Training Tuesday: Here We Go!

I didn't plan to have a "Training Tuesday" section here on my blog. I thought it would be enough to hope that I could keep up with weekly posts for "Focus Friday." But sometimes plans change. Mine changed when my husband informed me early yesterday morning that Southwest had some really great deals on airfare and he urged me to look into possibly booking something so that we could go and hike the Grand Canyon in April.

What? Hike the Grand Canyon? But, but, but...I'm not in shape! The last time we hiked the Grand Canyon I was thirty years old and I was a little lighter than I am now.

 This was in March, 1996 before we hiked to the bottom.

With those thoughts swirling around in my head, we both started looking at Grand Canyon info and considering when it would work best to go. We finally decided on a good week and booked the flight. Now we are committed and that is why I'm writing on "Training Tuesday." I'm not promising a weekly post, but I will try to share some thoughts once in a while as we get ready for this big adventure.

I already was committed to exercising regularly, but I didn't really have any goals or a real purpose. I would think about how much I'd like to lose some extra pounds, but my actions didn't do much to bring that about. I kept eating too much ice cream, too much candy, and drinking too much Pepsi. I would walk on the treadmill, but I wouldn't really put much effort into it. I'd plod along at about 3 mph...maybe 3.3 mph if I felt like pushing it a little.

Now that I have a certain trip in mind, it's time to get serious about training. And here's why:

Can you see all of those switchbacks and how far down you have to go? 

(And the bottom isn't even in sight in this picture) You have to go that far back up, too, you know.

So, with that in mind, I started my training last night. I walked for an hour on the treadmill...at an 8% incline...and I bumped it up to 4 mph for most of the walk. Then I started in the basement and walked up to the kitchen and up to the second floor, then walked back down to the basement - five times. That got my blood pumping!

As I thought about getting serious with my physical training, I couldn't help but think of my spiritual training. It's gotten kind of sloppy in recent years. I still read my Bible and pray, but it's at a pretty low level, just enough to kind of get by. There hasn't been that sense of urgency and purpose that really gets me digging into the word and falling on my face before God. I find myself wondering why that is and I realize that maybe this relates to my posts on Focus Friday. Because I have no focus, my spiritual training is lazy and undisciplined. It's time to set some goals and get serious about my spiritual training in the days ahead.

"For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things,

holding promise for both the present life and the life to come." (1 Timothy 4:8 NIV)

So we're going to the Grand Canyon. Part of me thinks this is crazy. Can I really do a long hike like this and survive? I guess time will tell. I'll do my best with my physical AND spiritual training and then I'll try to enjoy the adventure once we get to Arizona. Remembering the good time we had about eighteen years ago helps quite a bit. Looking back through the pictures and souvenirs reminds me of the beauty of that wonderful place God created and I'm really looking forward to this trip.

My Dad, me, and Gary at Phantom Ranch at the bottom of the Canyon.