top of page
Featured Review

The Power of Friends + Workout Plan


It's marathon week!!! In March, I signed up to run the St. George Marathon, just as I was getting back into running after a 10-week injury. I was loving running and felt strong and confident that I could get back into marathoning and start setting some PR's (personal records) again.

At the end of May, I enjoyed a good, solid training weekend with a friend - biking, swimming and running. Two days later on Memorial Day, I went out for a run. My right hip flexor felt really tight and I just couldn't get into a good running pattern. I was limping on every step. I kept hoping my body would warm up and settle down, but 1.5 miles later, I realized that if I continued, I would REALLY be in trouble. So I turned around and walked home, trying to remain calm and happy, grateful that at least I was outside.

I spent the summer following my marathon training plan on an elliptical, hoping to be able to still run the marathon. I continued my strength training, Pilates, and going to my chiropractor/physical therapist very regularly. I was doing everything I could to recover, but my hip was shut down for a full 8 weeks. It then took 8 more weeks of retraining those muscles to turn back on and function properly again. By the end of August, I came to terms with the fact that I would not be running the marathon in October. I was barely starting to run again, gingerly, and it was HARD! All the training on the elliptical had kept my cardiovascular fitness up, but running with my feet on the ground was a whole different ball game. It was MUCH harder than running on the elliptical. I cried as I realized that the marathon was not an option anymore if I wanted to play it smart, come back slowly and get my body in a good place before ramping up training for the Boston Marathon in April 2020.

Getting older is often frustrating because my body just does not bounce back as quickly as it used to. However, it is teaching me to respect my body and its abilities and limitations. I'm learning to train differently and more smart now.

At first I felt pretty deflated about not running the St. George Marathon because I had worked so hard to "train" for it in a way that would not hurt me. Then several friends reached out to me and said that they were no longer going to run the marathon for various reasons, and we began to plan a "No Pity Party Training Weekend" instead, swimming (pool and open water), biking through the hills and red rocks, and running (for those who can). And cheering for all of our friends who are still running the marathon.

This Plan B has made all the difference. Instead of mourning the loss of a marathon and a training cycle, I've been able switch gears and focus on swimming and biking and add in a little running as I can. It has been fun! I'm getting outdoors instead of staring at a garage wall or my phone screen watching Survivor on Hulu while putting a lot of miles on the elliptical. Having friends to help me work through a frustrating injury and get me out of an OCD addiction to training for a marathon I cannot run has been a breath of fresh air.

I'm excited for this upcoming weekend and the adventures it will bring. I am grateful for my friends. Surround yourself with friends who will support you when you're down. Surround yourself with friends who will help you rise above your challenges. Surround yourself with friends who will inspire you and help you to try something new.

So, since this is marathon week (and a hard training weekend for me), I'll be doing 2 full body workouts towards the beginning of the week and some simpler, restorative workouts on the other days, but I'll give you another kick-butt workout for Friday. You're welcome!

How do your friends support you when you're struggling? Take some time this week to reach out to them and thank them for being there!

Heidi

 
 
 
 
 

Friday: 20-Minute AMRAP

 

Saturday: 30+ minutes Outdoor Activity

 

Sunday: REST Day - walk, stretch, yoga, Pilates, foam roll, etc.

 

Tags:

Tag Cloud
bottom of page