I've put a lot of thought into what I expect from myself in 2012, so hopefully I'm not setting my standards too high. I competed in four events in 2011 and I hope to do at least six or seven this year. Most of them are swim events with a few runs and one triathlon. Of course, all of it depends on what I hear from the doctor next week regarding my shoulder. Depending on what the problem is, I may or may not require surgery, so when I can actually start swimming is up in the air.
Here are the events I absolutely plan on competing in:
Running from an Angel 10k: (10k run) Jan. 8
Salt Lake City Half Marathon: (13.4-mile run) April 16
Great Salt Lake Open Water Marathon: (1-mile swim) June 9
Deer Creek Open Water Marathon: (5k swim) Aug. 13
South Davis Masters Swim Meet: (several swims) Mid Nov.
Weber State Turkey Triathlon: (sprint triathlon) Mid-to-late Nov.
Here are the events I'd like to compete in. But I'll probably only be able to do one or two of them:
Utah Summer Games: (several swims) June 14-16
Escape from Alcatraz: (1.5 mile swim) July 28
Slam the Dam: (5-mile swim) Oct. 1
Golden Gate Bridge Open Water Swim: (1.6-mile swim) Late Oct.
I've also taken into account that other events I haven't yet discovered might pop up, so the optional events list may grow as the year goes on. I've also set many other goals for 2012, some relating to the above events, and some not, such as beating all my times from the events I participated in in 2011.
Here are my goals for exercise totals:
Swimming: 175 miles (did 107 in 2011)
Running: 300 miles (did 213 in 2011)
Cycling: 700 miles (did 303 in 2011)
I hope to lose at least 10 more pounds this year. I doubt I will be able to lose much more, based on my height and weight. My goal is to be at 170 pounds or less by the end of the year. I also want to make more strides in my diet, such as cutting out more fast food, late-night eating and sweets. I think I did a good job in 2011 of adding more fruits and veggies into my diet and I want to take that to the next level this year.
Here we go...
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Friday, December 30, 2011
Cycling milestone on last workout of 2011
Today I finally hit the 300-mile mark on the bike, conveniently on my last exercise day of 2011. I have to work early tomorrow, so I won't be able to squeeze one in. I knew I needed about 15 miles to pull it off, so when I sat down on the bike, my goal was to get it in under an hour. I pushed it pretty hard and ended up getting 17.7 miles. That's a new 1-hour high for me. My previous best was 15.5 miles. And boy, I was sweating all over the place and made a freakin' mess.
I thought about taking a dip after, but I figured two swims in a week would be a little much until I see the doctor next week. I went on Wednesday and did 1,050 yards with 750 of that bilateral breathing freestyle. The rest was just breaststroke. After my bike today, I did some light weight lifting with some ab sets, but not too many, because Jen was with me and was in a hurry to leave so we could go get lunch.
Anyway, here are my 2011 totals.
Swimming: 107.09 miles (started in last week of April and barely swam in November/December)
Running: 213.30 miles (started in late February)
Cycling: 303.10 (started in last week of August)
Tomorrow I'll post my 2012 goals. I'm looking forward to them.
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| 36 seconds into my cool down after 17.7 miles |
Anyway, here are my 2011 totals.
Swimming: 107.09 miles (started in last week of April and barely swam in November/December)
Running: 213.30 miles (started in late February)
Cycling: 303.10 (started in last week of August)
Tomorrow I'll post my 2012 goals. I'm looking forward to them.
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Recapping my big 2011
It's crazy to think 2011 is almost over. I know everyone says that about every year, but this year was of particular significance to me. For those of you who don't know, I went and got my yearly check-up with the doctor in February. I knew I had gained a lot of weight since graduating from high school and even more so after I got married. But the doctor told me I was at a dangerous juncture in my life where I could really start to let myself go if I don't makes some changes my lifestyle now. I weighed in at 215, which was technically in the obese category and my blood work showed I had slightly elevated cholesterol, which shouldn't ever be a problem for a 24-year-old.
So, on Valentine's Day, I made a promise to Jen that I'd lose some weight and stop eating take-out so much. The fast food is a problem we've both had since getting hitched. I probably hadn't been to the gym in over a year, so I went and bought one of those "Biggest Loser" living-room workout videos. I was embarrassed to buy it, at first and I was even more embarrassed when I first started doing the 30-minute workouts. I was in such terrible shape and the first day almost killed me (I'm not exaggerating. I almost called in sick to work.). But after a while, doing the video six days a week, it started to get easier. I did those for about six weeks, and immediately dropped 10 pounds.
In April, I started mixing in a little bit of running. I started doing 1-mile runs around the neighborhood once a week, and by the first day of May, I pulled off my first 5k run at the Roy High track on a Sunday afternoon. I honestly almost broke down in tears, I was so excited, but I held them back, because Jen was with me and probably would think I was being over dramatic. Haha.
Also, during May, I wanted to see how I'd fare in a swimming pool. I probably hadn't swam laps in almost two years. It was hard at first, doing only a few hundred yards at a time, but I quickly realized how much I had forgotten about its benefits. I wrote about my exercise exploits on my work blog for the Standard-Examiner and about my renewed love for swimming and a local swimmer named Gordon Gridley (or Gords for those who know him) commented on it, recommending I try swimming in the 1st-annual Great Salt Lake open water marathon, which he was organizing in June. I was on the fence at first, but my friend Kelly wanted to start swimming again, as well, so we decided that would be a fun thing to try out.
Kelly and I registered as U.S. Masters Swimming members, so we could track our exercise progress and get ready for the big 1-mile race. By race day, I was down to 198 pounds and it was pretty fun, so we signed up for August's Deer Creek open water marathon. I met Josh Green, another local swimmer, who organized the 1-mile portion at the GSL race and I got a lot of good swim advice from him and Gordon over the next few months. Open water swimming was entirely new to me, given I swam in the safe confines of a lap pool in high school and the two of them have been a great source of inspiration to me this year.
Kelly and I trained pretty hard for our 5k swim at Deer Creek and that's when my shoulder pain first arrived. It was pretty bad at first, but I got some medication which helped me keep up my training regimen until the race. The race was awesome and my weight was down to 188 by then. I set my sights on the 5-mile race at Lake Mead's Slam the Dam, which was slated for October and I kept pushing through the pain. Unfortunately, a scheduling issue at work wouldn't allow me to take my vacation time and compete in the race. I was so disappointed, I decided to stage a 5-mile swim of my own, since I trained for the damn thing after all. So on Sept. 26, I went to the Roy Recreation Center bright and early, set out some Gatorade and Gel packs on the pool deck and went for it. And to my surprise, it was cake. I did it in just over 2 1/2 hours, but my joy didn't last long, for my shoulder was hurting worse than ever in the weeks that followed.
In late August, I had started supplementing my running and swimming with some work on the stationary bike. I hoped if I took it easy on the swimming and did more biking instead, my shoulder would heal. Unfortunately, it didn't and my doctor told me I needed an MRI to see if it requires surgery. I ignored him, because I couldn't afford it on my health insurance until the new year started (reset my deductible) and I kept swimming until mid November. I participated in the South Davis Masters swim meet, and a week later I did my first sprint triathlon at Weber State with Kelly and Jessica. Both events were a blast, but I finally had to throw in the towel, because it became too painful to swim more than a few hundred yards.
In the past six weeks, I've amped up my running and cycling and I'm training for my first 10k run, which is next week. Unfortunately, I'm now battling foot and knee pain, but that's life, I guess. I did a few light swims this month, but nothing major. My weight loss has slowed significantly, but I'm still losing, not gaining. I now weigh about 180 (35-pound loss so far) and I can see major changes in my body from the weight training I added to my routine about two months ago. I want to start swimming seriously again as soon as possible, but January still may be out of the question. I have an appointment with the doctor on Jan. 5, so I can finally fork out the money and start the process of rehabbing my shoulder. I'm still in the process of setting goals for 2012, so I'll have those ready to post by Saturday.
Thanks again to Gordon, Josh, Kelly, Jessica and most-of-all, Jen for all your support through this long process. It's been a helluva year, and outside of my injuries, which come with the territory, I'm now healthier than I've been in almost seven years. I still have a long way to go, but I'm looking forward to it.
So, on Valentine's Day, I made a promise to Jen that I'd lose some weight and stop eating take-out so much. The fast food is a problem we've both had since getting hitched. I probably hadn't been to the gym in over a year, so I went and bought one of those "Biggest Loser" living-room workout videos. I was embarrassed to buy it, at first and I was even more embarrassed when I first started doing the 30-minute workouts. I was in such terrible shape and the first day almost killed me (I'm not exaggerating. I almost called in sick to work.). But after a while, doing the video six days a week, it started to get easier. I did those for about six weeks, and immediately dropped 10 pounds.
In April, I started mixing in a little bit of running. I started doing 1-mile runs around the neighborhood once a week, and by the first day of May, I pulled off my first 5k run at the Roy High track on a Sunday afternoon. I honestly almost broke down in tears, I was so excited, but I held them back, because Jen was with me and probably would think I was being over dramatic. Haha.
Also, during May, I wanted to see how I'd fare in a swimming pool. I probably hadn't swam laps in almost two years. It was hard at first, doing only a few hundred yards at a time, but I quickly realized how much I had forgotten about its benefits. I wrote about my exercise exploits on my work blog for the Standard-Examiner and about my renewed love for swimming and a local swimmer named Gordon Gridley (or Gords for those who know him) commented on it, recommending I try swimming in the 1st-annual Great Salt Lake open water marathon, which he was organizing in June. I was on the fence at first, but my friend Kelly wanted to start swimming again, as well, so we decided that would be a fun thing to try out.
Kelly and I registered as U.S. Masters Swimming members, so we could track our exercise progress and get ready for the big 1-mile race. By race day, I was down to 198 pounds and it was pretty fun, so we signed up for August's Deer Creek open water marathon. I met Josh Green, another local swimmer, who organized the 1-mile portion at the GSL race and I got a lot of good swim advice from him and Gordon over the next few months. Open water swimming was entirely new to me, given I swam in the safe confines of a lap pool in high school and the two of them have been a great source of inspiration to me this year.
Kelly and I trained pretty hard for our 5k swim at Deer Creek and that's when my shoulder pain first arrived. It was pretty bad at first, but I got some medication which helped me keep up my training regimen until the race. The race was awesome and my weight was down to 188 by then. I set my sights on the 5-mile race at Lake Mead's Slam the Dam, which was slated for October and I kept pushing through the pain. Unfortunately, a scheduling issue at work wouldn't allow me to take my vacation time and compete in the race. I was so disappointed, I decided to stage a 5-mile swim of my own, since I trained for the damn thing after all. So on Sept. 26, I went to the Roy Recreation Center bright and early, set out some Gatorade and Gel packs on the pool deck and went for it. And to my surprise, it was cake. I did it in just over 2 1/2 hours, but my joy didn't last long, for my shoulder was hurting worse than ever in the weeks that followed.
In late August, I had started supplementing my running and swimming with some work on the stationary bike. I hoped if I took it easy on the swimming and did more biking instead, my shoulder would heal. Unfortunately, it didn't and my doctor told me I needed an MRI to see if it requires surgery. I ignored him, because I couldn't afford it on my health insurance until the new year started (reset my deductible) and I kept swimming until mid November. I participated in the South Davis Masters swim meet, and a week later I did my first sprint triathlon at Weber State with Kelly and Jessica. Both events were a blast, but I finally had to throw in the towel, because it became too painful to swim more than a few hundred yards.
In the past six weeks, I've amped up my running and cycling and I'm training for my first 10k run, which is next week. Unfortunately, I'm now battling foot and knee pain, but that's life, I guess. I did a few light swims this month, but nothing major. My weight loss has slowed significantly, but I'm still losing, not gaining. I now weigh about 180 (35-pound loss so far) and I can see major changes in my body from the weight training I added to my routine about two months ago. I want to start swimming seriously again as soon as possible, but January still may be out of the question. I have an appointment with the doctor on Jan. 5, so I can finally fork out the money and start the process of rehabbing my shoulder. I'm still in the process of setting goals for 2012, so I'll have those ready to post by Saturday.
Thanks again to Gordon, Josh, Kelly, Jessica and most-of-all, Jen for all your support through this long process. It's been a helluva year, and outside of my injuries, which come with the territory, I'm now healthier than I've been in almost seven years. I still have a long way to go, but I'm looking forward to it.
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Recovery from sickness
Today was my first day back at the gym in almost a week. I went to the gym last Wednesday and did a 15-mile bike ride followed by some weights, but by the next day I was feeling kind of crummy. By Christmas eve I was full-blown sick. I don't know how I made it through work that night. It was the works: stuffy nose, sinus pressure, headache and sore throat. This morning was the first day that I felt I had enough energy to go work out, even though I'm still a bit stuffed up.
I only have a week and a half left until the 10k, and I'm getting nervous that I'm not ready. I'm sure I'll be able to finish, but I highly doubt I'm going to reach my initial goal of finishing in under an hour. Today I just wanted to see what I could manage in one hour on the treadmill and I was only able to do 5.51 miles. That's about 0.75 miles short. It's OK, though. I'm still not at 100 percent and the altitude will be about 2,000 feet lower in Las Vegas. That should play in my favor. If I can finish in 65 minutes, I will be very pleased.
As per the usual, I haven't been doing very well on my food intake, but what can I say? It's the holidays. I'm not feeling too guilty about what I eat until the first day of 2012. That's when the new year starts and that's when my new diet starts. Until then, anything goes...
Total distance: 5.9 miles running (including warm up and cool down)
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| I looked kind of like this over Christmas weekend |
As per the usual, I haven't been doing very well on my food intake, but what can I say? It's the holidays. I'm not feeling too guilty about what I eat until the first day of 2012. That's when the new year starts and that's when my new diet starts. Until then, anything goes...
Total distance: 5.9 miles running (including warm up and cool down)
Monday, December 19, 2011
Pushed it too hard
This morning I woke up at about 9:30, which is unusually early for me. I don't get home from work until almost 12:30 every night and I don't fall asleep until well after 2 a.m., so I generally wake up around 10-11 a.m. before going to the gym.
I didn't have a set plan on what I was going to do, but when I walked into the cardio room, all the bikes were taken and only one treadmill was available. I guess running was my only option. I started nice and easy for about 1.5 miles and then increased the speed a little bit. By the time I hit three miles I cranked it up even more. Just after I reached 4.5 miles I saw a bike open up and I was quick to snag it before someone else did. I usually don't like to immediately stop when I'm running (cooling down with a brisk walk for a couple of minutes is good for your heart) but I didn't want to waste the opportunity.
When I got on the bike, I initially wanted to go for a full 30 minutes, but after running for 45 minutes, my energy was sapped. I only lasted 15 minutes and managed a measly 3.6 miles before I had to stop. My legs were like jello.
Once again, against my better judgement, I immediately crawled into the pool, even though I was already very tired. Here's what I did.
Warm up: (although I was very much already warm)
150 free
Core:
3 x 150 100 free with bilateral breathing & 50 breast
Cool down:
200 breast
Afterward, I was feeling shaky and sick. I don't think the swim pushed me over the edge, because I only did a little bit and it was mostly relaxing breaststroke. I sat in the sauna for about 10 minutes and that seemed to just compound the problem. I knew I was in trouble and possibly dehydrated and I need calories badly. I jumped in my car (probably not a good idea) and sped off to the nearest food joint, which happened to be Wendy's. Once I sucked down some more water and got some food in me, I immediately started to feel better.
I think I need to do a better job of hydrating and eating a small snack before going to the gym. This isn't the first time I've had something like this happen, although it isn't common.
Total distance: 850-yard swim, 4.6-mile run, 3.6-mile bike.
I didn't have a set plan on what I was going to do, but when I walked into the cardio room, all the bikes were taken and only one treadmill was available. I guess running was my only option. I started nice and easy for about 1.5 miles and then increased the speed a little bit. By the time I hit three miles I cranked it up even more. Just after I reached 4.5 miles I saw a bike open up and I was quick to snag it before someone else did. I usually don't like to immediately stop when I'm running (cooling down with a brisk walk for a couple of minutes is good for your heart) but I didn't want to waste the opportunity.
When I got on the bike, I initially wanted to go for a full 30 minutes, but after running for 45 minutes, my energy was sapped. I only lasted 15 minutes and managed a measly 3.6 miles before I had to stop. My legs were like jello.
Once again, against my better judgement, I immediately crawled into the pool, even though I was already very tired. Here's what I did.
Warm up: (although I was very much already warm)
150 free
Core:
3 x 150 100 free with bilateral breathing & 50 breast
Cool down:
200 breast
Afterward, I was feeling shaky and sick. I don't think the swim pushed me over the edge, because I only did a little bit and it was mostly relaxing breaststroke. I sat in the sauna for about 10 minutes and that seemed to just compound the problem. I knew I was in trouble and possibly dehydrated and I need calories badly. I jumped in my car (probably not a good idea) and sped off to the nearest food joint, which happened to be Wendy's. Once I sucked down some more water and got some food in me, I immediately started to feel better.
I think I need to do a better job of hydrating and eating a small snack before going to the gym. This isn't the first time I've had something like this happen, although it isn't common.
Total distance: 850-yard swim, 4.6-mile run, 3.6-mile bike.
Friday, December 16, 2011
200 miles on foot and no self control
Today I finally reached the 200-mile mark for running this year. I didn't set any specific goals for running this year, and I've mostly been using it as an alternate to fill in the days between swimming. But as time wore on and I my totals continued to grow I saw that it was possible to reach 200 this year if I stayed consistent, running between 25-35 miles a month.
Today, I eclipsed that mark while I was on the treadmill trying to run another 10k. However, after about 3.3 miles, I finally caved and went down to the pool. I was watching an older guy do a very fast and efficient breaststroke while I was running and it made me think I could still swim as long as I stick to breaststroke. It doesn't put nearly as much strain on your shoulders, considering you get most of your propulsion from kicking.
So, I jumped in and had just under 20 minutes before lap swim closed. I tried to get in as many breaststroke yards as I could and pushed it hard, getting exactly 1,000 yards with about a minute to spare. My shoulder didn't hurt, I got a good workout and I scratched that itch of needing to swim. All in all, a good day...
Total distance: 1,000 yards
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| Breaststroke: Nice and easy on the arms and shoulders. |
So, I jumped in and had just under 20 minutes before lap swim closed. I tried to get in as many breaststroke yards as I could and pushed it hard, getting exactly 1,000 yards with about a minute to spare. My shoulder didn't hurt, I got a good workout and I scratched that itch of needing to swim. All in all, a good day...
Total distance: 1,000 yards
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Nothing new to report
Today was just an average day. There is nothing interesting or new to report. Today I did a 2.15-mile run followed by 7.7 miles on the bike. Did some light weights, but took it relatively easy. The shoulder pain is still there by becoming less noticeable every day, so I'm not sure if it's genuinely getting better or if I've simply become accustomed to the pain. Hopefully, it's not the latter.
I'm still debating when I should return to the pool. Everyday, resisting the temptation to run down to the pool from the cardio room and jump in for a long swim is getting harder. I've been sitting stagnant at a little more than 105 miles swimming and I don't like seeing that zero in the tens digit. It would be nice to get that to above 110 before the year is out, but I doubt that will happen. Perhaps I'll plan a swim on New Year's Eve to celebrate my year (more like 10 months and some change) of exercise.
Anyway, I'm going to try and rest up. I have this week's 10k run on the treadmill on tap for tomorrow.
I'm still debating when I should return to the pool. Everyday, resisting the temptation to run down to the pool from the cardio room and jump in for a long swim is getting harder. I've been sitting stagnant at a little more than 105 miles swimming and I don't like seeing that zero in the tens digit. It would be nice to get that to above 110 before the year is out, but I doubt that will happen. Perhaps I'll plan a swim on New Year's Eve to celebrate my year (more like 10 months and some change) of exercise.
Anyway, I'm going to try and rest up. I have this week's 10k run on the treadmill on tap for tomorrow.
Monday, December 12, 2011
Nutrition is killing me
Metaphorically and literally speaking, my nutrition as of late is killing me. I've done much better overall this year, but I'm still eating too much takeout and too much sugar. I bet my weight-loss would be much more impressive if I took my diet a little more seriously. Perhaps that's the next step. Maybe my 2012 goal will be to keep up my current routine and then work on my eating habits even more.
For example, yesterday I totally pigged out. I usually eat whatever I want most days, and on the weekends I splurge a little more if I had a good exercise week, but for some reason I still feel very guilty about yesterday. I ate cheeseburgers for lunch, pizza for dinner and had some popcorn and chocolate while playing video games with Jen.
I've added more fruits and vegetables this year and cut out a lot of the late-night eating and have switched to diet sodas. I rarely eat white bread and eat a lot of whole grains and wheat, and I've even switched to a tasty vegetable-based pasta that I eat often. Maybe the next step is to cut out more of the sugary stuff and sodas in general, although that's gonna be tough because I LOVE carbonated beverages. We shall see. The holidays are always tough to avoid the sweets, but I'll do my best.
Today, I had a nice workout. Nothing crazy, but I was pouring in sweat, so I suppose that's always good. I did 10 miles on the bike and then did a fast 1.5 miles on the treadmill. And as always, added some abs and weights after. When I got home I cooked up a big bowl of veggie pasta with some cranberry juice and a banana. Not a terrible start to the day...
For example, yesterday I totally pigged out. I usually eat whatever I want most days, and on the weekends I splurge a little more if I had a good exercise week, but for some reason I still feel very guilty about yesterday. I ate cheeseburgers for lunch, pizza for dinner and had some popcorn and chocolate while playing video games with Jen.
I've added more fruits and vegetables this year and cut out a lot of the late-night eating and have switched to diet sodas. I rarely eat white bread and eat a lot of whole grains and wheat, and I've even switched to a tasty vegetable-based pasta that I eat often. Maybe the next step is to cut out more of the sugary stuff and sodas in general, although that's gonna be tough because I LOVE carbonated beverages. We shall see. The holidays are always tough to avoid the sweets, but I'll do my best.
Today, I had a nice workout. Nothing crazy, but I was pouring in sweat, so I suppose that's always good. I did 10 miles on the bike and then did a fast 1.5 miles on the treadmill. And as always, added some abs and weights after. When I got home I cooked up a big bowl of veggie pasta with some cranberry juice and a banana. Not a terrible start to the day...
Friday, December 9, 2011
New look, new milestone
Yesterday, I was pretty busy and didn't have time to update my blog, but I did go to the gym. My legs and knee were pretty sore from the 6-mile run, but I still wanted to get a decent amount of cardio, so I mostly stuck to the bike. I biked for 7.5 miles and then did an easy 1.5-mile run. I followed it with some more weights and calisthenics and called it a day. I didn't push myself particularly hard, but I'm glad I at least got something in. I had a lot of errands to run.
However, when I got home, I stepped on the scale and came up at 179.8. I can't even remember the last time I was under 180, and even though it was only by two ounces, I was psyched to see the No. 7 in the tens digit column. Haha. My goal was to lose 30 pounds by Valentine's Day 2010 and now I've officially lost over 35 with more than two months to go. Awesome!
Also, I finally decided to cut my hair. I probably haven't cut it since July and it grew longer than I had ever let it since I was a little kid. Jen has been complaining about it non-stop for months, suggesting I look like a 'hobo' and she is kind of right. I also haven't shaved in several weeks, probably since the SDRC Meet in November, so I took care of that, too.
I didn't go to the gym today and decided to watch a movie with some friends before work instead. I'm going to try and talk Jen into going with me tomorrow, so I can make it four times this week.
However, when I got home, I stepped on the scale and came up at 179.8. I can't even remember the last time I was under 180, and even though it was only by two ounces, I was psyched to see the No. 7 in the tens digit column. Haha. My goal was to lose 30 pounds by Valentine's Day 2010 and now I've officially lost over 35 with more than two months to go. Awesome!
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| This pleases me... |
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Canned heat in my heels
I've finally found a solution to my motivation issues. I needed to plan for another event. If there is a goal on the horizon, I will have the drive I need to train hard and often, so I am planning on running my first 10k on January 8. My dad and step-mother live in Las Vegas and there is a 10k run at Lake Mead, so I figured I could visit my family and attempt something new, yet again.
I've ran a handful of 10ks on the treadmill this past year, but it's been several months since I've ran more than a 5k in any one session. So, today I stretched and hydrated well and got to training. As previously stated, I'm not a big fan of running, but when I set the pace well and have good tunes in my ears, I can certainly tolerate it. My initial goal today, was simply to see how much I could run in one hour. I managed 5.67 miles but pressed on until I hit six miles, which came at 1:03:.13. Not quite a 10k (6.2 miles), but it was a solid start. I'd love to be able to run the 10k in under an hour, but with only one month to train, that may be an ambitious goal.
After the run, I cooled off with a light jog and drank a half-bottle of water. I followed it with some light weight lifting and calisthenics, but didn't push it too hard in that department. I was already pooped from the run.
Also, Anita came up from the pool deck to visit me while I was running and gave me a new ice pack for my shoulder. She said it's designed specifically for shoulders and she got it for free from her sister's swim shop, because they couldn't get them off the shelves. That was very thoughtful of her, and I'm excited to give it a try tonight. You see a lot of Major League pitchers using this kind of ice pack and I've always been curious about them. My shoulder has still been hurting some, but I can tell that it is getting better since I've stayed out of the water.
Total distance: 6.2 miles running
I've ran a handful of 10ks on the treadmill this past year, but it's been several months since I've ran more than a 5k in any one session. So, today I stretched and hydrated well and got to training. As previously stated, I'm not a big fan of running, but when I set the pace well and have good tunes in my ears, I can certainly tolerate it. My initial goal today, was simply to see how much I could run in one hour. I managed 5.67 miles but pressed on until I hit six miles, which came at 1:03:.13. Not quite a 10k (6.2 miles), but it was a solid start. I'd love to be able to run the 10k in under an hour, but with only one month to train, that may be an ambitious goal.
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| The new ice pack Anita gave me. I'm gonna try it out tonight. |
Also, Anita came up from the pool deck to visit me while I was running and gave me a new ice pack for my shoulder. She said it's designed specifically for shoulders and she got it for free from her sister's swim shop, because they couldn't get them off the shelves. That was very thoughtful of her, and I'm excited to give it a try tonight. You see a lot of Major League pitchers using this kind of ice pack and I've always been curious about them. My shoulder has still been hurting some, but I can tell that it is getting better since I've stayed out of the water.
Total distance: 6.2 miles running
Monday, December 5, 2011
Already miss swimming
Boy, do I want to get in the water in the worst way. Since I decided to lay off swimming in order to let my shoulder heal, I've had a difficult time keeping with an exercise routine. I don't particularly enjoy dryland training and I often looked forward to my workouts in the pool. However, with that no longer an option my motivation is fading fast. I only went to the gym twice last week when I should have gone at least four times. I worked out hard when I went, but I was so disappointed in myself and I have a fear of falling out of the habit.
So, today I decided to kick off the new week strong. I planned on running three miles and biking six, but when I got on the bike, I couldn't get off. I had my book with me, so the time went by very fast. I gradually increased the resistance and finished with 14.5 miles in one hour. So I blew off the run and went straight to body sculpting.
I did a full hour of weight training, ab workouts and calisthenics after the bike. I normally don't go for that long, but with the help of some good tunes (Metallica, Skrillex, Eminem, and MJ) I kept pushing myself.
Oh, and I hit a new low on the scale this morning at 180.6. I don't think I've been that light since I was 18 or 19. That brings my weight-loss total since Valentine's Day (when I had my moment of clarity and started exercising again) to 34.6 pounds.
Good start to the week, I suppose.
So, today I decided to kick off the new week strong. I planned on running three miles and biking six, but when I got on the bike, I couldn't get off. I had my book with me, so the time went by very fast. I gradually increased the resistance and finished with 14.5 miles in one hour. So I blew off the run and went straight to body sculpting.
I did a full hour of weight training, ab workouts and calisthenics after the bike. I normally don't go for that long, but with the help of some good tunes (Metallica, Skrillex, Eminem, and MJ) I kept pushing myself.
Oh, and I hit a new low on the scale this morning at 180.6. I don't think I've been that light since I was 18 or 19. That brings my weight-loss total since Valentine's Day (when I had my moment of clarity and started exercising again) to 34.6 pounds.
Good start to the week, I suppose.
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