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OK, so when I post my September stats tomorrow or the day after, you note that overall this month just sucked. There’s really no more eloquent term to use (although since readership is growing, I should probably try).
However, October is my re-commitment month. It’s a busy one, still, but I think it’s time to bite the bullet and do it. You’ll note from an earlier post that I still haven’t gained anything back, which is fine, but I need to keep losing if I want to reach my goal.
The rest of this semester is going to be a killer. Trips to Phoenix and Philadelphia (and one to Orlando just completed), plus deadlines for conferences, journal articles, and research advisors are on the horizon. But, I still have to reassess my goals and get in gear.
Tonight I went out for a run (3.15 mi.) and ran it in 43:38…my best to date. I was scared at first because I haven’t run for two weeks (I know, I know), but was encouraged to keep going when I found it was my best recorded time for that distance. But it’s getting cooler, and I’m used to my schedule now, so things should only get better (at least I hope).
Help.
So, I knew that having a child and starting a killer semester would more than likely negatively impact my training and exercise, but throwing me into a slight paranoia wasn’t quite expected.
Friday was a busy and chaotic day. Our little guy was beyond fussy and it was apparent that my wife needed my help, so I gave up the run to help her out. Saturday, I woke up with incredible pain in my ankles. I wanted to run, but I knew the pain was probably a bad sign. Sunday is always my day off, so no running anyway. Yesterday chaos resumed…the boy was needing his parents, I had my econometrics class, a meeting with my advisor and a slew of work to be finished. I at least managed to get about 40 minutes on the stationary bike in. Then today wasn’t much different…no run.
I NEED TO RUN! What is my deal? My first 5k is coming up on Saturday morning, and I’ve yet to run this week. I suppose it doesn’t hurt to give my body a bit of a rest if I’m going to go full force on Saturday, but I feel like I’m slipping a bit. Am I afraid? What’s with me?
I did it.
Classes have started and I already feel a bit swamped despite having a good start to the week. Life with the bambino is an adjustment, but one I’m happy to make. With all this stress Piled high and Deep, I’m amazed I had the time to run at all yesterday. Here’s what I did:
- I ran twenty minutes straight without any walking breaks (when I first started, I could make it make it maybe 90 seconds before needing a walk break)
- I ran my fastest 3.1 miles ever at 44:33 (when I first tried this distance, it was almost 53 minutes–lots of walking!)
- I ran my fastest pace of 14:20 (I believe my first calculated pace was something like 16:05)
Needless to say, I am very happy. I had my doubts, but they are no longer present.
On to victory…
Some days are just What About Bob? days. What can I say? Today was one such day.
However, repeating the phrase above didn’t help me as much as my run, which, for the most part was fabulous. Today was my last day of intervals for Couch to 5k. I can’t believe it. It called for a 10/3/10 run/walk sequence. I did the first ten minutes with ease and I felt great! I’ll admit, I walked a little longer than the three minutes, but not much. The second 10 minutes was a bit broken. I ran about 5 before I needed a walking break…just about a minute, and then ran three more. So, in total, 18 minutes of running…I really should have tried to get those other two in…I probably could have done it. However, I had a pace of 14:44 (second best) for one of my longer distances. I’m still quite happy about it.
However, I am a bit nervous about my remaining three weeks. I’m supposed to run 25, then 28, and finally 30 minutes without any walking breaks. Not gonna lie. I’m bit scared. But I know I can do it. I know I can do it. I know I will do it. It may not be perfect, but it will get done.
Here’s to a great week!
So, I was on vacation a large part of July and was scared that my weight loss might be less than stellar. Needless to say, I’m perfectly complacent with the 4.4 lbs. I lost. That’s about a pound a week, and right on par with the least I hoped to achieve. I’m really looking forward to the 349 milestone on the scale though…that will be the lowest I’ve been in a while, and will put my overall weight loss goal at a double-digit…sure, it’ll be 99 lbs., but still…a double-digit. 
So, for the month of July…
MILES RUN: 29.7
TIME SPENT RUNNING: 7:38:02
DAYS I RAN: 13
SHORTEST DIST.: 1.5mi (2.4k)
LONGEST DIST.: 3.35mi (5.4k)
CALORIES BURNED*: 22,216
WEIGHT LOST: 4.4lbs.
On to the crazy month of August!
*=includes cross training workouts
Friends, it’s been a few days. It’s the end of my summer term and I’ve been scrambling to finish some assignments. But never fear…I am here…with a LOT of stuff to write, so bear with me. Let’s see if I can succeed at not making this entry too obnoxiously long…
- Goal Reassessment. Most of you have probably noticed that I was supposed to have completed the 100 push up challenge by now. I have not. I have decided that I need to reformat how I am going to accomplish this, rather than kill myself trying to do it. I am a big guy, but my upper body strength is not sufficient to heft my 352 pound body off the ground that many times yet (hence the entire reason I’m doing the challenge). So, I’m going to start on my knees and work my way up to 100, and then try the legit push ups. My new date is September 30.
- Couch-to-5k update. I am euphoric, people. I am on week 7 of running (week 5 of the program). Monday called for a 5/3/5/3/5 run/walk interval sequence, and I’m happy to say I ran every 5 minute interval. I kid you not, in the very same spot where I passed the snide firefighters, I saw a group of kids running with a couple of older guys…I assumed they were a youth track club, or something of the sort. As I passed them, the two older guys’ faces lit up as they waved when we passed each other. Then the kids started cheering! I couldn’t believe it…they just kept clapping and yelling for me to keep up the good work. Their coaches and parents should be proud…that was sportsmanship. I loved it. And to top it off, today’s run was an 8/5/8 run/walk…and I did it!
- Last, but definitely not least, MY COACH. I am blessed with a great “team” of supporters. My family, friends, and definitely you all who read and support me definitely inspire me to keep going. I have, however, a good friend of mine who is one amazing, inspiring athlete who has been with me on my journey, who, for all purposes intended, is my coach. Aaron Shamy is nothing short of amazing. He is an X-Games gold medalist in speed climbing (rock climbing), a former Cirque du Soleil performer, has completed at least one ultramarathon that I know of, and runs “regular” marathons on the side…just for fun. He is energetic, inspiring, and he’s helping me a great deal. Aaron is also working on furthering his education, and if there’s anything I can do to help him with that, it’s this: He has entered a scholarship contest that is based on votes through YouTube, so please, help me help a great buddy of mine and watch his quick four-minute video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTohVkO2dew or http://www.wgu.edu/landing/video_repeat.asp. You be able to catch a glimpse into his unique life, and help him and his family for the better by helping him with one of his biggest goals. I’ll definitely be writing more on Aaron later, but let the video be your first introduction to my amazing friend.
Well, that’s it for now…see you on the flipside!
In the past six or so weeks that I’ve been blogging my health and exercise updates, I’ve become keenly aware of the people and things I have been influenced by, for better and for worse. In 27 years, I don’t know that I’ve been involved in anything so life-transforming as the past six weeks. Surely, some might doubt that, and that’s okay, but let me break it down in terms of some ‘causality’ that my little journey is experiencing…
I am happier than I’ve been in a long time. I have more energy. I have a more positive outlook on life. I have spent years being skepitcal and nonchalant about exercise. But let’s face it…the hardest thing I have had to admit is this: I am was lazy. Nobody ever likes to admit that. Now, that’s not a universal laziness…there were some things that took a rather high priority with me that I ensured never fell by the wayside. Such an example would be my schooling, which, for the most part, I have always taken very seriously. Some time ago, a friend of mine asked, “Why can’t you apply that same drive you have for knowledge to your health?”
Sadly, I never thought about it before, thereby making me realize it had never been that important.
What?!
Seriously, I needed to change. And the time was then, is now, and will be in the future. This is not a fad diet. This is not me slimming down to look good for a 10 year reunion. This is for life.
Having more energy will allow me to work more efficiently and will allow me to accomplish more, and in turn will hopefully make me a better husband and father, a more productive scholar, and hopefully a better friend. Losing weight and exercising…let’s face it..the more of that I do, the longer I have on this earth. I really do believe it to be that easy.
I have had so many inspirations and good influences that it would be nearly impossible at this point to stop and ever go back to my old self. You — readers, friends, family — have all been of tremendous positive influence, and I can’t thank you enough. My initial design was to keep this blog on the down low and not share it with any friends and family. Believe it or not, I was embarrassed…only of myself…because so many people have seen me fail, I didn’t want this blog to chronicle yet another flop. But I’m invested. I’ve heard from many of you through comments, blog posts, e-mails, etc. on how I’ve inspired you in some way…and it is so very humbling. All I can say, is thank you for believing in me, but more importantly, thanks for believing in yourself and recognizing that you too…anyone…can make these changes. I promise you they will be well worth the challenges, pain, tears, frustration, anger, difficulty…and sheer joy of what you can accomplish.
You will not see me flop. You will see me succeed. I will be challenged, but I will seek creative ways to overcome obstacles. I will move more, eat better, improve, and dammit, I will endure like I never have before.
Thanks to all of you who have inspired me and influenced me for the better. Thank you for not giving up on me, and for continuing to cheer me on.
And even those of you who lost track of me, who aren’t reading this, who made fun of my weight as a kid…thanks for your juvenile remarks and cowardice. They only made ME stronger.
The time is now 3:04 EST. Who’s up for a run?
Else, where would I be in this fight to drop pounds and get healthy?
The one thing I have absolutely treasured in the past five weeks is that not one person has told me, “No, you can’t.” I had a soccer coach in middle and high school who would make us run laps if we ever used the word ‘can’t.’ I learned early on that it was not taken lightly, and after a decent amount of laps due to that violation, I learned to keep my mouth shut and just do it.
For the most part, I have eradicated the word ‘can’t’ from my vocabulary.
Now, I do know my limits, but rather than say that I can’t do something, I just postpone it…or rather, make it a long-term goal. Truth of the matter is, I can do most of what I’ve set out to do. Even with this week’s setback of struggling with the five minute interval, I’ve realized I just need a little more time. I know I can do it.
I have been doing my best to eat well while we’ve been traveling. There are some really good cooks in our family, especially my sister-in-law who makes quite delicious white chocolate macadamia nut cookies. They have been hard to resist, and I’ve only had one so far, and I fear that will be my limit. However, a plus to being in Nevada these past few days is all of the runners and walkers we have in the family. We’ve hit the track the past fews days – my mother-in-law, two of my sisters-in-law, and myself – in an effort to “keep on a goin’” as we like to say. They’re all really great motivators, and are pretty disciplined. I get lapped by each and everyone one of them, but that’s okay…someday I’ll be able to keep pace with them.
So, odds are, I will repeat Week 4 of the Couch to 5k into Week 6 of my training. Geez…just thinking that I’ve kept up with this for six weeks still floors me, but I know the repetition will be well worth it.
When we get back to Georgia, I’m a little worried about the next month. I’ll be starting classes again, my boy will be born shortly, and I have several projects that need some dire attention. I have a conference in Florida to go to in September, not to mention a work trip back to Arizona. Things are going to get crazy busy, and I feel that I have a huge challenge ahead of me in trying to maintain my training while I start to get busy with life again.
Can I do it??
I think I can.
Taking a cue from MizFit, I decided that I would make a video entry for Wednesday’s run. I uploaded the video, and 439 tries later, I couldn’t get the clips to work. So, I hope you’ll settle for the lovely picture of Arizona I found online.
But trust me, it’s no loss. Wednesday’s ‘run’ was horrible. It was probably already well over 100 degrees by the time I left around 7:15 a.m. Not joking. I picked a route along the Tempe Canal, and after my five minute warmup walk and got through the first three minute interval. Great, I thought, I’m going to actually do this.
Or not at all.
The sun was a killer that day. My energy was sapped in no time, and I walked most of the way. I was hot and disappointed. There are a million reasons excuses I could give, but it’s just a day I need to put behind me. I might need to repeat this week of Couch to 5k, but since my first 5k isn’t until August 30, it’s not going to hurt.
We made it to Nevada fine. We agreed to take our niece and nephew with us to relieve our sister who just had her third. They were quite well behaved, but it was probably too many hours in the car, thus making me a little stir crazy. My wife talked me out of the run (it’s just as hot in Nevada as it is in Arizona), because it was so hot, but I needed to get outside and do something. So, I went outside with my father-in-law and learned to vacuum a pool. I burned a whole five calories, I’m sure, but I just had to be outside.
Tomorrow we’re headed to the track and I’m going to try my intervals again: 3 min. run/90 sec. walk/5 min. run/2.5 min. walk/3 min. run/90 sec. walk/5 min. run. My brother- and sisters-in-law are in much better shape and better runners than I am, so hopefully I won’t keep them waiting too long!
I’ll be sure to return and report…
This is something my wife just reiterated to me.
I didn’t realize traveling would be so hard on my exercise plan…because let’s face it, I don’t want to consider exercise being hard on my traveling. I did a run this morning, and while I was still happy that I did the requisite 3 minute intervals, the course was not as long as I hoped. However, I guess I shouldn’t be too upset because I’m about to make a pivotal turn in my Couch-to-5k training. I’m starting week four (week five for me since I repeated a week) on Wednesday and am about to kick up the running time. I am truly excited for this…call me crazy, but I just can’t wait.
My diet has been crap, and I should have done better in planning ahead while traveling. The past few days will surely incur the wrath of my coach when I call him. He’s maybe 5′7″ tall and lives in Salt Lake City, but the distance is the only cushion…that fire of his will definitely burn through the phone line. But I deserve it…it’s a lesson learned, and I’ll need to do better in the future.
My back seems to be improving. It’s still sore when I’m sedentary or immobile, but seems to be fine when I walk, or even run. My father-in-law and I went to Massage Envy the other night and I greatly underestimated my therapist. She found all the right spots…nearly killed me, in the process, but I think it helped.
Friends, can I just tell you how great I feel despite all of this? Sure, I have complaints, but this is the best I’ve felt in a very long time. I am still flabbergasted that five weeks later, I’m still here, and I’m still doing it. I can actually see a difference in my body. My belly is shape-shifting, my man-boobs are shrinking, and I think I’m slowly going back to one chin. I run in the mornings and see people who smile and say “Good Morning.” This is the opposite, in fact, of a bad dream I had where I was running down the street with people pointing and laughing and making some really horrible remarks. Eh. If it happens, they can say what they want. I’m doing this to make a better me.
It’s been hard for me to say this, but whether one agrees with me or not, if one perceives something differently, regardless, I can now categorically state:
I am a runner.
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