Running, lifting and working on losing some weight

With my first half marathon behind me and no races - long or short - upcoming in the next 5 months, my focus is now on general fitness and health.

While training for the half marathon I allowed myself to slide a bit on my diet.  In hindsight that wasn't smart.  While I can't say that poor diet had an impact on my half marathon results (because the biggest impact was the lack of training and the psychological unpreparedness for the cold), I do know that it will hurt my efforts in the long run.

I'm going to use the next 2 months (December and January) to focus on some general fitness and health goals.  February 2011 will mark 1 year of getting back into shape.  My goal is to weigh in at 190lbs (I'm at about 210lbs now - maybe a bit less).  In the process of reaching that goal I intend to get stronger and build more stamina through strength training and running.  Over the next two months I'm going to get back to a healthier eating regimen as well.

Status of first 1/2 marathon - DONE!

I did it.  I finished the longest run of my life (to date).  I completed a half marathon on 11/27/10!

It was cold yesterday.  At about 8:20am, as I got out of my car and walked to the starting point it was about 20 degrees out!  By the time I finished it must have been about 32 degrees out.

The first 9.5 miles were fine.  Somewhere between mile 8 and mile 10 I started to feel my legs and back getting stiff though.  I didn't think much of it, but by the time I hit the 10 mile mark I was struggling.  My legs felt like bricks.  The muscles in my back and lower body seemed to become very tight and this made running hard.

I was on pace to hit a 2:35:00 (approximately) finish time but the last three miles really screwed me up.  I'm going to chalk it up to a lack of preparation.

My family and I attended a post-thanksgiving brunch at a friend/relative's house after the race on Saturday afternoon and a frequently asked question was whether I'd do it again.  Heck yeah I said.  I know there is a ton of room for improvement and the 13.1 mile distance is, now looking back, very manageable.

After the run I went to a party, then I went out to dinner at a Brazilian steakhouse and enjoyed a cigar after dinner.  I was out until midnight.  I woke up Sunday morning and felt fine.  Yes, I'm a little sore but nothing serious.

I'm not running in any organized races in December 2010.  My 2010 races are now done!

Now it's time to think about and plan for the races in 2011 which I will partake of.  I want to put together a mix of 5Ks, 10Ks, 15Ks (10 milers) and half marathons!

This is at about mile 3.5 to 4 - that's
why I'm still smiling...

It's finally here... Under 12 hours to my first 1/2 marathon!

I'm under 12 hours away from my first 1/2 marathon.  Gulp!!!

I'm nervous.  My training has been pretty good.  I can do the distance.  The cold temps concern me a bit, though as I've found cold weather running is not enjoyable for me.

The race starts at 9:00 am.  I hope to post a message here sometime tomorrow.  Wish me luck!  And if you'd like to help - please make a donation in my name to Team RWB.  Team RWB is a 501(c)(3) charity that works to help wounded veterans.

Thanks!

Two thanksgiving dinners, two workouts

My brother had us over for thanksgiving dinner #1
yesterday - really good eats...

Thanksgiving day was tough!  I attended 2 full, blow-out thanksgiving meals.  One was in the afternoon and the second was in the evening.  One was at my brother's house and the other was at my wife's aunt's house.  There was a lot of food at both places.  And it was good.

I ate the traditional thanksgiving spread at the first meal and enjoyed some ethnic cuisine - lamb biryani - in the evening (the evening meal featured the traditional thanksgiving items plus some Indo-Pak dishes as well).  I ate well.  On thanksgiving that means something a little different than on most other days.  Here you should read that as "I stuffed myself".  It wasn't easy and I didn't want to but I didn't want either of my hosts to feel bad (I'm just a real trooper in that regard).

I also didn't want to be saddled with a ton of guilt afterwards so I did what any reasonable person would do.  I worked out yesterday.  Twice.

In the morning - just as the first football game got underway (Pats vs. Lions) I took to my basement for workout #1.  I ran 2.25 miles - slow - on the treadmill and then did about 10 minutes on the stationary bike.  It worked up a sweat at least.

Workout #2 was in between meal #1 and meal #2.  We came home from my brother's house with about 2 hours to kill so I went down to the basement and ran 1 mile and then rode the stationary bike for 30 minutes.  This time I watched the Cowboys vs. Saints game (in part).

Neither workout was strenuous.  I know I didn't put a dent in the the extra calories I consumed yesterday.  But it felt good to exercise and as expected, I feel good about myself today!

Today I'm going to lift weights.  I'll do about 1 hour of exercise this afternoon.  I've got another family dinner at one of my cousin's tonight.  Again, a traditional thanksgiving spread.  I love my family too much to disappoint them so I'll force myself to partake of the feast.  Yup, I'm very generous that way!

I need to be home by about 9pm so I can wind down, get all of my stuff ready for tomorrow and get to bed at a reasonable time.  Tomorrow morning - Saturday, November 27, 2010 - is my first half marathon!

I'm excited and nervous!  But I should be able to plough through it, albeit at a very deliberate (read: slow) pace because tomorrow night is a dinner out with some of my cousins and my younger brother followed by cigars!

Under 1 week to go... and the phantom aches are beginning!

Well, well, well!  It's been 10 weeks since I started training for the half marathon and now I'm under 1 week away from the big event!  And not surprisingly the phantom aches are turning up like clockwork!

Today I'm feeling a bit achy in my right ankle.  This is the ankle most prone to gout attacks (which I haven't had since starting my fitness journey in February 2010).  I know it's nothing but my insecurities over the upcoming race.  Yesterday I thought I felt some aches in my left achilles tendon but some how I was able to knock off 5 miles on the treadmill and 15 minutes on the stationary bike without too much trouble.

The last 10 weeks of training were good.  I'm going to really enjoy this week of tapering.  I'm going to lift weights, do some shorter runs and put in some time on the stationary bike.  I may well up the time I spend working out (to compensate for the extended thanksgiving feasting happening in my family).

Tonight, after everyone goes to bed, I'm heading into the basement to lift weights.  If I feel good I may do a mile or two of running on the treadmill!

Strong workout at Xsport Fitness

I went to XSport Fitness on Tuesday night for a workout.  I accomplished exactly what I set out to get done.  I warmed up with a 1 mile run.  Next I went to the free weights and did barbell bench presses, lat pulldowns and seated behind the neck military presses.  Then I wrapped up the workout with a 2 mile run on the treadmill.

My highpoint of the workout was during my bench presses.  I worked my way up to 245 lbs.  I got a spot from one of the young guys working out nearby.  I was able to get 8 reps without any help from my spotter.  Afterwards the young kid said "Dude, you're pretty strong."

I came home and told my wife.  I narrated the progression of weights and the spot I got and the statement the young kid made.  Without so much as a moment of reflection my wife said "He meant strong for an old guy."  Doh!

Tonight's workout - lifting and running at the gym

I took yesterday off.  My legs were sore and I felt the beginning of a chest cold (I felt congestion in my chest but luckily it hasn't evolved into a cough yet).  I feel better today.  Today I want to lift weights and run.

I'd like to start out with a warm-up run of 1 mile.  Next I'd like to lift weights (chest, shoulders, back).  And finally, I'd like to wrap it up with another run of 2 miles.  The running will be on the treadmill and the entire workout will be at Xsport Fitness.

I'm off tomorrow for a religious holiday.  Tomorrow I'll be eating a ton of food.  I'll have a few hours between lunch at my parents and the dinner at my house.  Maybe I can squeeze in a 5 mile run outside in between.  Actually, I really do need to do this because Thursday will be much more busy (work, a meeting after work, getting together with colleagues for drinks after that and then the Bears game).