Hal Higdon's Plan Continues

Cross Train Day is now my favorite day of the training plan. It also happens to fall on Sunday, which is also the day I go to worship. I think I finally did everything right, this past Sunday, eating-wise, sleeping-wise, and stretching-wise, because afterwards, I felt this deep sense of peace and by the time I got to church, I couldn't stop smiling. My health bar was full.

But that isn't to say that it has always been that way. I seem to have just as many struggles with my energy levels as triumphs. Thankfully, I'm taking my vitamins regularly now. And thankfully, my "slight" anemia (as my Dr. calls it) is usually subdued by my iron supplements. My remaining lack in energy may or may not be stemming from lack of sleep. I'm still trying to figure that out.

But back to Cross Train Day, I've determined that cycling is a good time to be had! This week, I rode my roadster down to the yoga studio, did some light yoga, then peddled home. It was 10 miles, roundtrip, in the Texas heat, so that was satisfying to my sweat glands. My bag I was using to cart my yoga stuff broke during all that, but I fixed it. I made it better.

My least favorite day of the training plan, Hal Higdon, is the day before...which is Long Run Day. I attempted 8 miles this past Saturday and though that is how far I went, I did not run it all. I walked at least a mile or so of it. I don't know if that's good. Hal doesn't say. The training plan I'm following (of his) says it's to prepare to you finish a marathon, not win it, and that walking while getting water is encouraged. What about walking when the humidity is at 70%, the locusts screech their chilling serenade, and the sun bears down on your shoulders like a blanket just out of the dryer? Hal doesn't mention those scenarios, but that little goal-oriented conscious of mine simply replies, "Excuses, excuses."

Watch Your Hips

Sometimes when I'm on the trail and see a woman walking or running with the kind of hip action that any model would be envious of, I think, "Watch your hips, lady!" I mean that's how my trouble started, right? That and my lack of muscle tone. Lack of core strength. I'm not going to stop the woman and tell her to walk like a robot...but I'll think it...and say a prayer for hips sake. 

A still from the video. Be forewarned, there are short shorts

And then sometimes I see speed walkers, men and women alike, and they are more or less walking belly dancers. At least, the ones I've seen...all that they sashaying. I don't know, maybe they know something I have yet to learn.

Like, maybe they stretch better than me. As a result of not placing my training at the top of my list, I've neglected my stretching some and have yet again, injured my gluteus medius. Blah. I have no one to blame but myself. Minor setback, though. I'm not going to let the glut win, you know, by being so fussy. I'll take it easy. Scale back my training for a few days. Stretch. And then see where that gets me. I've come to realize that not everything I want in life needs to happen right at this moment, no matter how impatient I get. The marathon goal I've set will indeed haunt me until it's done, but really the only reason I'm trying to do it now is to get it over with. Well, that's not the only reason, but a pretty big one. Mark my words, I will retire from race training if I can get a marathon under my belt. Parts of my body might be begging me to stop, but those parts just aren't strong enough, yet. Unfortunately, getting stronger the natural way takes so much longer than the steroid way. Not that I would use performance enhancing drugs. I don't want roid rage! But, because it takes so long, the impatience tends leaks into my conscious. I know that reward is that much sweeter when you know you've worked hard to earn it, but I loose site of that when things come easy to me. at least running is no picnic! Reality checks everyday! ...lift legs, move arms, stand straight, straight knee, breath steady...

Don't Forget to Remember

I hope Hal Higdon is right. If he isn't...well, I'm not out any money but I'll be one unhappy in-shape person. I've decided to use one of his novice training plans to start out this whole marathon training stuff. It was recommended to me, but it's also posted for free on his website. So that helps, considering I'm not sure how much I can invest in this whole marathon training thing. I'm now two weeks in. My soreness has been at a minimum, I've upped my protein intake, and have built-in a little running routine. Unfortunately, my SI Joint is still not "hip" to the extra mileage and sometimes aches when I don't wear my brace. That's not really news, but just a reminder to continue my strength training exercises.

Speaking of reminders...

With the thousand other things I have to remind myself to do while I'm running--stand up straight, move arms, heel strike bad!, core strength good!, hips forward, short strides, loosen jaw, for heaven's sake pick up your feet--there's a new one I'm struggling to remember and that is to make sure my right knee doesn't bend inward. Most of my physical impairments, how ever slight they may be, seem to all tie back to my main issue that physical therapy is trying to correct. This was a new discovery for my PT, but it probably isn't new, since the effect of it causes a knee pain I'm familiar with. My right side is soooo weak, dude. Totally weak. And as a result, my knee just kind of shifts inward. But if I concentrate on it pointing forward when I run, es no problemo! The planets align (by planets I mean my legs), and off I go.

Why does Batman have eyebrows? Constant state of angry

Bleah, so how am I not discouraged by this? Jesus. I guess. I mean I don't think he would have felt the need to run a marathon and I'm not saying he's telling me to, but maybe without realizing it yet I'm trying to be my own Power Team. You know that group that goes around and performs feats of strength for God? I saw them (or a group like them) when I was a teenager. Inspiring stuff, although I know there's a trick to phone book ripping ...

Anyway, another reminder to myself: Glory to Him. I've asked to be prayed for, regarding my health, but I'm definitely not glorifying God enough through all this. Every few days I remind myself that I could be in a state of complete immobilization, and here I am, pushing the boundaries of a perfectly healthy body (well, not exactly perfect with a wobbly knee!). Why not acknowledge that by accomplishing a marathon, it is really an act of God rather than a stubborn person's unrealistic agenda?