Day 1: Training Begins...

*One quick note, I am not self-coached. I am coached by Glen Van Der Westhuizen from South Africa (KillerCoach). His son is Peter, who ran for University Nebraska Lincoln and is a world class miler, representing South Africa. KillerCoach earns his name through his intense training cycles and workouts, as you will see. So much credit and thanks to Glen for the time he has invested into helping me train to be the best runner I am capable of being.

WEEK ONE – Lifting/Stretching Only

Monday, July 16, 2012

Workout:                                                                                                                                                                             WEIGHTSSquats – 3x10 @ 50lbsDeadlifts – 3x10 @ 70lbs
Calf Raises – 3x10 each leg @ 25lbs
Reverse Sit-Ups – 3x10
Super Sets (Squats/Pull Overs) – 3x20 @ 45/5’s                                                                                                

STRETCHING

Notes:                                                                                                                                                                                                                  I am currently on 21 days of rest from running after just completing the training program for and racing at the 2012 USATF National Club Track & Field Championships in Omaha, NE. I was very thankful for the rest at first as the training had been hard on me (although I was running faster in workouts than I have in my life) and my body was really torn up after the club national meet after running steeple/1500m Friday and anchoring the 4x8, Sprint Med Relay, and Distance Medley Relay on Saturday! I was really struggling to get out and run the weeks prior to the meet as I was tired of training and had little desire. I realize I was tired of it because I had lost sight of my true focus. Training for national meet lost it’s as do all things of this world; I had forgotten that I train to honor the Lord.
I have long felt the call to run the marathon, and am now committed to running just my second marathon, but the first time I will truly train for it and race it with purpose. I am eager now to get to running but am adhering to the advice of my coach to remain dormant from running for another 12 days! I did however begin the weight program for the training program today. We are blessed to now have a weight set in our basement where I can go and lift and enjoy my time spent working without being conscious of others.
Today as I was lifting I was looking at the trophies we have in our basement from our running accomplishments and strangely saw them in a different light. Most of the time I feel some pride and drive to train from acknowledging past accomplishments, but today I saw a bunch of medal and objects that meant little to me. As I gazed up and saw the verse on the wall above the trophy collection – Philippians 4:13 “For I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength” – I was quickly redirected mentally. These trophies were not meaningless and should not be viewed as such; they are display of the ability of God’s creation. Yes they can become an idol which takes my focus from Christ, but I can also see them in thankfulness and with a spirit of humility knowing God has created me as a runner, and one with a level of talent.
As I begin this training I pray I am able to keep my focus on glorifying God through my training and performance and not be taken in by the cravings of success created by the world’s view. In this I will be successful regardless of what happens to me. I am going to give God everything I have; knowing He already has and will continue to do the same for me. Lifting/stretching/eating right all things I have neglected in the past as I do not enjoy any of them; I will do these things in discipline and honor to my Creator not just to make me a better runner who can place higher or run faster but to honor the creation and the Creator!