have a few good workouts under my belt for the new year. i'm looking forward to my next paycheck, so i can buy some protein bars/powder. it's difficult and expensive to try and eat clean- when you've overspent during the holidays.

still have to start up the cardio. i've been doing some leg extensions to make my left knee stronger- don't want problems with it.

shoulder/back workout today.

i was looking through the media gallery today. i really like the inspirational transformations link that people on here have been posting to. it makes me much more motivated when i see how everyday average folks (like myself) can achieve such great things with bodies. many people think they must conform to their genes- or body type, being 'big boned', etc... i think it comes down to mind over matter. if you put your mind to it, you can have the end results you are looking for. i know this to be true. although i'm not to where i want to be yet, i know that i'm traveling the right path. i can see the finish line (although you are never really finished when it comes to a healthy lifestyle).

keep it positive. know you can succeed!

i was looking through the media gallery today. i really like the inspirational transformations link that people on here have been posting to. it makes me much more motivated when i see how everyday average folks (like myself) can achieve such great things with bodies. many people think they must conform to their genes- or body type, being 'big boned', etc... i think it comes down to mind over matter. if you put your mind to it, you can have the end results you are looking for. i know this to be true. although i'm not to where i want to be yet, i know that i'm traveling the right path. i can see the finish line (although you are never really finished when it comes to a healthy lifestyle).

keep it positive. know you can succeed!

I agree with you on that one. It's awesome to see everyday people making such changes. Also I used the "big boned" excuse for a long time. I proved that's it's generally not true and just an excuse.

Keep at it! Oh and have you ever thought about putting up some progress pics?

I agree with you on that one. It's awesome to see everyday people making such changes. Also I used the "big boned" excuse for a long time. I proved that's it's generally not true and just an excuse.

Keep at it! Oh and have you ever thought about putting up some progress pics?

yeah, big boned isn't a valid excuse anymore... i know i need to put some current pics up- gotta really work on that. keep saying it.

had an excellent chest/tri workout. i've been upping the weights now, along with lowering the reps. i can't believe how much more i can lift. i was doing 3 sets of 15 for everything- now i'm shooting for 3 sets of 8-10. i feel it working even more when i'm lifting higher weights. like i said in a previous posting, i've never felt my rear lats work before (until i upped the weights the other day).

my chest and tris are sore today. absolutely love that feeling. today is bicep/forearms day. i can usually get my biceps to ache the next day too.

i'm going to try and cook a weeks worth of lunches on sunday, for next week. i'm tired of scrounging for food- it tends to be less healthy than it should- i saw a posting on here of one guy's meals. it looked like a good idea to make them in bulk- then you can grab and go. i like that idea. i want to get my protein intake up.

back to the grind here.

i'm surprised my biceps aren't sore today- i worked 'em hard. i guess my chest and tri's are the easiest to max out- as they hurt after every chest/tri workout.

so i had a campfire mocha and chocolate chunk cookie from caribou coffee (www.cariboucoffee.com). for those of you outside the midwest- it's pretty much like starbucks. i went online to look at the nutrition info (knowing it was gonna be bad). my large campfire mocha had 769 or so calories. my cookie had over 450. yikes. i don't typically have drinks like this, but i had some gift cards burning a hole in my pocket, and the campfire mocha is sooooo damned good. luckily, i only have enough money left on my gift card to get one more drink. whew!

i had the same drink yesterday- no wonder i had so much energy during my workout- i had over 1000 calories before i went to work out (i'm including breakfast, as there was no chocolate chunk cookie yesterday). i'm pretty sure i could have found 800 healthy calories.

unofficial bulk, i guess you could call it.

i'm starting in on cardio again this next week- might even get of my lazy, coffee-chugging ass tomorrow morning to do some cardio. no promises though.

back and shoulders tomorrow afternoon.

had a wild weekend of excessive drinking... ugh. bad me... followed by work from 5 to midnight last night at my retail job. i think i've had about 10 hours of sleep all weekend.

anyway- i'm starting back on running this wednesday morning. my friend is the swim coach at one of the high schools in town, so i'm going to go in and run with her and some of her kids at 6:30 am. it's nice, because the school is about three minutes away- as opposed to the 15-20 minute drive to the gym. i'm praying my knee doesn't bother me when i run. it's achy today- but i think the weather has a lot to do with it.

lifting today. missed a lift session last week- gotta kick 'er down this week. i'm looking pretty darn good though- gotta get some pics posted.

all in all- i think i'm going to be looking great by swimsuit season- haha- for the first time ever.

had a good workout yesterday. did back/shoulders/legs. i upped my weights for my legs. i'm up to 290 on the leg press, but since i could do three sets of 15, i've decided to go up to 310 next time. it's always good to tweak your lifting- lifting heavier has been great. i'm looking forward to seeing some difference in the next few weeks. it's amazing that i spent so much time doing full-body lifting- wish i would have done targeted much earlier- wish i would have lifted heavier too. would-a, should-a, could-a.

i'm happy where i'm at now. looking forward to my first run of the new year. keeping my fingers crossed that my knee will hold out just fine. i'm gonna ease into it all. not going for distance or speed at this point.

back to the grind.

still didn't get my run in. too tired. bad excuse, but lots of personal issues this week.

i was doing the incline bench yesterday. funny story. anyway- i've been lifting heavier with lower reps. the incline bench is very difficult for me (and a lot of people i'm told). on my sheets it said i could do 3 sets of 6. no problem, haha. did my first set of six- was hard, but ok. did my second set of six- but at five i had to put the weight back up. when i got to my third set of six- got four in. thought to myself, 'i can do a fifth'. yeah- lowered the weight- and there it sat. it was like my arms stopped working.

i'm looking around- lowered the weight into my lap. i figured i could wait a minute or so- yeah, still couldn't get it up (it happens to every guy, right?)

of course, there are two guys in the weight room with me. i finally stood up and put the bar on the floor. i was shamed. haha. i knew the two guys saw me do it.

the kicker is that it happened to me the last chest/tris day too. i usually make notes of these things.

dumb.

been a few days since i posted. i took this week off from lifting. i worked all weekend on a tile project- i had to walk about 1/8th of a mile every time i had to cut a tile on my tile saw. i was working in a condo- and their place was about as far from the parking garage (where i set up my saw) as they could get. lot's of walking.

i actually slipped on sand in the garage that saturday morning- ended up with a sprained foot from the slip. it didn't actually hurt until sunday. i looked at my foot that night and the top had a large bruise.

the dr. told me i couldn't do any cardio until it healed. good thing, as i haven't done cardio since october. i was very exhausted from working this weekend (haven't had a day off since the previous saturday- so it's been twelve days now. i had to go back to finish last night- got done at midnight- so yesterday was a 16 hour day. those are fun. i figure i put in my time.

i'm going to lift tomorrow and sunday. that's the plan at least.

got into the grandma's marathon too. sent the check on monday- they cashed it today- so that means i'm in. my friend's check was cashed too. guess i get to start the training here shortly.

my trip for europe should be booked tomorrow as well. April 21-May 4. can't wait.

i also signed up for the first of three real estate licensure courses. that starts Feb 18th. it's a saturday/sunday for two consecutive weekends. that means i'll be either working or in classes for 19 days in a row. i will be scheduling the other two courses too- and they fall the same way. oi.

guess i'm blogged out.

You need to focus on the marathon and nothing else but the marathon. No school, no second job, no part time tile work, no trips to the cabin, and definitely no trip to Europe. You're a lazy ass slacker with no discipline or motivation, and besides that, your still fat and weak.

:D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

You need to focus on the marathon and nothing else but the marathon. No school, no second job, no part time tile work, no trips to the cabin, and definitely no trip to Europe. You're a lazy ass slacker with no discipline or motivation, and besides that, your still fat and weak.

:D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

i know philly, i do need to focus on the marathon. i should quit all my jobs, forget my education, and screw travel plans. ;-) i am fat- i've been on a cookie binge these days. haha.

today was my first official run of the year! i haven't run since the oct. 27 trail race where i injured my left knee. i've been worried about my knee the last few months. i wanted to give it plenty of time to recuperate.

i'm signed up for the grandma's marathon in duluth, mn in june.

i'm getting close to the time i need to start my official training for the marathon. i believe i'm doing a 16 week program. in order to start the program, you must be able to run 3 miles. well, since it's been a long time, i decided to start with a mile or so. as it turns out, i was still able to run over a mile. whew... i warmed up for a couple of minutes- then ran for at least 15 minutes... cooled down for a few minutes... ran for another three minutes. then did a five minute cool-down. somehow that adds up to 30 minutes on the treadmill- going about 2.5 miles. my average pace was a 12 minute mile between the runs and walking. not bad for my first time.

my goal is to be at three miles by the end of the week. i know i have it in me to do that. luckily, i love to run. love to be red in the face. sweat and all that good stuff.

the best part is that my knee didn't hurt at all during (or after) the run. we'll see how it goes when i start to do over three miles. i wish i could run outside, but it's too dangerous with the ice and snow. i'm not graceful in the least, so i'll wait until april to do the outside runs...

i plan on running four times this week- lifting three times. i'm excited to burn of some of this bodyfat. i'm in the 16-17 range right now. with four days of running per week and three days of weight training, i should see some good changes.

lifted today. forearms/biceps/rear delts. workout went pretty well. it had been over two weeks since i did them. yikes. that's what happens when you take a week off i guess. did pretty well on most of the lifts. maxed out on a few.

not too sore from my run yesterday. just a little bit of soreness in my quads. other than that, i feel great. i'm excited to run. i'm also excited to burn off some more fat. i weighed 182 at the gym today. the gym scale is 6 pounds heavier than my home scale. they are both consistent in their own ways. if i'm two pounds up at home, same applies to the gym scale. i think at my lowest weight, i was 175 at the gym. so i consider the seven pounds i've gained during the fall & winter an unofficial bulk. haha. i don't feel like i've gained a whole lot of fat really. my arms seem bigger- chest too. once i'm running 4x per week, won't have to worry about weight gain.

going for my second run of the week tomorrow.

biceps are sore today. i never complain about soreness.

my friend steph counted back 16 weeks from the marathon date. we start our official training at the end of february. that's good, cause i need to be able to run 3 miles by the time we start. i'm shooting for three miles by next week. other than that, not much new to report.

my left bicep is really sore yet. the right one is a little sore. my left side is my weak side generally and i worked it hard monday.

lifting today- running tonite...

so being competitive and all... my second run i ended up running three miles all at once. i was going to work my way up to it, but as i was running i kept telling myself that i can run a few extra minutes. when i got to the 25 minute mark, i figured that five extra minutes would get me to three miles. i had the treadmill set to 6 mph... 10-minute miles. i actually did some sprints in the 30 minutes i ran.

when i did my third run of the year yesterday, i was planning on running for a little over two miles. i found out i don't have to start training until the end of the month, so why push myself. well... i ended up doing the whole three miles again. i feel like i'm shortchanging myself if i don't push.

oh... since i'm going to europe for two weeks in april, i think i'm going to start my marathon training two weeks ahead of schedule. i really don't think i'll be hauling around workout gear, running shoes, etc... while i'm over there. if i start two weeks ahead, when i get back from europe, i'll be right on track again. i'm not sure what happens when you take a two week break halfway through training...

maybe i'll run when i'm in europe, cause it would be cool. my only limitation is that i'm bringing a backpack with. not a whole set of luggage. we're hoofing it through europe. trains and lots of walking. when i went to europe last, i vowed that next time i'd be carrying only a backpack.

oh... forgot to mention that after i ran three miles yesterday, i lifted weights for an hour. i know that's not proper, but i missed lifting on friday because i was at a seminar out-of-town. i know, excuses, excuses. haha.

i didn't want to skip strength training. it's very important to me. sure my muscle probably started to eat itself... fasted cardio and fasted weight lifting... haven't found anything about that on here.

but... i did enjoy an OJ and protein bar after my workout. not a good taste combination though...

since i'm going to europe for two weeks in april, i think i'm going to start my marathon training two weeks ahead of schedule. i really don't think i'll be hauling around workout gear, running shoes, etc... while i'm over there. if i start two weeks ahead, when i get back from europe, i'll be right on track again. i'm not sure what happens when you take a two week break halfway through training...

Where in your schedule does the two week break fall? If it's before week six, I'd say you can pick up where you left off when you get back.

If it's between week six and week twelve, I'd say to give yourself a "buffer" week...50% of the total mileage of the next week in the program... to let your body get back into the routine.

If it's in the last few weeks, you are screwed.

i believe my vacation starts at week five or six... i think i'll be fine... i'll be training ahead two weeks, so when i get back, i'll do the same two weeks i had just completed before i went on my trip. seems like it should work (in theory)...

forgot backpack yesterday, so i wasn't able to do my lifting at lunch like i normally do. i ended up running home on my lunch break to get it. went after work-which is less than ideal, as it's so busy then. i did biceps/forearms/rear delts yesterday. of course, there were six or seven other guys lifting at the same time, so i wasn't able get everything in. bummer. my arms are sore today though. guess i did well enough.

oh, i warmed up by running a mile. it was tempting to keep going, but i figured i could save the running for today. i'm going tonite after work. it feels so good to get cardio back into my routine.

i'm feeling pretty good overall about my workouts and upcoming marathon training. it's gonna be an exciting spring i think.

This question is for you and Phillydude as he checks in here as well...What differences have YOU seen in treadmill vs. outdoor running? Personally, I NEVER run outside (until it gets nicer anyway) but for the first time this week I did run outside and it was disasterous: tired, slow, creaky, blah. It may have been an "off" day for me, but it was a real sh*tty feeling after the 'gains' I think I am making on the treadmill.

Experiences?

This question is for you and Phillydude as he checks in here as well...What differences have YOU seen in treadmill vs. outdoor running? Personally, I NEVER run outside (until it gets nicer anyway) but for the first time this week I did run outside and it was disasterous: tired, slow, creaky, blah. It may have been an "off" day for me, but it was a real sh*tty feeling after the 'gains' I think I am making on the treadmill.

Experiences?

here's how i see it. right now (because of the beautiful weather in minnesota) i'm not able to run outside. well... not true... i could run outside, but it would be a bit dangerous. i think the treadmill is a little less jarring on your joints, because it tends to have a more cushioned deck. it's nice to see the speed you're running at, how far you've run, and creating your own hills is nice too.

i used to hate running outside... used to is the key here. when i first started running outside, it felt like it was much harder. think about it. when you're on the treadmill, the belt below you is moving, forcing you to run. when you're on pavement, you have to move yourself. i always thought this was harder. after a few runs though, it didn't seem so difficult. i began to love running outside. i liked that i could just go. i didn't have to stand in one place for an hour. treadmills get very boring that way. i basically looked at running outside as a way to explore my town. i saw things i had never seen before. i could take different ways. i started running to my friends' houses. running felt way more free. i just love running outside....

it seems just as easy once you do it a couple of times...

i'd way rather run outside than on the treadmill.

to continue about running outside. i guess it's much more motivating to know that i just ran seven miles to my sister's house in a different town than to run seven miles looking at the same thing out the window. once i start running outside in the spring, i will absolutely hate to get on the treadmill.

i do know some people that swear by treadmills only. in the end, it's all about the exercise, right?

hope this helped coach.

I've never run on a treadmill.

to continue about running outside. i guess it's much more motivating to know that i just ran seven miles to my sister's house in a different town than to run seven miles looking at the same thing out the window. once i start running outside in the spring, i will absolutely hate to get on the treadmill.

i do know some people that swear by treadmills only. in the end, it's all about the exercise, right?

hope this helped coach.

Makes total sense. I love the IDEA of runing outside. In fact, I did this morning and I can conclude that Sunday Mornings "Bonk" was just a bad day -- this morning went fine!

One thing is it is harder (obviously) to keep a slower pace outside than on the treadmill.

FYI: Someone told me that if you put the treadmill on a 2% incline it will give you a better feel for the extra exertion running outside needs.

And thanks Philly -- I hear ya! However, I need to get the miles in.

Makes total sense. I love the IDEA of runing outside. In fact, I did this morning and I can conclude that Sunday Mornings "Bonk" was just a bad day -- this morning went fine!

One thing is it is harder (obviously) to keep a slower pace outside than on the treadmill.

FYI: Someone told me that if you put the treadmill on a 2% incline it will give you a better feel for the extra exertion running outside needs.

And thanks Philly -- I hear ya! However, I need to get the miles in.

A 3% incline gives you the same amount of resistance as running outside. You all might be interested in this article too...

http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,5033,s6-197-0-0-8402,00.html

glad we're figuring out the whole treadmill vs. outside thing...

lifted back/shoulders/legs yesterday. that went pretty well. i had a headache most of the day though. i realized that the protein shake i have every day has creatine in it. i remember reading something about creatine causing headaches. i just started taking muscle milk from gnc. one of the ingredients is creatine. any thoughts on this. i didn't have a shake yesterday. my headache is almost gone too.

i don't know. do the headaches go away after you take it a while? i'm not taking it because i want to take creatine- i really like the flavor of the muscle milk. sigh...

my official marathon training starts next week. woo hoo. i read through the first chapter of my book (for week one) and looked ahead. i think the book is called 'marathon training for the non-runner'. it got me excited as i read through it. the most they have you run is 18 miles in weeks 12 and 13. i think starting two weeks ahead will be ok. my friend i'm visiting in europe likes to run too- so i think i'll get a couple of runs in. we'll see.

better get back to work here.

i'm doing my third official run for marathon training. this week it's 3,4,3,5 miles. three miles tonight, then five miles on friday. it's been going very well. i'm really bored on the treadmill, so i've actually been running faster to get it over with. i can't wait until it's warmer outside, so i can run. i don't want to run on the ice and snow we have here right now.

lifted on monday. chest/tris. that went well too. i was supposed to lift today, but i'm going to lunch instead. yes, my bad. not that this is my excuse, but my shoulders and neck are very sore this week. i think today was back & shoulder day. i'll make up for it, i promise.

i'm glad to be running again. i always feel so damn good when i'm done. my heart rate/recovery time as been steadily improving too. i wear a heart rate monitor when i run. my average rate when i started back running was in the mid 170s. now i'm somewhere in the high 160s. when i was running last year, i think my average was in the low 160s.

kind of a boring post today. haha.

ran three miles last night in 26:40. that's fast for me. like i said before, boring as hell running on a treadmill.

i'm doing my five mile run tonite instead of tomorrow night, because i'm having dinner out-of-town tomorrow night. my legs are sore still, so it might suck a little running. i'm going to try and take it easy. i tend to run faster just to get it over with. i should have a better attitude about the treadmill. when life hands you lemons... blah, blah, blah.

gotta lift tomorrow though. skipped it yesterday. boo... hiss...

later folks.

ran five miles yesterday. did it in 46:36. not bad for me. my legs were hurting a bit at first, but once i got a half mile or so into it, they felt pretty decent. i now have a few days to recuperate- woo hoo. i'm hoping my legs won't be sore when i run next (which should be sunday night).

it's -15 degrees outside. brrrrrrr... hasn't been this cold in a year or so. you people from warm climates would surely shatter if your bodies felt such cold. haha.

oh, with the windchill it can feel as though it's -35 or more. yikes.

i know this is bad, but i'm thinking about not lifting today. i'm feeling very, very lazy. you guys should really get on me for that.

could have sworn i posted last week. weird.

anyway. the runs have been going well. did 3/4/3/6 this last week. did the six miles on saturday- which threw off my schedule for this week. i'm supposed to have a day off after my long run, so i didn't run my three miles yesterday because of saturday's run.

my right hamstring has been sore for two days. thought i stretched it well enough. i have to run three miles tonite, four tomorrow, and three again on wednesday. typically, i would have scheduled a day off but i have to run 7 on friday and i need the day off before hand. it's all good.

as for lifting... i am very unmotivated to get back into it. i'm a bit overwhelmed with having my real estate classes taking up my whole weekend- and having no days off until the middle kind of sucks. i'm also fighting a cold too. ugh.

i know i should be lifting.

better get going.

Great job on the running... are you running outside? Any races on the training schedule?

Great job on the running... are you running outside? Any races on the training schedule?

i'm running in a half-marathon in the middle of april- will also be running a half-marathon in fargo, nd. then the big race, grandma's marathon in duluth, mn. then i have a whole bunch of 5 and 10k races this summer, haha. i'm addicted i guess.

have a 4-mile run tonite. my right hamstring has been sore for a few days. hoping it goes away soon (the soreness).

nothing much new besides...

four-mile run went well yesterday. the only pitfall of my day was the annoying cough i've developed since the weekend. my cold started on saturday. i coughed all night long. i was hot, then cold... sucks.

i have the chills now. love that. i am supposed to run three miles tonite. i may have to put it off until tomorrow night- i don't know about the whole resting when you're sick and marathon training. i'm tempted to skip the three mile run tonite and do the seven mile run tomorrow night after work. i'd get it out of the way then. i would be able to do the three mile run on saturday. i didn't read in my training book about mixing up the runs. i'm sure they don't suggest you do it.

my hamstring is still sore. i have to work on that.

four-mile run went well yesterday. the only pitfall of my day was the annoying cough i've developed since the weekend. my cold started on saturday. i coughed all night long. i was hot, then cold... sucks.

i have the chills now. love that. i am supposed to run three miles tonite. i may have to put it off until tomorrow night- i don't know about the whole resting when you're sick and marathon training. i'm tempted to skip the three mile run tonite and do the seven mile run tomorrow night after work. i'd get it out of the way then. i would be able to do the three mile run on saturday. i didn't read in my training book about mixing up the runs. i'm sure they don't suggest you do it.

my hamstring is still sore. i have to work on that.

You can mix up the runs as long as you leave yourself a rest day after a REALLY long run... anything more than a half marathon. You should be fine to do 7-3 instead of 3-7.

ended up with the flu. i was in bed for 36 hours straight. crazy. i'm still a bit foggy. now i'm behind with the whole running thing too. ugh. i know you're not supposed to train when you're sick. hopefully, i'll be able to run again tomorrow. i might wait until sunday night though- give myself a good few days.

Hey Fels,

Good to hear you're back running. Sorry you're sick. You'll be better in notime. I've been getting out a couple/few days a week. I can't wait for warm weather!

i mistakenly thought that since i was behind on my running from being sick, i could catch up by doing my seven mile run. i did six miles before i had to give up. three miles was bad enough. i was sweating buckets. haha. i think i was still a little bit sick yet yesterday when i was running. i think what i need to do is repeat last week's runs, since i had only gotten two in.

i'm 95% better now. i hate being behind on training though.

ugh.

babbling today.

i mistakenly thought that since i was behind on my running from being sick, i could catch up by doing my seven mile run. i did six miles before i had to give up. three miles was bad enough. i was sweating buckets. haha. i think i was still a little bit sick yet yesterday when i was running. i think what i need to do is repeat last week's runs, since i had only gotten two in.

i'm 95% better now. i hate being behind on training though.

ugh.

babbling today.

Glad to hear that you feel better. However, do not push yourself too much too soon, or you run the risk of getting sick again and falling further behind.

:tu:

tried to run yesterday. got in a half-mile before i had to call it quits. it felt as though i had been running for hours. my throat was burning and i had zero energy. you guys are right about taking it easy while i'm sick. i just hate to lose two weeks. makes getting all my training in a bit difficult.

been a while here... whew... after my half-mile run, i rested for three or four days. i've been back on track since. i'm doing my 8 mile run tomorrow or saturday. next week i'll be doing 4/5/4/10 for training. i really enjoy the longer runs. once i hit the 1.5 mile mark i switch into automatic mode. it's awesome.

still haven't been lifting. i know i need to do this. SHOULD start next week...

oh, i only ended up a week behind in training. since i started training ahead of schedule... all's good.

running 8 miles tonite. can't wait actually. the long runs are much better than the short runs. by the time you are into your groove the short runs are ending. it takes my 1.5-2 miles to hit my groove, so when i'm doing three miles, it pretty much sucks most of the run. when i'm running 5+ miles, the run is much more enjoyable.

if you're a runner, you know you get this...

running 8 miles tonite. can't wait actually. the long runs are much better than the short runs. by the time you are into your groove the short runs are ending. it takes my 1.5-2 miles to hit my groove, so when i'm doing three miles, it pretty much sucks most of the run. when i'm running 5+ miles, the run is much more enjoyable.

if you're a runner, you know you get this...

The trick is to run the shorter runs as quickly as possible to get them over with. At least that's my theory.

8 mile run went awesome! like i said in my earlier post, much easier to do the long runs. philly is right about the short runs. get them over with, because they generally suck.

i did get chafed though. my inner thighs and across the beltline on my stomach. i wear boxers and regular shorts when i run. i suppose i need to switch to boxer briefs and athletic shorts. i didn't know i was chafed until i took a shower. soap hurt like HELL!

lesson learned.

on a lighter, non-fitness-related note, i'm nearly done with my real estate classes. i passed the state and national test the week before last. i'm almost done with course two. course three is the next two weekends. had class today (and tomorrow). i'm looking forward to having a day off. three more weeks until my weekend off. woo hoo!

ran 4 last night. looked at my training book and realized i was a week ahead of myself. guess i'm supposed to do 3/5/3/10 this week. oops. four is so darn easy though. i'll do 5 tonight and 3 thursday. i am not a rule breaker, so i'll stick with what the program tells me to do.

i also threw in some sprints during the last mile. i was told that to run faster for the 5k races i'm entering, i need to add in some sprints at the pace i want to race. i'll do sprints on the shorter runs.

other than that... things are going well.

ran five miles last night. felt great. threw in a few sprints toward the end. i've decided to do my ten mile run tomorrow night. i don't have time on friday or saturday night and i don't want to put it off 'til sunday. i'll have to make up the three mile run i'm skipping. three miles is really nothing to make up.

i'm really looking forward to ten miles. it's a good milestone to reach.

i'm off to run 10 miles in a bit. i've been cold all day. it's damp and chilly outside. i'm guessing i'll be warm enough in the not-so-distant-future...

10 mile run went very well last night. i thought it was going to be boring (being on the treadmill and all), but a woman got on to the one next to me about halfway through my run and we ended up talking the rest of my run. it's nice that i was able to talk with relative ease. i'm running ten-minute miles, so it's a great pace for chit-chat. i told her all about fitness and weight loss. i feel like i've been well-educated, especially through JSF.

the best part was after the run, when i was feeling awesome. i wasn't tired, had lots of energy. i sent a text to my marathon partner telling her i completed my run. she asked if i was dead from the run. i honestly felt great. if you think of running as a burden, it's not going to be fun. i'm looking forward to the marathon. i'm not dreading the 26.2 miles.

now if i could get my ass back into the weight room...

10 mile run went very well last night. i thought it was going to be boring (being on the treadmill and all), but a woman got on to the one next to me about halfway through my run and we ended up talking the rest of my run. it's nice that i was able to talk with relative ease. i'm running ten-minute miles, so it's a great pace for chit-chat. i told her all about fitness and weight loss. i feel like i've been well-educated, especially through JSF.

the best part was after the run, when i was feeling awesome. i wasn't tired, had lots of energy. i sent a text to my marathon partner telling her i completed my run. she asked if i was dead from the run. i honestly felt great. if you think of running as a burden, it's not going to be fun. i'm looking forward to the marathon. i'm not dreading the 26.2 miles.

now if i could get my ass back into the weight room...

:claplow: Congrats on the ten miles. I was thinking of you last night, saying to myself "Man, it must be dark and cold in Minnesota at this time of the night." I didn't realize you were running it on a treadmill :doh:

I've got a ten mile race on Sunday, outdoors along the ocean (read: windy and cold). Miles 3-6 are in an undeveloped area as well, so nothing to block the elements. Oh yeah... they are calling for rain too.

But as you put it... "I'm looking forward to the 10 mile race. I'm not dreading the 10 mile race."

Seriously, though... way to go on getting the miles in. You're gonna be a great marathoner.

did a four mile run yesterday. i did intervals while running- going from 6 mph to 7.5. when all was said and done, i ran my four miles in 36 minutes flat. that's the fastest i've run four miles. i'm working on getting faster (for my 5k runs, haha). i have to do six miles tonite. i'll do the intervals in the last couple of miles for sure. gotta get my heart stronger yet.

ran six miles last night. pushed it and got the run done in 54 minutes. all nine-minute miles. that was pretty sweet. i'm working on getting faster, so it felt great to actually keep that pace up. i'm sure i've said this before, but i'd like to get to seven-minute miles for the 5k races i'm running this summer. haha. i want to get a few medals.

gotta run four miles today. thinking aobut doing it outside (for the first time this year). it's in the low 50s, but a bit windy. there's a paved trail right outside my office that goes for about 40 miles. not planning on running 40 though, gotta run 4. i guess there are even mile markers and all that good stuff.... we shall see. it would be nice to run outside. i suppose after that, it will really suck to run on a treadmill.

that's it for now....

ran outside the other day. haven't run outside since last year. it was different. i enjoyed it for the scenery, but i think i used muscles that aren't used on the treadmill. as it turns out, i was running nine minute miles. i wasn't trying to, just happened. i ended up going 4.8 miles. i'm still a bit sore, even after a day off.

tonite is the big 11-mile run. it will be on the treadmill again, as it's been raining out. i don't get off work until 6, so if i run on the trail, it would get dark before i was done. i'm not running out in nature in the dark. call me a wuss. we've had a few people disappear in the area over the last 20 years. haha. don't want to be one of them.

i'll be running my long runs on the trail on saturday mornings starting next weekend.

oh, i leave for europe three weeks from today. that's crazy.

got the 11 mile run in on friday night. it was a bit tough. i should probably eat a little better, especially the days before the run.... gonna work on that in the coming weeks. i'm a little sore in the hips... other than that, i felt great after. this week i'll be doing a 4/6/4/12.

did the four-mile run yesterday on the treadmill. i wanted to run outside, but it was 40 degrees and very windy. i forgot to bring adequate running clothes for outdoor running. it was the worst run i've had since training started. i couldn't get into a groove. i felt like i was missing a lung. that's the best way to describe it.

tonite it was a beautiful. 55 degrees and sunny. perfect spring day i'd say. it was a six mile run. i can't remember if i mentioned there is a paved trail right in front of my office that goes for about 47 miles. as i was running, i noticed that after the first mile marker that i was running 9 minute miles. crazy. my heartrate was normal too (as it would be on the treadmill). every time i hit another mile marker, my pace remained at a 9 minute mile. it was AWESOME. i thank my friend todd (a former HS track coach) who told me it was easier to run faster than slower. i had been adding in sprints on my shorter runs, which has quickened my pace overall.

i finished the six miles in 54 minutes 30 seconds. not too shabby.

i have another four-mile run to do this week. i was planning to do it thursday, but if it's nice again tomorrow, i'll do it after work. my marathon partner and I will be running together on saturday for the first time. she's been running with someone who has pushed her past the 12 mile mark (even though she started training a week behind me), so we've decided to run 13.1 miles this saturday. i'm supposed to do 12, but hell, i know i can do 13. we are running the earth day half marathon here in st. cloud, a week from saturday. this will be our practice run.

Had a great run last night. It was about 60 degrees and sunny, perfect running weather. It was my third run of the week, four miles. believe it or not, I finished it in 35:15. That's an 8:50 pace. Crazy!!! The wind was at my back for the first two miles. I actually did the first mile in about 8 minutes, which shocked me. When I turned around, I realized the wind was pretty strong, but I was able to push through it. Felt awesome. I really didn't think I would even finish in 36 minutes.

I'll be doing the 13.1 mile run this Saturday morning on the same trail. It will be interesting to see if it's windy that day.

A brand new gym opened up right across the street from my office. I'm going to get the free one-week trial. I know I will end up going there, because I can get there in one minute and do a 45 minute lifting routine. I want to get lifting back into my fitness program. I know it will help with my marathon training.

it was an AWESOME day for a run today. the first 10 miles went very well. my running partner runs a 10-minute mile, which isn't bad. i've been running 9s, so it took a little to get used to her pace. my heart-rate is typically in the mid to upper 150s, today it was in the mid 140s. i felt like i could have run for twenty miles. right around the 10 mile mark, however, my left knee started to hurt. i stopped to stretch it out several times, but it was hurt after a couple minutes of running. we decided since this was a training run that it would be better to walk it off than to keep running. of course steph was having pain in her hamstring from an earlier workout.

we pretty much walked the last 2.5 miles of the 13.1 miles. i actually feel pretty good about it. the book i've been reading says not to feel bad about walking, because if you hit the wall and you need to walk, you won't feel like you've been defeated. i agree with this philosophy. i'm a little down about not running the entire distance today, but i felt like i could run 20 miles easily.

oh, i bought one of those fuel belts to hold water while i run. steph did too. we were feeling like marathoners running with our belts on. haha.

here's a pic from the store with me modeling... notice i have the wrong leg up? cool belt though...

13115

The guy on the right looks like he knows what he's doing. You, I'm not sure about. :lol: Nice job on the run... watch that knee though. These things can be sneaky and will flare up when you least want them to.

When do you leave for Europe? Must be soon now...

yeah. i have to watch my knee. it's still a bit sore. stretching it a lot.

i'm leaving for europe in twelve days! can't wait.

i have my first official half-marathon next weekend. so i gotta keep my knee in running shape.

wow. it's been over a month since my last post. gotta keep up on that. did the europe trip- still marathon training. will post more info later...

wow. it's been over a month since my last post. gotta keep up on that. did the europe trip- still marathon training. will post more info later...

Hey good to see you back D... gotta hear all about that trip. Grandma's in a couple weeks, no?

I was interested in reading the discussion of running vs treadmill. I used to run (more like jog) when I was younger until I started having back problems.

Now I just do high speed walking on treadmills at 4-4.5% incline.

I have tried going back just lightly and I am amazed how quickly and easily I get winded... what is the difference? And anyone deal with a herniated disc? That's what cut my jogging career short.

well... i guess i've been way too busy these days. ran the grandma's marathon this weekend. loved it. can't wait to do it again. i wanted to get into the twin cities marathon, but it's full, darn it. as for grandmas, we were doing pretty well. at mile 19 we were still tracking to finish under 5 hours- unfortunately, my running partner hit the wall big time. she pretty much was unable to run after we completed mile nineteen. you haven't lived until you've walked 7 miles after running 19. we agreed as running partners to stick together no matter what. our goal was to finish in under 5 hours, or just plain finish. it took us just over 6.

i'm going to run it alone next year, because i know i will be able to do it in under 4:30. i felt so good the whole time. they even had the black flag out for the first time in the history of grandma's marathon. the humidity was around 91% and it got to around 80. i felt great though. i had water and ultima replenisher at every water break. i knew it was important to stay hydrated. i looked like a sweat hog the whole race though, haha. the winner finished in 2:08. CRAZY!!!

my legs hurt like hell after the race. we stayed in bed from 3pm - 9pm on saturday after the race. haha. complained how sore we were. sunday i was pretty stiff and sore. yesterday i was sore, but not bad. today i'm almost feeling normal. i think i could run tonite.

i have a 5k race in a week-and-a-half. it's the one i did last year, the one that got me to love running. can't wait to defend my 3rd place title. haha. i'm going for second (or first) in my age bracket this year.

bought a house a couple weeks ago too. haven't closed, but have been doing yard work there. it's empty right now.

i'm also doing bids for a couple of deck projects and a big tile project- doing real estate sales too (oh, and i have my regular full-time job yet).

ok... better get going...

i'll post some pics of the marathon when i get them.

Hey dude... welcome back and congratulations on the race and the house. Look forward to the pics and to seeing more of you around these parts. :tucool:

thanks philly... it feels good to say i've done a marathon, but it will feel better to say i've done several marathons. i know i'm hooked, haha. gotta get back into the weight training. that will have to wait until the end of summer though. too many irons in the fire, plus i want to concentrate on getting faster.

Welcome back!!!! And congrats on the tremendous achievement of finishing a maraton...:bow:

The whole house thing ain't that bad either!!!

ran the the st. joseph 5k last saturday. it's the first 5k i ran last year (the first i ran ever). it was as humid as it could get, which made running harder. i managed to finish in 26:54. that's the fastest i've ever run a 5k. if the humidity hadn't been so high, i think i could have taken another minute or so off my time. i never did get to train for my 5k. i had planned on doing sprints and stuff, but after the marathon, i needed a break from running. it was the first time i had run since the marathon a couple weeks back.

came in third in my age bracket- 30-34 (again like last year). i was shooting for second place, but someone turned 30 this year, darn it. didn't account for people getting older. haha.

Hey where've you been? Still running?

well... i've finally went an done it. i joined the gym directly across the street from where i work. not it will stare me in the face every time i look out the window. brought my gym bag today and i'm planning on doing 30 minutes of cardio tonite after work. i will also be going to the gym at least three lunch breaks per week. no more of this eating out for every lunch.

back to healthy.

i've actually gained 20 pounds in the last six months. time give it the old heave ho! i'm shooting for about 2 pounds per week.

i'll keep y'all posted.

Welcome back, brother... welcome back. :cool:

well... i've finally went an done it. i joined the gym directly across the street from where i work. not it will stare me in the face every time i look out the window. brought my gym bag today and i'm planning on doing 30 minutes of cardio tonite after work. i will also be going to the gym at least three lunch breaks per week. no more of this eating out for every lunch.

back to healthy.

i've actually gained 20 pounds in the last six months. time give it the old heave ho! i'm shooting for about 2 pounds per week.

i'll keep y'all posted.

Good to see you back Derek!

it's good to be back. i'm heading over to the gym in a few minutes. it should be interesting to get back on the treadmill tonight. it's like riding a bike, eh? i can't wait to have more energy. that's the one thing i really miss. when i was working out regularly, i had more than enough energy. it will come back.

i'm excited to fit into my size 34s. they are all tight (if not too tight). i was down to just a few pair of pants i could wear to work. don't know why i let it sneak up on me like that.

that's all folks...

well, i did it. i went to the gym last night and did 30 minutes on the treadmill. i forgot how boring running on the treadmill can be, however, i forgot how good it feels to be red in the face and feel your heart pounding in your chest. those darn endorphins!!! feels good to get back on the fitness wagon.

well, well, well... i guess i've been bad about posting my progress on here. i haven't been bad about running. i've been running pretty much every other day. i'm actually doing interval running to improve my overall speed. i have increased my average pace to 6.5 mph. i'd like to get up to 7 or so for the fun 5ks...

more later...

did i mention it feels good to be running again? it feels even better to have my pants feeling less snug. nothing worse than tight pants. i'm going to do a shorter/easier run tonite. i've been running every other day- but i think i need a two day break every now and then. if i get out of work on time @ 5:30, i can squeeze in 25 minutes or so before my haircut at 6:15. if not, i will have to run after, which gets me home after 8. it would be nice to have some sort of night ahead of me.

last night i got my first good night of rest in a week or so. my great dane has been hopping into bed with me earlier and earlier at night. she used to come in around 6- but lately it's been like 2 am. she hogs the bed. you can't just move her- she's 125 pounds. i finally wised up and put her dog bed next to the bed and had her come up right away to sleep on her bed. it worked. i'll have to post a pic of her on here. i was hoping to take her running, but since she sleeps 22 of the 24 hours, it would probably kill her to run more than a mile, although her fast walk is my jogging pace.

anyway, i think rest is very important.

ok, better get going.

squeezed in a 25 minute run between work and getting a haircut. i actually ran 10 minutes at 7mph. that's damned good for me. i'm never the fastest one out there, but that's what i'm working on. i'd like to improve speed. seems to be working.

had a good night's sleep again last night. hopefully, i'll be caught up on my sleep by sometime next week.

run again friday night. i'm thinking i should do a longer run. probably do 50 minutes or so.

I haven't been reading on here lately, just posting once and a while. Good to see you're back and running. :tu:

i was running every other day up until this week. had a lot of family stuff going on. did manage to get my butt into the gym last night. ran four miles. it kicked my ass. i hadn't run since last friday. this weekend i'm headed down to minneapolis to see friends from wisconsin. they are driving up for the holidazzle parade. i have to work my retail job in the morn- then heading out right away. i'll get a run in on sunday when i get back.

other than that- nothing new to report...