August 15, re: energy

When I started jogging last November, three wonderful results showed up.

1st, the lower back pain I was experiencing cleared up fairly quickly, by month 2. In the first few weeks of jogging each run was an exercise in focus. Pain was everywhere. My training for the marathon as well as working out with a personal trainer for 1+ years taught me what kind of pain needs to be pushed through and which were indications of injury. So I jogged and focused on the pain, breathed into whereever it showed up. That is to say, I'd visualize my breath going to that area. And relax rather than tighten into that area. Most of the time by doing this the area would at least soften in it's intensity, if not disappear altogether. Then another body part would start to radiate and I'd have a new place to focus.

2nd, and it actually took much longer, my feet pain disappeared. Plantar fascists seemed to be the culprit. I had looked it up to make sure that running would not make it worse. It was a fabulous experience feeling that pain disappear 10 minutes into the run.....even tho it would reappear.

3rd, and this is really the point of my writing right now, my energy level increased. Oh yes, I love that one. Before, by 8:00 I'd be down for the night. Done, finished. I have to say there isn't anything quite so thrilling for a workaholic to be happily puttering around the house at 10 p.m., full of vim and vigor.

Oddly enough, I do not have that experience anymore. I mean, I'm awake enough, but I'm not physically energized.

Why is this? Is it mental or physical?

This is what I mean. Last winter I had very little work and very little activity. Life was very simple.

Since then, not only has the work piled in, but I've taken on my new "hobby" of illustration. So by evening I'm really craving to sit and work on my artwork. So is it mentally that I don't want to boogie around the house still because I'd rather be sitting at my computer or artboards? Or is something else pulling my energy down, because I do literally feel less energetic than I would like.

I want to experiment with this.