Doing What's Good

Have you ever exercised and thought, "I wish I wouldn't have done that."?

On the other hand, have you ever ate a Big Mac and thought, "I'm glad I ate that."?

Seems like a simple solution. Skip the Big Mac and go for a run.

Getting My Run in on a Sunday Morning

It's been a long time coming, but I woke up, got my butt out of bed, and ran seven miles this morning. It's noon on Sunday, and I'm not worrying about getting my work in today. That is awesome.

Now, it wasn't the best run. The Girl got up at the same time I did, so I was running on the treadmill and babysitting at the same time. Playing peekaboo with Kermit the Frog is a good way to determine if you're in an aerobic heart zone. Stopping my run a couple times to go potty let me fill up my water bottle. Watching Mickey Mouse Club isn't as motivating as a sports show, but the hot dog dance is catchy. It's all about perspective. Instead of being upset that I didn't do better than 9:30 miles, I'm happy that I did something. I know that will make me stronger the next run.

Back in the Weight Room and Loving It!

During my training for the Chicago Triathlon, I had stopped lifting weights in order to focus on the rest of my training. Fitting in three runs, three bike rides, two swims and two lifting sessions seemed a little daunting. Now that the tri is over, I'm ready to get back in the weight room.

I love lifting weights; it is my favorite exercise. Throwing iron around is a great way to relieve the frustrations of the day. Also, whenever I've had a good lift, I feel strong, fit and confident. I love that little bit of soreness that tells you you worked hard, and that your body is busy getting stronger.

Getting back into weights has been a problem, though. First of all, I had my finger incident, which is better now. It's still not completely healed, but can be bandaged and managed. The harder problem has been waking up in the morning. When we were on a regular lifting schedule in the spring, the Misses and I would wake up at 4:30. Once you get in the pattern of waking up early, it's not as bad as you think. Your body adjusts, you go to bed earlier, and you get used to the routine. When you aren't in that routine, whoa Nellie, it is not easy to get back in it. This morning was the fifth morning (or forth or sixth, I wasn't really counting) that the Misses and I turned off the alarm. I get cranky when I don't get my work in, and I know it. For that reason, I really try to wake up, but it just hasn't happened. I've tried making commitments to myself and going to be early. Anyway- I missed my morning lift today.

Normally, we try to make up missed workouts in the evening, but my folks are coming to visit tomorrow. The Misses laid out the prorities; 1) clean the house, 2) the Boy's homework, 3) bathe children, 4) set up the guest room, and 5) exercise. I got home and put on workout clothes to motivate myself to workout. Then I busted my ass getting one through four done. Since we got it all done, I was able to lift!

I'm gonna pay for it tomorrow. When I was on a regular lifting schedule, I wouldn't get that sore after a session. Now that I've laid off the weights for four months, I know that it'll be hard to walk tomorrow. It's worth it though, because I know that once I get through the initial soreness, I'll feel much better, and I'll get my body like Bond.

I'm also going to start setting am alarm across the room to make me get out of bed!

Post Race Blues - What to do after the event

After completing the Chicago Triathlon two weeks ago, I've been taking it easy with my exercising.  I've been running, but nothing more than five miles.  I rode my bike once, and I haven't been to the pool.  This morning, when I woke up, I didn't want to exercise at all.  So, what did I do?  I didn't do anything.

I know, it's not very motivating.  But I have spent the day trying to diagnose what I need to get back in the saddle.  I've decided that the only way to compensate for the post race lack of motivation is to sign up for a new race.  Since it's near the end of the triathlon season, there aren't any more real tris to sign up for. I figure this is time to accomplish a goal I've tabled for some time, I plan to run the 8 Mile YMCA Turkey Trot in Dallas.  When I first started running 10 years ago, the 3 mile race at the Turkey Trot was my big goal.  Although I did the Capital 10,000 back in 2002, I was never able to bridge the gap for the last two miles.  I figure it's time to give it a shot.

Hal Higdon's Intermediate Training Program for a race of this distance is a 10 week program.  Since the race in on November 24, the training program starts the middle of next week!  Perfect.  Time to get back to it, but only after I eat the brownies the Misses is making.  They smell delicious.

In Honor of NFL Preseason - Challenge 2 False Start

Yesterday, I announced my intention to start a second Body-for-Life Challenge.  Unfortunately, I didn't anticipate this:

It's kind of hard to bench press with a splint on your finger, so C2 will start tomorrow with Cardio.  Hopefully, I can take the splint off and lift on Thursday.

I'm betting you're wondering why I have a splint on my finger.  On Labor Day, about 9am, I was washing dishes.  I was trying to be real thorough and attack the rust on one of our kitchen knives.  The knife didn't appreciate this and attacked back.  The cut was so bad, it was still bleeding a bit this morning when I woke up.  I went to a Walgreen's Take Care Clinic, which on this page, says it treats "Minor Cut Closure with Skin Adhesive."  I didn't click through and read the fine print, "Skin adhesive is not used to treat minor cuts or wounds of the face, scalp, genitalia, joints, hands, or feet."  The nurse wisely recommended that I call my doctor instead of waiting around in an ER.

I was able to get an appointment with my doctor within the hour.  He took a look at it, cleaned it up, put some butterfly bandages on it, and told me to keep in immobilized.  Pending gangrene developing in the next few days, I should be able to save the hand.  The best part, he gave me some finger condoms to keep my bandages dry.

Of course, they're too small for my finger, and broke when I tried to put them on.

Body-for-Life Challenge 1 Recap

So, Day 85 for my first Body for Life Challenge was May 2...  Since it's September 5, I thought it was a great time to provide an update on how my first challenge went.  Here is what I wrote in my challenge entry kit back in May:

I had been working out and eating rather healthy for a few years now, but I had reached a plateau.  When I got the email announcing the 2011 Body-for-Life challenge, I saw this as a way to take my workouts to the next level.  Also, the Misses had been concerned about her weight and appearance.  I saw this as a way to challenge her to eat a well balanced diet and amp up her workout intensity. 

I am most proud that the Misses and I did not miss one workout during the challenge.  While we did some schedule re-arranging when we missed a workout, we always made it up that week.  With only two weeks to go in the challenge, I started getting headaches during weightlifting.  Instead of quitting the challenge, I went to the doctor.  He helped me with a combination of medicine and strategies to help manage the headaches.  I took my ibuprofen, got back in the weight room, lowered the weight I lifted, and focused on my form.  I was able to stay on track and complete the challenge. 

The nutrition aspect of the challenge was the most difficult for me.  While I was good at sticking to a BFL meal plan Monday through Thursday, the weekends were a different story.  The Misses and I had created a lifestyle where our fun activities revolved around food and drink.  As we adapted to our new diet, we were forced to find new pastimes.  We took this opportunity to play game with our kids, do yard work, and overall get more active.  We weren’t perfect, there were visits from grandparents and holidays that derailed some weekends, but this is an area I know I can improve.  The successful weekends gave me the experience of how much better I feel the morning after staying true to Body-for-Life really motivate me to stick to it. 

Overall, even though I did not reach all my goals, I feel the challenge was a great success.  I lost 2.5” off my waist, and I learned that I can push my exercise beyond the limits I placed on myself.  I know the strategies I learned during Body-for-Life will create a solid foundation for future successes.  Furthermore, I’ve got the Misses on board with this new lifestyle, and we both can keep each other on the right path. 

Four months later, I can report moderate success with keeping with the Body-for-Life plan after the challenge. The summer brought a lot of events that ended up being gorge fests.  I went to Holland, Texas, and the Wisconsin Dells.  I wouldn't trade those experiences for anything, but from Challenge 1 (C1) I know I have the potential to do much better in eating and exercising.

That's why tomorrow, the Misses and I will start Body-for-Life Challenge 2 (C2).  This time, I'm sure we'll be able to meet our goals!

Achieving a Goal - Completing the Life Time Fitness International Triathlon

Last year, as a challenge for myself, I completed in the Fleet Fleet Supersprint Triathlon.  Due to a flat tire, I wasn't able to beat my goal time, but otherwise, I had a great time.  After that race, I set a new goal for myself.  I would do the 2011 Chicago Triathlon International Distance.   With a 1500 meter swim, 40 kilometer bike, and 10 kilometer run, I knew it would be tough, but with a year to train, I was sure I could do it.  

The Swim Finish

On Sunday, I did.  Not only did I finish, I finished in 3:05:12!  My stretch goal was 3:00, so I missed that, but realistically, I thought I could do 3:15.  I was well under that. 
 
The swim was really hard.  They sent 150 people in each wave, and you swam in the marina.  For my course, you swam south along the marina wall for 350m, turned around a buoy, and then swam 1,150m north until you got to a staircase into the lake.  


At the start, you also had to get in the water and tread water for 60 seconds, surrounded by 150 testosterone laden dudes all jockeying for position.  I could barely kick to stay afloat because of all the other legs down there.  The first 750 yards were packed with people because there were two lanes of traffic.  I tried to find my own piece of water to get a rhythm, but it seemed like every 30 seconds I was getting run over from behind, bumping into someone in front of me, or getting pushed by a wave into another racer.  Once I get kicked square on the nose.  I ran into a traffic jam that was stopped by a rowboat taking a swimmer to shore.  The rowboat went straight through the race.  After the first 750, it got much better as the swimmers had a lot more room to spread out.  Overall, besides the beating from the other racers and the waves, I felt pretty good on the swim.  The wetsuit is so buoyant, you really only have to keep your arms moving to keep forward motion.  At the end of the swim, the people on the staircase reached out their arms and I grabbed hold expecting to get pulled up.  They didn't pull.  It was basically like jumping out of a pool.  I didn't enjoy that.
 
The transition area was 500 yards or so from the swim out; that is a long run in bare feet.  Once I got to my rack, my first transition was fine.  It took me a little bit to get out of the wetsuit (I really ought to practice that), but was much faster drying my feet and getting shoes on than I've been in the past.  After that, it was out on the bike.
 
The bike section was awesome.  Going north, we had a terrible headwind, but that meant going south we had an awesome tailwind.  I was going between 16-18 mph going north, but going south I was going 22+.  I managed to average 19mph for the whole 40k bike course.  Lake Shore Drive had a couple rough patches of pavement, but I was able to avoid the really bad pot holes and had no mechanical issues like last year.   Coming off the bike, I heard the Misses scream "Go!!!" so that was really cool.  
 
T2 is the easy transition, all you've got to do it drop off your bike, take off your helmet, get shoes on and GO.  But I ran down the lane in front of mine, and didn't realize it until I saw a chick in that lane.  I had to run back out that lane and into mine.  It probably cost me 20-30 seconds.  
 
Coming out of transition, I was able to see the kids and the Misses again.  The crowds in Grant Park, where the run started and ended, were incredible.  For the first kilometer of the run, there were people lined up on each side of the course, cheering and yelling.  I was getting high fives from random kids.  I really pumped me up to get out and do the run.  The run went fine, I was able to hold a real steady pace, even though I wanted to puke at mile 4 due to too much Gu and Gatorade, I was able to come in exactly at my goal time.  The Misses and the Boy had to hustle to see me at the finish, but they made it!  I was able to pick them out in the crowd after crossing the line.  I hobbled my way out of the finishing chute, and collapsed on the ground underneath a tree. Based on the race clock and my start time, I thought I had done a 3:10, but the official results came up as 3:05!  So awesome.  

It was so awesome to have The Misses, the kids, and some of my friends there.  Once we got home,  We had deep dish pizza and cookies for dinner, and crashed pretty early.


Yesterday, I was glued to the couch, with an ice pack on my ankle.  When I walked, I hobbled like an old man.  Now, less than 36 hours later, I'm planning my offseason training, and getting ready for next year.  I know I can knock off those 5 minutes and 12 seconds and get my time under 3 hours!