Working with Your Exercise Equipment

I went on my second bike ride since deciding my exercise sabbatical was over. It went well. I rode for about 50 minutes and made sure I pushed myself when going up hill. The thing about biking and even swimming is that you don't feel quite in control. In both of these exercises you must work with the bike and work with the water. Running is different. You definately feel a sense of freedom that you don't sense when you bike and swim. At least I don't anyway. So, needless to say, I'm trying to once again get a feel for my bike - the steering, the braking, the peddling, and the gears. I'm trying to get a grip on feeling comfortable with various speeds, watching the pavement for rocks, glass, cracks and bumps, not to mention being able to turn my head with my helmet on in order to look over my shoulders for cars as I turn or cross roads. Balance is key in all of it. Sometimes I think about tires popping, brakes malfunctioning, or feet slipping off peddles at a crucial time. When I ran, I never had these issues. I just ran. I could let my mind think, pray, and reflect. It definately takes more discipline to incorporate these things on a bike ride and I'm not there yet. I have to get more comfortable with my biking skills.

My potential triathlon runner said yes! So we're signing up for a mid-August Tri! I'm thrilled. The game plan will be to bike two days and swim two days each week. Hopefully, that will work for me. And prayerfully, the Lord will keep the door open because we're aiming straight for it and fixed to walk right through it!

Back in the Water

It wasn't much, but I made my first attempt to get my swimming muscles in shape again. I just swam about 1200 yards, but it actually felt like enough. The familiar sites of the pool - goggles, cap, the black line, the lane ropes, and that familiar smell of clorine, greeted me as if they were happy to see me once again. I was glad to jump in and get back in the water! My hope is to swim at least twice a week and bike at least twice a week.

After I got home, I checked out the triathlon event online and even called a friend to be a potential runner. She is quite open and so I'm hoping to register this week after I get my runner locked in! It will be fun to be triathloning again, even if I can't do the whole thing myself. I am thankful that the Lord has allowed my health to be such that I can at least still ride my bike and swim. I am pretty out of shape so I have about 7 weeks to get it in gear! This is going to be interesting to see how my body responds. I feel a little too eager which could cause me to train too hard and too fast so I need to keep my head on right in regards to getting back in shape. I must remember that for me, "slow and steady wins the race!"

In the Bike Saddle Again

I went for my first bike ride since last December. It went well and I actually got my heart pumping pretty good when I was working it up the hills. I probably pushed it a little more than I should have so we'll see how I feel tomorrow. My bad knee is now my good knee and my good knee has become my bad knee. I can't seem to even believe that!

After walking the running route the other day, my right knee gave me a fit the next day. It felt fine though during the bike course. I was very happy about that. I really don't want to go through any more knee surgerys this summer. Last summer's knee surgery was enough for me! I guess we'll see how it goes as I continue to throw by body back into physical exercise.

During my bike ride, I did get a crazy idea. I thought maybe I could do a partial triathlon this summer. To make it a bit more challenging, I could do the swim and bike portions instead of just doing the swimming and get a friend to do the run portion. It's just a thought, a happy thought which I may definitely pursue.

Walking the Running Route

I think its probably been about a year since I've ran. Hard to imagine! In fact, I haven't done any exercise since before Christmas. Really, hard to believe. But it's all been good and I think my body has actually enjoyed the sabbatical from physical exercise.

Today I decided the sabbatical was over. So, I walked my short 3 mile run route. It was both bitter and sweet. Walking certainly is less challenging and takes longer. But it was so good to see all the familiar sites and hear the familiar sounds I used to hear when I'd go running. It was good too to be able to reflect on life's most recent happenings, think about the Lord and on the things I read earlier from His Word today out on that familiar course! Yep, the sabbatical is over, some of life's crazy and momentous events have passed (first high school graduation in our family to name one of them), and my body is out to feel a little pain from physical exertion once again!