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?