"My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts."
Isaiah 55: 8-9 (NLT)
Week 5 down. We are into December and the Christmas season, and rest and peace have been at the forefront of my mind this week and into this weekend as we finish the second Sunday of Advent. Stay tuned after my weekly stats:
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| I'm working on it! I've had a natural trophy wife for so long, it's my turn! |
Week 5 Totals:
- Weight:
- 178.7
- +.2 from last week (more on this later...)
- -.5 from start
- Swimming: (x1)
- 1.7 miles (3000 yds)
- 1:01:49
- Biking: (x4)
- Running: (x2)
- Strength: (x3)
- Yoga: (x1)
- TOTALS:
- 11 Activities
- 54.74 miles
- 7:53:37
This week was a little slower-paced than the last couple. At least as it relates to my training load. I had a couple of days where the plan didn't go as, well, planned. I didn't sleep well on Sunday night to start the week, thinking and praying for a buddy of mine who's going through some pretty serious stuff. So that started my workout week already tired. Monday I normally swim after work, but I ended up catching up with a great friend and didn't make it to the pool. So I did some yoga instead. Thursday morning it was low single digits for the temperature so I rolled over in bed and slept for another hour. That was a great hour of sleep, but had to make up for it in the afternoon. This week I obtained a new (to me) treadmill from a colleague, and did my two days of running on that. I would always rather run outside, but there are days that an indoor track or treadmill will be my option. Running on a treadmill (especially one that's new to me) is a different feel than outside, so I just did some slow runs just to figure out the machine. Felt like I should have done more runs, but I also was reminded that it's OK to take rests. In my full training plans, there will be weeks that are almost completely void of one of the sport disciplines. This gives my body a break from that sport, and it's also a mental break too. So this week became the one to take it easy on the runs. Wasn't planned, but it's what I needed at the time.
I just felt sluggish throughout the week. I loved the last month of training, but this week hit differently. And that's OK. Personal commitments, extra hours at work, and normal weekly activities also competed with my training time. To be honest, there were a few times I felt some disappointment that I wasn't working as hard, but then came to the point that a couple of weird off-days wasn't going to derail everything I've done since November 1st and before. So I just did what I could and enjoyed each moment of what I did accomplish. It's not about increasing the training load, it's making the most out of each workout and having a plan.
I felt this way as I weighed in everyday. There are some sources that say to only weigh yourself once a week, so as not to get discouraged. I weigh in everyday so I can track of my weight and correlate it to what I ate the day before, or try and see what affects it more. This week was a week of Thanksgiving leftovers, snacking and late-evening double helpings of pumpkin pie completely covered in whipped cream. I'm sure that didn't help at all. But I see other signs that the training in paying off without looking at the scale. The pic below says it all. I definitely am stronger, my clothes fit better (my belt is a notch tighter and pants are looser), , I can see my neck rolls slowly going away, and I do get more compliments from Julie--BONUS!! Working on being the Trophy Husband...
The weight I've been listing in my weekly stats has been my average weight for the whole 7 days of the training week. I've been as low as 176.6 and has high as 181.6. The one big thing I think I've been doing wrong (and will correct from here on out) is weighing in after doing my morning workouts. If I run or bike, I lose more water weight from sweating and I can see on those days my weight is lower. On days where I swim first, or do strength first, I don't sweat as much so it doesn't drop my weight much. So I plan on adjusting this to weighing in before I work out. That should be my true weight as it would be consistent on the days I don't work out in the mornings. So starting next week, my weight may look like it goes up (I hope not, but I'm pretty sure it will at the beginning), but I think it will show a more accurate weight overall. I need to do some calculations with what my starting weight was. It might not be perfect, but in a year, a pound or so won't matter...
Lessons Learned:
Rest. I know that good sleep and downtime is important in this next year as I push myself further than I think I can go. As I look ahead to November of next year, as well as the triathlon events between now and then, I need to focus on rest. In those rest times when I feel like I should be doing more, I need to fully believe that it will be OK. That the rest is good for my body and spirit. And this in turn will bring me peace in my mind and soul that will allow me to recharge and know that it's all good. Rest doesn't hurt me (unless I quit for too long); it helps me keep moving forward.
This also goes for my walk with Christ. In this second week of Advent of the Christmas season, the theme is peace. I really only have true peace when I rest. Whether it be a cruise vacation away from my everyday life (I was on one 9 years ago right now!), a trip to the mountains with little to do but be outdoors, or just relaxing and sitting in silence, rest and peace is what recharges me. I often have a to-do list a mile long and, as I'm sure others feel as well, that can cause stress of not having enough time. So how can I find that rest and peace? Only God can give me full peace, but only if I pause long enough to allow Him to lay that peace on me. Peace as a father, peace as a husband, and peace as a man who is striving (and often failing) to be like Christ. As I look toward Christmas (it's still too early for Christmas music though--I'll die on this hill!), I need to take time to rest, to find peace, and to recharge.
Isaiah 26:3 says "You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you". And when I realize God's thoughts are higher than mine (see the top verse!), I fully know it's all going to be OK, no matter what the days or weeks or months throw at me. And I can rest in that.
Thanks for following me on this journey! Peace be with you. Get some rest. See you next week.
"Keep fit, stay The Course, and keep moving forward."
328 sleeps until the gun goes off.
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