The program we've been running with down here is primarily geared at getting folks ready for the Duke City Marathon which is on October 19. As such, we're into our taper and did 8 on Saturday and are set to do 10 this weekend. For those of us doing San Antonio, we're supposed to do the Duke City half, then ramp it back up to 20-something the following week before starting our taper into the Rock 'n Roll. Can't believe it's as close as it is.
Like I said, did 8 this past weekend, running along Tramway. Nice cool morning, we started running south from the County Line down to Montgomery and back. Don't realize it until you turn around, but that is one long hill back to the starting point. Still, felt good throughout and shaved about 10 mins off of my last 8 mile jaunt back in late August. Now, just have to do the same on the 20 miler in three weeks.
Sorry to hear about your troubles. I know the distress you were feeling, but thankfully didn't have the difficulty you did as a result. Gonna take it real easy for dinner (i.e. NO SPICY) the night before the big event. And GET NEW SHOES, DAMMIT. Don't need you hurting yourself just before this shindig.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
TMI
I am not doing very well! I can't say more than that. I ran last Tuesday and that was it for the week. In the past month I've run a total of 4 times (I think). Well, Sunday I went out for a long run, with a new strategy. Instead of 3 minutes running and 1 minute walking (because after awhile it gets hard to get started again after the walk) and thought I'd try running for a mile and then walking for a minute. So I started off at 5:55 am for 20 miles. FTR it's still dark as shite at that time. I busted out the headlamp and whenever I turned my head to the right (into the bushes next to the trail) I'd see a bunch - 4 or 5 pair - of lit up eyes staring back at me. Most likely foxes, but still very creepy. Needless to say I ran on the far left side of the trail until the sun came up. Well the first 10 miles felt great, I was having a blast, enjoying everything, smiling - it was cool outside, no one on the trail, felt like I could run for miles. Well at about mile 15 my insides dropped. You've experienced it DC, if I let it blow - I might end up with a biscuit in my shorts - if I hold it, my insides rumble. I finally made it to a port a pottie in a parking lot. I went in. Said a short prayer. Checked for toliet paper. No such luck. There was however a little box about 10 feet away for dog wallkers to grab a paper sack to collect their dog poo. Now I'm not talking about a grocery bag, I'm talking about an official made for dog poop plastic bag. I'm not sure if it worked, but I used it. Well, after that I pretty much sucked and more less walked it in. The problem was that I was having trouble simply walking. My leg is killing me, although I'm pretty sure it's a secondary effect of my heel, which is the effect of old crappy shoes that need to be replaced.
I haven't finished a long run workout yet - and we're down to like 5.5 weeks. Crap! I think next weekend I'll go for 10 miles nonstop. I'll then try 15 nonstop the following week, and maybe then a 22 miler with the frequent walk breaks which will be my last training run before the taper.
A little note from Colfax and other long runs:
Miles 0 -12 = feel great
12-17 = stop focusing on how much everything hurts and it becomes really hard to get past that (for me at least).
17-22 = gonna be a gut check
22-26.2 = maybe a little adrenealine to bring me in.
I'm hoping the San Ant. course bumps all these numbers back a few miles.
I haven't finished a long run workout yet - and we're down to like 5.5 weeks. Crap! I think next weekend I'll go for 10 miles nonstop. I'll then try 15 nonstop the following week, and maybe then a 22 miler with the frequent walk breaks which will be my last training run before the taper.
A little note from Colfax and other long runs:
Miles 0 -12 = feel great
12-17 = stop focusing on how much everything hurts and it becomes really hard to get past that (for me at least).
17-22 = gonna be a gut check
22-26.2 = maybe a little adrenealine to bring me in.
I'm hoping the San Ant. course bumps all these numbers back a few miles.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
nnnnnn-Nineteen, Nineteen
So as you've probably figured, I've been getting in most of my during-the-week work in on the mill at the gym. As such, ain't much to write about, and I'm sure it would boring as hell reading if I did. We are, however, still doing our Saturday long runs out in the open (and increasingly on the same trail every week, though it's hard to think of a better place, given the lack of traffic/intersections/etc.) Today was our longest run ever: 19 miles or 4 hours, whichever took longer. Being a true Fatboy, 19 miles was more than enough to eat up more than 4 hours. Day started great; still dark, really cool, relatively empty trail (alas, no stray bright green water bottles to be seen, sorry SD). Took it pretty easy but still made alright time for the first half. Coming back got a little tougher, not just because I was getting tired but also because it started getting warmer. Good news, though, I finished it and I finished it running. With seven weeks left to train, tacking another 7 miles on to what we did today may not be impossible.
But it sure is gonna suuuuuuck.
Eating's been all over the map this last week, and haven't been on the scale since the last entry. I'll update Monday (though I'd like to do it now after having burned 2,800 calories per Garmin). Regardless of the weigh-in numbers, I'll be redoubling my efforts to keep it smart. Starting tomorrow.
But it sure is gonna suuuuuuck.
Eating's been all over the map this last week, and haven't been on the scale since the last entry. I'll update Monday (though I'd like to do it now after having burned 2,800 calories per Garmin). Regardless of the weigh-in numbers, I'll be redoubling my efforts to keep it smart. Starting tomorrow.
Friday, September 26, 2008
High Trails
So our school district takes (but doesn't pay for) all the 6th graders on a three night 4 day trip to a camp in the mountains. It's a pretty cool thing and the camp is in a great area in the mtns. Needless to say, after my Sunday run, I took Monday off. We left Tuesday and I still didn't feel like I'd be able to run much. I did take my gear though. Cutting to the meat, I got in a 45 min. run on Wed morning. On Thursday morning I hiked and ran between four different groups taking pictures, so I'll count that as an hour workout, though not a run, but I'm sure my HR was up. Did I mention the camp sits at about 9,000 ft.? The good thing about High trails is that we walk everywhere, so we're on our feet moving for several hours a day. They do feed us well, but the snacks are limited. All in all it was a great week, I ate a lot, but most of it wasn't too bad (lots of starches) and had lots of water and few snacks. I was always moving - as one would expect being the only adult in a cabin with 46 boys and walking around for six hours a day.
This week, not so good. I haven't worked out once. I haven't eaten great either, not bad, but not as good as the two previous weeks. Football ends today, so that will free up a lot of time and allow me to do some work after school and workout without getting home at 8:00. Hopefully this was my little low that i always seem to hit before big races. I'm behind in my training, but I'm banking lots on four things for the marathon: 1)being 10 pounds lighter than Colfax 2) lower elevation 3) flat course 4) cool temps. I suppose we'll find out in 51 days.
How do the 270's feel? You should be able to be in the 260's by SA!!!
This week, not so good. I haven't worked out once. I haven't eaten great either, not bad, but not as good as the two previous weeks. Football ends today, so that will free up a lot of time and allow me to do some work after school and workout without getting home at 8:00. Hopefully this was my little low that i always seem to hit before big races. I'm behind in my training, but I'm banking lots on four things for the marathon: 1)being 10 pounds lighter than Colfax 2) lower elevation 3) flat course 4) cool temps. I suppose we'll find out in 51 days.
How do the 270's feel? You should be able to be in the 260's by SA!!!
The Schilling Effect
So I'm taking everyone back almost two weeks with this post. So I was in NM for the weekend to celebrate grampa's #90. On Sunday morning (the day after the party in which I didn't really eat poorly, but BBQ pork sandwiches aren't known to be good carb loads. In addition I was working off of about 4 hours sleep Sat.) So Sunday morning rolls around and I head off for what is scheduled to be 20 miles of 3 min. running 1 min walking. I don't really know the milage on the Bosque trail, I get some ideas from DC and I head out. Fuel belt with four little bottles and two hand held bottles - all water.. I've got a few Ecaps and gels.
I start at Alemieda and work my way all the way to Tingley beach. I figure it's probably a little short of 10 miles based on my time (it came out to a tad less then 9 miles). I turn around at the Tingley train station and head back. A couple of notes about the run to this point: I started at 8:00 am - a little late for a four hour run. There appeared to be some sort of race (possibly a marathon?) during the first two miles of the run. Paseo and Alemieda are really close to each other, I couldn't figure out what road i was running under because I seemed to get there real fast. There is a bunch crap written, spray painted, marked, floured all over that trail. It appears that every police/fire department, running/cycling club, 5k, 10k, 13.1 or 26.2 event had their own marks on the trail. I felt pretty good, no scary people lurking under any of the bridges, the cyclist seemed to end about 9:00 (the roller bladers didn't start until closer to 11:00).
Now I have this problem of walking and running like a duck, which leads to me clipping my ankles with my opposite heel. After about 7 miles I had the bloody sock, AKA the Schilling Effect going. Much like him, I played through the blood soaked anklet sock, through the pain, and through the bugs that liked the smell. Well i lost one of my little fuel belt bottle somewhere on the return between 1-25 and Montano (keep an eye out DC, it's bright green). About halfway through the return trip my water became very warm and no fun to drink, though i needed it. About three miles from the finish I pooped out and walked it in from there. All in all, the run was good, but I hurt more than ever before afterwards. My back was killing me, my feet hurt, my legs hurt, and everything in between. I actually hurt to the point of being a bit concerned that i may have over done it. I never felt like I would puke, I just hurt.
To make a long story short, Friday night the boy was sick (top and bottom), Saturady afternoon and evening it hit daughter #2 and wife. Sunday evening it hit daughter #1 and me. Problem was, we had a 6 hour drive that evening. Well we waited around to see if it would pass and to make sure the kids were done puking and we didn't leave NM until 8:30 pm. Do the math... it was not a fun drive. All throw up made it into a cup, towel, or blanket so i suppose that was good (though in my mom's car it all made it onto the floor). Fun fun day was that Sunday!
Sorry we missed you DC, but I suppose we'll be seeing you in about 7-8 weeks anyway. Crap!
I start at Alemieda and work my way all the way to Tingley beach. I figure it's probably a little short of 10 miles based on my time (it came out to a tad less then 9 miles). I turn around at the Tingley train station and head back. A couple of notes about the run to this point: I started at 8:00 am - a little late for a four hour run. There appeared to be some sort of race (possibly a marathon?) during the first two miles of the run. Paseo and Alemieda are really close to each other, I couldn't figure out what road i was running under because I seemed to get there real fast. There is a bunch crap written, spray painted, marked, floured all over that trail. It appears that every police/fire department, running/cycling club, 5k, 10k, 13.1 or 26.2 event had their own marks on the trail. I felt pretty good, no scary people lurking under any of the bridges, the cyclist seemed to end about 9:00 (the roller bladers didn't start until closer to 11:00).
Now I have this problem of walking and running like a duck, which leads to me clipping my ankles with my opposite heel. After about 7 miles I had the bloody sock, AKA the Schilling Effect going. Much like him, I played through the blood soaked anklet sock, through the pain, and through the bugs that liked the smell. Well i lost one of my little fuel belt bottle somewhere on the return between 1-25 and Montano (keep an eye out DC, it's bright green). About halfway through the return trip my water became very warm and no fun to drink, though i needed it. About three miles from the finish I pooped out and walked it in from there. All in all, the run was good, but I hurt more than ever before afterwards. My back was killing me, my feet hurt, my legs hurt, and everything in between. I actually hurt to the point of being a bit concerned that i may have over done it. I never felt like I would puke, I just hurt.
To make a long story short, Friday night the boy was sick (top and bottom), Saturady afternoon and evening it hit daughter #2 and wife. Sunday evening it hit daughter #1 and me. Problem was, we had a 6 hour drive that evening. Well we waited around to see if it would pass and to make sure the kids were done puking and we didn't leave NM until 8:30 pm. Do the math... it was not a fun drive. All throw up made it into a cup, towel, or blanket so i suppose that was good (though in my mom's car it all made it onto the floor). Fun fun day was that Sunday!
Sorry we missed you DC, but I suppose we'll be seeing you in about 7-8 weeks anyway. Crap!
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Wow, that hurt
Ran a 12-miler today. Gorgeous day, nice and pretty cool for most of the run, no wind and through ABQ's bosque. One of the group's coaches decided to run with me, though, and I think it nearly killed me.
We got out great, set a good pace...perhaps too good. The first 7 miles were easily the fastest I'd ever run that distance, and even miles 8, 9 and 10 weren't too bad, but I was suffering for the last two. I clearly did not have enough to drink throughout the week and I was feeling it. Didn't cramp (electrolyte caps seem to be working), but was pretty light-headed for a number of minutes when we finally finished. I think I hurt as much today as I did two weeks ago when we did the 18. Hope this is not a bad sign. Gonna chalk it up as a learning lesson: don't go out fast.
We got out great, set a good pace...perhaps too good. The first 7 miles were easily the fastest I'd ever run that distance, and even miles 8, 9 and 10 weren't too bad, but I was suffering for the last two. I clearly did not have enough to drink throughout the week and I was feeling it. Didn't cramp (electrolyte caps seem to be working), but was pretty light-headed for a number of minutes when we finally finished. I think I hurt as much today as I did two weeks ago when we did the 18. Hope this is not a bad sign. Gonna chalk it up as a learning lesson: don't go out fast.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
A Quick Update
Been running a lot of the weekday training runs on the treadmill at the gym. Walking distance from the office, proximity of a shower, and the occasional chance to catch a Sox game in the evenings have just made the gym more convenient of late. However, the weekend runs continue.
This last Saturday's was a 6 miler along the west side of the bosque south of Bernalillo. Absolutely gorgeous, especially the middle two miles; gravel trail weaving in and out of the cottonwoods, sunflowers growing in 8ft. high walls on either side of the trail in other spot. And easily the fastest 6 miles I've ever run.
Tonight I went to the group's track work out for the first time in a long time. This was the night we'd be shooting for PR's in the mile. Jogged a 1/2 mile warm up, did the mile in 10:40 (fastest I think I've ever run a mile, and a good 20 seconds faster than the the time my coach had told me to shoot for), and then jogged another 1/2 mile cool-down. Weather was cool and windy with some pretty good rain about halfway through. Running in the Fall weather is awesome.
Hopefully it'll hold for this weekend's 12 miler.
This last Saturday's was a 6 miler along the west side of the bosque south of Bernalillo. Absolutely gorgeous, especially the middle two miles; gravel trail weaving in and out of the cottonwoods, sunflowers growing in 8ft. high walls on either side of the trail in other spot. And easily the fastest 6 miles I've ever run.
Tonight I went to the group's track work out for the first time in a long time. This was the night we'd be shooting for PR's in the mile. Jogged a 1/2 mile warm up, did the mile in 10:40 (fastest I think I've ever run a mile, and a good 20 seconds faster than the the time my coach had told me to shoot for), and then jogged another 1/2 mile cool-down. Weather was cool and windy with some pretty good rain about halfway through. Running in the Fall weather is awesome.
Hopefully it'll hold for this weekend's 12 miler.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Looong Run
Did my Wednesday semi-long midweek run last night at the gym. Got scared for a second because the treadmills almost filled up, and with me being on mine the longest (and well past the 30 min. limit) I thought I might have to get off. However, the college students didn't disappoint and soon after they were all free except for mine. It's funny because 95% of them will get on the 'mill and go balls out for like...4 minutes, I don't get it? It's very predictable because they never stay on very long. The wife and I get a kick out of it.
As for my workout, my goal was 1:10. I started at a 5.0 speed and 0.0 incline. i upped the speed by a 0.1 every 10 minutes (this equals about 15 less seconds per mile) and upped the incline by 0.5 every 15 minutes. The incline is pretty minor as I think my total incline was less than 300 feet, despite topping out at 1.5%. So I ended up with 6.3 miles (I was shooting for 6.2, get it? 26.2 - 6.2?) in an hour ten with an average HR of 155. I sped up nicely at the end to finish with a 6.2 speed. All in all I felt pretty good during and after. I think the speed and incline increases give me something to care about while I'm bored running to nowhere.
I'm a little worried about this weekend because I'm supposed to do 20 miles of 3 on 1 off, but I'll be in ABQ and not sure about a) time and b) where to do this. What's your plan NM for the weekend run? I suppose if I start at like 6:00 am I can be done and home in time to get ready for all the family events that begin at 11:30.
As for my workout, my goal was 1:10. I started at a 5.0 speed and 0.0 incline. i upped the speed by a 0.1 every 10 minutes (this equals about 15 less seconds per mile) and upped the incline by 0.5 every 15 minutes. The incline is pretty minor as I think my total incline was less than 300 feet, despite topping out at 1.5%. So I ended up with 6.3 miles (I was shooting for 6.2, get it? 26.2 - 6.2?) in an hour ten with an average HR of 155. I sped up nicely at the end to finish with a 6.2 speed. All in all I felt pretty good during and after. I think the speed and incline increases give me something to care about while I'm bored running to nowhere.
I'm a little worried about this weekend because I'm supposed to do 20 miles of 3 on 1 off, but I'll be in ABQ and not sure about a) time and b) where to do this. What's your plan NM for the weekend run? I suppose if I start at like 6:00 am I can be done and home in time to get ready for all the family events that begin at 11:30.
Monday, September 8, 2008
Football Monday!!
My afternoon started with my first game as head coach of the Lightweight 1 team, AKA "the Smurfs." Except for forgetting about the downs, and the timeouts, and sending the plays in, and a few other things, the game went well. We lost 14 -16 and were one 2 point conversion away from the tie and one yard short on an onsides kick to give us one last chance. All in all I had a blast.
After the game I changed clothes (for the fourth time that day) and headed out for a tempo run in the bear, rattlesnake, mountain lion infested "city" park behind my school. I started out with a 12 minute warmup run - that was supposed to be 10 minutes except I got lost - and then went 12:30 out with the goal of getting back to my starting point in less than 12:30 for the tempo part of the workout. I missed my target by :39 sec. I then jogged it back in for a total w/o of 42:57.
I ate great today (except for the Frosty I just finished) so I'm pretty pleased with the day. Gearing up for a 14 hour day tomorrow and no w/o. Maybe I'll walk up and down the halls of the school during my plan time.
Nice job in the big D. That's pretty good commitment to do that on vacation. I agree, darn the beer! But I'm looking forward to my drinks after SA like you wouldn't believe.
After the game I changed clothes (for the fourth time that day) and headed out for a tempo run in the bear, rattlesnake, mountain lion infested "city" park behind my school. I started out with a 12 minute warmup run - that was supposed to be 10 minutes except I got lost - and then went 12:30 out with the goal of getting back to my starting point in less than 12:30 for the tempo part of the workout. I missed my target by :39 sec. I then jogged it back in for a total w/o of 42:57.
I ate great today (except for the Frosty I just finished) so I'm pretty pleased with the day. Gearing up for a 14 hour day tomorrow and no w/o. Maybe I'll walk up and down the halls of the school during my plan time.
Nice job in the big D. That's pretty good commitment to do that on vacation. I agree, darn the beer! But I'm looking forward to my drinks after SA like you wouldn't believe.
I Survived the Big D Death March!
Saturday, September 6, 2008. Start time: a late 7:30ish. The location: White Rock Lake. The goal: 18 glorious miles.
Got outta town this weekend to see my beloved Sox play a pair against the Rangers. And since the longest run in our program was scheduled for the same weekend, we took the show on the road. Didn't get to the site of the run until much later than I think any of us had hoped, as the sun was already peeking out of the trees and the temps were starting to rise, but the location couldn't have been nicer. As the name suggests, the park surrounds a lake with a great trail/bike path that just happens to be 9 miles around. Parked one car one one side of the lake, the other car on the far side, and stashed water and Gatorade at each (and let me add a plug here: G2 is some good shite...get your electrolytes and very few calories all in one) and set off. Guy we were staying with, helluva good runner but not used to doing this kind of distance, had real trouble with his knee after mile 6 and called it after the first lap of the lake. (When we said our goodbyes Sunday night, he still couldn't bend the knee without great pain.) My GF cruised her way through about 13 miles before backing off because of pain in her knee. I managed to plug along behind them (sometimes WAAAAY behind them) and eventually knocked off the entire 18. As I said elsewhere, it wasn't pretty and it definitely wasn't fast, but it was done. Thankfully, no injuries so far, just a little sore yesterday. And even as bad as it was at the end (too hot, too humid, could not drink enough water even though there were water fountains everywhere in the park (I told you this was a helluva park), and too much walking vs. running), this was the first time I looked my 1mi lap times and realized I should actually be able to make the San Antone cutoff with some real room to spare if I keep the training up and avoid injury.
As you might imagine, the feeding portion of the trip was not so much, but foodwise wasn't so terrible: split a salad and a chicken sandwich Friday lunch, had a dog and one beer at the game that night (SOX WIN!!), had a cheeseburger Saturday afternoon (I'd earned it that morning), and had a nice flanksteak meal at a Latin themed joint that night, a small breakfast sandwich Sunday morning, a dog at the game that afternoon (SOX WIN!!), and then a plate of BBQ that night. All in all, not so bad considering we were "on vacation". Downfall was the cerveza: one (and only one) at Friday's game, one before we left the house Saturday night, two with Saturday's dinner, three more at the pub after that, and then three at the game Sunday. You do the math. But let me tell you, that beer Saturday night after the 18 was one of the best beers I've ever had. Can't wait to sample a cerveza after 26.2.
(Had to fly home Monday a.m., so weigh in will come tomorrow.)
Got outta town this weekend to see my beloved Sox play a pair against the Rangers. And since the longest run in our program was scheduled for the same weekend, we took the show on the road. Didn't get to the site of the run until much later than I think any of us had hoped, as the sun was already peeking out of the trees and the temps were starting to rise, but the location couldn't have been nicer. As the name suggests, the park surrounds a lake with a great trail/bike path that just happens to be 9 miles around. Parked one car one one side of the lake, the other car on the far side, and stashed water and Gatorade at each (and let me add a plug here: G2 is some good shite...get your electrolytes and very few calories all in one) and set off. Guy we were staying with, helluva good runner but not used to doing this kind of distance, had real trouble with his knee after mile 6 and called it after the first lap of the lake. (When we said our goodbyes Sunday night, he still couldn't bend the knee without great pain.) My GF cruised her way through about 13 miles before backing off because of pain in her knee. I managed to plug along behind them (sometimes WAAAAY behind them) and eventually knocked off the entire 18. As I said elsewhere, it wasn't pretty and it definitely wasn't fast, but it was done. Thankfully, no injuries so far, just a little sore yesterday. And even as bad as it was at the end (too hot, too humid, could not drink enough water even though there were water fountains everywhere in the park (I told you this was a helluva park), and too much walking vs. running), this was the first time I looked my 1mi lap times and realized I should actually be able to make the San Antone cutoff with some real room to spare if I keep the training up and avoid injury.
As you might imagine, the feeding portion of the trip was not so much, but foodwise wasn't so terrible: split a salad and a chicken sandwich Friday lunch, had a dog and one beer at the game that night (SOX WIN!!), had a cheeseburger Saturday afternoon (I'd earned it that morning), and had a nice flanksteak meal at a Latin themed joint that night, a small breakfast sandwich Sunday morning, a dog at the game that afternoon (SOX WIN!!), and then a plate of BBQ that night. All in all, not so bad considering we were "on vacation". Downfall was the cerveza: one (and only one) at Friday's game, one before we left the house Saturday night, two with Saturday's dinner, three more at the pub after that, and then three at the game Sunday. You do the math. But let me tell you, that beer Saturday night after the 18 was one of the best beers I've ever had. Can't wait to sample a cerveza after 26.2.
(Had to fly home Monday a.m., so weigh in will come tomorrow.)
Weigh-in
I don't get it. After my long long run 10 days ago I was at 242 that Saturday afternoon. Now I knew this was BS as it was probably mostly water weight. On Sunday I was up a little more to 245/246, which still seemed very low. On Monday my official weigh-in had me at 254 - which seemed right considering the two weeks prior to that. Then starting on about Wednesday, I've been in the low to mid 240's every time I've checked. I don't quite get it. Now I did eat great last week and I worked out pretty well. In addition, since I'm back to work I'm up on my feet almost the entire day, but still the weight seemed low. In addition there are two places I always feel the fat first; my chin, my hipbone hangover. Neither of these places felt "skinny" during the week.
Today's official weigh-in had me at 247, which is great, but still seems a bit too low (I'll take it, but still seems odd). I suppose if the weight stays steady this week then I'll know it's for real. I'd love to be under 235 for San Antonio, that would be almost 20 pounds less than I carried for Colfax. I wonder if there's a formula that equates pounds lost to seconds off????
Today's official weigh-in had me at 247, which is great, but still seems a bit too low (I'll take it, but still seems odd). I suppose if the weight stays steady this week then I'll know it's for real. I'd love to be under 235 for San Antonio, that would be almost 20 pounds less than I carried for Colfax. I wonder if there's a formula that equates pounds lost to seconds off????
da weekend
I've done pretty well this week and for the first time in a while I'd be disappointed if the scale didn't lean my way (more on the scale later). There was no workout Friday, but I ate pretty well. Saturday i headed out with all my waters and gels and capsules for a 15 mile run without walk breaks. Well I ended up running close to home (as opposed to a trail, because I started early and the thought of being alone on a trail at sunrise spooked me - dam animals everywhere). I didn't ant to waste 45 minutes driving to a more urban trail downtown either, hence my run went from my home, to a nearby school, to the track, and then around the track, and around, and around...
Well after 20 laps (for a total of 6.5 miles counting the run to the school), I called it quits. To make things wussier, I called my wife to come pick me up. I felt pretty good, but obviously somewhat bored. I didn't eat breakfast nor did I prepare much for this on Friday. I was happy that i at least got in a short run.
No workout Sunday, but I did cut the grass and do lots of house work. I also ate great. I've started today (as all Mondays) with no carbs. My goal is zero carbs (or close to this) at least twice a week...we'll see.
Well after 20 laps (for a total of 6.5 miles counting the run to the school), I called it quits. To make things wussier, I called my wife to come pick me up. I felt pretty good, but obviously somewhat bored. I didn't eat breakfast nor did I prepare much for this on Friday. I was happy that i at least got in a short run.
No workout Sunday, but I did cut the grass and do lots of house work. I also ate great. I've started today (as all Mondays) with no carbs. My goal is zero carbs (or close to this) at least twice a week...we'll see.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Speed Work...no really
Today I got in a speed workout that felt pretty good. I did a mile warmup then 8 rounds of 1 minute on, 1 minute off, then a mile cooldown back to the car. It was a short workout (38 min.), but I was able to keep my "minute on" on for all eight rounds (in the past I have generally pooped out at the end and haven't been able to kick it for the latter rounds). The cool thing was watching my heart rate drop from 170 during my fast minute, to the low 1-teens during my minute off. My legs felt a little jello like at the beginning, but I should be getting my running legs back soon.
I ate well today: small bowl of cereal, turkey wrap (not great, but I suppose it could have been worse), and chili and beans for dinner. NO SNACKS today!! I did have a beer watching the Redskins play like sheet.
Runners World mag or online is a great resource, give it a shot.
I ate well today: small bowl of cereal, turkey wrap (not great, but I suppose it could have been worse), and chili and beans for dinner. NO SNACKS today!! I did have a beer watching the Redskins play like sheet.
Runners World mag or online is a great resource, give it a shot.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
On track...but track ends with 18 this week!
Proud to say that I'm on track to get in all three of the training runs this week, for about the third or fourth week in a row. Had a bit of trouble around the end of July, early August, but I've found the groove again and want to see if I can make it through the big event...which just happens to be in just over 70 days. !!!
Got in 3 miles in 40 minutes at a 1.5 incline. My times are slowly getting better, but I clearly have a long way to go. Haven't tried the mock marathon (or really even heard of it), but sounds like something I need to give a look. Bigger picture, what the hell am I not reading that talks about mock marathons, electrolyte capsules, etc., etc. The more I learn, the more ignorant I feel.
The eating was knock way off kilter today. Missed breakfast, had to have lunch at 2:30ish, went to (ANOTHER) FFL draft tonight and sampled smoked turkey, Cool Ranch Doritos (a good bit of the former, not a lot of the latter, but still), two chicken wings and two light beers. Already looking forward to tomorrow's run as penance.
Got in 3 miles in 40 minutes at a 1.5 incline. My times are slowly getting better, but I clearly have a long way to go. Haven't tried the mock marathon (or really even heard of it), but sounds like something I need to give a look. Bigger picture, what the hell am I not reading that talks about mock marathons, electrolyte capsules, etc., etc. The more I learn, the more ignorant I feel.
The eating was knock way off kilter today. Missed breakfast, had to have lunch at 2:30ish, went to (ANOTHER) FFL draft tonight and sampled smoked turkey, Cool Ranch Doritos (a good bit of the former, not a lot of the latter, but still), two chicken wings and two light beers. Already looking forward to tomorrow's run as penance.
Hump Day
Ate OK except for the PB milkshake with lunch (note I said with lunch, not for lunch). I need to work on the snacks between when I get home and dinner. Maybe I should tell my wife to have dinner waiting for me when I get home? I'm sure that will fly. I had a 60 minute run on the 'mill for 5.27 miles and a 161 HR average. My HR jumped pretty high at about 30 minutes and I wasn't able to get it back down. I did of course have the 'mill on a slight incline (1.5%) This was unfortunately my first workout since Saturday's long run and with FOOTBALL FOOTBALL FOOTBALL starting tomorrow, it will be tough.
NM, when are you going to get in your mock marathon (minus the total distance)? I did this for the first time prior to my first Ascent in which I ate what I planned on eating the night and morning before, started at the same time the race started, wore the clothes I planned on wearing etc. It probably a good idea just to make sure the routine works for you guys.
NM, when are you going to get in your mock marathon (minus the total distance)? I did this for the first time prior to my first Ascent in which I ate what I planned on eating the night and morning before, started at the same time the race started, wore the clothes I planned on wearing etc. It probably a good idea just to make sure the routine works for you guys.
Monday, September 1, 2008
Labor Day
Nice job on the 12 miler! Don't you love the attitude that it's JUST 12 miles? The coolest part I found about running was that the improvements came fast and were VERY EVRY obvious. Despite how slow I am and how much I suck, it's still very obvious when there's improvement, especially that first year.
I started taking electrolyte pills after Colfax and they seem to be working well. I've stopped with the gatorade (I actually did this prior to Colfax) and have stayed with gels, the pills and water only and that seems to work. Maybe in Dallas you guys should just do a fast walking tour of the city. What matters is time on your feet with an elevated HR, if you walked fast from the grassy knoll to the Depository, did the tour, then fast to the ??? took some pictures, etc etc, I wonder if that would count?
We'll see how the weight goes tomorrow (although today is Monday), I was real low Saturday afternoon (242) nut knew it would go back up as water got back into me. I was 252 this morning which seemed more normal. I'm having a hell of a time getting under 250 - we'll see if that changes now that I'm on the wagon again.
I started taking electrolyte pills after Colfax and they seem to be working well. I've stopped with the gatorade (I actually did this prior to Colfax) and have stayed with gels, the pills and water only and that seems to work. Maybe in Dallas you guys should just do a fast walking tour of the city. What matters is time on your feet with an elevated HR, if you walked fast from the grassy knoll to the Depository, did the tour, then fast to the ??? took some pictures, etc etc, I wonder if that would count?
We'll see how the weight goes tomorrow (although today is Monday), I was real low Saturday afternoon (242) nut knew it would go back up as water got back into me. I was 252 this morning which seemed more normal. I'm having a hell of a time getting under 250 - we'll see if that changes now that I'm on the wagon again.
Can't tell if I'm getting better or not...
Saturday was a 12 mile jaunt which actually turned out to not be too bad. The coaches, clearly chastened by the water troubles on our 14- and 16-milers a few weeks ago had plenty of water out for us. Still having trouble with cramping, though. Didn't actually go full blown cramp, but felt the calves grabbing during the last 1/2 mile. Full disclosure, I was pushing it that last bit because I wanted to come as close as I could to the 3hr mark, thereby more or less besting my Colfax time by about 15-20 minutes. Came in just a shade over 3, but still got it done. Learned about an electrolyte pill that others in the group have used to great effect, so sent off for some today. Unfortunately won't have 'em until our 6 mile trail run in two weeks.
In the meantime, really worried about the 18 we're supposed to do next week. Gonna be in Dallas, and forecast is for temps no lower than high-70's/low-80's with high humidity. Only bright spot is the the nearly 5000 ft. altitude difference. Going to be tough to get the culo moving and get out on the road at o'dark thirty, but gotta get it done.
The eating has gotten better, as evidenced by the small weight loss, but more apparent in the clothes that are re-entering the rotation. Just gotta keep the momentum going.
And nice work on the 20. We're probably a month away from trying that distance.
In the meantime, really worried about the 18 we're supposed to do next week. Gonna be in Dallas, and forecast is for temps no lower than high-70's/low-80's with high humidity. Only bright spot is the the nearly 5000 ft. altitude difference. Going to be tough to get the culo moving and get out on the road at o'dark thirty, but gotta get it done.
The eating has gotten better, as evidenced by the small weight loss, but more apparent in the clothes that are re-entering the rotation. Just gotta keep the momentum going.
And nice work on the 20. We're probably a month away from trying that distance.
Saturday, August 30, 2008
So it starts
So after a two week break (and binge...I had to get rid of the leftover food and beer from the post-Ascent party, you know, since someone left me to drink it all by myself), my marathon training started. I actually went for an 1:05 run with the boy last weekend, but this was an earnest DISTANCE run.
We headed out for a 20 mile run at a 3:1 ratio (3 min running, one min walking). Highlights of the trip: two dudes climbing out of a tent under an overpass. Not homeless dudes, regular looking dudes? Who knows? Happened to be running by the Air Force Academy and got to watch the cadets skydiving on our way out. On our way back we got to see the pre-game flyover (AF had their first football game of the season today). Yes, we ran that far! We passed a fellow teacher from my school and we saw a crane in the creek (by far the least feared creature I've seen on that trail in the past 12 months). In case you're wondering about this "we" thing, my 2 year old boy and his jogging stroller joined me on the adventure. There were two sides to this: On the positive, it was fun having him around and his stroller makes it easy to stash lots of gear and water. On the downside, when he needs something (which in his defense was seldom) it required me to come to a full stop. The other negative? neither he nor the stroller are light and dam some of those hills were rough. So I felt good until about mile 17 when the insides started to turn, or should I say drop. If I ran, I really had to squeeze the cheeks, which then made my insides feel like caca. If I walked it wasn't too bad. So I walked for about 5 minutes until i reached a bike shop and marched my non-spandex wearing self in there and pooped a good poop. The problem was that it was pretty rough getting running again after that and I ended up walking in most of the final 3 miles.
Over all I was satisfied with my workout. I'll do the same one in two weeks and if I can run all 20, I'll increase my ratio to 4:1 two weeks after that. If I can't, I'll do this same one again. As for injuries: one chaffed nipple, one big blister and some soreness. Not bad considering I need new shoes and haven't actually "run" in quite a while (I've been on my feet for upwards of 5+ hours several times in the past 2 months, but very little of that was actually running). Total time 4:40
I ate pretty well today also.
Nice job on the weight loss NM, put in a good week and the 270's will be upon you!
We headed out for a 20 mile run at a 3:1 ratio (3 min running, one min walking). Highlights of the trip: two dudes climbing out of a tent under an overpass. Not homeless dudes, regular looking dudes? Who knows? Happened to be running by the Air Force Academy and got to watch the cadets skydiving on our way out. On our way back we got to see the pre-game flyover (AF had their first football game of the season today). Yes, we ran that far! We passed a fellow teacher from my school and we saw a crane in the creek (by far the least feared creature I've seen on that trail in the past 12 months). In case you're wondering about this "we" thing, my 2 year old boy and his jogging stroller joined me on the adventure. There were two sides to this: On the positive, it was fun having him around and his stroller makes it easy to stash lots of gear and water. On the downside, when he needs something (which in his defense was seldom) it required me to come to a full stop. The other negative? neither he nor the stroller are light and dam some of those hills were rough. So I felt good until about mile 17 when the insides started to turn, or should I say drop. If I ran, I really had to squeeze the cheeks, which then made my insides feel like caca. If I walked it wasn't too bad. So I walked for about 5 minutes until i reached a bike shop and marched my non-spandex wearing self in there and pooped a good poop. The problem was that it was pretty rough getting running again after that and I ended up walking in most of the final 3 miles.
Over all I was satisfied with my workout. I'll do the same one in two weeks and if I can run all 20, I'll increase my ratio to 4:1 two weeks after that. If I can't, I'll do this same one again. As for injuries: one chaffed nipple, one big blister and some soreness. Not bad considering I need new shoes and haven't actually "run" in quite a while (I've been on my feet for upwards of 5+ hours several times in the past 2 months, but very little of that was actually running). Total time 4:40
I ate pretty well today also.
Nice job on the weight loss NM, put in a good week and the 270's will be upon you!
Saturday, August 16, 2008
The big day...
... and the big disappointment! I recorded my first official DNF today, though not by choice and not because of the way I felt, the way I was prepared, nor the speed at which I was going. The only good news is that about 750 out of 1600 other runners didn't get the opportunity to finish either. My goals for today were a) finish b) break my PR of 5:05 c) break 4:55. Well, I was on pace to accomplish all three goals today and feeling great with about 4.5 (out of 13.2) miles to go. I was warm, though wet from sweat more so than rain, and getting ready to start my push. Then the dreaded outcome happened, the course was closed, the runners turned around , and my 2008 Pikes Peak Ascent was over. The good news is that I felt great running my 8.5 miles back down hill and felt pretty good for a putting in a 17 mile day. The reason for the closure was a combination of lightning, unsafe trail conditions, and a large number of hypothermic runners reaching the top. In addition, the road was closed to ALL uphill traffic as well. Thankfully, due to the COlfax Mar. , I've only been focused on this race since May and not since November like years past.
It's a bummer, what can I do??? I suppose I start training for San Antonio on Monday!!!!!
It's a bummer, what can I do??? I suppose I start training for San Antonio on Monday!!!!!
Then move to Wednesday
I did a three mile run on a school track. Perhaps it was the flatness of the course or the speed at which I ran, but I have been pretty tight since then. The eating is what it is.
Let's start with Monday
Did a little 33 min. hilly run today. I would have gone longer but the thunder scared me back to the car.
I'll spare you the details and say the the eating was OK, but with high quantities (we'll call it the carb load).
I'll spare you the details and say the the eating was OK, but with high quantities (we'll call it the carb load).
Monday, August 11, 2008
Can you see the lump in my throat?
Sorry, my friend, but that says 96 days until the big event. Just seeing that and reading your post, my insides just tightened a bit.
Took Sunday off for rest day and calves were were really tight after the hills work on Saturday. Didn't make it out of bed this AM (damn Olympics keeping me up all night), but planning on hitting the gym for the first time tonight, so treadmill at the least. In any case, the first potential disaster of the day was averted when I hit the scale this morning. Three days in Vegas didn't do quite the damage I was afraid of, but I still have mucho work to do before that ticker gets too much closer to its expiration. God help us all.
Sunday comidas: big bowl of oatmeal w/blueberries/raisins/craisins for breakfast, Costco dog for lunch, handful of tater chips (dammit) at the folks' place, then a nice healthy dinner of grilled chicken kebabs (light bbq sauce) with a grilled corn/green onion dish and salad that my lovely GF pulled together for dinner, and some ice cream w/berries for dessert (dammit redux). Gotta do better today. And the next day. And the next.
Did I mention it's 16 on Saturday?
Took Sunday off for rest day and calves were were really tight after the hills work on Saturday. Didn't make it out of bed this AM (damn Olympics keeping me up all night), but planning on hitting the gym for the first time tonight, so treadmill at the least. In any case, the first potential disaster of the day was averted when I hit the scale this morning. Three days in Vegas didn't do quite the damage I was afraid of, but I still have mucho work to do before that ticker gets too much closer to its expiration. God help us all.
Sunday comidas: big bowl of oatmeal w/blueberries/raisins/craisins for breakfast, Costco dog for lunch, handful of tater chips (dammit) at the folks' place, then a nice healthy dinner of grilled chicken kebabs (light bbq sauce) with a grilled corn/green onion dish and salad that my lovely GF pulled together for dinner, and some ice cream w/berries for dessert (dammit redux). Gotta do better today. And the next day. And the next.
Did I mention it's 16 on Saturday?
Counter!!!!
Does that say 98 days until San Antonio? That's 14 weeks. Take out a couple for a taper and this week for Pikes Peak and we're looking at around 11 weeks of training (me freaking out right about now!?!?!?!).
The last hill
Well my mountain and high altitude training is over for the season (those would be tears running down my cheek...NOT!). My next trip up PP will be for the whole enchilada - a fat free one with no cheese of course. I'll do a couple of short runs in town this week to keep the legs loose, then leave it all on the hill.
Drove to the 14, 115' summit...again, saw a herd of mountain goats....again, stared at the clouds....again, figured they wouldn't throw bolts of lightning at me and headed down hill...again. I was the third car on the summit this time, although the toll plaza and parking lot were packed with runners getting organized to come up. I headed down to the 2 miles to go sign, peed off a nice rock, then headed up. My time from 2-1 was great (2 min. PR) and my time from 1 to finish was seconds off a PR, which is good considering the PR was set starting at the 1 to go. I then headed back down, helping out a few of the crews getting the trail in race condition (I mainly acted as a steam roller and packed down dirt and rock they had already moved, but I still contributed). My next mile wasn't great, but it will probably more likely simulate race day pace. I then stuck around for about an hour on the summit making those red blood cell.
Bowl of cereal upon return, three pieces (not normal pieces) of pizza for lunch. Fish and veggies for dinner. 2 bowls of cereal for a late night snack...damit! Oh yeh, and a couple of tortillas with jelly somewhere in there...damit again.
Work starts tomorrow so, which means a fair amount of food being provided to up for the first couple of days - wish me luck. I probably won't lose much this week since I'll also be carb-loading and salt-loading and water-loading this week.
Drove to the 14, 115' summit...again, saw a herd of mountain goats....again, stared at the clouds....again, figured they wouldn't throw bolts of lightning at me and headed down hill...again. I was the third car on the summit this time, although the toll plaza and parking lot were packed with runners getting organized to come up. I headed down to the 2 miles to go sign, peed off a nice rock, then headed up. My time from 2-1 was great (2 min. PR) and my time from 1 to finish was seconds off a PR, which is good considering the PR was set starting at the 1 to go. I then headed back down, helping out a few of the crews getting the trail in race condition (I mainly acted as a steam roller and packed down dirt and rock they had already moved, but I still contributed). My next mile wasn't great, but it will probably more likely simulate race day pace. I then stuck around for about an hour on the summit making those red blood cell.
Bowl of cereal upon return, three pieces (not normal pieces) of pizza for lunch. Fish and veggies for dinner. 2 bowls of cereal for a late night snack...damit! Oh yeh, and a couple of tortillas with jelly somewhere in there...damit again.
Work starts tomorrow so, which means a fair amount of food being provided to up for the first couple of days - wish me luck. I probably won't lose much this week since I'll also be carb-loading and salt-loading and water-loading this week.
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Wed - Thurs - Frid - Sat
Apparently the word "taper" has the same meaning to me as "nothing" because that was the amount of my workouts for Wed and Thurs. I did some work in my classroom, but not much else. I wouldn't say I ate completely for shitake, but I doubt it was any better than you ate...and you were in Vegas!!! I thought I was being good on Thursday as I bought a salad for lunch, in addition I bought a pack of 8 small bags of MM's. My thought was that I'd have the will power to limit myself to one bag a day, thereby taking care of the craving for sweets. Well so much for that theory, but at least I had a salad for lunch.
Friday I simply couldn't workout because our principal demanded.forced.made me/threatened that I had to go on a white water rafting trip with the new teachers for my first "official" day back at work. I did paddle, ate very little (until I got home) and even went for a couple of swims..on purpose. Oh yeh don't forget, all of that while holding a paddle and being weighed down by a PFD!
da da dada da da da (the Olympic theme song). With the exception of days when I'd drink a lot and be completely hung over the next day with nothing to do (obviously pre-POAAKs), today might have been the laziest day this household has ever had. Even the kids were lazy. Between the four of us I think we took 9 or 10 naps. We did nothing - except watch the Olympics!
Last big mountain workout tomorrow morning.
Friday I simply couldn't workout because our principal demanded.forced.made me/threatened that I had to go on a white water rafting trip with the new teachers for my first "official" day back at work. I did paddle, ate very little (until I got home) and even went for a couple of swims..on purpose. Oh yeh don't forget, all of that while holding a paddle and being weighed down by a PFD!
da da dada da da da (the Olympic theme song). With the exception of days when I'd drink a lot and be completely hung over the next day with nothing to do (obviously pre-POAAKs), today might have been the laziest day this household has ever had. Even the kids were lazy. Between the four of us I think we took 9 or 10 naps. We did nothing - except watch the Olympics!
Last big mountain workout tomorrow morning.
I'll never make the Olympics
Five AM came awful early this morning. Group did a 6 miler up in the foothills which was pretty nice; lotsa rain last night, so everything was nice and cool, even after the sun first came up. Mucho ups and downs, so my time was for shite, but given the abuse I'd just subjected myself to on the trip I guess I should just be glad that I was out there doing it.
Hit the crackhouse afterward for a smoothie, had some more fruit at home, and then a quick turkey wrap for a later lunch. Some pasta w/oil, olives and parmesan for dinner with a handful of Hot Tamales for dessert. Worth noting that I was doing some work at the 'rents this afternoon in the 90+ heat. Nothing strenuous, but by the time I was done, I was more tired and dried out than I had been after 6 miles this morning. Killed a 32oz G2 on the way home without even blinking.
Oh, and next week's big run? 16 miles. I'm gonna die.
Hit the crackhouse afterward for a smoothie, had some more fruit at home, and then a quick turkey wrap for a later lunch. Some pasta w/oil, olives and parmesan for dinner with a handful of Hot Tamales for dessert. Worth noting that I was doing some work at the 'rents this afternoon in the 90+ heat. Nothing strenuous, but by the time I was done, I was more tired and dried out than I had been after 6 miles this morning. Killed a 32oz G2 on the way home without even blinking.
Oh, and next week's big run? 16 miles. I'm gonna die.
Friday, August 8, 2008
Under the Century Mark
Back from Vegas. Most everything I predicted would happen did. Lost money. Ate poorly-ish:
Day 1: salad w/chicken breast for lunch, seafood buffet that night (at least fresh fish/shrimp/crab ain't exactly bad for you, right?), but mucho, mucho beer
Day 2: a grande chai from Starbucks, fruit plate at the cabana, shrimp burrito for lunch, grilled salmon sandwich for pre-show 'snack', and chicken quesadilla for post-show dinner; multi 'ritas at the pool and more than a few beers
Day 3: 6-inch cheesesteak for late breakfast/lunch; buffet at Planet Hollywood for dinner (easily the worst for me meal of the trip); many cheap beers (except for the $65 one at the Hilton) and cheap 'ritas; the good thing is we probably walked 10-15 miles on the day
Day 4: steak and eggs w/bloody mary for breakfast, smoothie at airport on way home, chicken fajita taco w/beans and rice for dinner
Training-wise, not the best effort, but there was some good news: broke down, bought the gym pass and got in two workouts on the treadmill (Vegas outdoors was a freakin' swamp - 100 degree days and wicked humid; reminded me of the worst days in DC back in the day). Made it a bit easier to eat and drink w/abandon. And avoided the usual carb loading that comes with a trip to Nine Fine Irishmen and ended up skipping the pasta at Battista's. Maybe next time if I can ever afford to go to Vegas ever again; place is getting crazy expensive.
Now, back to the grind with a vengeance. That trip to San Antonio is no longer a figment of my imagination.
Day 1: salad w/chicken breast for lunch, seafood buffet that night (at least fresh fish/shrimp/crab ain't exactly bad for you, right?), but mucho, mucho beer
Day 2: a grande chai from Starbucks, fruit plate at the cabana, shrimp burrito for lunch, grilled salmon sandwich for pre-show 'snack', and chicken quesadilla for post-show dinner; multi 'ritas at the pool and more than a few beers
Day 3: 6-inch cheesesteak for late breakfast/lunch; buffet at Planet Hollywood for dinner (easily the worst for me meal of the trip); many cheap beers (except for the $65 one at the Hilton) and cheap 'ritas; the good thing is we probably walked 10-15 miles on the day
Day 4: steak and eggs w/bloody mary for breakfast, smoothie at airport on way home, chicken fajita taco w/beans and rice for dinner
Training-wise, not the best effort, but there was some good news: broke down, bought the gym pass and got in two workouts on the treadmill (Vegas outdoors was a freakin' swamp - 100 degree days and wicked humid; reminded me of the worst days in DC back in the day). Made it a bit easier to eat and drink w/abandon. And avoided the usual carb loading that comes with a trip to Nine Fine Irishmen and ended up skipping the pasta at Battista's. Maybe next time if I can ever afford to go to Vegas ever again; place is getting crazy expensive.
Now, back to the grind with a vengeance. That trip to San Antonio is no longer a figment of my imagination.
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
1-1-1
I was at the Pikes Peak toll road gate 10 minutes after it opened and headed up the mountain. Saw a nice big herd/swarm/flock/gaggle/? of Bighorn sheep on the way up. The clouds looked a little scary but they cleared up on my way down for my 1st of three trips up from the mile to go sign. I had a nice workout and all said I did 6 miles above 13,500 feet. Hopefully the altitude training pays off next week.
2 slices of toast for B, a Schloskxkzsys SMALL sandwich for lunch and pasta for dinner. I feel like I had a few snacks in there as well, but I would put today at a 7/10. My plan is a workout Thursday, Saturday, Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday before Saturday's race.
They charge you to workout? Who wants to workout so much that they'll pay extra to do it?
2 slices of toast for B, a Schloskxkzsys SMALL sandwich for lunch and pasta for dinner. I feel like I had a few snacks in there as well, but I would put today at a 7/10. My plan is a workout Thursday, Saturday, Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday before Saturday's race.
They charge you to workout? Who wants to workout so much that they'll pay extra to do it?
Monday
Did nothing as far as working out and didn't eat the greatest: 1.5 breakfast burritos, and a few snacks and a big Jason's Deli salad (probably too big).
The 100 day mark is closing in on us FAST. Enjoy LV!
The 100 day mark is closing in on us FAST. Enjoy LV!
Now comes the minefield
Spent the last two days recovering from the 14 on Saturday. IT bands were really tight, especially any time I sat for any period of time (ie. work, class, home...pretty much any time I got up). Feel pretty good this morning, though. So of course, rather than going for a run, I'm headed to Vegas for 4 days. That's right, endless buffets, bottomless beers, lotsa sitting on the bunda time. This is not a good idea, training wise. I'm taking the running stuff, though. My goal is to get in at least two of the training runs this week done while I'm gone(with high's in the 100-106 range, I'm probably looking at treadmill time), maybe while everyone else is poolside. Because lord knows my beached-whale looking carcass doesn't need to be anywhere near the pool.
I'm sharing the portion control problem, and it's routinely coupled with the "I didn't have time to eat earlier when I should have, and now I'm starving and going to eat more than I should" syndrome. Not good. Hence the week's result. Hopefully, with class over now, I can get more regular about eating, doing training runs, and starting to hit the gym. Already have the 1st appointment with the trainer set for next week.
Anyway, I'm off for a few days to lose money and to try not to gain weight. I'm not too likely to succeed on either point.
Good luck with the Ascent training.
And though it's a bit late, RIP Bennigan's; underage beers rarely tasted so good.
P.S. Just checked out the hotel's site about it's fitness center - $19 per visit for hotel guests!!! They do give you the option of a $45 three day pass, though. Mighty big of them.
I hate Vegas.
I'm sharing the portion control problem, and it's routinely coupled with the "I didn't have time to eat earlier when I should have, and now I'm starving and going to eat more than I should" syndrome. Not good. Hence the week's result. Hopefully, with class over now, I can get more regular about eating, doing training runs, and starting to hit the gym. Already have the 1st appointment with the trainer set for next week.
Anyway, I'm off for a few days to lose money and to try not to gain weight. I'm not too likely to succeed on either point.
Good luck with the Ascent training.
And though it's a bit late, RIP Bennigan's; underage beers rarely tasted so good.
P.S. Just checked out the hotel's site about it's fitness center - $19 per visit for hotel guests!!! They do give you the option of a $45 three day pass, though. Mighty big of them.
I hate Vegas.
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Could I have done less?
I did watch some golf, but only because the US Senior Open was being played a few miles away here in town. I finished a book. Gave the kids a bath. Made dinner. That was the extent of my involvement in the day. We'll consider today a recovery day, and with the Ascent 13 days away, I need to be tapering anyway. I wouldn't say I ate too bad, but not great. I still need to work on PORTION CONTROL, probably my biggest enemy right now.
Sorry the 14er didn't go so well. You may need to a) carry more water then your belt can hold b) get there early and stash some that will be just for you or c) make the girlfriend be your personal aid station. Perhaps you need to simply go back to the basics..just water and some gels (that's all I've been doing since before Colfax, water, gels, and Ecaps and it seems to work well, it also makes those last few gels tolerable, which they were not when I was having gatorade too. Don't you hate the untrusted farts?
You're still doing great man! I'm interested in tomorrow's weigh in...for you, not me.
4 days of summer left:( Did I tell you I'm coaching 7th grade football this year? should be fun.
Sorry the 14er didn't go so well. You may need to a) carry more water then your belt can hold b) get there early and stash some that will be just for you or c) make the girlfriend be your personal aid station. Perhaps you need to simply go back to the basics..just water and some gels (that's all I've been doing since before Colfax, water, gels, and Ecaps and it seems to work well, it also makes those last few gels tolerable, which they were not when I was having gatorade too. Don't you hate the untrusted farts?
You're still doing great man! I'm interested in tomorrow's weigh in...for you, not me.
4 days of summer left:( Did I tell you I'm coaching 7th grade football this year? should be fun.
My Own Private Bataan
So it was pretty much everything I was afraid it was going to be and more. And of course most of it was probably my fault.
Flashing back to Friday night, we went out to celebrate the girlfriend's going away from the office. She's slated to start a new gig after the Vegas Run (already worried about the eating), so took her out to a watering hole to commemorate. I stayed away from the bad bar food save a stray chip and a single mozzarella stick, but the Guinness was calling my name and I had a pint. OK, maybe two. But then I got back to the water, so not too much damage, right? Of course the cold pizza when I got home sure as hell didn't help.
Got up at 5 Saturday morning, and already the insides were, uh...in turmoil. Had a cup of yogurt and some fruit, mixed up the Cytomax at 1/2 strength and headed out. We were a bit late to the meeting place and dashed from the car out to the trail. Got about a quarter-mile in when I had to make a pit stop. WARNING, NEXT FEW LINES FAIRLY EXPLICIT: You know when you're standing there draining the lizard when things around the corner 'shift' and you have to turn off the faucet for fear of other things happening? Yeah, that was me. So tucked everything back in its place and got back on the trail. Made pretty good time for the first 3-4 miles, but had to make another stop somewhere along mile 4 1/2 - 5 1/2. By this point, the tossing in the gut had turned to gas, but gas that couldn't be trusted, if you know what I mean. Also had learned that I do not like the Cytomax fruit punch; even mixed at only half the recommended strength, the stuff is sickeningly sweet, to the point that I need to rinse my mouth out with water after drinking the stuff. NOT what I'm looking for in a 'performance' drink.
So, made the halfway mark and looked forward to refilling the water bottles at the Igloos the coaches had set up. Since I'm almost always at the very back of the pack, I was worried that there might not be enough water, and my fears were pretty much realized. About 200 yards shy of the water station, saw some viejita, clearly not part of our group, walking her dog who decided to avail herself of the water. So she's walking away from the station when I get there and find just enough water in the two coolers to fill one of my 8 oz bottles. By now the sun was in full effect, the temps were probably already in the mid- to high-80's. And things just went downhill from there...
Sparing you the rest of the details, but time on this jaunt wasn't much better, if any, than the Colfax way back in June. One good thing; per the Garmin, burned nearly 2,100 calories. Had a smoothie later that morning, had a bowl of cereal with fruit for lunch, and then a shrimp/rice/cabbage burrito (REALLY good stuff; have to take CS there next time he's in ABQ) with an orange cream soda for dinner. And honestly I think that's all I had on the day.
But criminy did that run suck.
On a lighter note, welcome back, CS. Don't get to talk enough, so it's nice to have you back here.
Flashing back to Friday night, we went out to celebrate the girlfriend's going away from the office. She's slated to start a new gig after the Vegas Run (already worried about the eating), so took her out to a watering hole to commemorate. I stayed away from the bad bar food save a stray chip and a single mozzarella stick, but the Guinness was calling my name and I had a pint. OK, maybe two. But then I got back to the water, so not too much damage, right? Of course the cold pizza when I got home sure as hell didn't help.
Got up at 5 Saturday morning, and already the insides were, uh...in turmoil. Had a cup of yogurt and some fruit, mixed up the Cytomax at 1/2 strength and headed out. We were a bit late to the meeting place and dashed from the car out to the trail. Got about a quarter-mile in when I had to make a pit stop. WARNING, NEXT FEW LINES FAIRLY EXPLICIT: You know when you're standing there draining the lizard when things around the corner 'shift' and you have to turn off the faucet for fear of other things happening? Yeah, that was me. So tucked everything back in its place and got back on the trail. Made pretty good time for the first 3-4 miles, but had to make another stop somewhere along mile 4 1/2 - 5 1/2. By this point, the tossing in the gut had turned to gas, but gas that couldn't be trusted, if you know what I mean. Also had learned that I do not like the Cytomax fruit punch; even mixed at only half the recommended strength, the stuff is sickeningly sweet, to the point that I need to rinse my mouth out with water after drinking the stuff. NOT what I'm looking for in a 'performance' drink.
So, made the halfway mark and looked forward to refilling the water bottles at the Igloos the coaches had set up. Since I'm almost always at the very back of the pack, I was worried that there might not be enough water, and my fears were pretty much realized. About 200 yards shy of the water station, saw some viejita, clearly not part of our group, walking her dog who decided to avail herself of the water. So she's walking away from the station when I get there and find just enough water in the two coolers to fill one of my 8 oz bottles. By now the sun was in full effect, the temps were probably already in the mid- to high-80's. And things just went downhill from there...
Sparing you the rest of the details, but time on this jaunt wasn't much better, if any, than the Colfax way back in June. One good thing; per the Garmin, burned nearly 2,100 calories. Had a smoothie later that morning, had a bowl of cereal with fruit for lunch, and then a shrimp/rice/cabbage burrito (REALLY good stuff; have to take CS there next time he's in ABQ) with an orange cream soda for dinner. And honestly I think that's all I had on the day.
But criminy did that run suck.
On a lighter note, welcome back, CS. Don't get to talk enough, so it's nice to have you back here.
Saturday, August 2, 2008
I told you I'd be back
and I am! Let me recap my workouts for the past long while:
Friday 7/18 - altitude work at the top of PP, short mileage, but high intensity
Tuesday 7/22 - 95 min on the 'mill alternating between a jog and a incline power hike
Wednesday 7/23 - lots of bike riding (and one fall)
Thursday 7/24 - 49 min on a groomed trail. I bit slow, but I'm still trying to get back to the running and quick leg turnover
Saturday 7/26 - 2:10 min, about 11-12 miles. I felt OK but was a bit sore afterwards (the 2000 ft lower altitude helped a lot too
Monday 7/28 - Pikes Peak summit #2, 5:15. Great workout! I was about 40 minutes faster then summit #1 this year and this is my 2nd fastest time ever (fastest training run ever). I felt good the entire way.
Wednesday 7/30 - trail run pushing the jogging stroller. Did this run in 52 min (same run as last week) but considering I was pushing a 22 pound little girl and the stroller....
Thursday 7/31 - about four hours of bike riding in Denver with the family. Nice easy pace, but still pedaling nonetheless. I also had to carry my bike about 200 yards as I got a bad flat and had no repair stuff with me.
Saturday 8/2 - seven miles of altitude work on the PP summit. Lots of people up there training. My times were were i expected and more importantly it gave me three hour above 13,000 ft.
My eating seems to follow a similar pattern every week: do well for four days, do OK for two and do terrible for one. All the big family events are over so that should help some and work starts up again next week so I'll be back on a schedule. Tried on some clothes for the coming school year and for the most part I'm down to a size 38 ( a little tight) but 40's are too loose.
CS is out!
Friday 7/18 - altitude work at the top of PP, short mileage, but high intensity
Tuesday 7/22 - 95 min on the 'mill alternating between a jog and a incline power hike
Wednesday 7/23 - lots of bike riding (and one fall)
Thursday 7/24 - 49 min on a groomed trail. I bit slow, but I'm still trying to get back to the running and quick leg turnover
Saturday 7/26 - 2:10 min, about 11-12 miles. I felt OK but was a bit sore afterwards (the 2000 ft lower altitude helped a lot too
Monday 7/28 - Pikes Peak summit #2, 5:15. Great workout! I was about 40 minutes faster then summit #1 this year and this is my 2nd fastest time ever (fastest training run ever). I felt good the entire way.
Wednesday 7/30 - trail run pushing the jogging stroller. Did this run in 52 min (same run as last week) but considering I was pushing a 22 pound little girl and the stroller....
Thursday 7/31 - about four hours of bike riding in Denver with the family. Nice easy pace, but still pedaling nonetheless. I also had to carry my bike about 200 yards as I got a bad flat and had no repair stuff with me.
Saturday 8/2 - seven miles of altitude work on the PP summit. Lots of people up there training. My times were were i expected and more importantly it gave me three hour above 13,000 ft.
My eating seems to follow a similar pattern every week: do well for four days, do OK for two and do terrible for one. All the big family events are over so that should help some and work starts up again next week so I'll be back on a schedule. Tried on some clothes for the coming school year and for the most part I'm down to a size 38 ( a little tight) but 40's are too loose.
CS is out!
Friday, August 1, 2008
Is anyone else glad to see me?
Let me begin with several congrats to NM. First for the consistent blogging. Second, for the consistent good eating. Third for the the steady weight loss. At two pounds a week you'll drop another thirty prior to the 26.2. One piece of advice for your 14er this weekend: don't go out and eat 5000 calories in food during the rest of the day despite the fact that you'll be hungry. On the other hand, make sure you eat something to start the recovery process (they say PB and banana with a chocolate milk is the best. I need to run (no, not that kind of run) so I'll finish this manana.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
The Dog Days...
Got up and managed to hit the pavement this morning for a nice 40-minuter. I'm realizing more and more that the worst part is just getting out of bed in the morning. If I can make it out the front door, I'm almost immediately glad that I got out there and am getting it done. Gotta keep working on this in the coming days and months. Also jumped out at lunch and finally joined the gym, so hopefully in the days to come I can start going over there for lunch instead of eating for shite.
Had a breakfast burrito since I was out of the usual morning stuff, and killed off a small McD's cheeseburger (no really, the small one and that's it; no fries, no shake, no cherry pie, etc.) and a Keva smoothie for lunch, and then two slices of pizza for dinner. At some point I should probably think about adding up calories just to see what's going on. Thankfully, Saturday's trek alone will probably erase about a day's worth of eating.
Had a breakfast burrito since I was out of the usual morning stuff, and killed off a small McD's cheeseburger (no really, the small one and that's it; no fries, no shake, no cherry pie, etc.) and a Keva smoothie for lunch, and then two slices of pizza for dinner. At some point I should probably think about adding up calories just to see what's going on. Thankfully, Saturday's trek alone will probably erase about a day's worth of eating.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Another day lost
Alarm went off bright and early this morning, but just couldn't seem to get my arse moving early enough. Just made it to work as it was. Thought about hitting the pavement after work, but it was still so freakin' hot at 8:00 and I was starving so...try again manana.
Usual breakfast, 6" turkey subway at lunch, one of those charity candy bars midafternoon (c'mon, it was for charity), then a turkey/cheese wrap w/some milk for dinner. What an exciting life, no?
And is that countdown clock nearing the hundred day mark making anyone else a little nervous?
Usual breakfast, 6" turkey subway at lunch, one of those charity candy bars midafternoon (c'mon, it was for charity), then a turkey/cheese wrap w/some milk for dinner. What an exciting life, no?
And is that countdown clock nearing the hundred day mark making anyone else a little nervous?
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Up & Downer
Rolled out this morning and hit the pavement first thing. Legs felt a little tired most of the way, but turned out I was also running a bit faster that normal training run pace, so I guess that made sense. Running around my little corner or downtown is getting a bit tedious, so I'm going to have to start mixing it up and crossing some major streets it seems.
Breakfast was the usual, but knew ahead of time lunch was going to be my downfall. My new co-workers, one in particular, has fascination with a local Chinese buffet, and not one of the nicer ones. As you might imagine, I had too much orange/General Tso's chicken to be good for me, but at least I stayed away from the desserts. And the enchiladas (yeah, you read that right). Dinner was some hamburger helper with salad and a piece of pita bread. Went to bed a bit hungry, and that can't be a bad thing.
CS is apparently melting in the Colorado heat wave...
Breakfast was the usual, but knew ahead of time lunch was going to be my downfall. My new co-workers, one in particular, has fascination with a local Chinese buffet, and not one of the nicer ones. As you might imagine, I had too much orange/General Tso's chicken to be good for me, but at least I stayed away from the desserts. And the enchiladas (yeah, you read that right). Dinner was some hamburger helper with salad and a piece of pita bread. Went to bed a bit hungry, and that can't be a bad thing.
CS is apparently melting in the Colorado heat wave...
Monday, July 28, 2008
Rest Day...I guess
This morning came much too early and it was hard enough just getting out of bed in time for work, let alone for 50 minutes of running beforehand. Pretty much resigned myself to the fact that I wouldn't run after class either, so looks like I'm in for three straight days of training runs this week. Gotta get it done, because that Saturday of 14 is looming large.
Back on the path with the usual breakfast minus the string cheese, but supplemented with a banana and two sample size Lara bars that have been floating around since the Colfax Half. Had a citrus salad with a chicken breast at the Elephant Bar that was actually pretty good, considering chicken was closer to jerky; the walnuts, dried cranberries and bits of bleu cheese did the trick. Had a couple of Hershey's kisses mid-afternoon and a string cheese before class. And finally for dinner, killed a small portion of leftover spaghetti, a ciabatta roll made into garlic bread, a couple of tablespoons of peanut butter and some bits of beef jerky...really scavenging, apparently.
Gonna try and start sawing logs before 11 so I can hope to drag my arse outta the rack 5ish tomorrow. Try to put off that whole "road to hell..." adage for at least one day.
Wonder if CS is ever coming back?
Back on the path with the usual breakfast minus the string cheese, but supplemented with a banana and two sample size Lara bars that have been floating around since the Colfax Half. Had a citrus salad with a chicken breast at the Elephant Bar that was actually pretty good, considering chicken was closer to jerky; the walnuts, dried cranberries and bits of bleu cheese did the trick. Had a couple of Hershey's kisses mid-afternoon and a string cheese before class. And finally for dinner, killed a small portion of leftover spaghetti, a ciabatta roll made into garlic bread, a couple of tablespoons of peanut butter and some bits of beef jerky...really scavenging, apparently.
Gonna try and start sawing logs before 11 so I can hope to drag my arse outta the rack 5ish tomorrow. Try to put off that whole "road to hell..." adage for at least one day.
Wonder if CS is ever coming back?
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Welcome to the Swamp
NM is so freakin' humid right now, I long for the comfortable summer days I spent in DC. My clothes, the carpet in the house, even the bed all feel damp all the time, and I'm already dreading the coming electric bill after listening to the swamp cooler labor away non-stop for days. Makes doing any exercise outside that much more unpleasant, too. Thankfully, I didn't do squat in that vein on Sunday. Slept in, had a makeshift breakfast burrito for (late) breakfast, a few pieces of candy during the day, and a small cheeseburger with some pasta salad and watermelon for dinner. Maybe I can drop weight by just not eating, because going outside after 9am really sucks.
Can't wait for the 14 miles this Saturday...
Can't wait for the 14 miles this Saturday...
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Making like MacArthur
I have returned! The bronchitis has proven to be a much more tenacious foe than I expected, and because of it I haven't gotten in a good run in over a week. But today I'd had enough and decided I'd be damned if I was going to miss another Saturday run with the group. Bounced my fat arse out of bed at 0530 and met everyone at Tramway & Central an hour later for a leisurely 8 miles up to Comanche and back (and I do mean "up to Comanche"). In all, not too bad given that I hadn't run in a week and a half and was still coughing and hacking my way through the run (especially at the end). Beautiful overcast morning running along the base of the mountains with the clouds spilling over them. Only wish next week's 14(!!) was going to be in the same conditions. One thing worth noting: bought some Cytomax the other day since it's the drink sponsor for SA, figuring it'd be good to get used to it before the big day. Had heard that it was high in sugar and should only be used for really long runs, but still wasn't prepared for it this morning. The stuff is like drinking soda syrup. I'll be cutting the mix in half next week in the hopes that it'll be palatable, but wasn't too happy with it today.
After the run went to Flying Star to talk with other folks about San Antone plans, had a large OJ, a fruit/yogurt/granola parfait and half of girlfriend's bagel. Felt pretty proud of myself as everyone else was having eggs, potatoes, sausage, toast, etc. around us. See if I can do as well for the rest of the day.
Gotta admit, I missed the running.
After the run went to Flying Star to talk with other folks about San Antone plans, had a large OJ, a fruit/yogurt/granola parfait and half of girlfriend's bagel. Felt pretty proud of myself as everyone else was having eggs, potatoes, sausage, toast, etc. around us. See if I can do as well for the rest of the day.
Gotta admit, I missed the running.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Water World
Wife and I + 2 headed north to Water World today - we left the little little one home with Papa. Had a blast! Weather was great, it wasn't too crowded, were with some great friends and had FUN. I didn't get in a workout this AM, however unless I was sliding down a slide or floating in a river, I was on my feet and moving. I was also playing Sherpa and dragging tubes up hill...you know how that gravity thing works! I ate well with reasonably healthy snacks. We did stop at Taco Bell for dinner, but I ate off their diet menu for a total of 490 cal. I'm pretty proud of how today went.
Tomorrow kid #1 and I head off for a short little camping and playing trip!!! I should burn some calories and since I won't be taking up bad stuff to eat...I won't be able to eat badly.
Tomorrow kid #1 and I head off for a short little camping and playing trip!!! I should burn some calories and since I won't be taking up bad stuff to eat...I won't be able to eat badly.
The facts, nothing but the facts
Here it is, plain and simple: one pound equals 3500 calories burned (over calories brought in). The average male burns between 2500 and 3500 calories a day just staying alive (I'd put us closer to the 3500 mark). That means if I input, aka. eat, 2000 calories worth of food today I'll come out 1500 calories ahead. This means that in 2.5 days, I'll drop a pound. If I work out, take the stairs, play with kids, cut the grass, I might burn 5000 calories today and if I only eat 1500 calories, well then I lose one pound. That's essentially how the fatboys on the Biggest Loser lose so much weight. Many of them are burning 9000 -12000 calories a day and only putting in 3000-5000. That's a difference of + 7000 calories, or almost two pounds per day.
Of course you need calories, aka. energy, to burn calories and give yourself the required strength to workout, cut the grass, take the stairs etc.
The premise of weight lose is simple...now why can't I do it?
Of course you need calories, aka. energy, to burn calories and give yourself the required strength to workout, cut the grass, take the stairs etc.
The premise of weight lose is simple...now why can't I do it?
Monday, July 21, 2008
Quest for mono
So got up this morning to go to work and had a mild sore throat, but actually felt pretty good. Spent the night coughing, but I was finally coughing the junk out. The hot, steamy shower felt great and I was already thinking about trying to get in a training run after class.
By lunchtime I could tell something was wrong. Took the rest of the day off, came home, had two cups of tea with honey and went down for a nap. Woke up and felt like total arse. And it only got worse.
My throat is so sore, my ears hurt. Went to the doc; says I've got laryngitis and bronchitis. No work tomorrow, maybe none Wednesday, no running, no talking. Only good part is that when you can't swallow, you can't eat. Remind me: the next time Lisa says she's sick, STAY THE HELL AWAY FROM HER!
I really want to go for a run...
By lunchtime I could tell something was wrong. Took the rest of the day off, came home, had two cups of tea with honey and went down for a nap. Woke up and felt like total arse. And it only got worse.
My throat is so sore, my ears hurt. Went to the doc; says I've got laryngitis and bronchitis. No work tomorrow, maybe none Wednesday, no running, no talking. Only good part is that when you can't swallow, you can't eat. Remind me: the next time Lisa says she's sick, STAY THE HELL AWAY FROM HER!
I really want to go for a run...
Back on track...
...at least for today. Got in an awesome 90 minute workout this moring - yes NM, that would be at 6:30 this morning!
1 slice of toast for breakfast, a small salad for lunch (with a few bites of the kid's left over pizza) and despite going to Old Chicagos for dinner, I had a piece of grilled chicken with steamed vegitables...nada mas! No snacks today either! Of course it helps that there is absolutey no food in this house, compliments of being out of town 5 of the last 6 weekends (and 2 of the next 3).
Let's hope it can last.
1 slice of toast for breakfast, a small salad for lunch (with a few bites of the kid's left over pizza) and despite going to Old Chicagos for dinner, I had a piece of grilled chicken with steamed vegitables...nada mas! No snacks today either! Of course it helps that there is absolutey no food in this house, compliments of being out of town 5 of the last 6 weekends (and 2 of the next 3).
Let's hope it can last.
Bummer 1 and Bummer 2
I forgot to mention that I accomplished a first in my competitive running career last week. I came in last place in my age group. Despite this being my third running season, I appear to be going in the wrong direction. Now I wasn't last, just last in my age group, but still....it sucks!
The other bummer - my Monday weigh in. Despite it being almost a month to the day since my last weigh in, I'm headed in the wrong direction (see a pattern here?).
The other bummer - my Monday weigh in. Despite it being almost a month to the day since my last weigh in, I'm headed in the wrong direction (see a pattern here?).
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Weekend in Eastern Colorado
WTF - are you going to come down with mono next? My 6th graders don't even get pink eye (they used to get lice, but that was at a different school). Jemez dam road is pretty straight and lonely if I remember correctly, you could have run it with your eyes closed...puss.
Didn't run at all this weekend but I did drive from Col Sprgs 2.5 hour east and then 1 hour north to the spectacular town of Wray, Colorado. After the reunion we proceeded to drive another 90 minutes NW to Ft. Morgan, CO. the we got to do the 2.5 hour drive all the home today. Did I mention it was about 185 degrees in treeless, mountainless, shadeless eastern CO this weekend? That part sucked...as did my eating.
In case I needed more motivation, I didn't go swimming at the reunion because - you'll never guess this - I didn't want everyone to see my fat shirtless self out there. After scouting the area (the kids and wife all swam, I hung with the little sleeping one) I realized I was probably the fattest one at the pool - country boys are skinny!
Nice job on hitting the 280's!!!!
Didn't run at all this weekend but I did drive from Col Sprgs 2.5 hour east and then 1 hour north to the spectacular town of Wray, Colorado. After the reunion we proceeded to drive another 90 minutes NW to Ft. Morgan, CO. the we got to do the 2.5 hour drive all the home today. Did I mention it was about 185 degrees in treeless, mountainless, shadeless eastern CO this weekend? That part sucked...as did my eating.
In case I needed more motivation, I didn't go swimming at the reunion because - you'll never guess this - I didn't want everyone to see my fat shirtless self out there. After scouting the area (the kids and wife all swam, I hung with the little sleeping one) I realized I was probably the fattest one at the pool - country boys are skinny!
Nice job on hitting the 280's!!!!
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Grade-school days flashback
So this morning's run was a 12-miler along the Jemez Dam Road. Out past the San Felipe Casino, it was a 6 mile out and back from the dam itself, relatively downhill to start, and obviously uphill on the way back. It was a beautiful morning, with a great view of the mountains the whole way, the area and the air cleansed by the monsoon rains the night before. At least that's the way it was supposed to be, anyway.
I, however, spent the morning in the urgent care. Came home early Thursday and Friday afternoons because I was plainly coming down with a cold: sore throat, light headed/dizziness (probably a fever). First thought that a training run on Thursday would chase the faint bug out of me but that was not a wise choice. I felt really bad after that. Then Friday, the chest congestion. No big deal, right, so why the trip to the doc pm Saturday? Because I woke up at 4 something-ish on Saturday morning with the pinkeye. Yeah, that's right, THE FREAKING PINKEYE. Who gets the freakin' pinkeye? Ten year olds, that's who. I HATE the pinkeye. Of course, the fact that I spent all of last weekend with my girlfriend's sister who had, you'll never guess, a cold and the pinkeye, might have something to do with my current condition. So, between not being able to breathe right and not being able to open my eyes without the use of an industrial strength chemical solvent, I missed the run today.
But, dammit, sure would have been nice to get out there today.
I, however, spent the morning in the urgent care. Came home early Thursday and Friday afternoons because I was plainly coming down with a cold: sore throat, light headed/dizziness (probably a fever). First thought that a training run on Thursday would chase the faint bug out of me but that was not a wise choice. I felt really bad after that. Then Friday, the chest congestion. No big deal, right, so why the trip to the doc pm Saturday? Because I woke up at 4 something-ish on Saturday morning with the pinkeye. Yeah, that's right, THE FREAKING PINKEYE. Who gets the freakin' pinkeye? Ten year olds, that's who. I HATE the pinkeye. Of course, the fact that I spent all of last weekend with my girlfriend's sister who had, you'll never guess, a cold and the pinkeye, might have something to do with my current condition. So, between not being able to breathe right and not being able to open my eyes without the use of an industrial strength chemical solvent, I missed the run today.
But, dammit, sure would have been nice to get out there today.
Friday, July 18, 2008
Friday on the Peak
To sum up today: workout good - eating bad. The plan was to go up Pikes Peak to do some altitude work for next months race. One problem, the road was closed for the auto race practice. Instead I went to Crystal Res. and ran around the lake for about 45 minutes and then went and watched the Hill Climb practice for about 30 minutes before they opened the road. Once up I got two hours of work above 13,000 ft.
Now for the bad part. Sonic for lunch and Red Robin for dinner...nuff said. Stuff like that pisses me off. More bad news is that we're off to a family reunion tomorrow which is sure to include chips, cookies, and other bad picnic food. I'll do my best, keep your fingers crossed.
NM- how far is this weekends run?
Now for the bad part. Sonic for lunch and Red Robin for dinner...nuff said. Stuff like that pisses me off. More bad news is that we're off to a family reunion tomorrow which is sure to include chips, cookies, and other bad picnic food. I'll do my best, keep your fingers crossed.
NM- how far is this weekends run?
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Where have I been???
My bad, my very very bad! I realize I've been MIA for a few weeks now (this whole summer vacation thing doesn't lend too well for me keeping any sort of routine). Let me summarize the past few weeks: poor eating - little exercise. Not necessarily the formula for success.
Here are my workouts - as best I can remember:
7/13 - Barr Trail Mtn Race - 12 miles = I did OK, about 4 minutes off of last year's time, with most of the loss coming on the downhill.
7/5 - 1:40 run up and down the ski slopes/bike trails at Keystone - at elevation
7/4-7/6 - lots of little bike rides with Amy, don't worry NM, we didn't do the Dillon loop - saving that one for you! We did ride into Dillon and somehow emerged right in front of the brewery??? imagine that. Since it started raining we had to put the bikes on the bus and ride back to KS.
pre-7/4 - some treadmill work and a great 10 mile run with...... you'd never guess.
I actually think I'm going to start my marathon training prior to the Ascent. I'll still do my altitude work and my long weekend runs will be summits to the top, but I'm going to switch my weekday runs from treadmill incline power hikes to actual runs. My lack of running was evident this weekend as my legs, even on the downhill, didn't want to move!
I've also got to get back on the eating better bandwagon.
I'm afraid to weigh myself, therefore there is no new weight posted. I'll do it Monday.
Here are my workouts - as best I can remember:
7/13 - Barr Trail Mtn Race - 12 miles = I did OK, about 4 minutes off of last year's time, with most of the loss coming on the downhill.
7/5 - 1:40 run up and down the ski slopes/bike trails at Keystone - at elevation
7/4-7/6 - lots of little bike rides with Amy, don't worry NM, we didn't do the Dillon loop - saving that one for you! We did ride into Dillon and somehow emerged right in front of the brewery??? imagine that. Since it started raining we had to put the bikes on the bus and ride back to KS.
pre-7/4 - some treadmill work and a great 10 mile run with...... you'd never guess.
I actually think I'm going to start my marathon training prior to the Ascent. I'll still do my altitude work and my long weekend runs will be summits to the top, but I'm going to switch my weekday runs from treadmill incline power hikes to actual runs. My lack of running was evident this weekend as my legs, even on the downhill, didn't want to move!
I've also got to get back on the eating better bandwagon.
I'm afraid to weigh myself, therefore there is no new weight posted. I'll do it Monday.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Long time, no habla
So it's been a week, and it's been mighty quiet from both NM and CS. CS came down last week, negating some of the purpose of this little endeavor, but it's good to be disciplined, so I'm going to try and get this thing going again.
Since last post, only got in 2 of the training runs last week, but still ran the 10 miler on Saturday (CS ran a couple extra coming back after he was finished to help drag my happy arse along). Got in the first training run of the week in on Monday night (running at 9ish is still less than ideal...if no other reason that it's still freakin' hot out) and just got back from run #2 a few minutes ago. Glad to know I've only got the one left to do this week. And since I'm going to be out of town this weekend, already looking for a suitable trail run to replace the one I'll be missing here.
Eats: too much has passed in the last week, some of it best forgotten for our purposes here, so I'll just start again with today's comidas.
That ticker up in the corner of the page is starting to make me nervous.
Since last post, only got in 2 of the training runs last week, but still ran the 10 miler on Saturday (CS ran a couple extra coming back after he was finished to help drag my happy arse along). Got in the first training run of the week in on Monday night (running at 9ish is still less than ideal...if no other reason that it's still freakin' hot out) and just got back from run #2 a few minutes ago. Glad to know I've only got the one left to do this week. And since I'm going to be out of town this weekend, already looking for a suitable trail run to replace the one I'll be missing here.
Eats: too much has passed in the last week, some of it best forgotten for our purposes here, so I'll just start again with today's comidas.
That ticker up in the corner of the page is starting to make me nervous.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
It. Is. Hot.
Didn't want to drag myself out of bed this morning (I was really, really comfortable), so squeezed the 30 mins in after class tonight, which means I didn't get home until about 10. After grabbing a quick and small dinner and then a shower, it's 11 and time for the rack. Wow, some days I live a really exciting life, no?
Comidas: usual breakfast (there's that exciting life again), PB&J/carrots/trail mix/donut/string cheese for lunch (like how I buried that one in there?), chocolate milk mid-afternoon, and then small bowl of rotisserie chicken and rice for the late dinner.
I'm beat, so buenos noches. CS is coming to NM this weekend.
Comidas: usual breakfast (there's that exciting life again), PB&J/carrots/trail mix/donut/string cheese for lunch (like how I buried that one in there?), chocolate milk mid-afternoon, and then small bowl of rotisserie chicken and rice for the late dinner.
I'm beat, so buenos noches. CS is coming to NM this weekend.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Mining salt...
After sliding the weekend update in behind CS's most recent posts, kind of went into hiding. Apologies to any and all.
Monday: Skipped the run, had the usual breakfast, 6 inch ham/turkey sub/veggie chips/lemonade from Subway for lunch and a turkey wrap and some trial mix for dinner.
Tuesday: Ran first thing (gotta keep working on the getting up and doing this in the morning...so much easier the rest of the day); usual breakfast, pastrami sandwich for lunch, two (admittedly big) slices of pizza and iced tea for dinner
Hopefully more effusive in Wednesday's posting.
As for whether we need "friends" to justify the blog, I dunno. It's good that we're doing this if for no other reason than it makes us accountable to one another and to ourselves, which, given our daily individual schedules, would be difficult otherwise. Besides, my girlfriend has offered to 'befriend' us if we want a wider audience.
Monday: Skipped the run, had the usual breakfast, 6 inch ham/turkey sub/veggie chips/lemonade from Subway for lunch and a turkey wrap and some trial mix for dinner.
Tuesday: Ran first thing (gotta keep working on the getting up and doing this in the morning...so much easier the rest of the day); usual breakfast, pastrami sandwich for lunch, two (admittedly big) slices of pizza and iced tea for dinner
Hopefully more effusive in Wednesday's posting.
As for whether we need "friends" to justify the blog, I dunno. It's good that we're doing this if for no other reason than it makes us accountable to one another and to ourselves, which, given our daily individual schedules, would be difficult otherwise. Besides, my girlfriend has offered to 'befriend' us if we want a wider audience.
Monday, June 23, 2008
Friends
NM do we need friends? How lame are we blogging to each other? There surely has to be other fat guys out there that are trying to lose weight while trying to maintain their love for a good beer. We need to find them. (By "find them" I mean their blogs, I'm not specifically searching out fat men like you may be thinking).
Da 'mill and da 'hill
How nice is that title? I amaze myself sometimes. I need to catch up on my workouts. Last Thursday, my first day back after the family trip to Keystone I hit the treadmill (boring - yes, convenient - yes, no painful downhill back to the car - yes) for a 90 11% incline workout. The workout felt great, I felt great, the pace was great, and I even jogged the last few minutes just for fun. Took Friday off, though not by choice, as well as Saturday which was by choice as I rested up for Sunday. Sunday I did the Barr trail up about 7.5 miles to the bottomless pit. I pushed the uphill to Barr Camp and got my 2nd fastest (fastest non-race) time. Took it easy up to BP and the plan was to jog it all the way back down but.... I stopped at BC for awhile to chat and had a hard time getting going after that. Got down 4 minutes faster than I got up. I'm off today, but I'm hoping for a bike ride later this evening.
Does walking from the great Rockies seats we sat in Sat. night back UP to the concourse count as a workout?
Does walking from the great Rockies seats we sat in Sat. night back UP to the concourse count as a workout?
Weigh-in
Since I missed my normal Monday weigh-in last week since I was still on vacation, I weighed in the morning after we returned. 252, though not happy, I was afraid that it could have been worse since I only worked out once over that time. I immediately started my "food journal" and as always, was surprised how low my calorie intake was from Thursday through Sunday. As a result today's weigh-in was 249 (250 if I leaned really far forward, but that doesn't count). Hopefully I can continue this 2-3 pound a week drop for the next 2-3 weeks as I have a race coming up and would prefer not having to drag extra...OK, there will still be plenty of "extra"...up the mountain.
Nice going NM on the consistent drop. Do I hear the 280's knocking?
Nice going NM on the consistent drop. Do I hear the 280's knocking?
Back to the salt mines!
So I haven't run since Wednesday, had KFC Thursday night (it was calling me), spent Friday and Saturday on a steady diet of dogs/brauts/burgers/potatoes/eggs/bacon and Tecate Light (and FTR, I'm about convinced there is no alcohol in that beer, as it can be quaffed like water all day long with no apparent effects), did only mild and sporadic hiking, and stopped for a frybread in Jemez Pueblo coming home on Sunday. Highlight of the weekend, however, was Sunday morning, sitting by the campfire, shoveling french toast and bacon down the pie hole at 8 something in the morning and looking up to see a big ol' horking 4x4 working as a chase vehicle for a couple of Nigerians getting their work in on the nearby forest road. Criminy, did I feel fat and lazy seeing that. And come this morning and I STILL dropped a pound on the week?!?!? Whatever, not looking at this gift-horse any more closely and getting back on the wagon today.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Miercoles en NM
Got up and out a little bit earlier today than yesterday, got the run in and felt pretty good doing it. Wish I wasn't such the night owl that I could easily adjust to the pre-dawn call, but it's been a struggle so far. Hopefully it'll get easier in the coming days.
Eating: Usual for breakfast; had a turkey & swiss marketfresh sandwich from Arby's (no soda and NO CURLY FRIES...that one was tough), a string cheese and some Reese's Pieces for lunch; bowl of green chile stew and some fruit/nut trail mix for dinner. Funny, seems like in my head I ate too much on the day, but once I see it written down it doesn't look so bad. We'll see if that holds true come Monday.
Did they lose internet in CS like in that South Park episode?
Eating: Usual for breakfast; had a turkey & swiss marketfresh sandwich from Arby's (no soda and NO CURLY FRIES...that one was tough), a string cheese and some Reese's Pieces for lunch; bowl of green chile stew and some fruit/nut trail mix for dinner. Funny, seems like in my head I ate too much on the day, but once I see it written down it doesn't look so bad. We'll see if that holds true come Monday.
Did they lose internet in CS like in that South Park episode?
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
A nice start...bad finish
Somehow managed to drag myself out of bed first thing this morning and hit the road for a 40 minute trek. Since about the third week or so of the program, been trying to do the training runs non-stop, without the walk break at every mile that we've been doing on the long Saturday runs. Got to admit that 40 minutes impresses me; back in February, I was panting at the 5 minute mark.
Consumables: yogurt/grapefruit/8 oz box of chocolate milk (lotsa potassium) for breakfast; rice/cabbage/shrimp burrito for lunch (with side of tortilla chips...oof) for lunch; and same turkey wrap for dinner with more chips (thankfully they're gone) and some candy for dessert (thankfully, also gone).
Gonna try to do the first half of the day pretty much the same way tomorrow. Gonna try and not do the second half of the day the same way tomorrow.
Congrats C's. Eat it, Lakers.
Consumables: yogurt/grapefruit/8 oz box of chocolate milk (lotsa potassium) for breakfast; rice/cabbage/shrimp burrito for lunch (with side of tortilla chips...oof) for lunch; and same turkey wrap for dinner with more chips (thankfully they're gone) and some candy for dessert (thankfully, also gone).
Gonna try to do the first half of the day pretty much the same way tomorrow. Gonna try and not do the second half of the day the same way tomorrow.
Congrats C's. Eat it, Lakers.
Catching Up
NM, I played catch up with some older posts and they're listed in chronological order below.
Also, NICE job on the Monday weigh in!!! 2 lbs may not seem like a lot, but that adds up to 104 lbs a year!! I would have been shocked if you hadn't dropped some lbs this week, you ate pretty well. Me on the other hand, well we'll have to wait until Thurs AM when I get back to the scale. I'm not holding out for too much, but we'll see.
The Death Zone
Spent about six hours in the Death Zone today, aka - 11,300 feet. At that altitude the body begins to eat itself to survive. OK so I was about 15,000 lower than the real Death Zone, but you get the point. Visiting friends that live essentially at tree line outside of Breck. I was forced to discuss soccer, forced to drink a beer, and forced to climb up and down their driveway...which is long....and steep.... and at 11,300ft. Fried eggs (2), hash browns and toast in the AM, too many snack foods in the afternoon and sloppy Joe for dinner - with a beer. Woke up to work out in the AM, but instead I apparently realigned my nightgown and crawled back into bed...shameful, nothing more can be said.
Haven't had a soda in too many day, but our daughter finished her book and she doesn't have another one up here, so tomorrow I should be in the clear for one.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Monday, Monday...
Woke up early enough, but couldn't get moving to get out before work. After class, 8ish, it was still 90ish outside. Bagging it until Tuesday morning.
Eats: bowl of oatmeal w/raisins for breakfast; 6-inch turkey/ham Subway w/veggie chips and lemonade for lunch; turkey and cheese wrap and dried fruit/nut trail mix for dinner
I WILL be running tomorrow. And waiting for CS to return my call.
Eats: bowl of oatmeal w/raisins for breakfast; 6-inch turkey/ham Subway w/veggie chips and lemonade for lunch; turkey and cheese wrap and dried fruit/nut trail mix for dinner
I WILL be running tomorrow. And waiting for CS to return my call.
Sunday Sunday Sunday
My wife went for a run, so I HAD to stay back in bed with the kids. Had pancakes (probably too many) for breakfast, some pieces of rotisserie chicken and a tortilla for lunch and fajitas for dinner. Snuck in some pieces of beef jerky for a snack while watching the 2nd annual Outhouse races in Breck. All this in addition to walking around for five hours with a kids strapped to my back. Went for a 45 min. roller blade pushing a stroller outing in the pm. Not too bad a day.
Happy Pop's Day
Belatedly, at least. And welcome back.
Off day after Saturday's 9-miler. Bowl of cereal, toast for breakfast. Handful or so of chips during the golf/soccer games. Had a cherry lime slush from Sonic mid-afternoon, and had a green chile cheeseburger/beans/baked potato/slaw for dinner (went out with Dad, brother and the girlfriend).
Back on the trail Monday.
Off day after Saturday's 9-miler. Bowl of cereal, toast for breakfast. Handful or so of chips during the golf/soccer games. Had a cherry lime slush from Sonic mid-afternoon, and had a green chile cheeseburger/beans/baked potato/slaw for dinner (went out with Dad, brother and the girlfriend).
Back on the trail Monday.
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Saturday in NM
Dragged myself out of bed and wasn't feeling great. Guess the beer the night before didn't really agree with me. Was a bit worried I was going to have problem during the run, but everything settled down once we got going. At that point, I was just more worried about the run. Finished the nine miles without any real trouble, though not sure how much further I could've gone if this had been a longer one. Obviously, that was the workout for today.
Eats: couple of power blocks during the run, had a smoothie from Keva (love the Keva Juice) after the run, a ciabatta toasted with some cheese for lunch, had dinner at Scalo with the family (aunt from CS was in town) and ate linguini with shrimp and salmon, had a beer (Widmer) there and then a chai when everyone went for dessert afterward. Had three more Bud Lights w/Lime (much better than the regular swill flavor) at a houseparty afterward where we started planning a big group camping trip for next weekend. Avoiding the crap food there will muy dificil.
BTW, you booked tix for San Antone yet? And you gonna make Vegas?
Eats: couple of power blocks during the run, had a smoothie from Keva (love the Keva Juice) after the run, a ciabatta toasted with some cheese for lunch, had dinner at Scalo with the family (aunt from CS was in town) and ate linguini with shrimp and salmon, had a beer (Widmer) there and then a chai when everyone went for dessert afterward. Had three more Bud Lights w/Lime (much better than the regular swill flavor) at a houseparty afterward where we started planning a big group camping trip for next weekend. Avoiding the crap food there will muy dificil.
BTW, you booked tix for San Antone yet? And you gonna make Vegas?
BBQ Festival
The title alone should instill fear in this post, but I actually did OK...at the festival. I'm still at 9300 ft. so i figure I'm burning more calories than normal just staying alive up here. I did get up at 6:00 and went for an awesome 94 min. run. Jogged on a paved trail that followed a stream, went through parts of a golf course, around a small lake and by homes I'll never even be able to afford to stay at for a night. Weather was great - in the 60's - and I got back to the condo and everyone was still in bed asleep.
Had 2 1/2 pieces of French Toast for breakfast. The challenge came at the Frisco BBQ festival. Knowing that we were meeting some friends later in the day in Breckenridge (most likely to eat bad food and have some drinks) I approached the festival with caution. Is there a better smell then four city blocks packed with venders selling their very best BBQ? Fortunately since it was such an awesome day that tons of people were out, which equaled long lines, which equaled me not standing in them, which equaled me not getting any food. All I had was 2 dixie cup samples (brisket and pulled pork) and half of a sausage on a stick...oh yeh, and a Lite beer. Later in the day we met our friends and then badness happened - 2 more beers, and I split 1/2 a rack of ribs and a plate of nachos with my wife. I don't feel like I ate tons of it and if it helps any, that was also my dinner. I also walked a ton today. I did have a small bowl of ice cream while we watched Cars at bedtime.
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Friday Flashback #2
Not sure if I gave you a dattaboy, but good job avoiding the potluck, sometimes that's ust the easiest thing.
That's sorta what I meant with Roy and hazel, I've seen some blogs that have stuff on the right and left sides of the post.
Still up in Keystone with the family, crammed into a little condo - funny how 15 years ago we would have made this trip and crammed 5 guys and lots of beer into a condo like this. Now I'm cramming 1 guy, a wife, and 3 kids - but I did manage to get in 12 beers. BTW Sam Adams Summer Ale - good stuff!
1.5 bowls of cereal and 2 slices of toast with butter and jelly; turkey sandwich for lunch (with the cheese slice) and spaghetti for dinner (probably 2.5 servings). I did have two beers and some chips and dip.
No official workout but walked around for about 3 hours with a kid in a pack on my back, so that should count for something. FTR I haven't had this many beers over this many days in a long time - that alone should be motivation to get into shape...so I can drink more regularly.
Friday Flashback
Off day, resting for Saturday. Given that the judges were still out, some of us from the office took the opportunity to go to up to Santa Fe for a bit of a field trip. Got moving a bit late, and needed to meet the group for the trip, so didn't get in a breakfast. Our activities ran late, and didn't get to any lunch until 2ish. Had three shrimp tacos with rice and black beans (refried, unfortunately) and a beer. Got back to town and had to meet a group for Happy Hour where I had a total of three more pints of Guinness. On the bright side, avoided all of the nachos, chips & salsa, quesadillas, etc. that were floating around the table. Got home and had a tortilla with some turkey and a couple slices of cheese...a quesadilla, I guess. Chased it with an oatmeal raisin cookie and hit the rack, worrying about Saturday.
By the way, that what you meant about moving Roy and Hazel?
By the way, that what you meant about moving Roy and Hazel?
Friday, June 13, 2008
Travel Day
First off - any help on moving Roy and Hazel would be great - I know you can figure it out NM, not like you're working this week...wait, I can't throw that stone.
Well the plus side of Thurs would be that I never sat down, except for the 2.5 hours of driving. Up stairs, down stairs, carry this to the car, bring this back here, throw that on the luggage rack, check this room, did I pack that?, pick up that crying child, back down stairs, back up stairs... all why keeping my eye of Croatia x Germany game as I passed the TV (which my 10 yr. old daughter was joyfully watching, as well as parts of the next game).
The down side - fast food lunch, fast food snack (only 1 taco) and an ice cream. Dinner was reasonable, 3 tacos, all homemade and little cheese, no sour cream, drained the meat of the grease. Oh yeh, 2 beers, but no soda (a little bet with the same 10 yr. old - thank goodness the other two can't talk yet).
Went to the Dr. on Tues and he made a snippy comment when I indicated I was stuck around 250 - "you can't exercise your way out of bad eating." Jackass!
Now NM is eating like a champ - I suspect you'll drop on Monday!
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Thursday in NM
After the run in the noon heat yesterday, decided to get my fat arse out of the rack first thing this morning and get the work in, and boy, did it make a difference. Nice cool morning just after sunrise, averaged a better pace than I have in two weeks (interestingly, Pedro was not at all inclined to go with me this morning...looked at me like I was crazy for being up that early).
Eating: Usual breakfast. Sushi lunch. Crap dinner, but at least not a lot of it.
Off day tomorrow, got to get ready for the 9 miler on Saturday.
Eating: Usual breakfast. Sushi lunch. Crap dinner, but at least not a lot of it.
Off day tomorrow, got to get ready for the 9 miler on Saturday.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Hump Day in NM
Damn straight "Guinness...mmmm". Can't tell you how easily it went down and how difficult it was to not give it a chaser once we got to the game. That's right, ballgame with sausage, peanuts...and no beer. Sounds commie if you ask me. But still, it would've made me feel guilty if I'd had more with no running to counter it. Back to today...
Courts are closed Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of this week so the judges can have their annual meetings, so the office does a couple of days of training during that time. Last few years, we've also done a big potluck cookout on one afternoon of that break. Today was that day. Burgers, dogs, chips, dip and desserts everywhere. So I did what any fat guy that's trying to drop weight could do; I got the hell out of there. Went home and got in my 30 minutes of roadwork. Took the dog with me for the first time and actually ran faster than normal, which was good, but don't think I'll do the midday thing again until Fall. Running in 90 degree weather suuuuuuucks.
Eating: usual breakfast, burger with lettuce ketchup (no cheese), two small pieces of boudin (basically cajun dirty rice in a sausage casing), some salad and two cookies for lunch, and stroganoff on rice w/peas and carrots and a Bud Light w/lime for dinner.
G'luck in the hill country, CS. Blog at ya on your return. We'll be watching Euro Cup for you while you're gone.
Courts are closed Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of this week so the judges can have their annual meetings, so the office does a couple of days of training during that time. Last few years, we've also done a big potluck cookout on one afternoon of that break. Today was that day. Burgers, dogs, chips, dip and desserts everywhere. So I did what any fat guy that's trying to drop weight could do; I got the hell out of there. Went home and got in my 30 minutes of roadwork. Took the dog with me for the first time and actually ran faster than normal, which was good, but don't think I'll do the midday thing again until Fall. Running in 90 degree weather suuuuuuucks.
Eating: usual breakfast, burger with lettuce ketchup (no cheese), two small pieces of boudin (basically cajun dirty rice in a sausage casing), some salad and two cookies for lunch, and stroganoff on rice w/peas and carrots and a Bud Light w/lime for dinner.
G'luck in the hill country, CS. Blog at ya on your return. We'll be watching Euro Cup for you while you're gone.
Wednesday in CS
Guiness...mmmmmmm. It is an extremely low cal and healthy beer - just for the record. How many peanuts constitutes a "handfull"? Is this like the golf shop that gives you as many tees as you can grab in a "handfull" for $1? If that's the case...
...you probably still did better than me.
The bad news probably starts tomorrow as the family and I head up to the mountains for a week. The bad news is that we are taking a lot of snacks - for the kids of course. The good news is that we'll be out and about a lot, which will include lots of walking (at 9000 ft.), lots of biking (at 9000 ft.) and lots of hiking (at 9000 ft). In addition, I'll most likely have a 30 lb 2 yr old in a pack on my back for most of this. I'll probably have a few more drinks than I usually do, but hopefully the activeness will make up for it.
No workout today, my left leg is a little sore and the last thing I can afford is an injury that might put limits on me. Hopefully I can squeeze in a PM workout tomorrow and then a Friday, lon Sunday and a Tuesday workout...all at 9000 ft.
2 bowls of cereal (thankfully it is all gone now), PB&J for lunch and some Mac n cheese during the afternoon. A few snacks, but nothing too bad (but again, nothing as good as NM's snacks). Dinner hasn't happened yet, but we're headed out soon for the evening (US x Brazil womens volleyball game) and may not get another chance.
Hopefully we take the 'puter with us so I can continue this blog over the next week, if not I'll play catch up when we get back.
...you probably still did better than me.
The bad news probably starts tomorrow as the family and I head up to the mountains for a week. The bad news is that we are taking a lot of snacks - for the kids of course. The good news is that we'll be out and about a lot, which will include lots of walking (at 9000 ft.), lots of biking (at 9000 ft.) and lots of hiking (at 9000 ft). In addition, I'll most likely have a 30 lb 2 yr old in a pack on my back for most of this. I'll probably have a few more drinks than I usually do, but hopefully the activeness will make up for it.
No workout today, my left leg is a little sore and the last thing I can afford is an injury that might put limits on me. Hopefully I can squeeze in a PM workout tomorrow and then a Friday, lon Sunday and a Tuesday workout...all at 9000 ft.
2 bowls of cereal (thankfully it is all gone now), PB&J for lunch and some Mac n cheese during the afternoon. A few snacks, but nothing too bad (but again, nothing as good as NM's snacks). Dinner hasn't happened yet, but we're headed out soon for the evening (US x Brazil womens volleyball game) and may not get another chance.
Hopefully we take the 'puter with us so I can continue this blog over the next week, if not I'll play catch up when we get back.
Tuesday in CS
Nice job eating NM!! Count the calories one day and let me know what that totals - your diet (in the food-you're-eating sense, not the I'm-a-chick-trying-to-lose-wight-without-doing-anything definition of diet) sounds like a good plan to follow. I've noticed that I'm eating a lot more for breakfast than during the school year, mainly because...well I have no where to be until August! I need to work on that.
As far as my workout, I did 1:01 hours up the trail and about 31 minutes down. Felt pretty good even though my legs were still a little heavy from Sunday. Overall, a great workout for midweek.
As for eating, I need to go back to my old reliable trick that I use every time I fall off the wagon - write down everything I put in my math - before I put it in my mouth - and record the calories, while trying to stay under a certain total - right now that would be about 2500. The benefit of writing it down before I put it in my mouth is that I may stop once I realize that the little snack has 90 cals per serving and the whole bag has 4 servings, I may not eat it.
That said, I don't think I ate real well. Too many cereal refills, a big Chile's chicken salad for dinner and something I can't remember for lunch. Of course there were snack throughout the day and an extra bowl of cereal somewhere in there. This will get easier once I start writing everything down as I eat it - instead of trying to remember the following day.
As far as my workout, I did 1:01 hours up the trail and about 31 minutes down. Felt pretty good even though my legs were still a little heavy from Sunday. Overall, a great workout for midweek.
As for eating, I need to go back to my old reliable trick that I use every time I fall off the wagon - write down everything I put in my math - before I put it in my mouth - and record the calories, while trying to stay under a certain total - right now that would be about 2500. The benefit of writing it down before I put it in my mouth is that I may stop once I realize that the little snack has 90 cals per serving and the whole bag has 4 servings, I may not eat it.
That said, I don't think I ate real well. Too many cereal refills, a big Chile's chicken salad for dinner and something I can't remember for lunch. Of course there were snack throughout the day and an extra bowl of cereal somewhere in there. This will get easier once I start writing everything down as I eat it - instead of trying to remember the following day.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Tuesday's Gone
Not a great day training-wise, but not the bust of which I was afraid. Because of what was coming later in the day, I was really careful during the rest of the day. Had the usual yogurt/grapefruit/string cheese for breakfast. Had half a turkey and swiss sandwich, a small cup of seafood bisque and a small chocolate chip cookie for lunch. That's it. Even picked up a piece of candy in the office, but ended up giving it away rather than eating myself. (As an aside, like CS mentioned, you never realize how much junk food is out there until you're making an effort to stay away from it; for him it's kid's snacks, for me it's the candy bowls scattered throughout the office.) All in all, a good day, healthy-eating-wise. Then came the after-work festivities...
I knew yesterday that I was going to the 'topes game tonight and was very worried about the culinary minefield awaiting me. Adding to that, guys I was going with met at the nearby BBQ joint for a beer beforehand. Caught up with them there, went to the game and got out of the whole affair relatively unscathed: pint of Guinness, hot Italian sausage with peppers and onions and a few handfuls of roasted peanuts. Not great, but not nearly as bad as I was worried about.
No running today, but back after it tomorrow. CS?
I knew yesterday that I was going to the 'topes game tonight and was very worried about the culinary minefield awaiting me. Adding to that, guys I was going with met at the nearby BBQ joint for a beer beforehand. Caught up with them there, went to the game and got out of the whole affair relatively unscathed: pint of Guinness, hot Italian sausage with peppers and onions and a few handfuls of roasted peanuts. Not great, but not nearly as bad as I was worried about.
No running today, but back after it tomorrow. CS?
Monday, June 9, 2008
Monday in NM
Like my compadre, I was a little bummed by the Scale Experience this morning. Been running (slowly, but still) for almost 4 months now, and haven't dropped much to speak of. Pants feel different, belt is two or three notches smaller, but the numbers haven't really budged. Maybe the Big Brother-feel of this little experiment will help.
Workout: Got in my 30 minute training run at about 9pm tonight. Couldn't get moving early enough this morning and had class right after work, so that was the earliest I could do. So that's good. Meant I didn't eat dinner until almost 10. Not so good.
Eats: Had a yogurt, a cup of grapefruit and a stick of string cheese for breakfast. Turkey & Swiss sandwich (mustard, don't dig the mayo), carrots and a string cheese for lunch, another string to take the edge off at 3ish, a diet green tea during class, and then a salad with tuna and oil and balsamic for dinner. Did break down and had the cookie for dessert. Overall, not too bad.
Unfortunately, tomorrow doesn't look as promising...
Workout: Got in my 30 minute training run at about 9pm tonight. Couldn't get moving early enough this morning and had class right after work, so that was the earliest I could do. So that's good. Meant I didn't eat dinner until almost 10. Not so good.
Eats: Had a yogurt, a cup of grapefruit and a stick of string cheese for breakfast. Turkey & Swiss sandwich (mustard, don't dig the mayo), carrots and a string cheese for lunch, another string to take the edge off at 3ish, a diet green tea during class, and then a salad with tuna and oil and balsamic for dinner. Did break down and had the cookie for dessert. Overall, not too bad.
Unfortunately, tomorrow doesn't look as promising...
Monday CS
Started the day off a little bummed by my weight. Although it hasn't changed since Saturday, it hasn't changed since last Monday (my usual weigh-in day) either. I thought I had a pretty good week working out and a better than usual week eating. Hopefully, I'll see a better result next week.
Today was a rest day so I didn't work out. My knees are a little sore, but running 6 miles downhill will do that to a Fatboy.
Eating: Scrambled eggs (2) with ham and a little cheese. Small personal pizza (not as bad as it seems, only 270 cal.) I did real well not getting anything at Sonic when I stopped there to get a drink for my son. I did have a milkshake in the afternoon and 2-3 servings of a tuna casserole for dinner. Did pretty well on the snacks, then again I was out of the house for several hours with the kids.
One problem being a teacher is that during the summer it's very easy to get up and get food when you get hungry. During the school year, well...I'm stuck in class and going somewhere to get a snack really isn't an option. Waiting to see how NM did today knowing he'd have to divulge his eating record. Nice job on the 8 miles, only 18 more by November...watch out Kenyans!!
Today was a rest day so I didn't work out. My knees are a little sore, but running 6 miles downhill will do that to a Fatboy.
Eating: Scrambled eggs (2) with ham and a little cheese. Small personal pizza (not as bad as it seems, only 270 cal.) I did real well not getting anything at Sonic when I stopped there to get a drink for my son. I did have a milkshake in the afternoon and 2-3 servings of a tuna casserole for dinner. Did pretty well on the snacks, then again I was out of the house for several hours with the kids.
One problem being a teacher is that during the summer it's very easy to get up and get food when you get hungry. During the school year, well...I'm stuck in class and going somewhere to get a snack really isn't an option. Waiting to see how NM did today knowing he'd have to divulge his eating record. Nice job on the 8 miles, only 18 more by November...watch out Kenyans!!
Sunday for CS
Nice to see NM decided to join me. I can only imagine how many beers and chips he enjoyed watching a 0-0 soccer game. I'll excuse him because he didn't know this was coming, sort of how neither of us knew how 300 lbs was coming, or how on May 18th we'd run/walk/shuffle a combined 39.3 miles that day. Nonetheless, here we are.
Workout: 12 mile roundtrip up the Barr trail to Barr Camp. Some running, lots of power hiking, and tons of calories burned. I'm off my mark from last year, but this was my first trip up this summer so I'm OK with it. All said and done it was about a 4 hour voyage (note: if you are new to this running/exercise thing, build up to this amount of time, I didn't get to 4 hours overnight).
Eating: once again this proved to be my downfall. Had 2 slices of toast with PB before my workout. Chicken salad for lunch, (now the bad stuff) 1 sl. of bread with PB at about 3, then a bowl of cereal at about 4. Soon after that I had another one of those darn cookie snack bags (the bad things about having 3 little kids is that there are always snacks around). For dinner I had rice, green beans and baked fish - overall a pretty healthy dinner, despite my 2 too many servings of rice. I did have 2 glasses of chocolate milk - blaming it on the kids again. Oh yeh, I had a Nutroll as a mid-workout snack on the trip back down the mountain.
Overall, well the problem is that I need to stay busy because when I'm sitting around the house - I tend to get hungry = eating.
Workout: 12 mile roundtrip up the Barr trail to Barr Camp. Some running, lots of power hiking, and tons of calories burned. I'm off my mark from last year, but this was my first trip up this summer so I'm OK with it. All said and done it was about a 4 hour voyage (note: if you are new to this running/exercise thing, build up to this amount of time, I didn't get to 4 hours overnight).
Eating: once again this proved to be my downfall. Had 2 slices of toast with PB before my workout. Chicken salad for lunch, (now the bad stuff) 1 sl. of bread with PB at about 3, then a bowl of cereal at about 4. Soon after that I had another one of those darn cookie snack bags (the bad things about having 3 little kids is that there are always snacks around). For dinner I had rice, green beans and baked fish - overall a pretty healthy dinner, despite my 2 too many servings of rice. I did have 2 glasses of chocolate milk - blaming it on the kids again. Oh yeh, I had a Nutroll as a mid-workout snack on the trip back down the mountain.
Overall, well the problem is that I need to stay busy because when I'm sitting around the house - I tend to get hungry = eating.
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Sunday: Blindsided. Again.
So he's done it again.
A little background. CS Fatboy and I have known each other since...well, Reagan was still in office. We were always bigger guys, but when we hit our 30's, things got outta control as we both neared the 300# mark (or even surpassed it...the shame). As he describes in his profile, a few years ago he gets on the horse, starts running every chance he gets, tells me he's going to run the Pike's Peak Ascent and wants me to do it with him. I agree, cause hell, it's like January when we're talking about it. August comes around, I've done little or nothing in preparation (including not registering), so I end up driving to the top to meet him on the Peak when he's done. He just about nails his goal time. I'm inspired, so I go home and start working hard. For about three weeks.
Next year, same story, though this time I actually tried to sign up. Seems the system used to register crashed, nobody got in, and I missed the deadline when the 'puters were fixed and everything went live again. Race day comes, and again I'm driving to the top to meet CS, and this time I'm feeling more than a little ashamed. I'm inspired, so I go home and start working hard. For about four weeks.
Brings us to Christmas '07. My "best friend" calls to tell me that as a Christmas gift, he's signed me up for a half-marathon. Though I suspect that he's trying to kill me (at that point, I'm probably 305 and haven't run more than 30 feet in three years), I suck it up. Joined a local Saturday morning running group that gets me out of bed, off the couch and moving. Finally. Race day comes, and I actually finish the half. My right calf cramps so bad I almost fall over and I get silver-dollar sized blisters on the balls of my feet, but I finished. I'm by no means setting any speed records (3:29 in the half), but I'm out there and I'm doing it. And I actually talk CS in to doing the Rock n Roll in San Antonio this November. Yeah, that's right, the whole 26.2 of it. So I've finally seized the initiative back from him. Right?
So this afternoon's an off day. Ran 8 miles with the running group yesterday , so I'm enjoying the off-day. I'm sitting down to watch the USA/Argentina soccer match, and CS calls to let me know about this little blog project. Tells me that, in order to mark our progress and encourage each other, we're going to catalog our training and what we've eaten each day. Tells me this as I'm sitting in my chair, beer in one hand, bowl of chips in the other, waiting to enjoy the game. I really hate that guy.
So I'm going to try and enjoy the rest of the game and my day. No training/food info today, CS will just have to deal. I'll be back tomorrow, with far fewer words and more real info. Ya basta.
A little background. CS Fatboy and I have known each other since...well, Reagan was still in office. We were always bigger guys, but when we hit our 30's, things got outta control as we both neared the 300# mark (or even surpassed it...the shame). As he describes in his profile, a few years ago he gets on the horse, starts running every chance he gets, tells me he's going to run the Pike's Peak Ascent and wants me to do it with him. I agree, cause hell, it's like January when we're talking about it. August comes around, I've done little or nothing in preparation (including not registering), so I end up driving to the top to meet him on the Peak when he's done. He just about nails his goal time. I'm inspired, so I go home and start working hard. For about three weeks.
Next year, same story, though this time I actually tried to sign up. Seems the system used to register crashed, nobody got in, and I missed the deadline when the 'puters were fixed and everything went live again. Race day comes, and again I'm driving to the top to meet CS, and this time I'm feeling more than a little ashamed. I'm inspired, so I go home and start working hard. For about four weeks.
Brings us to Christmas '07. My "best friend" calls to tell me that as a Christmas gift, he's signed me up for a half-marathon. Though I suspect that he's trying to kill me (at that point, I'm probably 305 and haven't run more than 30 feet in three years), I suck it up. Joined a local Saturday morning running group that gets me out of bed, off the couch and moving. Finally. Race day comes, and I actually finish the half. My right calf cramps so bad I almost fall over and I get silver-dollar sized blisters on the balls of my feet, but I finished. I'm by no means setting any speed records (3:29 in the half), but I'm out there and I'm doing it. And I actually talk CS in to doing the Rock n Roll in San Antonio this November. Yeah, that's right, the whole 26.2 of it. So I've finally seized the initiative back from him. Right?
So this afternoon's an off day. Ran 8 miles with the running group yesterday , so I'm enjoying the off-day. I'm sitting down to watch the USA/Argentina soccer match, and CS calls to let me know about this little blog project. Tells me that, in order to mark our progress and encourage each other, we're going to catalog our training and what we've eaten each day. Tells me this as I'm sitting in my chair, beer in one hand, bowl of chips in the other, waiting to enjoy the game. I really hate that guy.
So I'm going to try and enjoy the rest of the game and my day. No training/food info today, CS will just have to deal. I'll be back tomorrow, with far fewer words and more real info. Ya basta.
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Saturday
Exercise: today was a rest day so I did nothing... but I've got a big workout scheduled for tomorrow.
Eating:
9:30 - banana - ate a little late considering I had been up for several hours by this point, we'll blame it on life.
12:00 - an orange and a ham and cheese sandwich (left off the mayo).
2:00 - three cookies at the soccer party - considering what all was available, I suppose this could have been much worse...
5:00 - ...and so it was. Had two little bags of some type of cookie snack - that's what happens when I'm sitting on my butt watching horse racing in the middle of the afternoon after a day in the sun.
8:00 - 2 cobs of corn, one hamburger bun, and two servings of sloppy joe's. I've now had ground beef two days in a row. I also feel that I ate a little late tonight. On a positive note, I boiled the ground beef and drained/rinsed it to decrease the fat (and taste).
Overall not a bad day - big workout tomorrow!
Eating:
9:30 - banana - ate a little late considering I had been up for several hours by this point, we'll blame it on life.
12:00 - an orange and a ham and cheese sandwich (left off the mayo).
2:00 - three cookies at the soccer party - considering what all was available, I suppose this could have been much worse...
5:00 - ...and so it was. Had two little bags of some type of cookie snack - that's what happens when I'm sitting on my butt watching horse racing in the middle of the afternoon after a day in the sun.
8:00 - 2 cobs of corn, one hamburger bun, and two servings of sloppy joe's. I've now had ground beef two days in a row. I also feel that I ate a little late tonight. On a positive note, I boiled the ground beef and drained/rinsed it to decrease the fat (and taste).
Overall not a bad day - big workout tomorrow!
Friday, June 6, 2008
Saturday's Workout
Workout: Woke at 5:00 am - great summer vacation schedule huh? - and headed to Manitou Springs to take on the Incline today. My original goal was to go from Hydro to the 7.8 sign on the Barr trail (about 4.5 miles and a 2500 ft. elevation gain), but I had a soccer game to get to so I had to adjust to a shorter workout - which I suppose is better than no workout. Did the Incline, starting at the fence, in 43:51, about five minutes off my record, which is OK since today is an "easy" day.
Eating:
pre-workout - 1 slice of toast with PB
8:15am - 1 bowl cereal
12:00 - 1 can of diet Pepsi, turkey/cheese sandwhich
3:15pm - steak philly, fries and soda (very bad)
5:00pm - bowl of cereal
8:00pm - cheeseburger and diet soda
Overall, not a very good afternoon/evening. This is exactly the point of this blog!
Eating:
pre-workout - 1 slice of toast with PB
8:15am - 1 bowl cereal
12:00 - 1 can of diet Pepsi, turkey/cheese sandwhich
3:15pm - steak philly, fries and soda (very bad)
5:00pm - bowl of cereal
8:00pm - cheeseburger and diet soda
Overall, not a very good afternoon/evening. This is exactly the point of this blog!
Opening Day
Starting off this blog to help motivate myself and NM Fatboy to get in shape... and stay in shape! My hopes are to include my workouts and my food intake for the day and have my good NM friend share the same, thereby adding a little peer pressure to our day.
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