Operation WHOLE

I'm so ready to get back into tip-top running shape.  I'm HUNGRIER than ever for a personal best in the marathon.  I'm ready for the next race.  The next long run where I return feeling high on life and have endorphins rushing through my every limb.  I'm ready to have that post run smile that just takes over my entire self.

Ready
as
EVER!

But I'm practicing patience here.
I'm doing the things that are necessary for rebuilding and making sure my body is WHOLE so that I can be my best self.  The best athlete that I can be.  Body, Mind, Spirit.

As much as I know that I need to move slowly with my running in order to heal this hamstring and get my body strong again, it is HARD to be...

still
       patient
               slow
and
                      wise.

It really is a one day at a time thing right now. I'm remembering to practice patience, love, and willingness to listen.

A few steps in my plan to get this body WHOLE so that I can start discovering some new levels as an athlete:

Listening
For the first time since college, I have a coach to help me make decisions about my running.  And for the first time EVER, I'm at a place in life where I think this coaching relationship will really work well for me.  I'm mentally and emotionally strong and ready to push myself and do the things necessary to get to new levels.  It helps having someone to tell me to take time off, be smart, and keep things slow. If it were just me, I'd probably end up pushing myself too soon and not truly give myself the time that I need to heal.

The Boring Stuff
I've always been the athlete to take the shortcuts.  The icing, rolling, heat, rest, massage.  These things are just annoyingly time consuming.  Can't be bothered.  Until now.  I'm doing these things.  Again, having someone else tell me to do them helps.  :)

Positive Thinking
I'm trying to focus on all the positives in my life.  Instead of griping and moaning about how it sucks to not be able to get out there and do some speed work or go on a long 20 mile run, I'm choosing to celebrate what I CAN do.  So much to be thankful for.  I'm running.  That's celebration enough.  And my body is healing nicely.  So much power in focusing on what we HAVE and what we can do today rather than what we can't do or be right now.  With every negative thought I have like "Gosh, this hamstring is so annoying" or "I'm losing so much fitness!", I replace it with something positive like
"I'm  so glad I got 6 easy miles today!"
"Today I will do more push ups and crunchies than yesterday."
"So great to have more time to just sit in my jammies and drink coffee while I read to my kids.


Putting Things in Perspective
Being in a rush to get somewhere quicker than we are meant to be there isn't going to do us any good.  If things work out like I hope, I'll be able to run a marathon in July or September off of the base I built for Boston along with some added training. This is in hopes that it will allow me to get a BQ without stressing my body too much.  This will give me the option of being in Boston next year if I want to.  If this doesn't happen then that is just how the cards play out.  My body very well might just not be ready for this.  I might need to take more time to heal and get whole.  This is very likely.  I'm hoping that things play out the way I WANT them to.  Ha!  But I'm open to possibilities.  With every door that closes, there are many more to be opened.  This is part of what makes life exciting.


Strength and Conditioning
I am only running every other day this week.  My total weekly running mileage this week will be 18-24 easy miles with strength and conditioning on my off days.  My strength training will only be on my upper body since I'm still trying to heal up this leg.  Lots of tricep, bicep, shoulder, ab, and back work.  It has been awhile since I've done too much more than push ups and abdominal work.  Maybe I'll even start doing some pull-ups again.  Would be fun to get to 10!


Blocking out the Negative
There are always people out there that are unhappy with themselves or with life situations. Or people that just like to be ugly and rude. Not sure why. But they are out there.  Sometimes people find joy in dragging others along with them on their unhappy train.  This makes me sad.  Especially when really nice and wonderful people get targeted in this "mean" stuff.  Being a person that "hates" is only only destroying the hater.  If we don't like something or we find something to be annoying, we don't have to read about it, listen to it, or be a part of it.  And if we do want to change it or voice our opinions, there are always ways to do that in a loving, constructive, kind, and "full of character" way.  We can be irritated and "vent" appropriately to others (our "safe" people.  I have several of these friends.) but when it comes to be unnecessary gossip, slander, and bashing just to be mean or stir up trouble, this is where I draw the line.  I have NO RESPECT for people like this and it makes me sad to see others get hurt from it.  The best way to deal with it is to rise above it, turn the other cheek, and not give power to things that just drag us down.  Part of keeping ourselves WHOLE and healthy is to keep these people, this energy, and these situations far away from us. At as far of a distance as we can.  Life is too short to let negative energy and people color our world.

Happy Wednesday,
Amanda