**Stretching, Strength Training and Run/Walking....**

For the past two weeks, I have been trying to manage all the stretching and strengthening exercises for my injuries, along with the progressive running program i've been prescribed, as well as squeezing in a bit of easy spinning and swimming in between. The workouts have been fairly easy, although finding the time to do everything has been challenging. Here's an example of my weekly workout plan:

Monday: rest day
Tuesday: Yoga/Stretch
Wednesday: Run/Walk program (10 mins walk - (3mins run x 2mins walk)X2 - 5 min cool down) Thursday: Stretching, strength training
Friday: Bike
Saturday: Run/Walk Program
Sunday: Yoga or Swim (or both but hasn't happened yet)

Next week my run/walk program will be longer in running minutes with more frequency, and it will keep moving progressively for the next 3 weeks. hopefully by then i can start running further distances, because I do have that half-marathon i signed up for (Feb 3rd). Yauuuza.

Once i start training for my triathlons full time (when will that be, i don't know yet), I know i have to still make time for all these stretches and the occasional yoga, because without them I will most likely get injured again. Right now I'm making my stretching and strengthening exercises a habit of mine so that i won't forget them later. We tend to overlook stretching especially when we're running around trying to get training done while working full-time, but now that i've learned my lesson i can't afford to really let that go in my daily training routine.

I'm learning that patience and persistence is key to a full recovery from an injury. It has been pretty trying lately for me, as I have been anxious to start training again and yet my body hasn't been following my desire to pick up the pace. I am looking at the progressive running sheet and going "ok, all i can run is a total of 6 minutes?" but i know i have to go by the rules or else i'll regret it later. my back and hips tighten up only after that short run, so i know i should be following the rules - and every time i feel more tightness or pain i get frustrated and scared but even that i have to fight and tell myself that it's just part of the process. I will get better. I will be done with my injuries. It will happen.

By the way, yoga has been tremendously helpful for me - i got a Yoga for Athletes DVD for $25 instead of going to those expensive classes - the clicking in the shoulders subsided greatly. my hamstrings have loosened up a lot too since i've started Yoga. Actually, the creator of this DVD, Kim Fowler (http://www.go2yas.com/yas_about_kimberly_fowler.asp) is an amazing woman that overcame both a tragic accident and brain cancer and got back into racing again through practicing yoga. Read her story. Every time i start feeling tired of carrying around this injury, I think of her and shut up. :)

I can do this.