I was riding high through last Saturday (4/16). I was feeling great. My running was going well. Through that Saturday I completed 12 miles and was going to do another 4 on Sunday. When I woke up on Sunday, however, my right ankle was hurting too much for me to run.
Now it's Tuesday evening and my ankle still hurts. It's not a sprain or a strain. It's gout. Damn.
Gout is a form of arthritis. My father and my brother both suffer from it. I have it too, but it's been over a year since my last gout attack and I was sure that with the significant weight loss and better/healthier eating habits, this particular ailment was a thing of the past.
Apparently not.
I can tell from the pain that it's gout. First, it's in the same ankle it's always attacked (for 13 + years my gout has always acted up in my right ankle). It's a hot, burning, achy feeling in the joint area. It does not feel like a sprain or a strain.
This really sucks. I'm going out to DC this weekend to meet friends and to run in an 8K. I've got a half marathon in less than a month and I'm way behind my training schedule for that race. I needed to be able to do a long run of 8 miles this week at least a few days before Saturday. That doesn't look like it's going to happen now.
It's my fault. First, I neglected my health for so long (even in my youth when I was working out a lot, there were plenty of excesses in my diet) that some of the damage to my body was bound to be irreversible. Second, even now, I've been derelict in staying well hydrated and well rested and I'm eating way too much red meat. These are all contributing factors to gout attacks.
I've been reminded. This gout attack, although mild relative to some of the attacks I've had (I literally had to be on crutches in the past when I had gout attacks), has startled me back to reality. I'm going to tighten up my regimen further. That tighter regimen will include more chicken and fish and a lot less red meat. I'm going to drink more water. The sleep/rest issue will be the one area that is going to be hard. I can't get everything I am responsible for doing each day completed and still get 7 or 8 hours of sleep.
The pain today is less than yesterday. Maybe by tomorrow night I'll be able to head out for a short run and then on Thursday I can try for 8 miles. I hope so...
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Sunday, April 10, 2011
"Racing" season has begun - Shamrock Shuffle 8K this morning
"Racing" season begins today. I saying "racing" because what I do is not really racing. I participate.
Anyhow, today is the first race of 2011 for me. This morning I'll be running in the Shamrock Shuffle 8K in downtown Chicago. There are supposed to be 30,000 runners. That's the main reason I signed up for this run. I wanted to experience a big race.
My goal for today is very easy: finish without running in 60 minutes or less. That's totally doable. I can run 5 miles in 60 minutes. I've done it this year in training. If there is a challenge today it will be maintaining a good pace. I may start slower because of the crowds and I may prematurely speed up and try to run too fast because of the faster runners in the crowd.
I'm taking my ipod but I'm going to keep it off for the first 1/2 to 1 mile. I'll turn it on a bit later. I will posts my reactions and some pics shortly after the race!
Now it's time to get ready and then it's off to the race (sort of)!
Saturday, March 19, 2011
I'm racking up miles and slowly dropping some weight!
I haven't been as active this year on this blog but it's not because I'm not working out. I'm actually doing alright with the work outs. The weight training is off by a lot but the running is right on track.
My goal for 2011 is to run three half marathon races and to log a total of 600 miles. I'm on track to achieve the 600 miles/year goal. I've signed up for 2 half marathons already with the first one coming up on May 15th. After today's 5 mile run outside I have a total of 133.75 miles completed!
This is year 2 of running and fitness for me. My three outdoor runs (1 mile, 2.5 miles and now 5.0 miles) all felt great, but I'm trying to be extra cautious about over-doing it. I absolutely love the feeling I get when I run and when I finish my run. I don't want to jeopardize that in any way. I've noticed that a 12 minute mile pace is my default/easy pace now. Last year it was 13 minute miles. I'm okay with that as training pace.
I looked at my times from 5K races last year and was surprised to see that I was doing just a little over 10 minute miles in April and May 2010. I'm not sure I can sustain that pace for an additional 10 miles and I'm not going to try too hard to do it.
It's not about being a wimp or unambitious. I'm in my early 40s and I just got back into fitness after about a decade of extremely unhealthy living (no exercise, extreme eating, massive weight gain). God-Willing I will continue on my fitness journey the rest of my life, and again, God-Willing, that should be at least another quarter century or more. I've got plenty of time to slowly build up. In fact, my wife was telling me about a patient of hers who is 70 years old, runs half marathons and does them at a 9 minute/mile pace. She said he's all muscle. This guy's life and lifestyle are things I'd like to shoot for, and that's what my training is more focused on. I want to improve my quality of life right now and into the future. Being sidelined with boneheaded injuries doesn't help.
My weight training is dead. I haven't lifted weights in about 1 month! I need to develop a short, heavy, 3 day a week routine and stick to it. I'm going to work on that and start is very soon.
I'm trying to get myself down to 180 lbs. I'd like to get down to that weight ASAP. Why? Because sooner is better than later.
I'm relying on protein drinks, reduced sugar protein bars, lean meats, eggs and green veggies. I was using skim milk to make my protein shakes but a friend of mine (thanks G.S.!!!) alerted me to unsweetened Almond Milk. It really is very good! It's low cal, low sugar and low carb. Yes, skim milk is very low in calories but this is still 1/2 the calories of skim milk. Almond milk also has very low carbs and sugar (whereas milk has a bunch). The only thing almond milk lacks is protein, but since I'm using it to make a protein shake it doesn't matter. Good find (again, thanks G.S.!!!).
My diet relies a lot on protein supplements but that's only because of time. If I had the time to cook I'd eat more real food but that's simply not an option right now. Also, it's very predictable and it takes the edge off of trying to find something tasty to eat. Just pour, add, shake and consume. Simple.
Anyhow, it's March 19, 2011 and we're nearing the end of the first quarter of 2011! Amazing. Tomorrow is the first day of Spring! Outstanding. This year is shaping up even better than 2010 and I'm on track to keep the healthy living trend going!
My goal for 2011 is to run three half marathon races and to log a total of 600 miles. I'm on track to achieve the 600 miles/year goal. I've signed up for 2 half marathons already with the first one coming up on May 15th. After today's 5 mile run outside I have a total of 133.75 miles completed!
This is year 2 of running and fitness for me. My three outdoor runs (1 mile, 2.5 miles and now 5.0 miles) all felt great, but I'm trying to be extra cautious about over-doing it. I absolutely love the feeling I get when I run and when I finish my run. I don't want to jeopardize that in any way. I've noticed that a 12 minute mile pace is my default/easy pace now. Last year it was 13 minute miles. I'm okay with that as training pace.
I looked at my times from 5K races last year and was surprised to see that I was doing just a little over 10 minute miles in April and May 2010. I'm not sure I can sustain that pace for an additional 10 miles and I'm not going to try too hard to do it.
It's not about being a wimp or unambitious. I'm in my early 40s and I just got back into fitness after about a decade of extremely unhealthy living (no exercise, extreme eating, massive weight gain). God-Willing I will continue on my fitness journey the rest of my life, and again, God-Willing, that should be at least another quarter century or more. I've got plenty of time to slowly build up. In fact, my wife was telling me about a patient of hers who is 70 years old, runs half marathons and does them at a 9 minute/mile pace. She said he's all muscle. This guy's life and lifestyle are things I'd like to shoot for, and that's what my training is more focused on. I want to improve my quality of life right now and into the future. Being sidelined with boneheaded injuries doesn't help.
My weight training is dead. I haven't lifted weights in about 1 month! I need to develop a short, heavy, 3 day a week routine and stick to it. I'm going to work on that and start is very soon.
I'm trying to get myself down to 180 lbs. I'd like to get down to that weight ASAP. Why? Because sooner is better than later.
I'm relying on protein drinks, reduced sugar protein bars, lean meats, eggs and green veggies. I was using skim milk to make my protein shakes but a friend of mine (thanks G.S.!!!) alerted me to unsweetened Almond Milk. It really is very good! It's low cal, low sugar and low carb. Yes, skim milk is very low in calories but this is still 1/2 the calories of skim milk. Almond milk also has very low carbs and sugar (whereas milk has a bunch). The only thing almond milk lacks is protein, but since I'm using it to make a protein shake it doesn't matter. Good find (again, thanks G.S.!!!).
My diet relies a lot on protein supplements but that's only because of time. If I had the time to cook I'd eat more real food but that's simply not an option right now. Also, it's very predictable and it takes the edge off of trying to find something tasty to eat. Just pour, add, shake and consume. Simple.
Anyhow, it's March 19, 2011 and we're nearing the end of the first quarter of 2011! Amazing. Tomorrow is the first day of Spring! Outstanding. This year is shaping up even better than 2010 and I'm on track to keep the healthy living trend going!
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Running Outside - It's Finally Back!
I went outside for a 2.5 mile run yesterday after work, and I felt great! It's been about 3.5 months of treadmill running (I did get out a few weeks ago for a 1 miler), so to actually be moving as I ran was refreshing!
I let myself run at a relaxed pace of 12 min/mile. I finished in 30 minutes and 6 seconds. I followed up the roadwork with a 1 mile run on the treadmill and then 10 minutes on the stationary bike.
My first "race" is the Shamrock Shuffle 8K on April 10 followed by another 8K in Washington, DC on April 23. I have a half marathon scheduled for May 15.
I'll shoot for 5 miles outside this weekend. this year I'm going to try adding miles weekly by supplementing the roadwork with extra treadmill miles.
Now it's time to clean up the diet as well. I'm looking forward to a very productive year!
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
Friday, February 25, 2011
Snacking on the train ride home
Descending the first flight of stairs from Adams Street I first confronted Mrs. Fields. Oh that lovely entrepreneur is really quite wicked! The comforting aroma of warm cookies was ever-present at that particular spot. I knew precisely where those delicious but deadly treats were but I turned to look just the same. And when I did I saw a display case loaded with white chocolate macadamia nut cookies and the chocolate chocolate chip cookies and the sugar cookies.
"Keep walking" I said to myself while I battled the irrational fear that I might never again have the chance to sink my teeth into a warm, moist and chocolatey cookie. I made it! I've made past the cookie shop!
But wait! Oh no! It's McDonald's! I love McDonald's! I ate a McDonald's hamburger the day I arrived in America some 37 years ago and my fat cells have been kept stuffed ever since.
At McD's its the big color pictures of cheesy, beefy $1 burgers that attack my senses. "Oh man, what a deal!" I think to myself, "For $3.33 I can get full on 3 McDoubles!"
No!! I willed my legs to keep turning over, on foot in front of the other, and down the stairs. I made a deal with myself right then and there: "go down to the train level and if the train isn't at the gate then the McDoubles are mine!"
The train wasn't on track 9 where it was expected, but by now the temptation had waned. Phew! I made it through Union Station without stuffing myself with sugars, salt, fat and carbs. Damn, that was hard!
Once I got on the train my mind wandered to dinner! Where can we go for dinner tonight?
That's when I knew I had to pull out the protein bar. Mmmmmmm. Chewy. Sweet. Yum! It's amazing how absolutely appetizing and delicious a protein bar tastes when you're genuinely, truly hungry.
Peace. Finally, I had peace. No more fixating over food. I could finally think more objectively about dinner and not need to constantly fight off the urge to stop at every McD's, Burger King and Wendy's between my train station and my house (I'm not joking - it's an ongoing dialogue in my head)!
Eating healthy is tough and then cutting back calories to lose weight makes it even worse!
Patience! There will be a time and a place for the cookies and the burgers. They are not banished forever. They're just on hold until I drop 25 pounds.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
A moment of weakness... Aaaargh!
Okay, take it easy people. I'm talking about Wendy's restaurant. I sneaked out to "pick up some milk" last night and while I was out I grabbed some dinner.
I had the #2 extra-value meal - a double cheese burger, small fries and a diet coke.
And that prompted me to set up my "blog by phone" mechanism. Maybe the thought of publicly shaming myself will deter me in the future.
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
Monday, February 7, 2011
Diet diet diet! I need to re-focus!
My diet has been absolutely horrible.
Trying to be moderate is actually harder than being really strict. It's probably a psychological thing. Eating a cookie or having a few chips or eating rice are invitations to disaster. So, I'm turning back to my more extreme eating methods.
One thing I'm going to try is eating the same or similar meals everyday. It's not as hard as one might think. The trick is to re-frame food as fuel and not as a source of pleasure.
This isn't to say that taste doesn't matter, because it does. If the fuel (food) tastes bad then it becomes torture. So, it needs to be moderately tasty even as it is viewed as fuel.
I'm also falling back on my protein shakes. So many people I've met think its junk. My response is simple - you can't argue with my results. When I add protein drinks in place of some meals I get results. I lose weight, I get stronger and my running is solid.
Trying to be moderate is actually harder than being really strict. It's probably a psychological thing. Eating a cookie or having a few chips or eating rice are invitations to disaster. So, I'm turning back to my more extreme eating methods.
One thing I'm going to try is eating the same or similar meals everyday. It's not as hard as one might think. The trick is to re-frame food as fuel and not as a source of pleasure.
This isn't to say that taste doesn't matter, because it does. If the fuel (food) tastes bad then it becomes torture. So, it needs to be moderately tasty even as it is viewed as fuel.
I'm also falling back on my protein shakes. So many people I've met think its junk. My response is simple - you can't argue with my results. When I add protein drinks in place of some meals I get results. I lose weight, I get stronger and my running is solid.
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