Training Week 10: Finding Balance

Whew, this past week was a doozy!

First things first, I'm joining up with the Fit Dish and Faith & Fitness link-ups again this week. Today we're talking plans. We all have them!
We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps. PROVERBS 16:9 NLT
Proverbs 16:9 is the perfect verse for this week because I had a plan and God had something better planned for me.

"My" plan included the usual to-do list plus another week of half marathon training with higher mileage than the previous week.

God's plan for my week was REST. Almost two weeks ago, I acquired some lovely cold-sinusy-allergy symptoms and, despite all of my efforts to fight them, it had to run its course. As of today, I'm feeling much more like myself!

I'm currently reading through Susie Larson's book <affiliate link>, Balance That Works When Life Doesn't, where she defines balance and breaks it down into three parts.
"Encarta dictionary defines balance this way: A state in which various elements form a satisfying and harmonious whole and nothing is out of proportion or unduly emphasized at the expense of the rest." Susie Larson
Susie then explains that everyone's life involves these three things to some degree:
1. Input (Nourishment)
2. Output (Response)
3. Rest (Replenishment)
This was an "Aha!" moment for me, as I realized how out-of-whack my life has been.

Ever since Baby W was born 3.5 months ago, I have been lacking replenishment (rest) while I expected the same response (rest) from myself. (Though that smiley boy is worth any amount of exhaustion!) I kept pushing myself until finally my body said "Enough! I quit!".

So you know what I did? I rested!


I rested physically by taking a nap with Baby W while toddler E napped. I found rest in my heart knowing that God loves me for who I am, not for what I accomplish. He won't hold my unfinished to-do list against me and He doesn't think I'm lazy because I skipped a few days of exercise!

Susie Larson's book has been teaching me that true balance means being flexible and adaptable with our plans. As Proverbs 16:9 says, we can make our plan but we must allow the Lord to determine our steps.

In some seasons we are able to accomplish more and, in others, we have to cut back on what we do. Sometimes it takes getting sick to remind me that I am NOT super human and I DO need rest. When the boys are both sleeping through the night (some day in the far, far future!), I will have more energy to give! As for now, I just need to do what I can.
"When we live with the constant sense of the ebb and flow of nourishment, response and replenishment we will find balance wherever life finds us." Susie Larson
By Sunday's early morning long run, I was feeling much better and my legs felt fresh. That was my last 2-hour run before the half marathon and I'm thanking God for the extra rest last week!

His plans are always better than my own.


.....

Wild Hog 1/2 Training Week 10


8/31 M - Rest. Sick.

9/1 T - Rest. Still sick but my cough is loosening now.
.
9/2 W - 3.9 easy-effort miles. Did some front planks later.

9/3 H - 5.03 miles, 45:08 @ 8:59/mile avg. The run felt comfortably hard and my lungs seem to be clearing out now! I had a tiny bit of motivation so I did 1 minute of a front plank. That was enough for me :)

9/4 F - Rest. No running but I did some strength training outside. Walking lunges, squats, side lunges, DB presses and flies.

9/5 Sa - Rest. Took another day to rest! Perhaps I'm getting better at listening to my body. The race is coming up soon and I want to be healthy on the starting line.

9/6 Su - Long Run: 14.34 miles, 2:00:52 @ 8:26/mile. Feeling MUCH better! All the rest days this week were worth it. I hope this cold/sinusy/allergy mess is done now!

Total Mileage: 23.27 miles

Do you struggle with making yourself rest?

Linking up with the Fit Switch, Jill Conyers and Faith & Fitness Friday. #dishthefit  #FridayFaithFitness

Comments

  1. My body tells me I need to rest. I rest. I loved it when I read "So you know what I did? I rested." It literally made me smile.

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  2. So sorry you've been sick, but sheesh, you were reading the perfect book during that time, and I can't think of a better way to handle it. Instead of being frustrated, you embraced it as best you could, learning throughout the whole process. Thanks for such a great message. Great job on your long run. I remember reading a Dean Karnazes (ultra marathon man) book when I was injurred and couldn't run. So idiotic. I loved the book - but I was pining for running. haha

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