whys...because he has his own Whys and is going through his own grief. It's not fair for me to throw mine at him too. So I've been just pushing all those emotions deep down. And let's face it... I've always been a type of loner. I keep many things inside. I only share the deep stuff with a select few. If you are in that group, you are someone I trust deeply.
They say writing down your feelings help... I've been dealing with a lot of mix emotions that I've been keeping inside. I know this is not good. What we push down inside will eventually explode like a volcano. I have so many WHYS.... Why did God allow me to have that bike wreck?... Why did God take Drew who was only 40 and had 3 young girls? Why do I have friends dealing with cancer? ...... Why do I have friends that are grieving a child? ..... Why.. Why ... Why... I feel as if I can't talk to my husband about all of these Whys...because he has his own Whys and is going through his own grief. It's not fair for me to throw mine at him too. So I've been just pushing all those emotions deep down. And let's face it... I've always been a type of loner. I keep many things inside. I only share the deep stuff with a select few. If you are in that group, you are someone I trust deeply.
God works in mysterious ways. I just came across this new book that I started reading and boy has it spoken to me. The title is "Run the mile you are in".
It's a book about an Olympic runner with a deep rooted faith in God. I can't begin to tell you how much I'm enjoying this book and I'm only half way into it. Ryan, the runner, had many, many let downs in his running career. But God would always remind him that he was still there. Ryan talks in details about his personal relationship with God. I know in my heart that God is always with us whether it is good or bad stuff we are facing. I just haven't been leaning on that faith as much as I should be the past 2 years. In the book, Ryan talks about his struggles when he thought God didn't show up during a race. He says he realized that he would never understand why God sometimes says yes and other times he says no. He had to be learn to be okay with that mystery and trust God, who is the ultimate Father and will always do what is best for his children. He went on to talk about one of his races where he fell way behind the lead pack. He was not known for encouraging others. Matter of fact Ryan says it isn't typically done at all among elite marathoners. He was out for that medal and HIS win. But during this race when he left awful.. he was so behind.... God told him to encourage the other runners. He said as he begin to encourage each runner he ran beside that it was like he forgot about how poorly his race was going. He forgot about how tired he was and even though he knew only a miracle could bring him to the finish line with a win at this point, God was performing a miracle inside of him. God was using him to bring his kingdom into the Olympic Marathon. He said he experience the truth.. when we encourage others, we find ourselves encouraged. "The generous man will be prosperous, and he who waters will himself be watered," Proverbs 11:25. WOW.. just WOW... I can say from personal experience that the races that I've taken time to encourage other runners, have been the races I enjoyed the most.
I could go on and on telling you stories in this book. You should grab you a copy. It has made me think long and hard about myself. I want to be that person that encourages others. I want to be that person that trust God fully. :>) I'm human and I would like to say that I'd never battle frustration or discouragement again, like my bike wreck where after a year of training I could not race, but I know that's not true. So I must trust and have faith. God is a good father who always has my best interests at heart. :>)
So how is my training going you ask..... well, some days it's HARD and some days it's not as hard.... This past week I had 4 brick workouts within 7 days. I thought I was going to die on the 4th and longest one. It was soooo HOT and HUMID. Even though I was drinking, I was sweating so much that I was soaked and when I tried to go to bathroom I had no pee. I was literally sweating out everything I was drinking. I felt like warmed over road kill. I just wanted to be done. I kept asking myself how in the heck am I going to make it in July & August in this heat. The heat really takes a toll on me. I'm toast the rest of the day after a long hot workout. I go home and crash while thanking Jesus I have air conditioner.
HOWEVER, I have been getting some good hills in on the bike. I was really concerned with me not training with Jason this year as to whether or not I'd be able to bike some on hills. There are just not many areas that I would ride in especially if I was alone. The place where I purchased my bike has group rides almost every Saturday. They ride in the Hattiesburg area off the trace mainly in neighborhoods full of hills. I've started riding with them when I can and it's been good for me. They are a great group of riders. Matter of fact their bike shirts, which anyone can purchase in their store, has one of my favorite bible verses on it! Philippians 4:13
HOWEVER, I have been getting some good hills in on the bike. I was really concerned with me not training with Jason this year as to whether or not I'd be able to bike some on hills. There are just not many areas that I would ride in especially if I was alone. The place where I purchased my bike has group rides almost every Saturday. They ride in the Hattiesburg area off the trace mainly in neighborhoods full of hills. I've started riding with them when I can and it's been good for me. They are a great group of riders. Matter of fact their bike shirts, which anyone can purchase in their store, has one of my favorite bible verses on it! Philippians 4:13
Check out these hills on the last ride I did with them.
The week before bike stats:
I've enjoyed the group rides. I can't hang with the A group (they are super fast!), but I am still getting in a great workout. :>) I can feel my body getting stronger. The first week I went with them the hills almost killed me. Then the next week it felt much easier. They say practice makes it better. :>)
Had my first really long swim this go around of training last week.. 3,200 yards. I survived. LOL It really wasn't that bad. Just keep thinking .... just keep swimming.... just keep swimming.... Got 3,500 yards later this week. :>) building to that 4,400!
Running... My foot isn't bothering me like last year... PRAISE JESUS. This time last year I did the Kona marathon and really didn't think I would finish due to that dang PF in my foot was so bad. Took like 9 months for it to stop hurting. Now I will say after a long run my arch of my foot will be sore BUT, it's nothing like last year. So I just keep stretching and stretching most every day. I know I have that cyst on my foot so I can expect some soreness from running. But as long as it ain't the PF hurting, I can manage. :>)
My goal is ... one day at a time. Don't sweat the future. Just take one day at a time and keep moving. If it's God's will this time, I'll finish the race and then take a nice REST... I mean NICE REST... Like COUPLE WEEKS :>) There are many others things I want to do beside this ironman, but when training for an ironman there isn't much time for anything else. LOL My husband and I were talking this weekend about the fact that he wants to take a vacation to Yellowstone. I do too and guess what??? there is a half marathon there next June. I told my husband and figured he'd be like oh man that is all you ever want to do... but instead he said let's plan it. I was THRILLED! He rarely goes to races with me and to go do a race there and see the country side... oh man.. I can't wait! Let the planning begin! :>)
I hope if you are reading this and you are training that your training is going well also. And if you are not training but going through something in your own life.... Let's take a deep breath and just take one bite of the pie each day. Focus only on today and trust God. Run the mile you are in... no more. :>) Find God in every step. :>)
The week before bike stats:
I've enjoyed the group rides. I can't hang with the A group (they are super fast!), but I am still getting in a great workout. :>) I can feel my body getting stronger. The first week I went with them the hills almost killed me. Then the next week it felt much easier. They say practice makes it better. :>)
Had my first really long swim this go around of training last week.. 3,200 yards. I survived. LOL It really wasn't that bad. Just keep thinking .... just keep swimming.... just keep swimming.... Got 3,500 yards later this week. :>) building to that 4,400!
Running... My foot isn't bothering me like last year... PRAISE JESUS. This time last year I did the Kona marathon and really didn't think I would finish due to that dang PF in my foot was so bad. Took like 9 months for it to stop hurting. Now I will say after a long run my arch of my foot will be sore BUT, it's nothing like last year. So I just keep stretching and stretching most every day. I know I have that cyst on my foot so I can expect some soreness from running. But as long as it ain't the PF hurting, I can manage. :>)
My goal is ... one day at a time. Don't sweat the future. Just take one day at a time and keep moving. If it's God's will this time, I'll finish the race and then take a nice REST... I mean NICE REST... Like COUPLE WEEKS :>) There are many others things I want to do beside this ironman, but when training for an ironman there isn't much time for anything else. LOL My husband and I were talking this weekend about the fact that he wants to take a vacation to Yellowstone. I do too and guess what??? there is a half marathon there next June. I told my husband and figured he'd be like oh man that is all you ever want to do... but instead he said let's plan it. I was THRILLED! He rarely goes to races with me and to go do a race there and see the country side... oh man.. I can't wait! Let the planning begin! :>)
I hope if you are reading this and you are training that your training is going well also. And if you are not training but going through something in your own life.... Let's take a deep breath and just take one bite of the pie each day. Focus only on today and trust God. Run the mile you are in... no more. :>) Find God in every step. :>)
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