She is 5 months pregnant (!!!!) but had run a marathon a month before and trained like a crazy girl for months. She is still in crazy good shape!
Check me out... I'm totally trying to catch my breath... all I could think was: "My legs are on fire!!!"
Us smiling! Shortly after taking this photo, I parked my tired butt on the grass and had me some bagels and cream cheese. I could barely stretch, my legs hurt so badly.
Keep in mind... during all my training, I didn't once train on hills. NOT ONCE! The longest I had run was 9 miles. So finishing this race meant that I ran 4 miles longer than I had ever, ever run, and meant that I had just conqured the hills that my muscles were not yet accustomed to conquiering! I'm crazy and my body is paying for it.
On to the bad news: I hurt my foot :( I didn't realize it was hurt until I had gotten home, taken a nap and made dinner. Later that night, I felt it. And it didn't feel good. At first I thought it was normal post race pain, but by the next morning, my muscle pain was over rided by my aching foot. I've been limping for a week and along with that limp came the blahs and the "poor mes." (I know that's not a word but it sounded appropriate!)
Just 2 days after my race, I decided to hop on a bike and continue to get my exercise that way (and through swimming), all with the hope that I'd be running in a week. Now, one week after injuring myself, I am able to walk with out an obvious limp, but the idea of running soon is sort of chucked out the window. I don't want to injure myself more before my second race in Sept.
It's still difficult for me to accept that I am not going to be able to run for a while or do any type of exercise that requires a lot of jumping and pressure on my foot. Yesterday felt like a really bad day to me. I felt defeated and unhappy with the change in my life. Going from being a very active person (teaching my step class, running, taking zumba, swimming) to a limping, slow poke was and is VERY hard.
I haven't told many people about my injury. I don't want the pity. I want to forget about this and continue to move forward. I did some Jesus searching yesterday and finally realized the obvious: this happened for a reason. And now I have a little insight as to why. This has brought me back to a place of desperation. I have been moping around feeling sorry for a myself for a week. I forgot that running and exercise is important, but it isn't everything. So I thought, "What should be number one in my life?"-- Money? Health? My family? My races? No... how quickly I forget.
Jesus needs to be my everything. No matter what happens in life. Whether I am able to run for miles or have just one good leg to stand on. Whether I am skinny, or have a little extra "love" around my handles. Whether in plenty or in want. I forgot that and I haven't been living my life the way a child of God should be living. I decided to push the re-start button and put JESUS first (where He rightfully belongs). I know that in doing so, I will live a life of balance, happiness and freedom. I know that I will find my selfworth in that, and not in how fast I can swim 600 yards, or how well I can shake my booty in zumba :) Don't get me wrong, I will be back to running and dancing when the good Lord heals me and I will continue to push myself and live this life to the fullest! Just with HIM leading the way!
So instead of my crazy busy workout schedule, I will just be swimming and biking. Which will be good enough for now!
God first. Family. And everything thing else will fall into place!
I read Ephesians 1: 12-20 this morning and this verse stuck out to me!
Ephesians 1:19 "For I know that as you pray for me and as the spirit of Jesus Christ helps me, this will all turn out for my deliverance." (New Living Translation)
Hallelujah for that awsome promise!
