Question to my running friends….  Who thinks they would win this one?  I bet I’d give you a real “RUN” for your money.  HA!

I was looking at my feet today, and I realized they have become a pretty good gauge of where I am in life.  Most of the time, I’m used to seeing them looking pretty gnarly, with a bunch of calluses, some missing toenails, some toenails that aren’t really toenails, but…  Well, I’m not sure what they are.  Some toenails that have gotten so thick over the years from being bruised so many times, they’re like an armadillo shell.  Such is the price we pay, I guess.  I have managed to lessen the annual toenail loss over the years, with better shoe selection, but it still happens.

With the last ultra about 6 weeks in the rearview mirror, the feet have followed their usual progression.  The bruised toenails finally lifted off completely (not without a little help from me, muahahahah…), and new ones are starting to fill in.  Isn’t the human body amazing, by the way?  We’re like Geckos!  Although I wouldn’t test this theory with other body parts.  Anyway, I thought about how I’ve been feeling lately, and I decided, the toes are like a little reminder from my body that it’s a good time to be taking it easy, just running for fun, letting the feet and other parts recover before beginning some structured training again.

There are other signals too, especially as someone who has been a disciple of heart rate training for so long.   It’s fascinating to me, to see how the heart rate (both resting and during activity) responds to the different training cycles, and especially during recovery periods.  It’s been a great tool for me to create some major awareness about what my body is needing in terms of rest & recovery, and when it’s ready to start pushing the envelope again.

Overall, I feel I’ve gotten a lot better about listening to these signals my body is sending me, not only as a result of being at it for a couple of decades now, but more so in the last year than ever.  Embarking on the health & life coach journey has afforded me strategies and tools I never realized were even available, that now allow me to be so much more mindful and aware of my energy needs.  This includes, but is certainly not limited to, my ability to manage stress, be more accepting of the things I cannot change, and overall find balance and grace in life that has no doubt transcended into my training and racing.  You simply cannot separate running (or any other athletic endeavor) from the rest of your life.   All areas of our lives are symbiotic, and one greatly affects the other.

And, like clockwork, as the toenails start to heal, the other signals from my body that scream “RECOVERY!!” have started to quiet down as well.  Motivation is starting to creep back, and it’s time to start working on a training schedule :).

I’m curious, what’s YOUR barometer?  What sort of messages do you get from your body, when you’ve been under too much stress (physical or emotional), not getting enough sleep, not eating well, working too much (insert your trigger here)…?  Do you need caffeine all day?  Start craving sugar?  Drink too much alcohol?  Does your digestion suffer?  Do you suffer energy crashes?  Are your moods all over the place?  Do you gain excess weight?  There are so many ways our bodies send us messages, but too often we don’t listen.   I encourage you, the next time you are feeling any of these symptoms, or anything else that’s keeping you from having the energy you need or being the person you think you deserve to be, stop and listen a little.   That’s your body talking!  What’s it saying?

And, if you’d like a little help deciphering some of those messages, I currently have space in my health coaching practice for two new clients!  Feel free to join me for a FREE Infinite Energy Strategy Session, where we can:

• uncover what might be keeping you from having abundant energy and feeling your absolute best
• develop a powerful vision for what infinite energy will mean for you and your WHOLE life
• discover which foods and lifestyle habits are depleting you, and what to do about it
• get crystal clear on a step by step plan to rejuvenate your health and energy in 90 days or less.

This session is about 60 minutes and takes place over the phone.  If you would like to explore the opportunity to really make some lasting changes and live life to your TRUE potential, I invite you to schedule a strategy session with me.  It’s FREE!!  Woohoo!  You can click on the link here to get scheduled, but space is limited (ooh, that was cliche, sorry)…

Okay, now, who’s got the ugliest feet?

In good health…