I've been doing a great job with the training. Spinning classes twice a week and running 4 times a week to be ready for the marathon. Last Sunday during a 14 mile run I was buzzing because I was able to hold a 9 minute pace with no effort for most of the run. Then my bad luck happened, I tripped and planted my foot on some black ice.
One thing I've been scared of is getting hurt. What if I train for the 5 months and then fall off my bike 2 weeks before the race? Last Sunday got me thinking I need to be careful but also just accept the fact that it could happen and it's part of being an athlete.
My ankle was trashed. By Monday morning I couldn't even get a sock on so off to the doctor I went. X-ray was negative but diagnosis was a severe sprain, no running for 6-8 weeks. I was really depressed for @45 minutes but then I just said to myself, "Time to become a better swimmer." Since then I've swam twice and man am I out of swimming shape. But maybe this was a blessing in disguise...
The marathon isn't out just yet but I'm not attempting running for another 2 weeks at least. I'm just going to stay positive and do what I can.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Friday, December 19, 2008
Chipping Away To Expose My Former Self
The first time I trained for a half-marathon I lost 20 pounds throughout the process. All I did was run and I lost the weight. No lifting weights, dieting, cross training, etc. The thing I've noticed each year since then is all I do is run and bike to get into race shape, and all I do is finish the races. This time has to be different because I don't think I can finish the race without dieting, specific training, and weights.
Last summer after I completed my first half ironman I went into a big workout slump and all I wanted to do was eat unhealthy food. I went through a big stressful job change and my comfort zone was going out to lunch a lot with colleagues and eating fast food for most of my meals. My weight maxed out at 215 pounds. (When I ran the mini in 2006 I was 188)
I've been easing into a decent training routine for the past few weeks. With a workout tomorrow I will have exercised 5 days this week. I've been spinning twice, core workout class 3 times, lifting 3 times, and I've ran 12 miles this week.
I really love food. I've never done drugs or smoked cigarettes in my life. I only drink every now and then...but I'm addicted to certain types of food. My favorite breakfast is a bagel with cream cheese complimented with a mountain dew. I've gone out of my way to get my favorite fast food which varies depending on my mood. I've figured out in the past few weeks that I need to diet so I've been making healthier choices as of late.
Last week I started eating fruit instead of vending machine snacks in the afternoon at work. I replaced bagels/mountain dew with smoothie drinks/bananas/water in the morning. For dinner I only eat half of what I normally do and then bring the other half for lunch the next day.
The combination of dieting and exercising has given me my first positive result today. I lost 3 pounds since last week. And my clothes are becoming loose. This has really lifted my spirits and I'm looking forward to putting in another strong week again.
I've decided to restrict my running pace until February to 10 min/mile. I'm just trying to lose weight and I don't want to get hurt. It makes for some boring treadmill runs with all the ice outside but I have a long road ahead until August.
I'm curious this time with the ironman goal if my former self will be exposed with the dieting, lifting, and massive cardio. I've had a gut going since 1996-97 and I can hardly remember the last time I felt good about taking my shirt off in public. I have to just keep chipping away and not expect to lose 30 pounds in a month. I'd really like to see the scale at 205 by New Year's though...
Last summer after I completed my first half ironman I went into a big workout slump and all I wanted to do was eat unhealthy food. I went through a big stressful job change and my comfort zone was going out to lunch a lot with colleagues and eating fast food for most of my meals. My weight maxed out at 215 pounds. (When I ran the mini in 2006 I was 188)
I've been easing into a decent training routine for the past few weeks. With a workout tomorrow I will have exercised 5 days this week. I've been spinning twice, core workout class 3 times, lifting 3 times, and I've ran 12 miles this week.
I really love food. I've never done drugs or smoked cigarettes in my life. I only drink every now and then...but I'm addicted to certain types of food. My favorite breakfast is a bagel with cream cheese complimented with a mountain dew. I've gone out of my way to get my favorite fast food which varies depending on my mood. I've figured out in the past few weeks that I need to diet so I've been making healthier choices as of late.
Last week I started eating fruit instead of vending machine snacks in the afternoon at work. I replaced bagels/mountain dew with smoothie drinks/bananas/water in the morning. For dinner I only eat half of what I normally do and then bring the other half for lunch the next day.
The combination of dieting and exercising has given me my first positive result today. I lost 3 pounds since last week. And my clothes are becoming loose. This has really lifted my spirits and I'm looking forward to putting in another strong week again.
I've decided to restrict my running pace until February to 10 min/mile. I'm just trying to lose weight and I don't want to get hurt. It makes for some boring treadmill runs with all the ice outside but I have a long road ahead until August.
I'm curious this time with the ironman goal if my former self will be exposed with the dieting, lifting, and massive cardio. I've had a gut going since 1996-97 and I can hardly remember the last time I felt good about taking my shirt off in public. I have to just keep chipping away and not expect to lose 30 pounds in a month. I'd really like to see the scale at 205 by New Year's though...
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Start The Baby Steps
Since I've registered for the race I've slowly gotten back into a decent exercise routine. I started out by running a couple times a week, just 2 miles per workout. Last week I ran 4 times with one of the runs being the Thanksgiving Drumstick Dash (4.5 miles). This week I'm running everyday at lunch, 3 miles each day.
I'm starting to work on my swimming by practicing with a masters swimming team. I'll workout with the team 3 days a week, then swim on my own 1 day. This will be my biggest challenge so far in my road to the ironman. I've never been a good long distance swimmer. It will be fun to learn something new with a coach and I'm hoping to meet some training people for the summer.
I currently weigh 215 pounds. My goal is to be around 200 pounds by 1/1/09. The running should take care of it. I'm easing into a better diet. No more soft drinks or "overeating".
I'm running a marathon on 4/11/09. I start mileage in late January. It'll be 25-30 miles to start. Bring it on...
I'm starting to work on my swimming by practicing with a masters swimming team. I'll workout with the team 3 days a week, then swim on my own 1 day. This will be my biggest challenge so far in my road to the ironman. I've never been a good long distance swimmer. It will be fun to learn something new with a coach and I'm hoping to meet some training people for the summer.
I currently weigh 215 pounds. My goal is to be around 200 pounds by 1/1/09. The running should take care of it. I'm easing into a better diet. No more soft drinks or "overeating".
I'm running a marathon on 4/11/09. I start mileage in late January. It'll be 25-30 miles to start. Bring it on...
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Battle Plan
I registered for Ironman Louisville last week. The race is 8/30/09. It's an ironman distance triathlon consisting of a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, and a 26.2 mile run, 140.6 total miles. Mentally, I'm ready to do the race tomorrow but physically I couldn't even do the swim right now so thankfully I have over 9 months to train.
Years ago people told me I couldn't finish a 5K, did that. Then it was a 10K, did that. Then I had people laugh at me when I said I was going to do a half marathon, did that 6 times. In my mind it was all baby steps to the ironman race. First time I saw it on tv I knew I wanted to try it someday, it happens next August.
One day at work I mentioned to a friend that we should start doing triathlons instead of just running all the time. That was 5 years ago. Since then I've done 3 sprint distance, 7 olympic distance, and a half ironman. They all laughed at me doing the half ironman too, but I did it.
Do I do all of this to showoff to people that I can do it? No. I do the triathlons because I enjoy them, I compete against myself to finish, and it helps to keep me in decent health. Plus there's the part that's hard to explain. Whenever I complete a race, especially the part right before I'm done when I've almost reached the finish line, I feel really good about myself. It's a pretty simple concept but hard for a lot of people to understand.
Ironman Louisville will give me a chance to test myself mentally and physically more than I ever have before in a single day. The t-shirts, medal, pictures, people yelling my name, etc., will be really cool but all I want is that last 100 yards to remember for the rest of my life. I will cross the line with a big smile on my face.
I'm currently ~25 pounds overweight and a very poor swimmer. So, my "battle plan" for the next 3 months is to lose weight and swim at least 3 times a week...
Years ago people told me I couldn't finish a 5K, did that. Then it was a 10K, did that. Then I had people laugh at me when I said I was going to do a half marathon, did that 6 times. In my mind it was all baby steps to the ironman race. First time I saw it on tv I knew I wanted to try it someday, it happens next August.
One day at work I mentioned to a friend that we should start doing triathlons instead of just running all the time. That was 5 years ago. Since then I've done 3 sprint distance, 7 olympic distance, and a half ironman. They all laughed at me doing the half ironman too, but I did it.
Do I do all of this to showoff to people that I can do it? No. I do the triathlons because I enjoy them, I compete against myself to finish, and it helps to keep me in decent health. Plus there's the part that's hard to explain. Whenever I complete a race, especially the part right before I'm done when I've almost reached the finish line, I feel really good about myself. It's a pretty simple concept but hard for a lot of people to understand.
Ironman Louisville will give me a chance to test myself mentally and physically more than I ever have before in a single day. The t-shirts, medal, pictures, people yelling my name, etc., will be really cool but all I want is that last 100 yards to remember for the rest of my life. I will cross the line with a big smile on my face.
I'm currently ~25 pounds overweight and a very poor swimmer. So, my "battle plan" for the next 3 months is to lose weight and swim at least 3 times a week...
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