Weaknesses

I was glad that this week was a light week on the training.  I wrote last week about my 24 miler.  My previous long runs left me a bit tired and sore, but this one had a big effect on me.  I have been sore all week and I could feel some problem areas returning.  I started worrying that this was going to be an injury that would plague me. After a week of recovery I am feeling much better and my run this morning went well.

I think the biggest difference between now and last year is that I know what my weakness is.  It was a long process to get it healed up last year.  At first I didn't even know what the problem was but I knew I wasn't getting better and my hip area was sore and would get worse the further I ran.  I went to physical therapy and got chiropractic help at the same time.  From both of those, I learned how to strengthen my core better.  I found out that running alone wouldn't get the job done.  I had some weak areas that I needed to work on.  One of my daughters is a message therapist.  After a few weeks of physical therapy, she offered to help me out.  In one session she identified what my weak point was.  It was the piriformus muscle.  It literally causes a pain in the rear.  It just happens to be a weak point in my body.  As she worked the muscle, it loosened up and I got better quickly after that.

I knew that the 24 miler had caused the problem to flair up again.  Based on the knowledge I gained from those experiences I knew I needed to be careful.  I subscribe to Runner's World and as I was going through one of the issues, the had a whole page dedicated to strengthening and stretching this muscle.  I think it was more than good fortune to have picked up that issue and found exactly what I needed to help alleviate the pain.  Most of the exercises and stretches were new for me and they really helped loosen the muscle back up.  They also suggested a way to roll the muscle using a tennis ball.  What a difference that all made!

So why all the details about one of the glute muscles?  It got me thinking about weaknesses that we have.  It is our weaknesses that get us into trouble.  It can be physical, emotional and/or spiritual weaknesses.  But we don't have to be permanently incapacitated by them.  Just like the steps I went through to understand the weakness with my piriformus, we need to go through the same steps for most of our weaknesses to overcome them.

1. Realize that you have a weakness.
2. Get help to identify what that weakness is.
3. Along with getting help, accept and follow that help.
4. Learn all you can about the weakness.
5. Learn how to strengthen your weak point.
6. Learn how to stretch yourself to overcome the weakness.
7. Don't give up if success doesn't happen all at once.  
8. Patience and persistence will pay off in the long run.

I have a lot to work on in my life.  But if I look back, I have overcome a lot as well and as a result some of my weaknesses have become my strengths.

How about you?  What weaknesses have you overcome and are now your strengths?

Hang in there and I will too.