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a good sign...and a new idea

So, for a few weeks now I have designated Mondays as "sloth night" aka "Goddess night", wherein I allow myself to be as inactive as I desire so I can recover from my Sunday long run and have a full night off - no crosstraining, etc. But last night, for the first time since, oh, high school, I felt compelled to be physical and DO something! I knew I couldn't do step aerboics, which I love but it aggravates my knees when they're already sore, but I really felt good and like I just wanted to exercise PURELY FOR FUN. There was a time in my life when exercise was my friend and I was lean, toned and fit as could be. Lots of people would hear me say that and add "well, you were young but it's not the same now that you're older." I say...BULLSHIT! I'm noticing the exact same physical awakening as I continue on this journey towards the marathon. Recovering my fitness and strength is finally starting to be really addictive in a good way. I put aside my night o'sloth in favor of a little retro Tae Bo action, using the old original Basic Workout so I could at least give my body a much shorter, easier workout on the day after a long run. It felt amazing! I was strong, having a great time and moving really fast...until my lower back started to talk to me...the aftereffects of having eaten some chocolate that wasn't terribly good quality and my body hates that. It woke up a retrovirus down there and I felt it starting to nibble at me towards the end, so I settled for having done most of it and broken a good sweat, then sat down with an ice pack on my lower back for a bit and took some supps I know help when I need to put a virus back to sleep (Lysine, Oregano Oil, Cayenne) and sipped Master Cleanser lemonade.

Since I have off from Thanksgiving through the following Sunday, 10 days in all, I'll use that time to cleanse and take in plenty of healing foods and good water and/or lemonade during that time. Now that the structure of my body is finding energy and fitness again, I need to get the inside on the same good track. I'm thinking it's time for my homemade veggie stew, which will be my feast on Thursday. When I make a batch I can eat it for days; it's nutritious, hydrating, alkalizing and easy to digest. Then maybe a day or two of MC next week.

Last night was an incredibly positive, encouraging sign for me that this training is indeed reclaiming my beloved fitness and I fully intend to even surpass what I'd achieved in that arena in the past. The retrovirus is easily remedied and I know exactly how I did it, so another lesson learned!

Now, as to the idea...

I was thinking about how amazing this whole marathon training experience has been for me so far, and I still have months to go. But it's something that has thankfully leaked into every area of my life, giving me confidence, courage and solid evidence of just what I CAN accomplish...tip of the iceberg, really. And then I started to think about sharing in that experience when I continue on to do more marathons. I thought about how valuable an experience like this could be for inner city kids, who are in dire need of something positive with which to align themselves and define themselves. What could it mean to a child in a world of pressure and negativity to find that they have an athlete inside of them? How might it change their core beliefs and ability to remain true to themselves no matter what chaos whirls around them? Running is solitary but it can also be a group experience. It's meditative and physical at the same time. It's a wonderful tool for healing of body, mind and spirit...and showing yourself that you can do anything. If a child who is constantly reminded of what they don't have and who they are NOT sees that they can do something like run a marathon, particularly if they never ran before, what could that mean to them, inside?

Once I complete this marathon, I might see if other programs like this are out there already that I can participate in, and if I don't see the same kind of thing already in existence, I'll be happy to bring it to fruition. Maybe take this idea to a group home (orphanage) where kids are really struggling to maintain a sense of hope without having parents and a solid home. I'd have to get at least ACE certified and get CPR certified but they're both easy as could be, and well worth it to bring something into a child's life (I'm talking teens here) that gives them a sense of worth and power...self love via waffle-bottoms ;)

Just something to mull over and inspire me on those days when I just don't feel like running.