C25K Week 3 Day 2

It's a great day for running! I admit, some days it's difficult to get excited about actually going to the gym, but once I'm there and moving, I'm always glad I went. I didn't have too much trouble getting there this afternoon, but hey, I can always find something else to do if I really want to. I'm glad my wife is eager to go, too, so she can get some exercise in during these last few weeks of pregnancy...it's a great motivation for me.

Continuing on with the C25K program, here's how it all broke down today:


0.00-5.00 - 3.5 mph
5.00-6.30 - 6.6 mph
6.30-8.00 - 4.0 mph
8.00-11.00 - 6.6 mph
11.00-14.00 - 4.0 mph
14.00-15.30 - 6.6 mph
15.30-17.00 - 4.0 mph
17.00-20.00 - 6.6 mph
20.00-23.00 - 4.0 mph
23.00-28.00 - 3.5 mph

I squeaked out 2.17 miles for a 12:54 pace. Friday will likely see a bit of a break in the pattern from the last two weeks as I highly doubt I will be able to maintain 8.0 mph for 3 minutes at the end. However, I will do what I'm able to do, as I'm always looking to do better in the future.

Get out and get some activity in yourself if you're able today. I know you'll thank yourself for it!

C25K Week 3 Day 1

Back on track today with a nice afternoon run! It rained during the night and it's quite warm and humid now, especially for late October, and I wonder how much that affected the temps at the gym. I was feeling quite warm throughout my run, and now feel very sticky. A shower is going to be a big blessing.

Today's stats:

0.00-5.00 - 3.5 mph
5.00-6.30 - 6.5 mph
6.30-8.00 - 4.0 mph
8.00-11.00 - 6.5 mph
11.00-14.00 - 4.0 mph
14.00-15.30 - 6.5 mph
15.30-17.00 - 4.0 mph
17.00-20.00 - 6.5 mph
20.00-23.00 - 4.0 mph
23.00-28.00 - 3.5 mph

Total distance, 2.15 miles, which is a 13:01 pace. I was sure I'd have a little faster pace than that, but I obviously miscalculated. Oh well, Wednesday I'll break 13 minutes as I will be increasing the speed a little bit.

Be sure to make time for your own activity today!

C25K Week 2 Day 3

I'm on my way back to being on track with my MWF runs. It's a good feeling. I feel great after getting my run in this afternoon. I'm tired, but it's a good tired. Now I just have to stay awake through my shift at work tonight.

Stats for today:

0.00-5.00 - 3.5

5.00-6.30 - 6.7

6.30-8.30 - 4.0

8.30-10.00 - 6.7

10.00-12.00 - 4.0

12.00-13.30 - 6.7

13.30-15.30 - 4.0

15.30-17.00 - 6.7

17.00-19.00 - 4.0

19.00-20.30 - 6.7

20.30-22.30 - 4.0

22.30-24.00 - 8.0

24.00-26.00 - 4.0

26.00-31.00 - 3.5

I managed 2.42 miles today for a 12:48 pace. Definitely fun to see the speed increasing and the pace per mile decreasing.

I hope you can make time today to do a little something, too.

C25K Week 2 Day 2

A great day at the gym this morning! I'm so glad I have a place to run indoors because it was cold and rainy. I think there are actually about six days a year I find to be ideal for running outside, and I always seem to be working.

It's been fun seeing the change in distance compared to my first go-through of this program earlier in the year. I'm curious to see how things will go next week with increased speeds as I start getting longer running segments.

Breakdown for today:

0.00-5.00 - 3.5

5.00-6.30 - 6.6

6.30-8.30 - 4.0

8.30-10.00 - 6.6

10.00-12.00 - 4.0

12.00-13.30 - 6.6

13.30-15.30 - 4.0

15.30-17.00 - 6.6

17.00-19.00 - 4.0

19.00-20.30 - 6.6

20.30-22.30 - 4.0

22.30-24.00 - 6.6

24.00-26.00 - 4.0

26.00-31.00 - 3.5

Total distance, 2.37 miles, for a 13:04 pace. It's getting down there!

I hope you can make time today for a little exercise, too. Enjoy!

C25K Week 2 Day 1

I worked the overnight shift Saturday and Sunday nights, and by the time I got home at 8 AM on Monday, I was ready for bed. My plan had been to get up around 1:30 and head to the gym, but when I woke up my left leg was really bothering me so I figured it wouldn't do me much good to stress it out. Today, though, I felt great and my run went very well.

I can tell a significant difference between my running shoes and my regular shoes, and it has me thinking that I might need to look at getting some different shoes for everyday use (my regular shoes feel incredibly hard to my feet). Unfortunately, money is a bit tight, so I'll have to wait a while before I make any more shoe purchases, especially since I'm not expecting a $20 pair to do the trick.

Anyway, on to my stats for today:

0.00-5.00 - 3.5

5.00-6.30 - 6.5

6.30-8.30 - 4.0

8.30-10.00 - 6.5

10.00-12.00 - 4.0

12.00-13.30 - 6.5

13.30-15.30 - 4.0

15.30-17.00 - 6.5

17.00-19.00 - 4.0

19.00-20.30 - 6.5

20.30-22.30 - 4.0

22.30-24.00 - 6.5

24.00-26.00 - 4.0

26.00-31.00 - 3.5

I hit a total distance of 2.35 miles today, which comes out to an average 13:11 mile. Those sub-12-minute miles are looking quite a ways off, but I'll get there.

I hope you've been able to get some exercise in, even when I haven't. Feel free to leave comments about the things you are doing!

C25K Week 1 Day 3

It's a great day for running!

I enjoyed my time at the gym this afternoon. It's hard to believe it's already the end of the week. Two days off now and then back to it on Monday.

Breakdown today:

0.00-5.00 - 3.5 mph
5.00-6.00 - 6.7 mph
6.00-7.30 - 4.0 mph
7.30-8.30 - 6.7 mph
8.30-10.00 - 4.0 mph
10.00-11.00 - 6.7 mph
11.00-12.30 - 4.0 mph
12.30-13.30 - 6.7 mph
13.30-15.00 - 4.0 mph
15.00-16.00 - 6.7 mph
16.00-17.30 - 4.0 mph
17.30-18.30 - 6.7 mph
18.30-20.00 - 4.0 mph
20.00-21.00 - 6.7 mph
21.00-22.30 - 4.0 mph
22.30-23.30 - 8.0 mph
23.30-25.00 - 4.0 mph
25.00-30.00 - 3.5 mph

The sprint at the end was a lot of fun, and I handled it much better than I thought I might. Total distance today, 2.29 miles. Average pace, 13:06.

Hope you can get out and enjoy some exercise, too!

C25K Week 1 Day 2

Happy Wednesday! It's a magnificent day out there, and whether you're exercising indoors or out, I hope you're enjoying the weather. Fall is definitely here with the leaves turning brilliant colors and the air taking on a crisp chill.

Back to the gym today for another run. It was easier than Monday's run, and I'm feeling fantastic. I didn't make significant increases in either my speed or distance compared to Monday, but it's all baby steps. In a few more weeks, I'll practically be flying.

Workout breakdown for today:

0.00-5.00 - 3.5 mph
5.00-6.00 - 6.6 mph
6.00-7.30 - 4.0 mph
7.30-8.30 - 6.6 mph
8.30-10.00 - 4.0 mph
10.00-11.00 - 6.6 mph
11.00-12.30 - 4.0 mph
12.30-13.30 - 6.6 mph
13.30-15.00 - 4.0 mph
15.00-16.00 - 6.6 mph
16.00-17.30 - 4.0 mph
17.30-18.30 - 6.6 mph
18.30-20.00 - 4.0 mph
20.00-21.00 - 6.6 mph
21.00-22.30 - 4.0 mph
22.30-23.30 - 6.6 mph
23.30-25.00 - 4.0 mph
25.00-30.00 - 3.5 mph

Total distance, 2.26 miles. This comes out to a 13:16 mile. I'm looking forward to Friday when I blast through the last running interval at probably 7.5 mph. It always feels so good to open up the throttle at the end!

If you haven't been able to do anything yet today, find the time to do it. Your body will thank you!

C25K Week 1 Day 1

Well, as I said last time, I decided to start the C25K program over again. I know I've lost something in the running department and I'm looking forward to gaining it back. For the first few weeks, at least, I'm going to try and push the speed a bit so I can hopefully increase my pace in the last few weeks. I'll probably be fluctuating as I try to figure out just where my body is right now.

I feel great after my first workout this week, though, which is exciting. My new running shoes felt amazing the entire time. I'll give them another couple of workouts to be sure, but I'm thinking these are a great fit for me.

So, here's how it all broke down today:
0.00-5.00 - 3.5 mph
5.00-6.00 - 6.5 mph
6.00-7.30 - 4.0 mph
7.30-8.30 - 6.5 mph
8.30-10.00 - 4.0 mph
10.00-11.00 - 6.5 mph
11.00-12.30 - 4.0 mph
12.30-13.30 - 6.5 mph
13.30-15.00 - 4.0 mph
15.00-16.00 - 6.5 mph
16.00-17.30 - 4.0 mph
17.30-18.30 - 6.5 mph
18.30-20.00 - 4.0 mph
20.00-21.00 - 6.5 mph
21.00-22.30 - 4.0 mph
22.30-23.30 - 6.5 mph
23.30-25.00 - 4.0 mph
25.00-30.00 - 3.5 mph

Total distance, 2.25 miles. This comes out to a 13:20 mile. It'll be a few weeks before my running outweighs my walking enough to be hitting average paces below 12 minutes, but it's a goal I'm looking forward to meeting.

It's a nice day here, cool and windy, excellent for outdoor activities if one is so inclined. Wherever you are, I hope you are able to find a place indoors or out in which to be active.

Running workout

I didn't get around to posting this yesterday, but my workout was from yesterday, Friday, October 5th. Abi and I went to the gym for some walking and jogging and I really enjoyed it.

I tried some sprints and think they went well. After a five-minute warm-up, I jogged at 5.5 mph for 1 minute, then 7.5 mph for 1 minute. I did this four times. Then I alternated walking and jogging, ending with 3 minutes of a cooldown walk. Overall, I covered 2.04 miles in 25 minutes.

I am thinking to start the C25K program over again as I've definitely lost endurance, but this time around I'll hit some higher speeds for the first few weeks to hopefully increase my pace in the second half of the regimen.

Some exciting news is that I bought new running shoes today! I had purchased a pair from The Running Room in Rochester, MN last year in May or so. I think the shoes I bought today are going to serve me better as they seem to fit better and definitely have more cushion. I went to Kyle's Bikes in Ankeny, IA, and I think they did a better job of evaluating me before selecting a few shoes for me to try and ultimately sending me on my way. I'll have a better idea of how these shoes will work after I get a workout or two in. The nice thing is that if I run on the treadmill, I can get a few miles of use out of the shoes and then return them for something else if there's an issue.

Hopefully you've had a chance to get some exercising in recently. Have a great weekend!

Running workout

Made it back to the gym today for the first time in 6-8 weeks. I'd obviously lost something in the running department, but it felt great to be back at it.

Overall, I spent 22 minutes and 44 seconds on the treadmill and went 1.71 miles, which averages out to a 13:17 pace. But, that includes warm-up and cool-down. For actual running, I ran a full mile in 10 minutes and 44 seconds. It'll be nice to see that number go down and my endurance go up.

Hope you're able to get moving in some way today, too!

Time to change it up...again

Well, even though it's somewhat frustrating to do this, I'm going to be changing my exercise regimen once again. I've been experiencing a little more tweakiness in my legs and back, and I'm forced to conclude that it's probably due to P90X and my body not being quite ready for it. That's disappointing to me, but better to play it safe.

So, it's going to be back to running for a while, as well as working on abs and flexibility. As long as I'm still moving, it's all good.

For those of you who might also be struggling with various things exercisey, I hope this can be an encouragement to you. Don't be afraid to back off of something if it's proving too strenuous for your current level of health. Having to stop entirely because of an injury is no fun at all, and it really doesn't do you any good.

P90X Week 1 1/2 Day 4

Funky title for today's entry, right? And you're probably thinking, "Hey, what happened to days 1-3?" Rewind back to my last entry. I had Kenpo X on Saturday and afterwards was feeling fantastic. However, that evening I had a huge knot in my right glute and felt some tweaking in my back and legs similar to what I experienced when my disc herniated. That had me concerned, especially because my wife and I were spending two nights with my in-laws and would be sleeping on an air mattress that has historically not been the best for either of us. Thankfully there was a foam pad to put down. On top of that, Abi made sure to pray for me, and I woke up Sunday morning without any pain at all.

We didn't get home until Monday night, and I had decided by that point that I wasn't going to try to change my workout schedule. If I'd been on track, that would have been Day 2 of this week. Not wanting to stress my body more than I had to, I opted to not do my exercises that night. Then Tuesday night I didn't do them, either, knowing I had a chiropractor appointment on Wednesday and figuring the adjustment would help me exercise better the rest of this week.

So tonight I got into the Yoga X workout. If you remember last week, I only made it just a few minutes in before feeling I needed to quit. Tonight was better, though it was still only 15 minutes (out of 1 1/2 hours!). It's going to take some time to work up to doing the entire session as the workout utilizes a lot of muscles that just aren't the strong and/or flexible for me. Again, I'm looking forward to seeing how I'm doing by the end of the program.

I hope you've managed to stay a little active this week. I know I haven't been the best about it, but all I can do is get up tomorrow and try again. Abi and I are planning to hit the gym on Friday for some walking and probably jogging, hopefully a MWF deal for us again.

P90X Week 1 Day 6

Ah, it's the end of the first week of P90X and I'm feeling fantastic. Because of a variety of schedule issues revolving around today, I decided to do my final workout this morning instead of last night because I needed to be up earlier than normal. It's amazing how sore my glutes are from my previous workouts, so I was a little concerned about how today would go, but I sat on a heating pad for a little while to help loosen things up and took it slow.

Cardio day today with Kenpo X. One of my coworkers asked if there was actual martial arts training involved, and in my expert opinion I'd have to say...maybe. The moves seem legitimate, but since the focus is on keeping the heart rate up, the speed at which the moves are performed doesn't seem (to me, with no martial arts experience) to foster actual training. However, it's a fun workout.

I'm going to be out of town this weekend, possibly through Monday since I have the day off, so I might have to adapt my workout schedule. I'm not totally sure how I'll adapt, so I'll be playing it by ear and seeing what happens.

If you get a chance, get out and move yourself today. I highly recommend it!

P90X Week 1 Day 5

Back to strength training today with Legs & Back and Ab Ripper X. I have to say, I'm not a fan of wall squats, but that's mostly because I can't do them for very long. There were two variations in this workout. The first set of wall squats lasted for 90 seconds. You start with your thighs a little higher than parallel to the ground and hold for 15 seconds, then switch to thighs fully parallel with the ground, back and forth. The second set of wall squats lasted 60 seconds, and you had to raise one leg out in front of you for 10 seconds, switching back and forth. Neither one was very easy, and even should I get into "X" shape, I doubt they'll be a cake walk, but I'm excited about getting stronger.

Abs...well, they're abs. I'm happy to see that my reps are increasing for most of the exercises and that I'm maintaining good form at the same time (that's key; there's no sense in gaining reps if you're going to be sloppy about it). It'll take a while, but I'm confident I can get to the slated 25 reps per exercise by the end of this program.

It definitely made a difference even in the warm-up stretching tonight that I'd been up all day moving around. That's a pretty big clue that I need to be doing this workout after I get done with work, not right after getting out of bed.

Have you made time to get some movement in today?

P90X Week 1 Day 4

Well, not much to report here. This session is the Yoga X workout, and I didn't get more than a few minutes into it. Part of my problem was likely not doing it last night after work when I'd been up all day and my muscles were already somewhat warmed up. I'll have to keep that in mind for subsequent weeks.

Oh well, not everything is easy at first. I'll just have to work harder next week on getting through it.

Hope you've found something active to do today.

P90X Week 1 Day 3

I was seriously bummed out earlier because I left work at 7:45 PM not feeling well and thought I wasn't going to be able to do my workout tonight. After getting some food in me, a mug of peppermint tea, and a good deal of water, I finally felt pretty much normal around 10:30. I'd been dealing with a pretty good headache that was leaving me weak and semi-nauseous. I was--and still am--pretty sure this was the last hurrah of my caffeine withdrawal (I had two travel mugs of coffee Sunday morning and two glasses of Coke while out to eat with some friends). I'm happy to say that I should be through the worst of it, and I am thrilled I was able to get my exercising in tonight!

It was a good night, too. Shoulders & Arms and Ab Ripper X. So far, having done three workouts, the two strength training workouts have been considerably easier than the cardio, probably at least in part because I can adjust the weights down, which I'm doing to ease into this and prevent injury. When it comes to cardio, jumping around and such and utilizing my own body weight, I can't really do much about that in the short term without drastic measures like liposuction. I know that historically I've not been good at high intensity output over long periods of time, so it's not surprising that I struggle with the cardio workouts in this series. Going to the gym and running 4 miles doesn't sound like that big of a deal at all in comparison.

Anyway, halfway through my first week, and I'm remembering just how much I love P90X. Yes, it's tough, and I have to dig down and push through sometimes, but it really is a fantastic workout. I'm not following the eating plan, so I'm not necessarily expecting to shed the 35-60 pounds I'd need to lose in order to see definition in my midsection, but that wasn't my goal in the first place...it'd just be a nice bonus if it happened. Rather, I want to have total body health and be in the best shape I can be.

If you're not participating in some sort of regular exercise, I encourage you to start. Find someone to do it with you so you have that added incentive. You won't regret it!

P90X Week 1 Day 2

Tonight's workout was Plyometrics (jump training), and it is a killer. I was only able to make it about 2/3 of the way through before I was toast. It's frustrating in a way, but at the same time, I'm happy that I was able to do that much of such an intense session.

Could I have gone longer? Sure. Would it have been smart? That's trickier to answer. Because this workout shows up throughout the entire program, though, I have time to improve. Besides, as I've stressed before, I don't want to push so hard that I risk injury to myself again.

At any rate, I'm glad to be moving. I hope you're finding time in your life to get some activity in, too. Even a walk around the block is better than nothing. Start small if you haven't been doing anything lately. Results come with time, benefits start immediately.

P90X Week 1 Day 1

Well, I took things slow, but that's okay, because I made it through the workout. Today's session was Chest & Back and Ab Ripper X. I can definitely tell there are several muscles I haven't used in a while, so being deliberate and taking my time is going to be highly important. Sure, it's frustrating to be doing so few reps with so little weight, but all that will come with patience.

Now, I haven't told any of you this before, but I have discovered the secret to time travel. This has allowed me to obtain my before and after pictures from P90X today, and you can see them now, too, instead of waiting several months.

Are you ready?

No, seriously, are you really ready?

Okay then, here you go. Don't faint.

That's right, baby! I am a beast! RAWR!

Pre-P90X

As I mentioned last week, I have decided to get into P90X again. Tonight will be my first night into it this time around. I will be taking it SLOWLY so as to not injure my back again. I don't know if P90X was the cause of my disc herniation or if it was what pushed me over, but in any case, I don't want to risk that sort of hurt again. I'm going to keep the weight light and the reps using the band minimal for this first week as my body adjusts. As great as I think this program is, I am not wanting to use it as a once-for-all solution to my weight management goals. Rather, I see this as a way to get into the best possible shape I can over the next three months and then go from there.

I am hoping to manage 2-4 days a week of some light running, too, to keep up with that end of things. Abi wants to be able to get out and do some walking so she can continue to feel well, too, especially as she is in the third trimester now.

I weighed myself tonight, and I came in at 223.6 pounds. That's only 2.4 pounds heavier than my last update on July 23rd. I had feared I had gained more than that, so I'm quite happy, especially considering I didn't do nearly so well with healthy food choices the three weeks I was on the overnight shift.

I had Abi take some new pictures today, too, for a bit of a baseline.

The shorts I'm wearing in these pictures are different (and smaller) than the ones from my previous updates. These are a 36-inch waist while the others were 38-inch. I thought they would make a better dramatic presentation for comparison a few months from now.

Well, I need to get the spare room in order so I can do my exercises, and I want to try and get a thermos of water finished an hour before I get started on the program, so I'm going to have to go for now. I'll be back to let everyone know how it went.

As always, I hope you're finding time to get some movement in your days!

My absence...

Hello all! I realize it's been quite a while since I last posted here. August 13th-September 2nd I was working the overnight shift (Midnight-8 AM) and was so wiped out by it that I really didn't do anything by way of exercise other than a couple of walks with my wife. Last week I was back on my normal 3:30-Midnight schedule, but even still I'm not fully adjusted to it. This week will likely be very light by way of activity, also due in part to some appointments. I am hoping next week to be back on track with at least some form of activity.

I am debating what I want to do. I still want to run a 5K this year, so I'm going to have to work in some running to at least maintain my ability. On top of that, though, I'm thinking to start up with P90X after work Monday night. I'd need to take it easy for the first couple of weeks as my body adjusts, but I definitely want the whole-body workouts provided by that program (running is great, but I don't want to fall into the trap of doing only that).

Anyway, I'm looking forward to starting something again next week, and I will be keeping you posted with what develops.

Have a great day!

G28K Week 4 Day 3

I finally got Week 4 out of the way today. It just didn't work out to go over the weekend. Oh well, not a big deal. I'm probably going to hit the gym Wednesday and Friday for sure, and possibly Saturday to get Week 5 out of the way. It was a little tough to go this morning, partly because I'd been at work overnight. I have to work the Midnight-8 shift for three weeks, and I'm hoping it doesn't mess me up too badly.

Run for today:
0.00-5.00 - 3.7
5.00-15.00 - 5.5 mph
15.00-16.00 - 4.0 mph
16.00-26.00 - 5.5 mph
26.00-27.00 - 4.0 mph
27.00-37.00 - 5.5 mph
37.00-38.00 - 4.0 mph
38.00-48.00 - 5.5 mph
48.00-49.00 - 4.0 mph
49.00-54.00 - 3.7 mph

Total distance, 4.54 miles. Average one-mile pace, 11:53

If you're able to get out and move today, I highly encourage it.

G28K Week 4 Day 2

There's something to be said for consistency. Today I ended up doing the exact same workout as Wednesday. However, even though I felt great after my workout Wednesday, I feel even better today, which is an encouraging thought. Tomorrow should be interesting as I will be hitting the gym again in order to get caught up for the week. I'd normally prefer to wait at least 36 hours, but the gym isn't open late enough for that. Oh well, this doesn't happen too frequently, so I don't expect it to be a big deal.

With that said, here are my stats for today:

0.00-5.00 - 3.7
5.00-15.00 - 5.5 mph
15.00-16.00 - 4.0 mph
16.00-26.00 - 5.5 mph
26.00-27.00 - 4.0 mph
27.00-37.00 - 5.5 mph
37.00-38.00 - 4.0 mph
38.00-48.00 - 5.5 mph
48.00-49.00 - 4.0 mph
49.00-54.00 - 3.7 mph

Total distance, 4.54 miles. Average one-mile pace, 11:53.

Hope you've managed to find some time to get some exercise in today. Even a little bit will go a long way towards helping you feel better!

G28K Week 4 Day 1

Today should have been Day 2, but as I said in my last post, I didn't have a good running day on Monday. However, I feel that I have more than made up for it. I woke up this morning and felt the best I have all week, and before going to the gym I made an extra point of stretching. I'm on kind of a high at the moment.

So here's how it went today:
0.00-5.00 - 3.7
5.00-15.00 - 5.5 mph
15.00-16.00 - 4.0 mph
16.00-26.00 - 5.5 mph
26.00-27.00 - 4.0 mph
27.00-37.00 - 5.5 mph
37.00-38.00 - 4.0 mph
38.00-48.00 - 5.5 mph
48.00-49.00 - 4.0 mph
49.00-54.00 - 3.7 mph

Total distance, 4.54 miles. Average one-mile pace, 11:53. Woo-hoo!

I hope you've been able to get some activity in today. Even a little bit is good, and the benefits (better health, better attitude) are absolutely worth it!

Running workout

Today was rather frustrating. I was planning to get G28K Week 4 underway, and managed to get through the first running interval of 10 minutes. When it came to the second one, however, I could only make it for 1 minute before the tightness in my legs forced me to slow things down. I ended up doing a few sprints of up to 1 minute each to keep things going a bit, but all in all it wasn't a very impressive morning.

On the plus side, my back was feeling better today. I've had some soreness in my lower back, which, of course, had me concerned. I might have to take things very easy for a week or two to ensure I don't do something to hurt myself again.

Hope you've been able to get some activity in!

G28K Week 3 Day 3

Ever been going through your exercise program and before you've even gotten halfway through you think you're already done? That was today for me. It's a frustrating feeling. However, to a large degree this can be overcome with willpower (I don't recommend forcing yourself through a lifting workout with a torn muscle, or something like that, though). Getting through my second and third running intervals was definitely a battle of the mind, yet I succeeded. Pushing through the increased speed the last five minutes of the fourth interval was also tough, but to my great happiness, I plowed ahead and made it to the end.


Times and speeds today:

0.00-5.00 - 3.7 mph
5.00-14.00 - 5.7 mph
14.00-15.00 - 4.0 mph
15.00-24.00 - 5.7 mph
24.00-25.00 - 4.0 mph
25.00-34.00 - 5.7 mph
34.00-35.00 - 4.0 mph
35.00-39.00 - 5.7 mph
39.00-42.00 - 6.0 mph
42.00-43.00 - 6.5 mph
43.00-43.30 - 7.0 mph
43.30-44.00 - 7.5 mph
44.00-45.00 - 4.0 mph
45.00-50.00 - 3.7 mph

My total distance, 4.35 miles. This translates to a one-mile pace of 11:29.


Depending on how I feel next week, I might be dropping my running speeds down a bit so I can be sure to get through the entire workout. I'll just have to play it by ear and see what happens.


If it's hot where you're at (like it is here), please be safe if you're getting outside. In any case, I encourage you to take advantage of whatever time you have and get some movement in.

G28K Week 3 Day 2

What a day! First I had an appointment with a new chiropractor. I really enjoyed the appointment, and I think I get along with this chiropractor the best out of any I've seen in the last few years. Then I went to Chick-fil-A for the Appreciation Day (and even though my faith leaves me in support of traditional marriage, I went more to support the free speech rights of Dan Cathy). We had a service at church tonight for the annual Family Camp, and after that I finally hit the gym. It was a good run...I am continually amazed at how easy it has become to run for so long.


How it went today:
0.00-5.00 - 3.7 mph
5.00-14.00 - 5.6 mph
14.00-15.00 - 4.0 mph
15.00-24.00 - 5.6 mph
24.00-25.00 - 4.0 mph
25.00-34.00 - 5.6 mph
34.00-35.00 - 4.0 mph
35.00-44.00 - 5.6 mph
44.00-45.00 - 4.0 mph
45.00-50.00 - 3.7 mph


My total distance today was 4.24 miles, which is a one-mile pace of 11:47. Based on the last two weeks, my prediction is that I will hit about 4.35 miles on Friday.


With that, it's time for me to do a little cleaning for company and look at getting to bed.


Hope you've gotten some movement in today!

G28K Week 3 Day 1

It's hard to believe I'm already on my third week of this program. And what a week it's looking to be! I had a great run this morning, and am looking forward to the next two this week.


Daily stats:
0.00-5.00 - 3.7 mph
5.00-14.00 - 5.5 mph
14.00-15.00 - 4.0 mph
15.00-24.00 - 5.5 mph
24.00-25.00 - 4.0 mph
25.00-34.00 - 5.5 mph
34.00-35.00 - 4.0 mph
35.00-44.00 - 5.5 mph
44.00-45.00 - 4.0 mph
45.00-50.00 - 3.7 mph


Total distance today, 4.18 miles. That comes out to an 11:57-mile. I'm loving it!


Hope you can find time to get some moving in today.

G28K Week 2 Day 3

What a great way to get Friday going! I had so much fun at the gym this afternoon, especially since it seemed considerably easier to get through my workout than the two other days this week. I'm definitely seeing progress, and it's exciting.


Here's how my run broke down today:

0.00-5.00 - 3.7 mph
5.00-13.00 - 5.7 mph
13.00-14.00 - 4.0 mph
14.00-22.00 - 5.7 mph
22.00-23.00 - 4.0 mph
23.00-31.00 - 5.7 mph
31.00-32.00 - 4.0 mph
32.00-35.00 - 5.7 mph
35.00-38.00 - 6.0 mph
38.00-39.00 - 6.5 mph
39.00-39.30 - 7.0 mph
39.30-40.00 - 7.5 mph
40.00-41.00 - 4.0 mph
41.00-46.00 - 3.7 mph


I came just short of 4 miles with a distance of 3.97, which comes out to an 11:35-mile. I'm quite thrilled and am looking forward to seeing how I can improve on this next week.


If you haven't yet, I encourage you to get some movement in today.

G28K Week 2 Day 2

Once again, it's hot outside, and once again I am thankful to be able to go to a gym to do my running. Actually, after dealing with my herniated disc in the beginning of the year, I'm thankful to be upright and doing anything more than shuffling along. God has been very good to me.


My run today:
0.00-5.00 - 3.7 mph
5.00-13.00 - 5.6 mph
13.00-14.00 - 4.0 mph
14.00-22.00 - 5.6 mph
22.00-23.00 - 4.0 mph
23.00-31.00 - 5.6 mph
31.00-32.00 - 4.0 mph
32.00-40.00 - 5.6 mph
40.00-41.00 - 4.0 mph
41.00-46.00 - 3.7 mph


Total distance, 3.86 miles, which comes out to an 11:55 mile. Not bad at all!


Have you been able to move today?

Progress update

Well, here we are, ten days out from the last update. I have to say that things are going well, even though it's not always the easiest thing in the world to deny myself sugary treats or get to the gym three days a week. However, I'm quite serious about getting healthier, so it's worth the sacrifices that sometimes have to be made.


Okay, on to the numbers. When I first started hitting the gym, I was around 238 pounds (the heaviest I've ever been in my life). My first picture update on 7/3 had me weighing in at 226.6 pounds. Today it's down to 221.2. I'm trying not to obsess over my actual weight, but I have to admit it's fun and encouraging to see that number getting smaller.


Now for pictures. Here are the pictures from 7/3, 7/13, and today all together for easy progress viewing.

It's been neat to see how my body has been changing as a result of exercising more and making smarter food choices. The next several weeks should continue to be exciting!

G28K Week 1 Day 1

It's another hot one today with a predicted high of 105 degrees F. I enjoyed running outside last year in Rochester, but I just don't have the desire to do so when it's this hot. If you are going outside in the heat, please be sure to take appropriate precautions so you don't get dehydrated, suffer heat stroke, or something worse.


The running intervals got longer by one minute each today, and what a feeling it is to be running so much! This week marks the first time I've run more than 30 minutes total (32 minutes this week, and increasing the next several weeks).


Here's how it went:
0.00-5.00 - 3.7 mph
5.00-13.00 - 5.5 mph
13.00-14.00 - 4.0 mph
14.00-22.00 - 5.5 mph
22.00-23.00 - 4.0 mph
23.00-31.00 - 5.5 mph
31.00-32.00 - 4.0 mph
32.00-40.00 - 5.5 mph
40.00-41.00 - 4.0 mph
41.00-46.00 - 3.7 mph


My total distance for today, 3.81 miles. That comes out to a 12:04-mile pace.


It's your turn to get moving!

G28K Week 1 Day 3

Here we are at the end of another week of running, and it's been great. I look forward to my runs, and am very thankful I've been able to keep doing them. I don't know as I will necessarily run three days a week forever, but I fully plan to for the next 19 weeks. Beyond that, I'm hoping to get back into P90X, and because of the time commitment and how much energy it uses, I don't know if I will get more than one or two running days in a week for those three months. At any rate, I am excited about being more active, and I'm eager to see what I can add to my activities as the months and years go by.


Here are my stats for today:

0.00-5.00 - 3.7 mph
5.00-12.00 - 5.7 mph
12.00-13.00 - 4.0 mph
13.00-20.00 - 5.7 mph
20.00-21.00 - 4.0 mph
21.00-28.00 - 5.7 mph
28.00-29.00 - 4.0 mph
29.00-31.00 - 5.7 mph
31.00-34.00 - 6.0 mph
34.00-35.00 - 6.5 mph
35.00-35.30 - 7.0 mph
35.30-36.00 - 7.5 mph
36.00-37.00 - 4.0 mph
37.00-42.00 - 3.7 mph


Today I went 3.59 miles, which comes out at a pace of 11:41. It's very exciting to see my pace so far below 12:00. With time, I'm looking forward to getting down to a racing pace of 8:00 or less.


Have you been active today?

G28K Week 1 Day 2

Back to the gym today to continue my running progress. I was hoping to get in, done, and home a little earlier today, but I needed to get my oil changed so I still didn't get home until about 1:20. Leftovers for lunch today, though, so time isn't going to be too big of an issue.


My gerbil belting today:

0.00-5.00 - 3.7 mph
5.00-12.00 - 5.6 mph
12.00-13.00 - 4.0 mph
13.00-20.00 - 5.6 mph
20.00-21.00 - 4.0 mph
21.00-28.00 - 5.6 mph
28.00-29.00 - 4.0 mph
29.00-36.00 - 5.6 mph
36.00-37.00 - 4.0 mph
37.00-42.00 - 3.7 mph


Total distance, 3.49 miles. Average pace, 12:02. It's getting down there!


How's your exercising going?

G28K Week 1 Day 1

Hello, faithful followers! Today marks a new day in my exercise regimen. I started the Gateway to 8K program (details can be found towards the bottom of the page at www.c25k.com). This is a 10-week program, and I'm looking forward to building on my success with the C25K program. The first 9 weeks will be interval runs, culminating in the 10th week with solid 50-minute runs. Nine weeks ago, the prospect of running 50 minutes solid sounded daunting; today, it seems well within my reach.


Week One involves a 5-minute warm-up walk, followed by four 7-minute jogs with a 1-minute walk in between. I added a 1-minute walk after the 4th jog before my 5-minute cooldown so I could bring my pace down a little more gradually.


My run for today:
0.00-5.00 - 3.7 mph
5.00-12.00 - 5.5 mph
12.00-13.00 - 4.0 mph
13.00-20.00 - 5.5 mph
20.00-21.00 - 4.0 mph
21.00-28.00 - 5.5 mph
28.00-29.00 - 4.0 mph
29.00-36.00 - 5.5 mph
36.00-37.00 - 4.0 mph
37.00-42.00 - 3.7 mph


I went a total distance of 3.44 miles, which comes out to a 12:12 pace. This is my fastest pace to date. I'm looking forward to improving it.


Have you gotten some exercise in today?

C25K Week 9 Day 3

Well, I did it. The C25K program has now been completed. It's a tremendous feeling, and I look forward to building on my success starting next week with the Gateway to 8K program.


As I mentioned in the last couple of posts, I upped my speed some in this workout, and it yielded some impressive dividends.


Here's the breakdown for today:
0.00-5.00 - 3.7 mph
5.00-15.00 - 4.9 mph
15.00-25.00 - 5.0 mph
25.00-30.00 - 5.5 mph
30.00-33.00 - 6.0 mph
33.00-34.00 - 6.5 mph
34.00-35.00 - 7.0 mph
35.00-40.00 - 3.7 mph


I went a total distance of 3.25 miles, and netted a pace of 12:18. This is my fastest pace to date, as well as the highest distance in one workout.


Hope your Friday has seen some activity. Enjoy your weekend, and get moving!

Progress report!

I haven't been to the gym yet today, but I'll be heading that way shortly and another post will follow at that time. For now, I thought I'd give a brief progress report, complete with new picture, spurred on by the fact that my wife has noticed I'm looking a bit skinnier. I've lost about 3 pounds in the last 10 days, so...yeah, things are happening!


The past 9 weeks have been fantastic, and I'm feeling overall more energetic, which is a great feeling. My clothes are fitting a bit better, my running endurance has increased, I can take the stairs a bit more easily now...in short, I am getting healthier.


Last week, Abi got an iTouch and started using the MyFitnessPal app to track her calories (she's trying to gain healthy weight since she's about 19 weeks pregnant). She invited me to use the web-based version at www.myfitnesspal.com, and it's been very helpful. Seeing my calories, protein, fat, and carbs all added up and compared to a daily intake goal based on my weight (current and desired) and my weight-loss goals, has helped me make better food choices over the last couple of weeks, as well as avoid some of the temptations at work when there are various snacks waiting to be eaten.


And, as promised, here's a new picture:

It's not super-dramatic, but one thing noticeable compared to my previous picture is that my shorts don't curl over at the top when I'm standing up. Little things like that are great motivators.

And with that, I should get into my exercise clothes and head to the gym for a run.

C25K Week 9 Day 2

Back to the gym this morning, and I feel incredible! It's amazing how easy it was to do my run this morning...at least, after the first four or five minutes while my legs were still adjusting. I'm sure it helped that my pace was relatively laid-back, but I definitely felt like I could have kept going at least another ten minutes. Friday should be a lot of fun as I increase the speed.


How it went today:
0.00-5.00 - 3.7 mph
5.00-15.00 - 4.9 mph
15.00-35.00 - 5.0 mph
35.00-40.00 - 3.7 mph


I went a total of 3.09 miles, which is a 12:56 pace. I'm not sure how this will translate to outdoor running, but I'm very excited about the likelihood of running a sub-40 minute 5K.


Have you been active today?

C25K Week 9 Day 1

I am so thankful to be able to afford a gym membership. Today isn't nearly as hot as it was last week, but still, I know I wouldn't do nearly as well if I were running outside. Eventually I will need to transition to outdoor running if I plan to run in any races, but for now, it is such a blessing to be able to run inside.


I feel great today after my run. This week, all of my runs are 30 solid minutes. That's quite an achievement in my book to be able to go so long in one shot. And it's amazing to think that just eight weeks ago when I got started, I couldn't have come close to doing this.


Here's my gerbil belting for today:
0.00-5.00 - 3.7 mph
5.00-21.00 - 4.9 mph
21.00-35.00 - 5.0 mph
35.00-40.00 - 3.7 mph


Total distance, 3.08 miles (0.60 of those were from the walking portions of the workout), which comes in at a 12:59 pace. By Friday, I should clear all of my distance and speed records in one shot. Exciting!


Have you gotten your week started with some activity?

C25K Week 8 Day 3

Week 8 is done! And what a workout. I feel fantastic after my run, despite only getting about 4 1/2 hours of sleep last night. I should sleep well tonight, probably even if I end up taking a nap before heading to my in-laws' house.


My wife bought an iTouch recently, and started using the MyFitnessPal app (though in her case it's to make sure she's eating enough of the right things because she's pregnant). You can use their services at MyFitnessPal.com if you don't have a device capable of using the app. I'm enjoying the calorie-tracking aspect of the site. I'm also being forced to take stock of my food choices, which is probably helping me overall.


Anyway, my run today:
0.00-5.00 - 3.6 mph
5.00-23.00 - 4.9 mph
23.00-28.00 - 5.0 mph
28.00-31.00 - 5.5 mph
31.00-32.00 - 6.0 mph
32.00-33.00 - 7.0 mph
33.00-38.00 - 3.6 mph


I hit a distance of 2.97 miles for a pace of 12:47. Things are coming together!


Next week, all three of my runs are 30 minutes, and I'm looking forward to seeing how I will do.


Have you gotten some exercise this weekend?

A good long walk...

I went to the gym today to get in a decent walk. Since I'm paying for the membership, I might as well use it, and it's another scorcher today, so I wouldn't have wanted to walk outside anyway. I could have stayed home and done some strength training exercises, which I probably should be doing, but I think I'll see about getting consistent with that next week when I should be back on my normal MWF running schedule.


Anyway, I logged 2 miles today in 30 minutes. A brisk walking pace seemed like a good idea to get my metabolism fired up a bit this afternoon. I'm really looking forward to my run tomorrow, which was further emphasized by my wanting to crank the speed up today. How great is that? :D


Hope you're finding time to get some activity in today.

C25K Week 8 Day 2

Well, today's run went very well. I feel even better than I did after my post-Tuesday shift run. It's so exciting to see how close I am to a total of 3.1 miles. Next week I should be basically there!


My stats today:

0.00-5.00 - 3.6 mph
5.00-33.00 - 4.8 mph
33.00-38.00 - 3.6 mph


I hit a total distance of 2.83 miles, which is that 13:25 pace again. Saturday I plan to add a bit more speed towards the end of the workout, so I should see the distance creep up and the pace go down a bit. Woo-hoo!


How has your day started?

C25K Week 8 Day 1

Because I'm trying to get four workouts in this week, I decided that tonight I should back off a little bit so I wouldn't burn myself out before Saturday. The extra three minutes compared to my last run were likely to add extra stress, which is another reason I slowed things down a little bit. However, I still got a great workout tonight and am looking forward to my next one on Thursday.


Breakdown for tonight:
0.00-5.00 - 3.6 mph
5.00-33.00 - 4.8 mph
33.00-38.00 - 3.6 mph


Total distance, 2.83 miles. That's a 13:25 mile, so going a little backwards on the pace, but I'd rather get the full time in and lose some distance and speed than burn out and have to quit. Distance and speed will come eventually.


Be safe today if you are doing any celebrating, but keep in mind why you are celebrating. Today isn't about steaks, brats, burgers, fireworks, or most things people think about when it comes to July 4th. It is about celebrating the decision of a few men, representing the American colonies, to declare independence from England. If you know or see anyone who has served or is serving in our armed forces, shake their hand and thank them for the job they're doing to protect your freedoms.


Have a great day!

Progress update

Well, I'm not sure if this really counts as an "update" per se, since I haven't really put anything up on the blog previously in this category, but who cares. I got up this morning and weighed myself, not something I do on a daily basis, and was pleased to see how the numbers came out. I weighed in at 226.6 pounds, but the number I was more concerned with was the body fat figure of 34.7%. That means I'm carrying around about 78.6 pounds of fat.


Then, since I had my calculator out, I played with some numbers (as any good geek is inclined to do). The first thing I did was figure out what would happen if I lost 50 pounds of pure fat. That would put my total weight at 176.6 pounds, my fat weight at 28.6 pounds, and my fat percentage at 16%. That's definitely more in the range I'd like to be for body fat, especially since I don't have dreams of being an elite athlete. However, 176.6 just seems a bit too skinny for my frame, so then I figured what it would be like if I was down to 28.6 pounds of fat with a total weight of 190. That drops the fat percentage to 15% and puts me at a reasonable weight overall.


I'm not super concerned about these numbers, I just find them interesting. My goal is to be healthy, which certainly means shedding some fat pounds, but I don't feel a need to have six-pack abs or to look like a fitness model.


And to show you just how much not like a model I don't mind being, here's a picture I took this morning.

It's kinda frustrating that these shorts fit as tight as they do because I bought them last September when I'd lost a good deal of weight and they were a bit loose then. Oh well. At the rate I'm going, it won't be long before they're kinda hanging off of me again.


I hope you're inspired. The progress I've made has encouraged me to keep going.

C25K Week 7 Day 3

Well, only a couple days late, and I finished Week 7 of the C25K program. I'm going to try to squeeze in three more runs this week so I can get back on track. I feel pretty good, though, after this run. The next workouts will be 28-minute runs, and next week will be 30-minute runs. O_o I'll get through it...somehow...and then, the week after next, I'll be back to intervals and overall longer workouts for the 8K program. Woo-hoo! :D


How it went today:
0.00-5.00 - 3.6 mph
5.00-25.00 - 5.0 mph
25.00-30.00 - 5.5 mph
30.00-35.00 - 3.6 mph


Total distance, 2.72 miles, which is a 12:52 mile pace.


How's your movement today?

C25K Week 7 Day 2

Because I'm behind where I want to be in terms of scheduling, I went to the gym after work Thursday night (it's 1:40 AM on Friday morning, and I've been back from the gym for about 10 minutes). Tonight was tough, probably in part because I'm still dealing with some respiratory crud. I had a 25-minute run on the slate for tonight, and after 18 minutes I was sure I was going to be done, but I managed to stick it out until the end. That in itself is a huge accomplishment for me because usually if I feel like maybe my body wants me to stop because it's tired, I'll go ahead and stop (pain is something else...if I'm feeling pain, I'll stop and feel justified in doing so).


Here's how my gerbil belting went tonight:
0.00-5.00 - 3.6 mph
5.00-28.00 - 5.0 mph
28.00-29.00 - 5.5 mph
29.00-30.00 - 5.0 mph
30.00-35.00 - 3.6 mph


I hit a total distance of 2.68 miles for a 13:03 mile pace. My goal for Saturday is to be basically in this neighborhood for distance.


How is your week of activity going?