100 Push Ups / 200 Sit Ups / No Cardio

Today I start Week 2 Day 1 of the One Hundred Push Ups challenge and Week 4 Day 1 of the Two Hundred Sit Ups challenge. Because of my initial sit ups test, I was able to start further along in the program. These challenges are definitely challenges! My muscles ache from the extra workouts…this is a good thing though. It means I’m getting stronger. J

You’ll notice I didn’t say anything about the Two Hundred Squats challenge…and currently no cardio is on my to-do list. Both of these things make me a little sad, but I am encouraged too.

Ever since last Saturday my left knee has been clicking and grinding. This is one of those times I can’t push my body…my knee is telling me something is wrong! So I did some research and talked to a friend who does physical therapy. More than likely since I over-pronate when I run and I haven’t been diligent about strengthening my muscles, my knee cap is not tracking properly. Yikes!

I’ve been praising God all weekend though. My God is a God who heals! My knee could have suffered a much worse injury…and it hasn’t. I could also be experiencing some extreme pain…and I’m not. Plus the grinding has lessened throughout the week. Every now and then there is a dull ache or some tension in the muscles around my knee. But I am able to go about my day almost normally. Thank you Lord!

What I cannot do is be foolish and jump back into exercise without fixing the problems that caused this in the first place. My wonderful friend taped my knee cap into the right place (sounds weird huh?) and showed me some stretches to do to loosen it up. Soon I’ll be able to do more muscle strengthening exercises to re-balance my leg. And I need to address the over-pronation issue by taking a closer look at my stride and shoes to see if inserts or new shoes would be necessary. The pair I have is already designed to help correct pronation, but they could be getting old.

So I am disappointed I will not be able to run for a while. Hopefully in a couple days I can start up some low-impact cardio, like the stationary bike. But I am so encouraged because this is an opportunity to trust God for healing and restored strength, to rest my body and to learn about how to take better care myself.

I never want to rush through life in pursuit of a goal, without thinking about the way in which I approach it and the consequences of my actions. Moments of rest help us regain that perspective. I’ve learned to accept them graciously.