We didn't have as many at class this week as we have had. I guess the weather has kept some away. I know some had to work extra to make up for snow days. I want you to know you were missed!
We spent more time this week sharing and more time on our spiritual growth. Our story this week was about Mitchell, the author of our study. He was training for his first triathlon. He asked for advise from friends and they told him, "Don't worry about what everyone else is doing. Don't get stuck in to the pace of the rest of the racers. Simply run YOUR race". I know exactly what they are talking about. Every race, there is a level of excitement that gets you all excited, heart pumping, Adrenalin flowing. I feel it every time. I have to remind my self literally continuously, "run my pace" but I never seem to listen. At the Start, I'm off and running with the best of them, to only realized about a mile into it that there is no way I can keep up with them and will soon tire out. I have to pull back, do a reality check, and run my pace, my race, what I trained for. It's the same with with my spiritual walk. We must do what God has called us to do, not what others are doing. But we also can't stand on the sideline and watch everyone else run by and not do what God has called us to do. If you have excepted Christ as your Savior then he has given you a spiritual gift. A gift special for you to use to serve Him, reaching the lost for Him. You are expected to use that gift. Not put it away for safe keeping. So many like to say, I don't know what it is. Well, search within you, what do you love to do? What are you passionate about? God has probably given that passion to you. It may be going on foreign mission trips (that's what he gave Tim & I) or working with children, the elderly, hosting events that reach the lost, maybe he's made you a great listener and you can be there for someone who needs a ear to hear their pain. Whatever it is, God gave it to you to use. Run with it. Allow God to work through you to get it accomplished. To the opposite extreme though don't do it to earn favor with God or with the world. We can't earn God's favor. It is a gift he has given us through grace. It's not what we do, but what He alone can do in us and through us.
I hope you answered the discussion questions in the book this week, they are good questions.
Galatians 5:7 You were running well, who prevented you from obeying the truth?
Who or what is keeping you from staying focused on God and his plan for you? A lot of times the answer to this question is ourselves. We get caught up in what we think or feel instead of what God says. The only way to know for sure what is God's call is to be listening to Him. Take your time in prayer and in His Word. Allow Him!
Physically this week our focus was our stretching. Dan shared with us some insight from a personal trainer he knows and pre-stretching isn't as important but that we need to "warm up" the muscles. That is done in our plan when we do that 5 minutes brisk walk to warm up. Stretching after is good for releasing tight muscles. I love when we can share what we learn along the way. I know I'm not a trained person at all about the matter. I'm just someone who loves to do it and am wanting to share what we all gain along the way. Thanks Dan for your help!
As we start this week we are adding more time to the running portion so i wanted to share some more insight from my Non-runner marathon training book: Running form. Wow! everyone has different opinions about foot strike. Last week Erin from Go Running! stressed the importance of mid foot strike and not heal, then this book and our book says heal strike. My uneducated advise is if you have the "right" shoes then strike where is natural. I feel if you try to change your natural strike you will mess up your form. (That's my 2 cents worth). One tip I did find very helpful for me was vertical bounce. As you run, observe your bounce. Don't over bounce. Look out ahead of you, pick an object to watch. Does it move up and down as you run? If yes, then you have too much vertical bounce. Try and focus on forward motion not up and down motion. You will cover more ground with less energy burned. Another wasted energy form is heel kicking. You don't have to move your heels all the way up. Your heels only need to come off the ground about 12 inches. Upper body relaxing! Think about relaxing your shoulders. Your arm swing should not be a pumping motion but more gliding across in front of your body. keep your arms at 45 degree angle or lower, not up high. Relax your hands, lightly touching finger tips to thumbs. These are all things that keep you relaxed in the upper body. If you're tense its waisted energy.
Concluding the week, be a positive thinker. Time to say "I'm a Runner" name it and claim it. If your feet are out there hitting the pavement and "for a split second both feet are off the ground"(running definition we learned in week 1) then you are running! It's more than you were doing 3 weeks ago! Be proud of that! I'm proud!
You know at the beginning, I said no excuses! Well, I have attached some pictures below that are circuit training exercises. If you can't get out and you don't have access to a treadmill then these are great endurance training exercises. Pick your level, do each one for 1 minute, rest 1 minute, then repeat 2-3 times. Have fun!
Sign up for our race. It's on line or we have race entry forms. Invite your family and friends to join us. Registration does include a t-shirt.
https://www.raceentry.com/races/temple-run-for-god-5k-fun-run/2015/register
Next week we have another speical guest. Trina Abraham, an physical therapist and trainer from Searcy Athletic Club will be with us talking about running injuries and preveting injuries. I hope everyone can come and make her feel welcome.
Thanks for all you're doing both physcally and spiritually!
Donna
No comments:
Post a Comment