Posts Tagged ‘training’

Day 9: The Obstacle Is The Way

Turns out I picked up two forms of E.Coli while traveling, so that explains why my system has been so fouled up for a week. I’m grateful it’s likely just a minor setback.

“The obstacle in the path becomes the path. Never forget, within every obstacle is an opportunity to improve our condition.” ~Ryan Holiday, in the book The Obstacle Is The Way

Morning Stats

Yang/firing up:

  • cold shower
  • motivational video by Oprah: https://youtu.be/KEvHZ-LpX7M
  • 3 x 13, 11, 9 pullups (33 total)
  • 45 minute run with sprints
  • 15 minute spin

Yin/cooling down:

  • Morning mantra: “I will achieve great things through small steps.”
  • 2 minute meditation
  • 5 minute foam roll and 5 minute stretching
  • no social media until 9am

Day 8: Feeling Great

“Grit is passion and perseverance for very long-term goals. Grit is having stamina… Grit is living life like it’s a marathon and not a sprint.” ~Dr. Angela Duckworth

Technically, I don’t feel great physically (still combating Montezuma’s Revenge, which adds factors of dehydration and fatigue to my running, along with three months of low-to-moderate heel pain that I figured was plantar fasciitis but seems to actually be Achilles tendonitis), but I DO feel great mentally, (which, aside from a major injury, is more important than the physical), focusing on the things I can, like increasing my pushups and pullups consistently each week, trusting I’ll figure out how to feel physically 100% again soon.

Plus, daily meditation and motivational videos makes for a mentally fantastic way to start the day!

dog yoga warrior mom pose

Morning Stats

Yang/firing up:

  • cold shower
  • stood one leg while brushing teeth, to activate glutes
  • motivational speech compilation from G.OA.T. athletes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nn0bZ0hBzCw
  • 3 x 16 pushups (48 total) – just a little bit of working out on my otherwise rest day

Yin/cooling down:

  • morning mantra: “I am rested and ready for the day. I can handle anything it brings.”
  • 2 minute meditation (this is getting easier to remember to do!)
  • 5 minute foam roll
  • no social media until 9am
  • 6 minutes of earthing
  • 4 minutes of yoga

Day 7: Keep Showing Up

“A river cuts through rock, not because of its power, but because of its persistence.” ~Jim Watkins

Nobody said it was going to be easy. Just keep showing up.

Morning stats

Yang/firing up:

  • cold shower
  • stood on one leg to activate glutes while brushing teeth
  • Motivational speech https://youtu.be/ggNvldQyyHM
  • one hour run plus running drills

Yin/cooling down:

  • Morning mantra: “My body is rested and my mind is clear. Today is going to be a great day.”
  • Two minute meditation (remembered it right before my run and used it to stall, since I was tired/dehydrated from dealing with Montezuma’s Revenge after returning from a race in Mexico recently)
  • 10 minute foam rolling and dynamic stretching

Evening rally

  • Pullups 3 x 12, 10, 8 (30 total)
  • 40 minute strength session
  • 15 minute Higher Ground Athletics mobility work

Day 5: High-five

“Happiness is the default state of mind. So when the mind becomes calm and clear, it returns to its default, and that default is happiness. That is it. There is no magic; we are simply returning the mind to its natural state.

…happiness is not something you pursue; it is something you allow. Happiness is just being.”

Re-reading this insight from the book Search Inside Yourself by Chad Meng-Tan is motivating me to make sure I don’t forget to meditate today, like I have the last two days. Even just two minutes is fantastic!

A quiet moment helping my muscles recover in cold mountain river water on a hot day

Morning Stats

Yang/firing up:

  • gave myself a high-five in the mirror (idea came from Mel Robbins’ book The High 5 Habit)
  • cold shower
  • motivational speech (my favorite so far): https://youtu.be/G4mXY6pR7L0
  • 75 minute bike ride

Yin/cooling down:

  • morning mantra: “Today I choose joy.”
  • 2 minutes of meditation
  • 5 minutes of yoga
  • 5 minutes of dynamic stretching before bike ride

Evening update:

• soaked my legs in cold river water for ten minutes

• listened to 10 minute Yoga Nidra app, followed by 15 minutes of the Meditation Oasis app (formerly called Simply Being)

grateful for a chance to take care of our friends’ dogs while they travel.

Day 4: Hungry for More

Time to get gritty…

“We humans like gritty hard work, because gritty hard work provides better long-term survival benefits. And if we can tap into that, we can fundamentally change the quality of our life.

While grit requires more energy and emotional fortitude in the short run, it provides a much bigger boost in mood and motivation in the long run.”

The Art of Impossible, a book by Steven Kotler

Morning Stats

Yang/firing up:

  • Cold shower
  • Motivational speech by Oprah https://youtu.be/lRrZiiMT68g
  • pushups 3 x 14 (42 total)
  • 3 x 11, 9, 8 (28 total) My most-ever (strict) pullups in a row is 16, before I had my baby almost five years ago. My new goal, as a fresh 40 year-old, is 20 in a row – hoping this 4-5 days a week consistency will get me there.
  • a bit more strength training and a one hour run with plyometric drills
Getting creative getting those morning pull-ups in

Yin/cooling down:

  • 20 minute yoga/stretch/trigger point therapy work
  • Morning mantra: “I’m grateful for this day. I will use my time wisely.”
  • (Forgot to meditate again – gotta work on that!)

Evening Update

  • One hour mobility/strength combo session with Higher Ground Athletics
  • 2 minute meditation
  • Legs up the wall with cups on them (while playing a giraffe game with my kid!)

Feeling grateful/hopeful that the Achilles tendinitis I’ve had for three months (that I thought was plantar fasciitis) is starting to finally go away!