Week three, complete! Each week of training that I complete right now feels like such an accomplishment. Even more so than more noticed or rewarded times of training/competing I've had in the past. That's because my family is in a tough and still new season of life. Eden's (our 9 month old) health challenges are a constant concern, and have put us all on quite the roller coaster ride! If you don't know the story, read this post: Where Have I Been?. Life is more rich, more sweet, more beautiful, and more blessed than it was before Eden, but it is also more complicated. For any parent of a Down Syndrome child to say that it is not, is in denial or just lying. Running is one of the things that is more complicated, just because it is much more of a challenge to fit in! But, I'm finding that it is completely POSSIBLE! Having a child with special needs does not mean that taking care of yourself ends. In fact, I find it to be more important than ever.
This week started very ROUGH. Monday was my husband's birthday, and we had plans of going to a very nice dinner and having a one night getaway at a local hotel! Instead the day began with an unexpected trip to the hospital for Eden. Thankfully after having many friends pray for her, and her surgeon doing a quick procedure, we were headed home. But due to her still very sensitive state, we cancelled our plans (we're getting used to this, but it's still not fun!). These frequent jaunts to the hospital can be physically exhausting, but more so, very emotionally exhausting. When you get home, the LAST thing on your mind, is exercising. Needless to say, I did not run that day, but remember, I set a realistic goal of running just 3 times per week, for this exact reason. To set it any higher at this point, would just be a discouragement.
It started, rough, but ended wonderfully. My husband and I did get to go on that date (just a few days later), and we even got to run together which is a real treat for us. God's grace is beautiful, and I'm so thankful for these "breathers".
WEEK 3 REVIEW:
Wednesday-3 miles on treadmill
Thursday-3 miles on treadmill, + wall squats, but exercises, crunches
Saturday-6 miles outside on flat path
I'm finally starting to feel BETTER, LIGHTER, and FASTER on my runs--hooray! In other words, I no longer feel like DEATH during and after every run! It's slowly beginning to pay off, and after only 3 weeks of consistent training. I was shocked at the pace I ran my 6 miles in today. About 7:30 pace per mile. In college we called that an "easy run", but now it's a bit of a push for me. I ran with a good effort the entire run, and a bit faster than usual in the middle because I had to keep up with my quick hubby. I tried to push myself hard for the last 1/2 mile. This is a great exercise to do for anyone training for a race of any distance. You teach your body how to keep going and accelerate when it is fatigued.
SUMMARY:
You CAN fit in exercise, even in the midst of craziness. Push through your workouts, even when you're fatigued--this is how your body gets more fit, and is how to rise above those "plateaus".
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