So as I write this, I'm looking at a little icon on the top of my screen that's indicating a temperature of 85 degrees with humidity in the 60s...and when I click on the icon, I am whisked away to a screen that tells me it "feels like" 90 degrees (whatever that means).
In other words, Summer is here...well, at least it's here in Florida.
So what does that mean for me? In short, it means it's time to start running in the dark, which for me is to get to bed earlier on the nights before running days, waking up at 5:00am, and hitting the pavement by 5:30am (well, this morning I went with 6:00 because I was just doing a short run). It also means that hydration becomes even more important when pounding the pavement, and while I don't wear my belt for my three milers (which has become my short run distance), I'll definitely have it on for all other distances.
Regarding hydration in the Summer months, what I've read is that the body needs about four ounces of liquids per mile, so with a water belt with a capacity of 32 ounces, I can keep myself safely "watered up" for eight miles (probably ten if running completely in the dark). That said, because my upcoming hybrid half- and full-marathon training schedule (more about that in a few weeks) has me hitting the nine-mile plateau in late July, I'm already beginning to strategically consider where I can fill up the bottles along the way. Depending on the route and distance, on some weeks, I'll be able to fill up at a convenience store; but on others, I'll need Michelle to meet me with some fluids...and she's already told me she's willing to help keep her hubby from getting thirsty (or hungry...but I'll talk about nutrition in future posts).
Being that this is my first journey into the marathon world, it's been fascinating to see (and experience) that the physical challenge goes beyond merely getting one's legs, body, and cardio into "running" shape. There's this whole nutritional aspect that is key to endurance sports, and I never even considered how much thought, planning, and time needs to go into ensuring proper amounts of rest, fluids, and nutrition as one trains for a marathon. But to train through the heat of a Florida Summer, it's obvious that these are all critical components to my training success...and, of course, it all starts with hydration! So drink up!
On a different note, I meant to submit another post over the weekend about last week's and this week's training schedules, but I was sidetracked by the holiday weekend. So here are last week's results and this week's schedule (better late than never, right?)...
May 20 - May 26
Monday - Stationary Bike (45 Minutes, Hills, Level 7), Ab Machines (2 Exercises, 3 x 12 Reps)
Tuesday - 3.08 Mile Run (10:47 Pace)
Wednesday - Stationary Bike (45 Minutes, Hills, Level 7), 30-Minute Cybex Circuit
Thursday - 5.16 Mile Run (10:51 Pace)
Friday - OFF
Saturday - 3.11 Mile Run (9:33 Pace)
Sunday - 2.07 Mile "Family" Run
Total Distance on the Pavement: 15.1 Miles
For each run (other than the "Family" run, I also do 14-minute-paced Warm Up and Cool Down walks, which end up adding about 1.5 to 2.0 miles to my total distance for the week
May 27 - June 2
Monday - 4.10 Mile Run (10:48 Pace) - DONE
Tuesday - Stationary Bike (45 Mins, Hills, Level 7), Abs (4 Exercises, 3 x 12 Reps) - DONE
Wednesday - 3.13 Mile Run (10:17 Pace) - DONE
Thursday - Stationary Bike (45 Minutes, Hills, Level 7), 30-Minute Cybex Circuit
Friday - 6.5 Mile Run
Saturday - OFF
Sunday - "Family" Run
So the heat is here, and although I've seen my pace slow a bit as the temperatures have risen in the past couple of weeks, at the end of each training day, it feels so fulfilling to get out there and continue to strive toward the ultimate prize, which so much greater (and more important) than the collected race medals, tech shirts, and bibs...but let's talk more about that in future posts.
Until then, enjoy your journey...
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
Sunday, May 19, 2013
Reflecting on my 47th Year...
When I wake up tomorrow, I'll be another year older; and according to my driver's license, passport, and birth certificate, when someone asks me my age, I'll need to answer either indignantly with a shocked "How dare you ask me that question???" or honestly with a matter-of-fact "47" response. If I'm feeling particularly playful, I guess I could give the inquisitive "How old do you think I am?" reply. At the end of it all, I'll most likely go with the honest approach.
Over the past handful of years, though, I really didn't want to think about my passing years. I wasn't a big fan of my birthday, as it was a not-too-pleasant reminder of my loss of youth and (how do I put this?) my unhealthy race to the grave. I know that's a bit melodramatic, but for many who have crossed the line to obesity and unhealthy lifestyles, New Year's days and birthdays are often days to reflect upon how time to "stop smoking, lose weight, get back in shape, etc." is running out.
This birthday is different, though. Reflecting on my forty-seventh year on the planet has helped me to realize that although it's impossible for any of us to turn back the clock, we can certainly slow it down quite a bit through good choices and healthy living. Now, please forgive me for sounding so cliché, but on this birthday eve I have come to realize that age really is just a number on my driver's license. It is with utmost sincerity that I can say that I feel younger than I have in a very long time. Here are just a handful of the differences that I've experienced in the past 365 days:
So year number 47 was a good one for me, and I'm looking forward to starting number 48 tomorrow!
As promised in last week's post, here is the fitness plan I followed over the past week (May 13 - May 19)...
Monday - Stationary Bike for 45 Minutes (Hills, Level 7), Ab Machines (Cybex)
Tuesday - Ran 4.12 Miles (Pace - 10:28)
Wednesday - Stationary Bike for 45 (Hills, Level 7), 30-Minute Cybex circuit
Thursday - Ran 3.11 Miles (Pace - 9:53)
Friday - OFF
Saturday - Ran 7.19 Miles (Pace - 11:13)
Sunday - Easy 2-3 Mile "Family" run (with Michelle and Mary) before dark this evening.
And here's the plan for May 20 - May 26 (no, I'm not taking my birthday off)...
Monday - Stationary Bike for 45 Mins (Sticking with Hills at Level 7), Ab Machines
Tuesday - Run 3 Miles
Wednesday - Stationary Bike for 45 (Hills, Level 7), 30-Minute Cybex circuit
Thursday - Run 5 Miles
Friday - OFF
Saturday - Run 3 Miles
Sunday - Easy - 2-3 Mile "Family" run with Michelle and Mary
As I turn the calendar to May 20, 2013, it feels really good to reflect upon my health in a positive light for the first time in such a long time; and while it's a little daunting to think about, it's also exciting to strive for some even more aggressive goals over the coming twelve months...but let's talk more about those in future posts.
Until then, enjoy your journey...
Over the past handful of years, though, I really didn't want to think about my passing years. I wasn't a big fan of my birthday, as it was a not-too-pleasant reminder of my loss of youth and (how do I put this?) my unhealthy race to the grave. I know that's a bit melodramatic, but for many who have crossed the line to obesity and unhealthy lifestyles, New Year's days and birthdays are often days to reflect upon how time to "stop smoking, lose weight, get back in shape, etc." is running out.
This birthday is different, though. Reflecting on my forty-seventh year on the planet has helped me to realize that although it's impossible for any of us to turn back the clock, we can certainly slow it down quite a bit through good choices and healthy living. Now, please forgive me for sounding so cliché, but on this birthday eve I have come to realize that age really is just a number on my driver's license. It is with utmost sincerity that I can say that I feel younger than I have in a very long time. Here are just a handful of the differences that I've experienced in the past 365 days:
- Weight on May 25, 2012 - 247.1 Pounds
- Weight on May 13, 2013 - 193.0 Pounds (Loss of 54.1 lbs)
- Snoring / Sleep Apnea - Gone (You can't imagine how different it feels to be well rested every day)
- Slowest Run Pace (on September 1, 2012) - 15:05 per Mile for 1.92 Miles
- Fastest Run Pace (on April 27, 2013) - 9:28 per Mile for 3.10 Miles
- Total Miles Run - Approximately 620 (I didn't track the first thirty days, so I estimated based on my initial 1.5-Mile route)
- Road Races - Seven (Six in this year alone) totaling 33.5 Miles...
 |
| Seven Races! |
- Medals Earned - Four (All in 2013)
 |
| Always Nice to Get One of These at the Finish Line! |
So year number 47 was a good one for me, and I'm looking forward to starting number 48 tomorrow!
As promised in last week's post, here is the fitness plan I followed over the past week (May 13 - May 19)...
Monday - Stationary Bike for 45 Minutes (Hills, Level 7), Ab Machines (Cybex)
Tuesday - Ran 4.12 Miles (Pace - 10:28)
Wednesday - Stationary Bike for 45 (Hills, Level 7), 30-Minute Cybex circuit
Thursday - Ran 3.11 Miles (Pace - 9:53)
Friday - OFF
Saturday - Ran 7.19 Miles (Pace - 11:13)
Sunday - Easy 2-3 Mile "Family" run (with Michelle and Mary) before dark this evening.
And here's the plan for May 20 - May 26 (no, I'm not taking my birthday off)...
Monday - Stationary Bike for 45 Mins (Sticking with Hills at Level 7), Ab Machines
Tuesday - Run 3 Miles
Wednesday - Stationary Bike for 45 (Hills, Level 7), 30-Minute Cybex circuit
Thursday - Run 5 Miles
Friday - OFF
Saturday - Run 3 Miles
Sunday - Easy - 2-3 Mile "Family" run with Michelle and Mary
As I turn the calendar to May 20, 2013, it feels really good to reflect upon my health in a positive light for the first time in such a long time; and while it's a little daunting to think about, it's also exciting to strive for some even more aggressive goals over the coming twelve months...but let's talk more about those in future posts.
Until then, enjoy your journey...
Friday, May 10, 2013
Building a Fitness Plan...and Following It!
When you walk into a meeting at work, you are handed an agenda; when you arrive at your first class of the semester, the professor provides a syllabus; when you walk into any conference, there will undoubtedly be a schedule of events; and even when you go on vacation (especially if your named is Clark W. Griswold), it is not uncommon to have a detailed itinerary of fun activities.
The common thread through each of these examples is that they are planning tools with an end goal in mind, and they help someone to achieve something...right? The meeting agenda helps the meeting organizer to, well, organize his or her staff and ensure that operations are running smoothly. The course syllabus helps the professor to map out the semester and set appropriate expectations. The schedule of events sees to it that conference attendees are in the right place at the right time. And the vacation itinerary doesn't allow a family to miss the world's largest frying pan as they're driving through rural America.
In this context, it should stand to reason that we would, as physically fallible humans, put together fitness plans for ourselves. After all, our bodies are indeed "breakable" vessels. We are susceptible to disease, our bones can break, our stomachs (and the rest of our bodies) can swell to large proportions, our blood can cease to flow smoothly, and our lungs can struggle for the right amount of oxygen. Yes, it should stand to reason that we do our best to ensure that we give our bodies the best chance of staying intact...but do we?
If you're like I was until last year, you've probably uttered things like "I need to get in shape" or "I'd work out if I had the time" or "it's too late to go workout now...I'll just get started tomorrow."
These were the words that came out of my mouth for about twenty-five years...when I was no longer playing college baseball, when there was no longer a "reason" to work out, when there was no longer a coach to answer to, that's when my body started becoming more fragile and, thus, "breakable."
But last September 24, I finally made my overall health (not just my diet, as I talked about last week) a priority and put together a formalized fitness plan for the first time in my life - yes, I had been told what to do by my coaches in the past, but I had never actually put together a plan of my own. To this day, I don't allow myself to lose sight of this daily, weekly, monthly, and annual fitness schedule...yes, I currently have it mapped out through January 2014. Oh sure, I make periodic updates to the plan, but if you ask me what's on tomorrow's docket (or next week's), I can tell you exactly what I'll be doing to work toward my fitness goals.
So now you're probably thinking (and some have said to me, both directly and indirectly)..."little over the top, don't you think?" Well, maybe so...but you might think differently if you ever ventured well onto the wrong side of the Obesity Line, if you ever smoked a pack a day for about twenty-five years, if you ever found yourself polishing off a bag of chips (solo) or a second Big Mac while watching Sunday's third football game, or if you ever looked into a mirror and wondered just who the heck that person was and why was it that he looked so unhappy. As I said to a friend earlier this week, at the end of the day, it's not at all about how I look...it's about living and dying; and to me, that certainly warrants being a "little over the top." Don't you think?
Anyway, for accountability's sake, since I've just about gotten everybody caught up to the present, I will now be adding my weekly training plan (and my monthly weight ins, when applicable) to my blog posts...and I'll keep you posted on the progress, which is to say that I'll let you know whether I'm actually continuing to follow the map.
Until next time, enjoy your journey...
The common thread through each of these examples is that they are planning tools with an end goal in mind, and they help someone to achieve something...right? The meeting agenda helps the meeting organizer to, well, organize his or her staff and ensure that operations are running smoothly. The course syllabus helps the professor to map out the semester and set appropriate expectations. The schedule of events sees to it that conference attendees are in the right place at the right time. And the vacation itinerary doesn't allow a family to miss the world's largest frying pan as they're driving through rural America.
In this context, it should stand to reason that we would, as physically fallible humans, put together fitness plans for ourselves. After all, our bodies are indeed "breakable" vessels. We are susceptible to disease, our bones can break, our stomachs (and the rest of our bodies) can swell to large proportions, our blood can cease to flow smoothly, and our lungs can struggle for the right amount of oxygen. Yes, it should stand to reason that we do our best to ensure that we give our bodies the best chance of staying intact...but do we?
If you're like I was until last year, you've probably uttered things like "I need to get in shape" or "I'd work out if I had the time" or "it's too late to go workout now...I'll just get started tomorrow."
These were the words that came out of my mouth for about twenty-five years...when I was no longer playing college baseball, when there was no longer a "reason" to work out, when there was no longer a coach to answer to, that's when my body started becoming more fragile and, thus, "breakable."
But last September 24, I finally made my overall health (not just my diet, as I talked about last week) a priority and put together a formalized fitness plan for the first time in my life - yes, I had been told what to do by my coaches in the past, but I had never actually put together a plan of my own. To this day, I don't allow myself to lose sight of this daily, weekly, monthly, and annual fitness schedule...yes, I currently have it mapped out through January 2014. Oh sure, I make periodic updates to the plan, but if you ask me what's on tomorrow's docket (or next week's), I can tell you exactly what I'll be doing to work toward my fitness goals.
So now you're probably thinking (and some have said to me, both directly and indirectly)..."little over the top, don't you think?" Well, maybe so...but you might think differently if you ever ventured well onto the wrong side of the Obesity Line, if you ever smoked a pack a day for about twenty-five years, if you ever found yourself polishing off a bag of chips (solo) or a second Big Mac while watching Sunday's third football game, or if you ever looked into a mirror and wondered just who the heck that person was and why was it that he looked so unhappy. As I said to a friend earlier this week, at the end of the day, it's not at all about how I look...it's about living and dying; and to me, that certainly warrants being a "little over the top." Don't you think?
Anyway, for accountability's sake, since I've just about gotten everybody caught up to the present, I will now be adding my weekly training plan (and my monthly weight ins, when applicable) to my blog posts...and I'll keep you posted on the progress, which is to say that I'll let you know whether I'm actually continuing to follow the map.
Until next time, enjoy your journey...
Thursday, May 2, 2013
Changing the Meal Plan in 2013...And It's Working!
As mentioned in last week's post, 2012 ended on a positive running note, with a four-mile run on December 31st and then a six-mile run on January 2nd...both of which I completed at decent paces (and without pain!). On the other hand, however, the long runs had caused me to become a little lazy with adhering to a healthy diet, and for the first time in a year, I had gained weight in a calendar month.
The primary problem was that my body needed more carbs to fuel the longer distances, and although the South Beach Diet allows for some carbs, it definitely limits the intake of that particular piece of the nutritional puzzle (comprised of carbs, proteins, fibers, and fats). As such, I pretty much ignored the South Beach "rules" in December and decided to fuel myself with carbs for the longer runs. What I didn't do, though, was reduce my portions of protein and fat, so in essence I was adding calories with the carbohydrates without an offset...which translated to weight gain.
So it was time to reevaluate the meal plan and start fresh with a balanced approach. What I knew I needed was to track everything I was eating, as well as all of my running (and other exercise). Rather than calorie counting on my own, I decided to go with Weight Watchers Online, which through its PointsPlus system pretty much tracks calories on my behalf (as long as I am diligent in entering everything I consume). In addition, I enter all my running (and other exercise) statistics, and Weight Watchers gives me some extra points to play with for the week. At the end of it all, I pay Weight Watchers are fairly nominal fee each month to count my calories for me and to tell me how much I can eat while continuing to lose weight...
My most important job in the Weight Watchers model is to be honest with myself and with the tracking of what I eat (and how much I exercise). If I want to continue losing weight, I know I need to enter every single item of food I consume and to track every minute of easy, moderate, or high intensity exercise. While that seems daunting at first, it's something I've gotten used to...and it's tough to argue with the results. Since January, I've experienced a nice, steady weight decline by maintaining adherence to the program...
January 5, 2013 - 228.9 Pounds (Total Loss of 46.7 Pounds since January 2012)
February 4 - 215.7 lbs (Total - 59.9 lbs)
March 4 - 208.3 lbs (Total - 67.3 lbs)
April 1 - 201.5 lbs (Total - 74.1 lbs)
April 29 - 195.3 lbs (Total - 80.3 lbs)
Like I said, it's tough to argue with positive results, and it's also nice to know that as I am now increasing my exercise (running longer distances, cross training), I earn even more points that allow me to have a little extra at the table once in a while...as long as I track it!
Unlike the past, this isn't just about diet. It's about a complete lifestyle change. It's about having a detailed exercise schedule (and adhering to it). It's about watching (and tracking) everything I eat. It's about having races on the calendar to keep motivations high. It's about picturing and then ultimately living a life of complete physical fitness.
And every dessert I've skipped, every "tough" mile I've run, every revolution of the pedals I've spun on a stationary bike, and every ounce of food I've weighed have all been worth the time and effort. It's not always easy...but it's always worth it. But let's get into some of those things next week.
Until then, enjoy your journey...
The primary problem was that my body needed more carbs to fuel the longer distances, and although the South Beach Diet allows for some carbs, it definitely limits the intake of that particular piece of the nutritional puzzle (comprised of carbs, proteins, fibers, and fats). As such, I pretty much ignored the South Beach "rules" in December and decided to fuel myself with carbs for the longer runs. What I didn't do, though, was reduce my portions of protein and fat, so in essence I was adding calories with the carbohydrates without an offset...which translated to weight gain.
So it was time to reevaluate the meal plan and start fresh with a balanced approach. What I knew I needed was to track everything I was eating, as well as all of my running (and other exercise). Rather than calorie counting on my own, I decided to go with Weight Watchers Online, which through its PointsPlus system pretty much tracks calories on my behalf (as long as I am diligent in entering everything I consume). In addition, I enter all my running (and other exercise) statistics, and Weight Watchers gives me some extra points to play with for the week. At the end of it all, I pay Weight Watchers are fairly nominal fee each month to count my calories for me and to tell me how much I can eat while continuing to lose weight...
My most important job in the Weight Watchers model is to be honest with myself and with the tracking of what I eat (and how much I exercise). If I want to continue losing weight, I know I need to enter every single item of food I consume and to track every minute of easy, moderate, or high intensity exercise. While that seems daunting at first, it's something I've gotten used to...and it's tough to argue with the results. Since January, I've experienced a nice, steady weight decline by maintaining adherence to the program...
January 5, 2013 - 228.9 Pounds (Total Loss of 46.7 Pounds since January 2012)
February 4 - 215.7 lbs (Total - 59.9 lbs)
March 4 - 208.3 lbs (Total - 67.3 lbs)
April 1 - 201.5 lbs (Total - 74.1 lbs)
April 29 - 195.3 lbs (Total - 80.3 lbs)
Like I said, it's tough to argue with positive results, and it's also nice to know that as I am now increasing my exercise (running longer distances, cross training), I earn even more points that allow me to have a little extra at the table once in a while...as long as I track it!
Unlike the past, this isn't just about diet. It's about a complete lifestyle change. It's about having a detailed exercise schedule (and adhering to it). It's about watching (and tracking) everything I eat. It's about having races on the calendar to keep motivations high. It's about picturing and then ultimately living a life of complete physical fitness.
And every dessert I've skipped, every "tough" mile I've run, every revolution of the pedals I've spun on a stationary bike, and every ounce of food I've weighed have all been worth the time and effort. It's not always easy...but it's always worth it. But let's get into some of those things next week.
Until then, enjoy your journey...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)