Not my strength

I guess I've thought a lot about what I would be writing in my blog. I sometimes suffer from perfectionism (write the most insanely amazing blog post, or don't write it at all). Truth be told, it's something I have to regularly do my best to manage. I have to keep reminding myself that if I don't try and control perfectionism, that it will likely try and control me.

On Tuesday's we always do intervals. Our training program goes like this:

• Tuesday: VO2Max workouts. This means we get our heart rate up to 100% as many times as we can, and keep it there for just a little bit. These are intervals where we are going all out. 
• Thursday: Lactate Threshold workouts. We get out heart rate high enough that we are going from that magical moment of burning fat (aerobic activity) to burning the glycogen stored in the muscles (anaerobic activity). The idea is to push that threshold up. For me, it's about 80-90% of my maximum heart rate.
• Saturday: Distance running. We increment 10% from the previous work out, if (and only if) we've recovered from the previous workout. For me, to avoid injury, it's really important to take the time and recover properly.

I'm often reminded when running that my strength is only temporary. I have a lot of will power, but eventually it does run out. At this point, I have a choice to make. I can stop, or I can trust that my strength is bigger than what I can understand it. It's almost spiritual at this point. I could blog about it, and it still might not make any sense, but suffice it to say, I'm convinced of a very kind being, greater than myself, that provides strength when I've exhausted my own. I remember during the Canadian Death Race last year, as we ascended Mount Hamil, that my legs were sooooooo tired. It was literally one step after another, reminding myself that the goal was still possible, if I could just believe. When Virginie and I summited about 3 hours later, I knew there was a higher power that had provided that strength when I needed it.

When it comes to boys with muscular dystrophy, I wonder sometimes what will power they have to develop? Do they also have to rely on a higher power when their strength is gone? One of the things I take for granted is being able to scratch my own nose when it's itchy. I asked Mathoni, one of Virginie's brothers, what he did at moments like that. He told me he just forgot about it. What self control! It serves as an inspiration to me. With a reliance on a higher power, and self control like that, I know that anything is possible.