April was a quiet blogging month for me. OK. Technically, I think it was silent.
Part of that was deliberate, but mostly it wasn't. I always quiet down a little bit right after the calendar quarter ends, because work gets very busy, but this time, I also didn't want to record what was going on. It's not too traumatic, just not much good to blog about.
My annual Lent practice fell apart on me, and while I thought I could get it back together after Lent was over (what I called Re-Lent), that didn't work either. The result is that I'm still heavier than I have been in a while, my running still isn't working the way I'd like it to be, and my overall attitude in April was pretty poor.
So taking matters into my own hands in late April, I went to see a podiatrist about my nagging foot problem. His diagnosis (bursitis) was not what I expected, and the treatments have been working for the last two weeks, so hopefully this is something I can get past. I've also decided and started acting to get myself back in shape in different ways. I'm no longer mourning the loss of my running ability (in part due to the loss of time when I can run) but I'm taking steps to work out in other ways, while I build my running back up.
I still need to learn to like strength training, though - I think that's my biggest weakness.
And today, I'm out for my 2nd race of the season - the Redding Road Race. I'm running the 5K and then the half marathon (10 minutes between them). I ran the Danbury Half marathon in March in 2:08:59 - Not my worst, but certainly bottom 5. I'm hoping to match my time from last year in this race, but 2:02 doesn't seem to be in the cards for me today. After that, two triathlons, and then I race direct a 5K, so May will be a busy month.
After that, I'm planning on doing a 1/2 Marathon per month for a year, with a full or a 50K thrown in for good measure. That's my campaign - two months to get back in shape, and then a year of something wonderful.
I woke up on May 1st feeling refreshed and energetic. Now I just need to find a way to bottle that energy and keep it.
Sunday, May 3, 2015
Sunday, March 22, 2015
A bit of momentum - and a plan to keep it going
Another week has passed, and it was a week of progress for me at least. This morning (Sunday) marked my longest run since January 3rd. It was only about 12 miles, but looking back at my history, that's about a typical long run for March (I just pulled all my data from DailyMile, and built an analytical spreadsheet to answer LOTS of questions about my own history)
This also marks my highest mileage week of the year (well, since January 3rd) despite a few early mornings which limits my ability to get miles in. Even better, I got to run outside a few times this week, which means I'm working through the post-winter road dread. I don't know about you, but I find that the first week or so of runs after a winter of treadmills really means a lot of discomfort, especially with the hills, as I am nowhere need disciplined enough with those.
Now that the snow is melting, I've got quite the year to look forward to. I've go a few races planned, and I'm leading my Scouts on a 165-Mile bike tour around the San Juan islands off the coast of Washington. We're only taking tents and the stuff we need, and we'll be hauling it all over those islands, so it'll be an interesting ride for scouts 13-17 years old (and also for the adults who are a bit older.
My first race will be a half-marathon next week, unless my chronic foot injury sidelines me tomorrow morning. Another half marathon in May, then a triathlon (sprint distance) in June. July brings that bike ride, and I'm sure I'll find something in August.
The two decisions i need to make are 1) will I run a full marathon or another 50K this year, and when, and 2) Do I want to commit to a year (starting in September) of running one half-marathon per month? It sounds like a neat idea now (and food for my blog) but I'm not sure how much I really want to do it. I think it would be fun, and I could convince some friends to do them with me, but more important, it would help me avoid the winter 'experience' with my weight.
For I've also learned a bit about my seasonal weight, and it's not pretty. I seem to gain weight starting every November (after my last race of the year) and manage to lose it every Spring, but that type of 'yo-yo' isn't healthy for me. This year, I'm committing to a Spring resolution not to need a new year's resolution about my weight. Keeping myself in training all year.....maybe that's a goo plan for the year.
P.S. This has been the worst Lent experience that I've had in years. I gave up lots of things for my health, including cookies, donuts, diet soda and peanut butter. So far, cookies and donuts are still out, but my soda habit has returned. I'm going to need to restart that one now, using the start of Spring as my 'fresh start day'. Oddly enough, chocolate candy has actually snuck INTO my diet, so that's going to need to stop as well. As of now, I'm at 197-198 pounds, so down only 4 pounds during Lent so far, versus my normal 8 pounds, so clearly, it's not working yet.
This also marks my highest mileage week of the year (well, since January 3rd) despite a few early mornings which limits my ability to get miles in. Even better, I got to run outside a few times this week, which means I'm working through the post-winter road dread. I don't know about you, but I find that the first week or so of runs after a winter of treadmills really means a lot of discomfort, especially with the hills, as I am nowhere need disciplined enough with those.
Now that the snow is melting, I've got quite the year to look forward to. I've go a few races planned, and I'm leading my Scouts on a 165-Mile bike tour around the San Juan islands off the coast of Washington. We're only taking tents and the stuff we need, and we'll be hauling it all over those islands, so it'll be an interesting ride for scouts 13-17 years old (and also for the adults who are a bit older.
My first race will be a half-marathon next week, unless my chronic foot injury sidelines me tomorrow morning. Another half marathon in May, then a triathlon (sprint distance) in June. July brings that bike ride, and I'm sure I'll find something in August.
The two decisions i need to make are 1) will I run a full marathon or another 50K this year, and when, and 2) Do I want to commit to a year (starting in September) of running one half-marathon per month? It sounds like a neat idea now (and food for my blog) but I'm not sure how much I really want to do it. I think it would be fun, and I could convince some friends to do them with me, but more important, it would help me avoid the winter 'experience' with my weight.
For I've also learned a bit about my seasonal weight, and it's not pretty. I seem to gain weight starting every November (after my last race of the year) and manage to lose it every Spring, but that type of 'yo-yo' isn't healthy for me. This year, I'm committing to a Spring resolution not to need a new year's resolution about my weight. Keeping myself in training all year.....maybe that's a goo plan for the year.
P.S. This has been the worst Lent experience that I've had in years. I gave up lots of things for my health, including cookies, donuts, diet soda and peanut butter. So far, cookies and donuts are still out, but my soda habit has returned. I'm going to need to restart that one now, using the start of Spring as my 'fresh start day'. Oddly enough, chocolate candy has actually snuck INTO my diet, so that's going to need to stop as well. As of now, I'm at 197-198 pounds, so down only 4 pounds during Lent so far, versus my normal 8 pounds, so clearly, it's not working yet.
Sunday, March 15, 2015
Back on the ball (once again)
The last few weeks have been a bit of a blur for me, with little time to stop and think, much less time to write and get my thoughts out of my head. That's been unfortunate, as without a release, a lot of thoughts were running around in the echo chamber that is my mind, and at times, I've lost real perspective on my situation.
A few things have changed this week, though, and I now see some relief to the pressures I've experienced for the last four months; some of which were caused by external factors (e.g. someone on my work team being transferred away from my team) and some caused by internal reactions to some good opportunities that presented themselves.
A big one of those opportunities faded slowly away, and I was reluctant to recognize facts until just now. I had my epiphany this week, and finally accepted that I need to move on, and that actually gave me a lot of strength, reducing my stress almost instantly when I finally admitted to my wife and myself that option was closed.
Not surprisingly, this amount of stress (and the nature of it) caused me to lose focus on other goals, and since I am an emotional eater (related to something I can control, even if not in a good way), I have not lost the weight I had hoped in the past few weeks. Bummer, really, but that's all. I'm not defeated, just set back a bit, and I can see progress on the road ahead.
It's also helping that it's almost Spring, and that the snow has started to melt. I can see the sides of roads and sidewalks again, which means I can run outside more often, which helps my psyche a lot. Biking season is just around the corner, I sense, and I can get out again to prepare for triathlon season, as I'd like to get in more than one this year. That and my 160-mile bike trip with the scouts will have me on the roads quite a bit this season.
So it's goodbye to this Winter, hello to Spring and Summer again. I haven't managed to build up my summer body in the winter, so you won't see me on the beaches without a shirt flexing my manly muscles, but then, no one has ever really wanted to see that. My goal - being reasonably overweight, but fit enough to keep up with my teenagers this year.
A few things have changed this week, though, and I now see some relief to the pressures I've experienced for the last four months; some of which were caused by external factors (e.g. someone on my work team being transferred away from my team) and some caused by internal reactions to some good opportunities that presented themselves.
A big one of those opportunities faded slowly away, and I was reluctant to recognize facts until just now. I had my epiphany this week, and finally accepted that I need to move on, and that actually gave me a lot of strength, reducing my stress almost instantly when I finally admitted to my wife and myself that option was closed.
Not surprisingly, this amount of stress (and the nature of it) caused me to lose focus on other goals, and since I am an emotional eater (related to something I can control, even if not in a good way), I have not lost the weight I had hoped in the past few weeks. Bummer, really, but that's all. I'm not defeated, just set back a bit, and I can see progress on the road ahead.
It's also helping that it's almost Spring, and that the snow has started to melt. I can see the sides of roads and sidewalks again, which means I can run outside more often, which helps my psyche a lot. Biking season is just around the corner, I sense, and I can get out again to prepare for triathlon season, as I'd like to get in more than one this year. That and my 160-mile bike trip with the scouts will have me on the roads quite a bit this season.
So it's goodbye to this Winter, hello to Spring and Summer again. I haven't managed to build up my summer body in the winter, so you won't see me on the beaches without a shirt flexing my manly muscles, but then, no one has ever really wanted to see that. My goal - being reasonably overweight, but fit enough to keep up with my teenagers this year.
Wednesday, February 25, 2015
Forgiveness and Learning.......
In my last post, I discussed where I was headed with this
Lent, but I didn’t disclose all of the details.
When I weighed in on Ash Wednesday (after a Mardi Gras
celebration, truth be told), I was an astonishing 202 pounds. This wasn’t the first time I was over 200,
but it was the first time getting that high.
I know that I’ve been effectively out of control for too long, and
that’s why it’s time to do something.
That said, I wish it had taken fuller root. Here I am on the first Sunday of Lent, and
yesterday was not a good day. I could
blame circumstances – I’m on a Boy Scout trip where the menus were planned in
advance, not all of which are conducive to my diet, but that’s a poor excuse
for two reasons. First, I could have
stuck to just the healthier elements of that meal structure, and been totally
fine. I chose not to do that, and
over-consumed as a result. Second, I
made other choices during the day (while stuck in a ski lodge) that were not
helping my situation, but actively hurting it (French fries for a snack are a
poor choice, even if I threw half of them away).
Even today, after I told myself that I would swap my
“forgiveness Sunday” for a “rigid Sunday” in exchange, I’m still making some
poor decisions. Breakfast was far from
light, and lunch will be the same if I eat the prepared box lunch. That said, no one is (yet) forcing anything
down my throat – I know that these are my decisions alone, and that if I had
wanted to stick to my plan, I totally could have.
Perhaps what I’m learning is that the way my day starts is
the theme for the day. Wednesday through
Friday, I started with a run and a very light, late breakfast, and I had three
good days. Saturday and Sunday, I start
with a heavier breakfast, designed for very active teenagers, and the rest of
my day was a struggle.
Or maybe I’m relearning that I can’t go deep into the well
for too many days without a ‘rubber band’ effect, which stymies my efforts and
sets me back, reversing the gains I had made.
Neither of these seems like a new revelation, but just reminders of the
rules of my life (like rules of physics) that I haven’t yet found a way
around.
Sincerely, I would love to lose weight by spending time
doing exercises that I enjoy –running, walking, hiking, swimming, cycling –
heck, I even like rowing machines. But
for the past six months, time has been at a premium, a fact that is not likely
to change soon in any material way. If I
can’t spend time working on the expenditure side of the weight loss equation, I
have to focus more on the ingestion side.
That has always seemed harder to me, as it requires more willpower, and
more self-denial. It’s not doing things
that I enjoy, or even doing things that I don’t enjoy; it’s NOT doing things
that I know I enjoy.
That approach doesn’t make me happier in the moment, only
over time, and it’s (increasingly?) harder for me to execute on that tradeoff
of short-term and long-term satisfaction.
Tuesday, February 24, 2015
From the ashes.....
It’s here once again – Lent began a few days ago, and for
me, that means another ‘forced’ opportunity to do myself some good.
Let me explain. Lent
is the period between Ash Wednesday and Easter in Christian religions,
including Roman Catholicism, of which I am a member. It has multiple meanings in the calendar
today, but for me, it presents a time both for self-reflection and a chance to
do good things, both for myself and for others (although sadly, that last bit
is sometimes the first one lost).
For the past few years, those good things for myself have
revolved around healthier living, mainly in my diet and habits. In the past, I have given up soda and
caffeine, or dedicated myself to exercise, or to weight loss. This year, it’s the last one again, and I’m
hoping to beat the success of last year.
In 2014, I focused on my diet during Lent, and cut out a
number of foods which had become habits, and were not the most healthy choices
I could make. These included Almonds,
peanut butter, cookies, ice cream, and a few others which I didn’t need to
survive. It worked. I dropped 8 pounds in six weeks, looked
better, ran faster, and felt better than I had in a few years. Definitely worth the effort.
Alas, the gains I made were transitory, and reversed
themselves in the fall, when a new job occupied far too much of my temporal and
emotional assets – it took a lot of my time and stressed me out. Workouts and eating right became secondary
priorities for me, and the scale reflected this. Add to that a post-marathon binge, the
holiday season, and another ‘relaxation’ after my first 50K race, and I found
myself at almost THE EXACT SAME WEIGHT I was a year ago. *heavy sigh*
I’m fond of saying ‘this time will be different’ but
frankly, I know better. Managing my diet
and exercise during Lent this year is a necessary task, and one that I am
trying to follow through, but it’s not going to change my life permanently;
circumstances have too much of an influence on me to allow for that. What I do hope for is to gain back in six
weeks what I lost in the last six months.
That’s a tall order, and the effects (actual weight, faster running
times) won’t come back in that short a time.
I can set the foundation, and get a headstart on what I want to build
for the next few months.
Lent begins with Ash Wednesday, a time of remembering who we
are (From ashes we came, and to ashes we will return) and it ends with
Easter. That’s a time for renewal and
rebirth. And once again this year, I
look forward to that.
Thursday, February 5, 2015
Off-kilter (again!)
I was going to write a post to say that there wasn't much going on, but really, the problem is that there is too much going on. My routine life has taken over all of my spare focus and attention. This is mainly due to something that is non-routine that keeps interjecting itself into my consciousness and into my workdays
That's a little cryptic, I realize, but for now, I'd rather not explain. Suffice it to say that I've been spending a lot of time working, too much time in appointments, and not enough time sleeping. My workouts have been lackadaisical at best, and none of my fitness objectives are being met, 'cause I've been so unfocused on them.
It's hurting me, both physically and emotionally / spiritually to feel this far off-center all the time. I'm working to regain a sense of control over my daily life (although everything tells me that control is both fleeting and an illusion).
My weight has been hovering in the high 190's (still), and my running volume is far below where I want. My foot is now hurting after every run, so I think I need to give it a serious rest. I'd be fine getting in some time on the bike or at the gym, but nothing feels as good as running does.
Perhaps next week will be a bit more sane, but I'm not counting on it. I'm concerned that I'm in the middle of a vicious cycle, and I need something to break it. Lent starts soon (February 18th), and that is typically a restart cycle for me. Maybe I can count on that again this year.
More soon.
That's a little cryptic, I realize, but for now, I'd rather not explain. Suffice it to say that I've been spending a lot of time working, too much time in appointments, and not enough time sleeping. My workouts have been lackadaisical at best, and none of my fitness objectives are being met, 'cause I've been so unfocused on them.
It's hurting me, both physically and emotionally / spiritually to feel this far off-center all the time. I'm working to regain a sense of control over my daily life (although everything tells me that control is both fleeting and an illusion).
My weight has been hovering in the high 190's (still), and my running volume is far below where I want. My foot is now hurting after every run, so I think I need to give it a serious rest. I'd be fine getting in some time on the bike or at the gym, but nothing feels as good as running does.
Perhaps next week will be a bit more sane, but I'm not counting on it. I'm concerned that I'm in the middle of a vicious cycle, and I need something to break it. Lent starts soon (February 18th), and that is typically a restart cycle for me. Maybe I can count on that again this year.
More soon.
Sunday, January 18, 2015
Close is over - let's get this started.
My rough period at work ended on Friday (sure, not until 8:00 p.m. on Friday due to as last-minute assignment), so my big two week quarter close is over. I returned home Friday night to see my family for more than 5 minutes for the first time in two weeks.
Re-entry after these work periods is normally not easy. I get home, and I'm still on a work footing, so still a bit stressed, and I've missed two weeks of "what's going on" around the house, including how daily routines may have changed. In addition, I'm also often coming off a period of little to no exercise, and two weeks of food issues. I'll normally gain a few pounds during these times, adding to my stress levels and it takes a few days to reorient myself.
This time wasn't much different. I have gained a few pounds (my official weigh in at 197 pounds this week, but I know that I hit 200 during the week), my exercise was limited to about 1 mile per day to maintain my streak, and I was not able to keep in touch with my family as much as I would have liked to.
The only thing different this time is that I left my stress in the office. Which is good, 'cause it got kinda bad a few days ago, causing a bit of a rift with my boss (nothing that won't heal). And as a result, my re-entry was much smoother, and I was able to take it easy this weekend and not stress out about things as much. I even got in a few exercise sessions as well as a 'date night' with my wife, which I really needed. I had to do some work, but was able to squeeze that in during quiet times.
So now I'm firmly in "new new year's" , with a plan to get back into daily exercise routines, even doubles on some days, and to renew my relationship. I'm going to try to Burn 20 pounds this year, in the hopes that I can drop at least 10. I'm back to working on my 2015 goals, focusing on what I want to do in January - one month at a time.
So this week - Weight at 197.5 pounds, long run this week at 5 miles (on the treadmill thanks to REALLY perilous ice this morning - my wife went out running early and regretted it with all of the cars spinning and sliding on the roads today). I'm behind on some of my objectives, but this week at work will be more manageable than the last 4 (5?, 6?). My immediate objective: brave the cold and get outside for most of my runs this week. This starts tomorrow.
Re-entry after these work periods is normally not easy. I get home, and I'm still on a work footing, so still a bit stressed, and I've missed two weeks of "what's going on" around the house, including how daily routines may have changed. In addition, I'm also often coming off a period of little to no exercise, and two weeks of food issues. I'll normally gain a few pounds during these times, adding to my stress levels and it takes a few days to reorient myself.
This time wasn't much different. I have gained a few pounds (my official weigh in at 197 pounds this week, but I know that I hit 200 during the week), my exercise was limited to about 1 mile per day to maintain my streak, and I was not able to keep in touch with my family as much as I would have liked to.
The only thing different this time is that I left my stress in the office. Which is good, 'cause it got kinda bad a few days ago, causing a bit of a rift with my boss (nothing that won't heal). And as a result, my re-entry was much smoother, and I was able to take it easy this weekend and not stress out about things as much. I even got in a few exercise sessions as well as a 'date night' with my wife, which I really needed. I had to do some work, but was able to squeeze that in during quiet times.
So now I'm firmly in "new new year's" , with a plan to get back into daily exercise routines, even doubles on some days, and to renew my relationship. I'm going to try to Burn 20 pounds this year, in the hopes that I can drop at least 10. I'm back to working on my 2015 goals, focusing on what I want to do in January - one month at a time.
So this week - Weight at 197.5 pounds, long run this week at 5 miles (on the treadmill thanks to REALLY perilous ice this morning - my wife went out running early and regretted it with all of the cars spinning and sliding on the roads today). I'm behind on some of my objectives, but this week at work will be more manageable than the last 4 (5?, 6?). My immediate objective: brave the cold and get outside for most of my runs this week. This starts tomorrow.
Tuesday, January 13, 2015
January 1st ..... the second time
So it's been a truly awful couple of weeks. That's awful by my standards, which for some people would really just be par for the course. It was all due to work, of course, and the nasty side effects that excessive work brings.
What do I mean by excessive? Last week (Monday through Sunday), I worked 104 hours. I'm in finance, and this was due to our end-of-year accounting, so I wasn't surprised by the need for extra overtime. This is my 22nd January in the company, and the first month of the year is always intense. This was exceptional, though, as I am one person short in my department, and we had to cover the gaps, and deal with some new managers at the same time.
But the fact that I was working so much wasn't the problem. It's the other stuff that disrupts me. First, working that many hours, plus commuting and the occasional shower, I wasn't sleeping enough. I got about 4-6 hours a night, when I have learned that I really need 7. Second, because of scheduled meetings and not enough sleep, I wasn't exercising much. I was in recovery for a few days from my race, so this wasn't a big deal until the last few days.
Even that would have been tolerable, though, but the reality is that when I am sleep-deprived, I make bad decisions (so do you, by the way). Specifically, I make bad decisions about food and drink. I think that I perceive extra (or unhealthy) foods as energy compensation for the lack of sleep, but I also think it's just that my discipline system is the first to fatigue, and I'm more prone to 'giving in'. Both are probably true, but whatever the cause, I wind up eating worse than I should and drinking too little water and too much soda for the caffeine content (which actually, I didn't do too badly this month).
And the result is chilling. This morning, I weighed in at 198 pounds - WAY too close to my 200 lb. limit, and a 'red alert' that I need to obey. I had been hoping to be at about 192 by now, but my butt got kicked again. What's worse is that I had a dream I'd been dreading - where I wake up and go to wash up, but notice my hands are swollen. When I look in the mirror, I realize that I've gained back all the weight I had lost, and I was back to 270 lbs, where I haven't been for nearly 15 years. I'm actually surprised I haven't had that dream before, but having it now was terrible for me. I woke up (really this time) with such a sense of disappointment and loss; feelings that I do not want to experience in reality.
Add to that the fact that I've been working so much, I haven't seen my family for over a week. Sure, I've been coming home to sleep, but I get home after everyone's in bed, and I leave for the office before they are awake. Post-it notes have taken the place of hugs and dinnertime conversations. I really miss those dinners.
So now it's time to re-jump start. Both my wife and I are going to declare January 15th New New Year's day. Our resolutions didn't start two weeks ago - no! they're just starting now. It's something we've done before (after a bad yearend cycle) and that actually worked. Today I cleaned out my office - no more unhealthy food there, and tomorrow morning, I've blocked time on my calendar for a longer run than the 1-milers I've been doing to maintain my streak. I will re-start my fitness cycle (pushups, crunches, and pullups) and get back onto my path down to 190 lbs or lower by July 1st, although I know I can do it faster. I'm going to start calling it a day much earlier at work, so I can see my wife and kids in the daylight. We're going to work together (as we often do) and encourage each other through the hard times ahead, but we'll feel better on April 15th than we do on January 15th. Tomorrow, I will turn over that new leaf that is just waiting for me.
That is, after I get some sleep.
What do I mean by excessive? Last week (Monday through Sunday), I worked 104 hours. I'm in finance, and this was due to our end-of-year accounting, so I wasn't surprised by the need for extra overtime. This is my 22nd January in the company, and the first month of the year is always intense. This was exceptional, though, as I am one person short in my department, and we had to cover the gaps, and deal with some new managers at the same time.
But the fact that I was working so much wasn't the problem. It's the other stuff that disrupts me. First, working that many hours, plus commuting and the occasional shower, I wasn't sleeping enough. I got about 4-6 hours a night, when I have learned that I really need 7. Second, because of scheduled meetings and not enough sleep, I wasn't exercising much. I was in recovery for a few days from my race, so this wasn't a big deal until the last few days.
Even that would have been tolerable, though, but the reality is that when I am sleep-deprived, I make bad decisions (so do you, by the way). Specifically, I make bad decisions about food and drink. I think that I perceive extra (or unhealthy) foods as energy compensation for the lack of sleep, but I also think it's just that my discipline system is the first to fatigue, and I'm more prone to 'giving in'. Both are probably true, but whatever the cause, I wind up eating worse than I should and drinking too little water and too much soda for the caffeine content (which actually, I didn't do too badly this month).
And the result is chilling. This morning, I weighed in at 198 pounds - WAY too close to my 200 lb. limit, and a 'red alert' that I need to obey. I had been hoping to be at about 192 by now, but my butt got kicked again. What's worse is that I had a dream I'd been dreading - where I wake up and go to wash up, but notice my hands are swollen. When I look in the mirror, I realize that I've gained back all the weight I had lost, and I was back to 270 lbs, where I haven't been for nearly 15 years. I'm actually surprised I haven't had that dream before, but having it now was terrible for me. I woke up (really this time) with such a sense of disappointment and loss; feelings that I do not want to experience in reality.
Add to that the fact that I've been working so much, I haven't seen my family for over a week. Sure, I've been coming home to sleep, but I get home after everyone's in bed, and I leave for the office before they are awake. Post-it notes have taken the place of hugs and dinnertime conversations. I really miss those dinners.
So now it's time to re-jump start. Both my wife and I are going to declare January 15th New New Year's day. Our resolutions didn't start two weeks ago - no! they're just starting now. It's something we've done before (after a bad yearend cycle) and that actually worked. Today I cleaned out my office - no more unhealthy food there, and tomorrow morning, I've blocked time on my calendar for a longer run than the 1-milers I've been doing to maintain my streak. I will re-start my fitness cycle (pushups, crunches, and pullups) and get back onto my path down to 190 lbs or lower by July 1st, although I know I can do it faster. I'm going to start calling it a day much earlier at work, so I can see my wife and kids in the daylight. We're going to work together (as we often do) and encourage each other through the hard times ahead, but we'll feel better on April 15th than we do on January 15th. Tomorrow, I will turn over that new leaf that is just waiting for me.
That is, after I get some sleep.
Sunday, January 4, 2015
Heppy New Year (3 days late)
So it's January 4th, and it's already been a fairly interesting year (by my standards). Yesterday, I ran a 50K race about an hour away from home, which is the first time I've run that distance (or intentionally run anythng longer than a marathon). It was a good bit of a struggle, with lots of walking in the last third of the race, but I finished it in 5:46:30, so respectable, but not remarkable.
It would have been better had I actually trained for it. I had run a marathon about eight weeks ago, setting a PR of 4:11:20 in the process despite being a few weeks short on my training. After that, I took a few light weeks, worked up to long runs of 15 miles, and ran 3 long runs before this race. That's less than I should have had, but doing this race was a late decision - I only decided to do this about three weeks ago, and it really wasn't until the week before that I really committed. So no 20-milers, no stretch long runs of 24, 25, 27 miles, bur just a silly, naive intention that if I could run a marathon, I could run a 50K. I was right, and I expect I'll be right again some time. They run this race each year, and I came in 21st out of 22 finishers, so I have lots of ways to improve. And hey, there's a first time for everything, which implies a second time, I hope.
After the race (a day after, technically), my kids asked what we were having for dinner, and she say we were going out to eat (a rarity) to a steakhouse (a REAL rarity!). It turns out she was taking me out to celebrate the race, which was a really nice gesture, and great to do on the day before our real 2015 push starts (on diet and exercise fronts).
Sadly, though, much of my extended family is suffering on the heath front. My father-in-law is in the hospital, my niece and grand-nephew are both sick with stomach bugs, and another family member broke his leg at work. It's not good when bad stuff happens, but it's all happening a few steps removed from me, and my immediate family is doing okay, so I'll just count my blessings.
I've now got a few focus areas for 2015: Fitness (losing a little bit of weight, maybe?), Gratitude (showing and feeling it more), Focus (on whatever I am doing - stopping the multitasking) and Family - getting in the time while I still have it with my boys. The first four days were not full of progress against my goals, but I'm okay with that. Tomorrow is Monday, the classic day for new starts, and my wife and I are looking for ways to help each other out. We'll see in a week if our passion for our goals is greater or gone. (I'm hoping the former).
Today's weight: 193.2 (but that's because I raced yesterday. I'm really about 195.5 lbs)
It would have been better had I actually trained for it. I had run a marathon about eight weeks ago, setting a PR of 4:11:20 in the process despite being a few weeks short on my training. After that, I took a few light weeks, worked up to long runs of 15 miles, and ran 3 long runs before this race. That's less than I should have had, but doing this race was a late decision - I only decided to do this about three weeks ago, and it really wasn't until the week before that I really committed. So no 20-milers, no stretch long runs of 24, 25, 27 miles, bur just a silly, naive intention that if I could run a marathon, I could run a 50K. I was right, and I expect I'll be right again some time. They run this race each year, and I came in 21st out of 22 finishers, so I have lots of ways to improve. And hey, there's a first time for everything, which implies a second time, I hope.
After the race (a day after, technically), my kids asked what we were having for dinner, and she say we were going out to eat (a rarity) to a steakhouse (a REAL rarity!). It turns out she was taking me out to celebrate the race, which was a really nice gesture, and great to do on the day before our real 2015 push starts (on diet and exercise fronts).
Sadly, though, much of my extended family is suffering on the heath front. My father-in-law is in the hospital, my niece and grand-nephew are both sick with stomach bugs, and another family member broke his leg at work. It's not good when bad stuff happens, but it's all happening a few steps removed from me, and my immediate family is doing okay, so I'll just count my blessings.
I've now got a few focus areas for 2015: Fitness (losing a little bit of weight, maybe?), Gratitude (showing and feeling it more), Focus (on whatever I am doing - stopping the multitasking) and Family - getting in the time while I still have it with my boys. The first four days were not full of progress against my goals, but I'm okay with that. Tomorrow is Monday, the classic day for new starts, and my wife and I are looking for ways to help each other out. We'll see in a week if our passion for our goals is greater or gone. (I'm hoping the former).
Today's weight: 193.2 (but that's because I raced yesterday. I'm really about 195.5 lbs)
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