Midnight Run and My Whole Life

All sane workout junkies drive all night for an event right?  Well that's what I did on this past Friday night.  I started the day with coaching at 6am (waking up at 415am), jumped in with the 9am class to workout and then headed to my apartment to make sure I had everything packed before I headed to the second job at 130pm.  My main concern that day, besides making sure I had everything packed so I could leave straight from work to head to Charlotte was what in the world was I going to order from Sonic (milkshake or turtle molten cake sundae).  Now you're probably asking why this was a big decision and normally I only have things like that on a Sunday.

Whole Life Challenge at Midnight 
As of Saturday, Sept. 30th I started the Whole Life Challenge with my CrossFit gym.  It is a wellness challenge. I would normally call it a fitness challenge, but it incorporates stretching, lifestyle (distractions), exercise, etc.  This would be the last time I would be able to have a treat like that for the next 8 weeks, hence why there was a sundae on the way home!  

Tempting right?
M&M's, bananas, Great Harvest Bread Co. granola
bars, pro bar energy bars, pretzels, brownies,
larabars, and more.

This run was a way for me to see some old friends and meet some new ones.  That's one of the positives about the running community.  They stick together on runs, especially at night.  At the run they had a snack table to help keep us fueled for however many laps we were going to run.  There were M&Ms, tortilla chips, larabars, brownies, etc.  Of course I had to indulge a little before 12am rolled around.  
In Charlotte, there is a running/biking loop called the Booty Loop.  It is a 2.7 mile loop through Myers Park.  My goal of 4 laps, but I only ran 2, totaling 5.4 miles.  I could tell my body was not properly fueled, I was tired from being up all day (since 415am), and my legs were already sore from the previous days workout as well as that morning.

Saw this on my 1st lap and thought it was
a great inspiration to those running
that night and all other times of the day

I decided to take on the challenge of doing the performance level of the challenge.  The only thing that is different from the other levels (lifestyle and kickstart) is the restrictions on the nutrition.  The main thing I noticed right away compared to my normal diet is that I am not allowed to have honey or oatmeal.  I have oatmeal about twice a week because of run training, bread on Sundays as a cheat, and honey basically every day as part of my nightly treat and I add it to my green tea in the mornings.  

So the nutrition is still a work in progress because I realized how much stuff that I can have that is mixed into some food items.  A lot of marinades I can't have and it is hard to find things without those particular ingredients in them.  
Let me tell you, Saturday and Sunday were a complete struggle.  I felt bad going to my sister-in-laws Pure Romance party and having to take my own food.   And Sunday my body had gotten used to the carbs so I had to find something to eat that contained tons of carbs, my body was screaming.  But one of the positives about this challenge is the daily stretching.  I am looking forward to actually taking the time to stretch every day and increasing my flexibility, especially since it's something I should already do being a coach and an athlete.  Yes, I lack taking the time to stretch everyday like I should.

Midnight Run VII Group 

So throughout this challenge I will post some recipes and some exercises for each major muscle group.  This challenge will definitely be hard, but I am looking forward to it.  

Staying Disciplined

It is all about staying disciplined and looking at the long term benefits to our health.  We can't get distracted by what we want at the moment just to get off the path of our final destination.  Hebrews 12:1 helps

"Therefore, since we are surround by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.  And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us"

~Hebrews 12:1

This verse really emphasizes how we get distracted by what we want at that moment.  Our long term goal is to be closer to God, be with him in heaven, and to live a life that glorifies him.  Our other idols seem to be more appealing at the time than being a child of God.  God never promised that our paths would be easy when following him.  But we are not meant to walk on this path alone.  We are meant to help each other when we go astray and to enhance each others gifts as Christians.  Each person is meant to disciple for God in a different way; through teaching, singing, craftsmanship, etc.  We as a whole can worship God stronger than we ever could as an individual.

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,

whenever you face trials of many kinds,

because you know that the 

testing of your Faith produces perseverance."

James 1:1-3

This is what is it like with athletics.  When we train are have something we are training for, whether it be a some sort of competition (race, CrossFit, endurance for a charity fund, etc) or just to become better at what we do as athletes.  Even those just beginning their fitness journey have goals.  There will always be set backs to those goals.  And sometimes those set backs come from things we temporarily want pleasures from; i.e. that juicy burger, ice cream or we just wake up and are not in the mood to train that day when on a training schedule or take a break while on vacation.  It is getting back on that regiment that is the hardest part.  We have work hard for to each that finish line, and while that work may sometimes get hard and overwhelming we know that reaching the finish line at the end will be well worth it.  

We train with others because they encourage us to keep going on bad days or days where we are not in the mood.  Just like on the midnight run.  I started out on my second lap by myself and the first lap, it was hard to keep running once I got away from the group.  I had a nice couple come up to me while on my second lap and stuck with me the rest of the time and it completely took my mind off the loop and I was completely interested in our conversation.  Or even in CrossFit when you are the first, middle, or last person done you are still being cheered on by those around you.  You are coached by those around you to help you get through the rest of the workout.  Our fellow Christians are there to help distract us from those temporary pleasures that Satan is tempting us with.  Once we get wrapped up in sin and how it makes us feel, it is hard to escape that feeling.

Just like staying focused on our ending life with God we know will be well worth it in the end to end up with him for the rest of our lives than to end up with Satan the rest of our lives.  Whether it is related to your faith or your athletes stay disciplined and keep your eyes on the ending prize, not letting your eyes stray to the left or to the right.