part of the journey

I am taking a break from exercising. Starting this morning. When else would you start this kind of 'diet' if not on a Monday morning? My leg is not getting better. After finally going for an MRI it was diagnosed as a stress fracture. However, even as a stress fracture and not shin splints it should be almost completely healed by now and it's not. Since going to the Dr. almost two months ago I have for the most part done no running of any kind, but I've done the elliptical, and swimming, and biking, and weight training. I have honestly spent no less time exercising than I did before I've just avoided running (for the most part ;-) ). Did I mention the leg is not really showing many signs of healing?

I actually came to this conclusion Thursday night after talking to a close friend of mine. I was in a lot of pain, and very frustrated that this long after my original injury I was still dealing with this much pain so I realized I needed to do something more drastic, I was going to have to actually rest the leg. As if to verify my decision I woke up Friday morning to my leg actually in fairly painful spasms. Sooo I did what any rational person would do. I got up, put a phone call in to my physical therapist put on my sweats and tank top, laced up my sneakers and headed to the gym. Actually had to cut my work out short by about half an hour because after an hour on the elliptical, I was having a hard time putting any weight on my right leg during my upper body workout.

That night I mentioned to two of the people closest to me that I had come to the conclusion that this was a spiritual battle. God was trying to teach me something, there was a reason why He had taken running away from me and I was not going to learn it by replacing it with other exercises I was going to have to take a serious step back. That night the decision did not seem like a hard one as I laid in bed icing my leg with tears pouring down my face from the pain. So the next morning I did what any rational human being would do. I got up put, on my helmet and gloves, laced up my sneakers and headed off for a 20 mile bike ride. To be fair by that point I had decided that it made the most sense to start the 'fast' on Monday.

Yesterday morning on my bike ride (yes I biked again...but again I had decided to start on Monday so it really did make sense...honest). I spent most of the time trying to 'convince' God that I didn't really need the time off and if He would just heal my leg I was pretty certain that I could learn what it was He was trying to teach me while still exercising and running. He wasn't buying it.

I am planning to spend this time as a fast of sorts. The time that I would have spent working out I am going to focus on spending with God. I'll probably have more time to blog since I usually spend as much time at the gym as most people spend on a part time job. So lets see what He is trying to teach me!