First For Both

Dear Diary,

I hiked for two weekends in a row and I feel like my body is crying for some rest time. I feel that my stamina and pace are improving and my endurance and speed are consistent as before. I need to strengthen my core muscles. I need to focus more on lower body strengths. Hiking is all about the strength of your lower body. You will use 90% of your legs to move and occasionally your upper body strength to pull you up on steep terrain which requires you to grab roots.

I have not done my workouts since I got back from hiking. The mountains caused my feet to swell and my muscles to tighten. I feel that my skin is stretching at its maximum whenever I pray. We need to be in different positions when we pray and most of the time, the movements depend on our legs especially during sujud and rukuk. It was such a misery for me. It hurts so badly that I need to speed up my time praying. The pain is bearable but only for the first few seconds, after that it becomes unbearable.

I looked up the internet and google what this is all about. It is normal and I picked up some tips to overcome it. I did stretching repetitively and before I went for my next hike, the swell seemed to subside although not completely. I enjoyed my hike both times. I was tired but I kept on going. I paused occasionally but I did not stop. Swettenham was easier than the first mountain I went the week before. It was way much easier although it was higher.

I was the first woman in the group to reach the summit for the first mountain I went and I was the first in the group to reach the summit of the second mountain. I am proud of myself but of course, these are not something to boast about because there are always others who are faster and quicker than I am. Anyway being the first to reach the summit was not and never my intention but I always strive to be in the first group of participants to make it. It is a personal accomplishment that I myself can understand and feel. I share it with Nur Kasih and she is proud of me. That is enough for me. Making her proud of me is all that matters because she matters to me. I love her with all my heart and what she thinks of me matters most of the time.

I spent three weeks in Tangkak after my hikes. My legs were so tight that I was in pain when I prayed. I knew I needed to loosen up the muscle by stretching. I am doing it regularly or at least I try to. Stretching is important but most people skip this after every workout. If only people know what it does to our body I am pretty sure people will take it seriously.

I am controlling my diet nowadays. I watch what I eat. I try to eat more fruits and vegetables. I practice this daily and include a big portion of fruits and salads in my menu. It is easier to do this when I am alone because I prepare my own meals. When I am with my family, mum is the one who cooks and it is hard like that. I eat what she cooks and serves and I cannot really demand her to follow my preferred diet. I have to give in somehow. I usually buy fruits and if she does not have any vegetable in the menu I will replace it with the fruits I bought.

I got to go Diary. Talk to you later. 

PS: Faj sayang Ein...