Shins and sins
June 23, 2010
This is my first official week of ½ marathon training. I am nearly half way through the week and I have stayed relatively on track! Sunday was a waste because of all of the Father’s Day activities. Though, I did go to the golf range and have been pretty sore in some interesting places over the last few days. Since I have had muscle pain, I am claiming that I did strength training on Monday.
That is not the only pain I had. Monday I went for a 3 mile “run” (with quite a bit of walking). I was still feeling pain in my shins despite rest and icing them each night. Running is becoming a pain in my…..shins! Once I got home from my “run” I did some additional reading on shin pain. Since the pain seemed to get better the longer I ran – I believe that it means my muscles are stiff and I have to do a longer, more intentional warm-up. After all, I am 5 years older and 25 pounds heavier since I was training for the Chicago marathon. It is time for my muscles to relearn physical activity.
Tonight I am to run 3 miles and then do some strength training work. To avoid the shin pain, my warm-up plan is to ride the bicycle for about 5-10 minutes and then stretch for an additional 5-10 prior to my run and see if that does the trick. Wish me luck.
In regards to my eating habits – I haven’t always been a crappy eater. BUT, this calorie counter is getting me back on track. It is so easy to use and is absolutely fantastic! I am really good a loading my info into the app manually or using the scan feature to scan in the bar code of my food if I happen to have the packaging. I have found that it is starting to help me to be mindful of my choices during the day. I also refer to it at night when I want to have a nice, unhealthy bed time snack. If I at the end of the day, I am at 1600 calories or so, I really try to keep my treat under 100 calories.
I am not obsessing over my calories and fat intake, but am just trying to be more mindful of what I eat. Because we are in a country with so much food, we just eat and eat no matter the cost to our bodies, our pocket-book, and the sustainability of the earth. (yes, I am turning this into global poverty).
In only a very few places in the world, would someone require an app to keep themselves from overeating. According to the organization Bread for the World, 1.02 billion people are hunger in the world. Today, 16,000 children will die from hunger-related causes. 16,000 in ONE DAY. How is it a few have so, so much – to the point where they, like me, need a computer program on a fancy phone to tell us to stop eating – when so much of the world cannot find food or clean water. Where is the middle ground??
So, let me pitch one of many causes I am passionate about: the ELCA World Hunger Program. If you have been a glutton like me, it is time to buy our way into heaven through the purchase of indulgences (as Martin Luther rolls over in his grave – don’t worry Marty, I am totally kidding here!). We all know the world of plenty we enjoy is having a horrible effect to those who live in poverty. I am just asking all of us to give a little back: http://www.elca.org/hunger
ABOUT ELCA WORLD HUNGER:
ELCA World Hunger is a comprehensive and sustainable program that uses multiple strategies—relief, development, education, and advocacy—to address the root causes of hunger and poverty. ELCA World Hunger responds to neighbors around the corner and around the world.
