Body Battery

 "He Who is Most Attached to a Particular Outcome Has the Least Amount of Power." 

Some weeks, the miles add up, but they aren't MIGHTY. Some weeks, the weight of life presses so hard that just getting out the door feels like a victory. 

Running with friends and the deep chatter we share gave me some perspective on a couple topics that we touch on in both LIFE and RUNNING. 

Last week, was a struggle to stay motivated as another dreary, cold and windy week covered us. A friend of mine reminded me about giving ourselves GRACE.

ATTACHED:

 "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." 2 Cor. 12:9

I can understand getting ATTACHED to some outcomes, but often we get ATTACHED to many outcomes. We back ourselves in a corner full of tight goals and expectations. We take the fun our of life and running. 

I set goals because they give me direction. They give me a motivation to lace up my shoes and move forward. But sometimes, I hold onto them so tightly that they become chains instead of stepping stones. 

I get too ATTACHED. 

"Debbie" reminded last week about GRACE. 

How often do we push ourselves to a breaking point because we fear what it means to fall short?

How often do we measure success by rigid expectations rather than by the endurance of simply showing up? 

Running to me mirrors life. 

Somedays the goal is to push, to strive, to improve. Other days, the goal is simply to SURVIVE! To put one foot in front of the other, to move forward even when everything feels so heavy.

GRACE is the permission to we give ourselves to slow down without guilt. GRACE reminds me that effort still matters just as much as outcome.  Grace gives me a pause, allows me to catch my breath so I can get back out there with a full battery. 

Last week the miles were many, but they weren't mighty. And that was good for me. Because last week , I needed to just sustain. I needed room to breathe both physically and emotionally. 

Grace gave me that space. 

Our Power

"But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not be faint."  Isaiah 40:31

We are all created with a inner power. Some call it strength, resilience, or drive. For me, my power come from my FAITH. The Lord gives me the breath in my lungs, He keeps me moving forward, not just in running but also in Life. 

But POWER isn't just about pushing harder or striving. Your POWER should come from a humble spirit and wisdom to knowing when to push and when to rest. 

My Garmin has a "Body Battery" feature. It tells me when I've depleted my energy and when I need recovery. It reminds me when I have over done it!

Wouldn't it be nice if life had the same warning system? If it sometimes told us:

"Let it go."

"Take a breath."

"You need to rest." 

But life does give us those signals-we just don't always listen, or maybe I just don't listen! 

Stress drains me. 

Overcommitment depletes me. 

Holding onto anger, fear, or expectations we can't control robs us of our POWER. 

We give away our POWER when we refuse to rest. when we allow circumstances to determine our worth, or when we let worry steal our peace. 

POWER isn't in controlling the outcome- it's in trusting the process. It's in knowing when to push and when to surrender and Let Go or "Let Them". 

Sometimes our power is in the discernment of knowing when to hold our GOALS loosely and embrace GRACE fully. 

RUNDOWN

Miles: 70.22

Elevation: 2,270

Feb. Miles: 255miles

Last week's miles I concentrated on LOW HEART RATE and had a lot of success staying mostly in Zone one and Zone 2 for the weeks runs. 

Last week the goal was to run more miles with less intensity. To keep my heart rate low, mostly in ZONE 2. 

I was intentional about my diet and protien intake for proper recovery. The goal was to be between 50-60 grams of protein. KATES bars are one of my favorite snacks. 
Smoked Salmon, Cottage Cheese, Eggs, Smoothies, Turkey Jerky, yogurt are some of my daily staples. 

My miles weren't mighty, but they were many. Training for an ultra requires long slow running.  

Last week, I chose GRACE over pressure because the pressures of life were many and let go of running hard, running fast, or running exhausted. It felt so good to walk the hills, to settle down, to have conversations while running. And I had peace when I was finished. 

Remember to ENJOY the JOURNEY.

 In Peace, Not Pieces, 

ANiIA

Jazz, Andy and I. 20mph winds and 20 degree weather. BRUTAL. But we did it!