I've got this thing on my mind. It seemed the best thing to do was to express it. And since no one really reads this blog anyway, I'm just gonna use this thing. I am exercising this summer. Actually, there's a diet/exercise thing going on. So, this is me working through that...
Blog, blog, blog...
Distance: 6.2 miles
Time: Somewhere between 60:45 and 63:40
Weight: Don't know. Don't care right now.
MP3 Highlights: None. Didn't think it was allowed, then didn't want to worry about it after I found out. There was sporadic music along the route. Three live bands. The highlight of them was the bag-pipers in full-on outfits on Broadway.
I went the distance. I did it in the time I wanted. I accomplished the goal. I don't care who you are or what the goal, accomplishing a significant goal feels great!
It was a little stressful. I had all the "bib" numbers for the whole team, their gift-bags, all of that stuff-- because that is how they do the registration process: one packet for the whole team. And that is fine, except all four of us were coming separately and somehow I had to get everyone ready to run before I took off on leg number one. In the end, everything worked out. I even found out later that our leg 2 guy missed the bus and had to catch a ride to make the exchange. At the time I lined up to run, I had handed out only 1 bib and left the other two with the husband of our #3 runner. At least the one I handed out was the 2nd leg and I knew I could run around and make phone calls after that first exchange. The only real bummer about that was that I spent the whole time waiting and watching for my team (which was almost futile) instead of mingling and meeting all these great people (including friends I knew who would be running.)
My knee did hurt, but I was not crippled. I was really not held back, according to the results. I also was not completely exhausted. Did I mention that we started in cold, windy, rain? Yeah. Never trained in anything like that. The wind was not really an issue as wind. It did make the wetness cold, though. I ran with a warmup jacket and cap and never felt compelled to take it off. I did take it off right before the exchange to make it easier for my teammate to find me. Runners dodged puddles from time to time. That was interesting.
Marathon runners are a friendly and outgoing people. They chat as they run. They come from all over and talk like people that know each other, but just have never met yet. That's pretty cool.
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Thursday, May 20, 2010
The Daily Blog 2010-05-20
I've got this thing on my mind. It seemed the best thing to do was to express it. And since no one really reads this blog anyway, I'm just gonna use this thing. I am exercising this summer. Actually, there's a diet/exercise thing going on. So, this is me working through that...
Blog, blog, blog...
Distance: No idea. The plan was to pedal up hills for an hour.
Time: an hour
Weight: 188 lbs.
MP3 Highlights: None. Didn't take it with me -- regrettably...
Today I had the idea to climb a longer hill rather than the steeper, shorter hill so many times. So, I rode up 5th Ave NW. It slopes for all 12 blocks, but the real hill is from 9th St to 12th St.
For some reason, when I had this idea I thought I would not have to climb the hill very many times over the hour. If I had done the math, though, I would have realized that the section I was riding was from 6th St to 12th St or only 6 blocks. I have been told that a mile is about 12 blocks. I really should verify that. Anyway, that means it's only 1/2 mile to climb the hill, and only half of that is really climbing. So... I probably climbed the hill 12 times.
It felt productive, though. It felt like I feel when I run. It required me to push myself, but was not overly exhausting. It would be nice to have a hill like that 6 miles long, so I wouldn't get the chance to coast back down over and over.
Or, if my knee will just cooperate so I can actually train for running by running. Yeah, that seems more reasonable than a massive geologic phenomenon...
But, that's it. Tomorrow is Friday. The event is Saturday morning, so I will not be training tomorrow. I'll let you know how the event went, in the end.
Blog, blog, blog...
Distance: No idea. The plan was to pedal up hills for an hour.
Time: an hour
Weight: 188 lbs.
MP3 Highlights: None. Didn't take it with me -- regrettably...
Today I had the idea to climb a longer hill rather than the steeper, shorter hill so many times. So, I rode up 5th Ave NW. It slopes for all 12 blocks, but the real hill is from 9th St to 12th St.
For some reason, when I had this idea I thought I would not have to climb the hill very many times over the hour. If I had done the math, though, I would have realized that the section I was riding was from 6th St to 12th St or only 6 blocks. I have been told that a mile is about 12 blocks. I really should verify that. Anyway, that means it's only 1/2 mile to climb the hill, and only half of that is really climbing. So... I probably climbed the hill 12 times.
It felt productive, though. It felt like I feel when I run. It required me to push myself, but was not overly exhausting. It would be nice to have a hill like that 6 miles long, so I wouldn't get the chance to coast back down over and over.
Or, if my knee will just cooperate so I can actually train for running by running. Yeah, that seems more reasonable than a massive geologic phenomenon...
But, that's it. Tomorrow is Friday. The event is Saturday morning, so I will not be training tomorrow. I'll let you know how the event went, in the end.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
The Daily Blog 2010-05-19
I've got this thing on my mind. It seemed the best thing to do was to express it. And since no one really reads this blog anyway, I'm just gonna use this thing. I am exercising this summer. Actually, there's a diet/exercise thing going on. So, this is me working through that...
Blog, blog, blog...
Distance: No idea. The plan was to pedal up hills for an hour.
Time: an hour
Weight: 189.5 lbs.
MP3 Highlights: None. Didn't take it with me
Yesterday I climbed the 4th Ave hill, rolled back down and out through City Park, turn around and climb the hill again, over and over. It's something like 8 blocks one way... but, that's not the point. I ended up climbing the hill 3 times, but I got distracted a few times (recognized people and talked to them) which means I was standing still for some of that time.
Also, out of curiosity, I weighed a bottle of water that I would likely drink between the workout and bedtime. It weighed 2 lbs. So, I'm never going to get excited about any difference less than 5 lbs, because that could be anything, really.
Today, I climbed 4th Ave, then after turning around and going down, I pedaled over to and up the hill by the Tech Center/Wintershow. At the top of that hill, I road around the little block, rolled down the hill that intersects that hill again about half-way up and around again. So, it's like running intervals (jog, sprint, jog, sprint...) It worked out pretty well. The climbing felt productive, and the other two sides went just fast enough (about 30 seconds) to keep it that way.
Surprisingly, the climbing went a lot like running -- after a while, I got a second-wind and it seemed to get easier. Also, it got boring and monotonous. I might take the MP3 again, since the area is generally safer for not being able to hear as well (traffic is minimal and moves less than 25mph).
Tomorrow (like today) I'll try to ride in the heat of the day since the forecast for the actual marathon is for the hottest day of the year (so far-- near 90) and windy. Not sure how the wind will be a factor. For one thing, it depends on how strong it blows, of course, but even then the course is still around Fargo, which has many trees and buildings to break it up.
Blog, blog, blog...
Distance: No idea. The plan was to pedal up hills for an hour.
Time: an hour
Weight: 189.5 lbs.
MP3 Highlights: None. Didn't take it with me
Yesterday I climbed the 4th Ave hill, rolled back down and out through City Park, turn around and climb the hill again, over and over. It's something like 8 blocks one way... but, that's not the point. I ended up climbing the hill 3 times, but I got distracted a few times (recognized people and talked to them) which means I was standing still for some of that time.
Also, out of curiosity, I weighed a bottle of water that I would likely drink between the workout and bedtime. It weighed 2 lbs. So, I'm never going to get excited about any difference less than 5 lbs, because that could be anything, really.
Today, I climbed 4th Ave, then after turning around and going down, I pedaled over to and up the hill by the Tech Center/Wintershow. At the top of that hill, I road around the little block, rolled down the hill that intersects that hill again about half-way up and around again. So, it's like running intervals (jog, sprint, jog, sprint...) It worked out pretty well. The climbing felt productive, and the other two sides went just fast enough (about 30 seconds) to keep it that way.
Surprisingly, the climbing went a lot like running -- after a while, I got a second-wind and it seemed to get easier. Also, it got boring and monotonous. I might take the MP3 again, since the area is generally safer for not being able to hear as well (traffic is minimal and moves less than 25mph).
Tomorrow (like today) I'll try to ride in the heat of the day since the forecast for the actual marathon is for the hottest day of the year (so far-- near 90) and windy. Not sure how the wind will be a factor. For one thing, it depends on how strong it blows, of course, but even then the course is still around Fargo, which has many trees and buildings to break it up.
Monday, May 17, 2010
The Daily Blog 2010-05-17
I've got this thing on my mind. It seemed the best thing to do was to express it. And since no one really reads this blog anyway, I'm just gonna use this thing. I am exercising this summer. Actually, there's a diet/exercise thing going on. So, this is me working through that...
Blog, blog, blog...
Distance: No idea. The plan was to pedal up the hill on 4th Ave. and keep pedalling for an hour.
Time: an hour
Weight: 189.5 lbs.
MP3 Highlights: None. Didn't take it with me.
The hill on 4th Ave is pretty steep. Steep enough that the city hesitates to pave it (because it's slippery in the winter) and steep enough that my rear tire spins as I crank. But, I knew that it would make me gasp at the very beginning, which was the objective.
I'm still not convinced it's as beneficial. At least I can do it, rather than sitting around waiting for my knee to cooperate. I'm thinking the thing to do is just go longer. Pedalling a bike makes my thighs burn. So, part of the problem is that doing the things that make me breathe harder (hills and going faster) are more like weight training-- which means I get too fatigued to keep at it long enough for it to be valuable as cardio.
Speaking of weight... I weighed myself right away in the morning, out of curiosity. 192.5 -- So, 1/2 pound difference from last night after supper. Then 189.5 after the workout. Could that be all water? Seems like a lot of water.
Blog, blog, blog...
Distance: No idea. The plan was to pedal up the hill on 4th Ave. and keep pedalling for an hour.
Time: an hour
Weight: 189.5 lbs.
MP3 Highlights: None. Didn't take it with me.
The hill on 4th Ave is pretty steep. Steep enough that the city hesitates to pave it (because it's slippery in the winter) and steep enough that my rear tire spins as I crank. But, I knew that it would make me gasp at the very beginning, which was the objective.
I'm still not convinced it's as beneficial. At least I can do it, rather than sitting around waiting for my knee to cooperate. I'm thinking the thing to do is just go longer. Pedalling a bike makes my thighs burn. So, part of the problem is that doing the things that make me breathe harder (hills and going faster) are more like weight training-- which means I get too fatigued to keep at it long enough for it to be valuable as cardio.
Speaking of weight... I weighed myself right away in the morning, out of curiosity. 192.5 -- So, 1/2 pound difference from last night after supper. Then 189.5 after the workout. Could that be all water? Seems like a lot of water.
The Daily Blog 2010-05-16
I've got this thing on my mind. It seemed the best thing to do was to express it. And since no one really reads this blog anyway, I'm just gonna use this thing. I am exercising this summer. Actually, there's a diet/exercise thing going on. So, this is me working through that...
Blog, blog, blog...
Distance: No idea. The idea was to pedal out for 35 minutes, then turn around.
Time: about an hour
Weight: 193 after supper
MP3 Highlights: None. Didn't take it with me. Riding a bike is not as boring as running on a treadmill.
Mostly I was glad to be able to take that ride without my knee hurting. I don't feel as exercised as I would expect to be after an hour, though. So, what does that mean? Did I get the workout I need? Did I get a 5k workout over a 10k time?
As for the weight thing... I figured that would be my peak weight, and therefore a useful benchmark.
Blog, blog, blog...
Distance: No idea. The idea was to pedal out for 35 minutes, then turn around.
Time: about an hour
Weight: 193 after supper
MP3 Highlights: None. Didn't take it with me. Riding a bike is not as boring as running on a treadmill.
Mostly I was glad to be able to take that ride without my knee hurting. I don't feel as exercised as I would expect to be after an hour, though. So, what does that mean? Did I get the workout I need? Did I get a 5k workout over a 10k time?
As for the weight thing... I figured that would be my peak weight, and therefore a useful benchmark.
Friday, May 14, 2010
The Daily Blog 2010-05-14
I've got this thing on my mind. It seemed the best thing to do was to express it. And since no one really reads this blog anyway, I'm just gonna use this thing. I am exercising this summer. Actually, there's a diet/exercise thing going on. So, this is me working through that...
Blog, blog, blog...
Distance: On bicycle: 10 miles. Running: 1/2mile
Time: I dunno... 30 minutes?
Weight: Don't know that either
MP3 Highlights: None. Didn't take it with me. It was the first sunshine in 2 weeks-- that was enough!
Yeah, it's like, Friday. My knee still hurts-- I'm actually worried. It's weird, though. I'm not so sure it's ligament damage. Actually, it only hurts doing a very specific motion, which just happens to be lifting with a bended knee. So, normal walking hurts and running hurts. Lifting it to climb stairs hurts, but leg curls don't hurt. Sitting doesn't hurt and I have no trouble sleeping. Standing and kneeling are even do-able. Most important, I found out today that biking is not an issue, except big hills.
So, the plan is to condition as much as possible on the bike for the next week. If I feel the same way on marathon day (one week from tomorrow) I plan to take some painkillers and suck it up. I will probably be hurting for a few weeks for doing it, though. But, I can live with that.
I'm thinking distance is irrelevant on the bike. What is important is to get winded and stay winded for about 90 minutes. It's not the same motion, but at least it uses my legs and cardio. I should be able to run my distance in 90 minutes, so that is the logic there.
I stopped paying attention to weighing myself when it became clear that I was not really doing anything in the rain (which I thought would be done yesterday.) The treadmill was too painful. I don't have a stationery bike. I do have a weight machine, though. I did some of that. I could have/should have done more. At least it is something.
For the most part, though, I tried to keep the caloric intake reasonable. But, nothing to brag about. I'll have to see if I remember to weigh myself tomorrow.
Blog, blog, blog...
Distance: On bicycle: 10 miles. Running: 1/2mile
Time: I dunno... 30 minutes?
Weight: Don't know that either
MP3 Highlights: None. Didn't take it with me. It was the first sunshine in 2 weeks-- that was enough!
Yeah, it's like, Friday. My knee still hurts-- I'm actually worried. It's weird, though. I'm not so sure it's ligament damage. Actually, it only hurts doing a very specific motion, which just happens to be lifting with a bended knee. So, normal walking hurts and running hurts. Lifting it to climb stairs hurts, but leg curls don't hurt. Sitting doesn't hurt and I have no trouble sleeping. Standing and kneeling are even do-able. Most important, I found out today that biking is not an issue, except big hills.
So, the plan is to condition as much as possible on the bike for the next week. If I feel the same way on marathon day (one week from tomorrow) I plan to take some painkillers and suck it up. I will probably be hurting for a few weeks for doing it, though. But, I can live with that.
I'm thinking distance is irrelevant on the bike. What is important is to get winded and stay winded for about 90 minutes. It's not the same motion, but at least it uses my legs and cardio. I should be able to run my distance in 90 minutes, so that is the logic there.
I stopped paying attention to weighing myself when it became clear that I was not really doing anything in the rain (which I thought would be done yesterday.) The treadmill was too painful. I don't have a stationery bike. I do have a weight machine, though. I did some of that. I could have/should have done more. At least it is something.
For the most part, though, I tried to keep the caloric intake reasonable. But, nothing to brag about. I'll have to see if I remember to weigh myself tomorrow.
Seussian
Nothing came to inspire me when writing at my desk last eve.
I could not see, I could not write with Nothing on my desk all night.
I thought Something, surely, could lend a hand, but then Something brought in a band.
With Something playing catchy songs, I could not move my work along.
Anything might have been better than Everything seizing my letter.
I tried to resist the small invasion in my room on this occasion,
But Nothing was going to make it stop until Something got my feet to hop.
Then Everything joined in the dance along with feet and shoes and pants.
Anything was fine with me moving so outrageously
Something told me, “That’s the spirit!” loud enough that I could hear it
Everything encouraged, too, distracting from my work to do.
Anything was permissive: no inhibitions, nothing dismissive.
Then my nose began to quiver! Something had started making liver!
I smelled onions and some fava beans, the air a smelly yellow sheen.
I rushed to open up a window, but Everything suggested dojo.
Ninjas sent their weapons flying, Anything in-full complying.
As Something tumbled ‘round my head, wounded Ninjas dropped like lead.
As I lost grasp of all cognition, Something started demolition.
With hard hat and a wrecking ball, my house was just about to fall.
The last I heard was a rumbling growl as Nothing made a chainsaw howl.
With a snort I bolted upright! Everything gone from the fire light.
My loud snoring dashed my dreams and all the nonsense, so it seems.
But all was not a wasted night, since now I have something to write.
I could not see, I could not write with Nothing on my desk all night.
I thought Something, surely, could lend a hand, but then Something brought in a band.
With Something playing catchy songs, I could not move my work along.
Anything might have been better than Everything seizing my letter.
I tried to resist the small invasion in my room on this occasion,
But Nothing was going to make it stop until Something got my feet to hop.
Then Everything joined in the dance along with feet and shoes and pants.
Anything was fine with me moving so outrageously
Something told me, “That’s the spirit!” loud enough that I could hear it
Everything encouraged, too, distracting from my work to do.
Anything was permissive: no inhibitions, nothing dismissive.
Then my nose began to quiver! Something had started making liver!
I smelled onions and some fava beans, the air a smelly yellow sheen.
I rushed to open up a window, but Everything suggested dojo.
Ninjas sent their weapons flying, Anything in-full complying.
As Something tumbled ‘round my head, wounded Ninjas dropped like lead.
As I lost grasp of all cognition, Something started demolition.
With hard hat and a wrecking ball, my house was just about to fall.
The last I heard was a rumbling growl as Nothing made a chainsaw howl.
With a snort I bolted upright! Everything gone from the fire light.
My loud snoring dashed my dreams and all the nonsense, so it seems.
But all was not a wasted night, since now I have something to write.
Monday, May 10, 2010
The Daily Blog 2010-05-09
I've got this thing on my mind. It seemed the best thing to do was to express it. And since no one really reads this blog anyway, I'm just gonna use this thing. I am exercising this summer. Actually, there's a diet/exercise thing going on. So, this is me working through that...
Blog, blog, blog...
Distance: 6.21 miles
Time: way too long 72-ish minutes
Weight: 191 lbs
MP3 Highlights: None. The Amazing Race finale
First, you might want to know that I am writing this the morning after the night it actually happened. Or, you might not...
So, I tried the running thing. My knee really hurts. It feels like a ligament issue. I can barely walk. But, I'm a whiner.
Obviously, I started hurting while running. I decided to ignore the knee. Then, my side started hurting. I know enough to know that a side-ache will go away eventually. But, then I don't really know much. I tried slowing down. Still hurt. I tried putting my hands on my hips, or up on my shoulders. Still hurt. Eventually, I decided to try flexing my abs-- basically to hold the area still internally. That worked. Plus, you know, abs... To my surprise, later, my kidneys (or something in that area) started hurting.
Bottom line, with all these pains, I decided to go the distance anyway. But, to do it, I was down to 4mph-- which is really just walking. So, it took ridiculous long. And, it's not like I went 7 or 8.5 miles, either. And this morning my knee hurts worse.
So, I am planning to not run for a couple days and see what happens. I am thinking about stuff like what will happen if I take some "Tylenol" or something, or if I walk and garden or something like that to use my knee outside running... what will happen?
I'll let you know.
The weight fluctuation is interesting, too. It was Mothers' Day weekend, so I ate well, but I was surprised. I am not going to get mired into those results. I am not that concerned. This is the kind of thing that happens when you watch it too closely.
Blog, blog, blog...
Distance: 6.21 miles
Time: way too long 72-ish minutes
Weight: 191 lbs
MP3 Highlights: None. The Amazing Race finale
First, you might want to know that I am writing this the morning after the night it actually happened. Or, you might not...
So, I tried the running thing. My knee really hurts. It feels like a ligament issue. I can barely walk. But, I'm a whiner.
Obviously, I started hurting while running. I decided to ignore the knee. Then, my side started hurting. I know enough to know that a side-ache will go away eventually. But, then I don't really know much. I tried slowing down. Still hurt. I tried putting my hands on my hips, or up on my shoulders. Still hurt. Eventually, I decided to try flexing my abs-- basically to hold the area still internally. That worked. Plus, you know, abs... To my surprise, later, my kidneys (or something in that area) started hurting.
Bottom line, with all these pains, I decided to go the distance anyway. But, to do it, I was down to 4mph-- which is really just walking. So, it took ridiculous long. And, it's not like I went 7 or 8.5 miles, either. And this morning my knee hurts worse.
So, I am planning to not run for a couple days and see what happens. I am thinking about stuff like what will happen if I take some "Tylenol" or something, or if I walk and garden or something like that to use my knee outside running... what will happen?
I'll let you know.
The weight fluctuation is interesting, too. It was Mothers' Day weekend, so I ate well, but I was surprised. I am not going to get mired into those results. I am not that concerned. This is the kind of thing that happens when you watch it too closely.
Friday, May 7, 2010
The Daily Blog 2010-05-07
I've got this thing on my mind. It seemed the best thing to do was to express it. And since no one really reads this blog anyway, I'm just gonna use this thing. I am exercising this summer. Actually, there's a diet/exercise thing going on. So, this is me working through that...
Blog, blog, blog...
Distance: 3.105 miles
Time: 31:04 minutes
Weight: 187.5 lbs
MP3 Highlights: None. I watched the news on TV.
Well, that was interesting. Today was the day I intended to run at least 7 miles. I couldn't do it. I was exhausted the whole time and never got a second wind. After mile 2 I just kept watching the odometer, which is never a good sign. It took forever. Plus my left lower leg aches.
But, this is part of the reason I started blogging this stuff. I wanted to take notes. Notes like the surprises, high points, barriers, etc.
So, this is my plan: I remember casually reading another runner friend's advice she received before a marathon on how to taper the training. It was pretty detailed. But, I'm not running that far, or that fast. What I do remember is the advice to stay ENTIRELY off her feet the day before the race, if at all possible. I'm blaming today on the daily wear and tear fatigue, which is new to me. I planned to take the weekends off anyway. So, by my new rationale, the best day to run a greater distance is the day after tomorrow, not tomorrow. Since that will be Sunday, I'll try it on Sunday.
It could be other reasons. I basically ran right after supper, which is also my excuse for weighing in a pound heavier than yesterday. I'm really curious to see what happens on Sunday.
Maybe it was the news... (far more depressing than my music).
Blog, blog, blog...
Distance: 3.105 miles
Time: 31:04 minutes
Weight: 187.5 lbs
MP3 Highlights: None. I watched the news on TV.
Well, that was interesting. Today was the day I intended to run at least 7 miles. I couldn't do it. I was exhausted the whole time and never got a second wind. After mile 2 I just kept watching the odometer, which is never a good sign. It took forever. Plus my left lower leg aches.
But, this is part of the reason I started blogging this stuff. I wanted to take notes. Notes like the surprises, high points, barriers, etc.
So, this is my plan: I remember casually reading another runner friend's advice she received before a marathon on how to taper the training. It was pretty detailed. But, I'm not running that far, or that fast. What I do remember is the advice to stay ENTIRELY off her feet the day before the race, if at all possible. I'm blaming today on the daily wear and tear fatigue, which is new to me. I planned to take the weekends off anyway. So, by my new rationale, the best day to run a greater distance is the day after tomorrow, not tomorrow. Since that will be Sunday, I'll try it on Sunday.
It could be other reasons. I basically ran right after supper, which is also my excuse for weighing in a pound heavier than yesterday. I'm really curious to see what happens on Sunday.
Maybe it was the news... (far more depressing than my music).
Thursday, May 6, 2010
The Daily Blog 2010-05-06
I've got this thing on my mind. It seemed the best thing to do was to express it. And since no one really reads this blog anyway, I'm just gonna use this thing. I am exercising this summer. Actually, there's a diet/exercise thing going on. So, this is me working through that...
Blog, blog, blog...
Distance: 3.105 miles
Time: 31:00 minutes
Weight: 186.5 lbs
MP3 Highlights: Whip It!, 99 Luft Balloons, Yer So Bad, 2 songs by Blink 182
I felt like crap pretty much the whole distance. That's actually a good thing, because I ran anyway. If I allow myself to only run when I feel like it (or any exercise at all) eventually, I'll be back to sitting around all day. That reminds me of an element that seems rather important right now: There was a period after the surgery when I was in the most pain/discomfort when I DID NOT walk. So, as much as I did not want to do it, I knew that I would feel worse if I did not than I would doing it.
Motivation is tricky, but I think it's really important. Many of my friends use their Facebook status to make note of their training, especially milestones. I ran my first mile without stopping in early January 2010. I ran my first 5k in February. Now, I run 5k every day. I haven't mentioned a word of this on Facebook.
Not that it's a secret or anything. I'm posting here, after all. When I committed to the team relay at work, it appeared on the bulletin board. But, I don't talk about my running unless somebody asks. After I ran the 5k in February, I was all set to announce it. Then, I decided not to. The thought that went through my head was, if it's about the recognition or the "attaboys" from friends, then that will become an excuse at some point. Sure, we can all encourage each other, but what also happens is we get tired or bored with encouraging others and it trails off. So, if I am motivated by something that will fade, or that is in the control of others, then I will eventually fade, too.
But, just blogging this is motivating, even though I'm not expecting anyone to read it. I don't expect anyone to read anything I write. I'm glad when they do. I enjoy their feedback. But, I do it for my own reasons in the end. Otherwise, I wouldn't do it.
As I was running today, one thing that helped keep my mind off the negative was the anticipation of getting to post about it later (which is now, technically). So, writing is a motivation for me. That's good to know.
The Yer So Bad song was a pleasant surprise because I got turned on to that song when Brad Jones played it on his guitar out on the deck on a beautiful summer evening at a party with some cherished friends-- a little less than half my age ago. The stream of memories that conjured is just the kind of thing that makes it so much easier to put one foot in front of the other long enough to get where you need to go.
Blog, blog, blog...
Distance: 3.105 miles
Time: 31:00 minutes
Weight: 186.5 lbs
MP3 Highlights: Whip It!, 99 Luft Balloons, Yer So Bad, 2 songs by Blink 182
I felt like crap pretty much the whole distance. That's actually a good thing, because I ran anyway. If I allow myself to only run when I feel like it (or any exercise at all) eventually, I'll be back to sitting around all day. That reminds me of an element that seems rather important right now: There was a period after the surgery when I was in the most pain/discomfort when I DID NOT walk. So, as much as I did not want to do it, I knew that I would feel worse if I did not than I would doing it.
Motivation is tricky, but I think it's really important. Many of my friends use their Facebook status to make note of their training, especially milestones. I ran my first mile without stopping in early January 2010. I ran my first 5k in February. Now, I run 5k every day. I haven't mentioned a word of this on Facebook.
Not that it's a secret or anything. I'm posting here, after all. When I committed to the team relay at work, it appeared on the bulletin board. But, I don't talk about my running unless somebody asks. After I ran the 5k in February, I was all set to announce it. Then, I decided not to. The thought that went through my head was, if it's about the recognition or the "attaboys" from friends, then that will become an excuse at some point. Sure, we can all encourage each other, but what also happens is we get tired or bored with encouraging others and it trails off. So, if I am motivated by something that will fade, or that is in the control of others, then I will eventually fade, too.
But, just blogging this is motivating, even though I'm not expecting anyone to read it. I don't expect anyone to read anything I write. I'm glad when they do. I enjoy their feedback. But, I do it for my own reasons in the end. Otherwise, I wouldn't do it.
As I was running today, one thing that helped keep my mind off the negative was the anticipation of getting to post about it later (which is now, technically). So, writing is a motivation for me. That's good to know.
The Yer So Bad song was a pleasant surprise because I got turned on to that song when Brad Jones played it on his guitar out on the deck on a beautiful summer evening at a party with some cherished friends-- a little less than half my age ago. The stream of memories that conjured is just the kind of thing that makes it so much easier to put one foot in front of the other long enough to get where you need to go.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
The Daily Blog 2010-05-05
I've got this thing on my mind. It seemed the best thing to do was to express it. And since no one really reads this blog anyway, I'm just gonna use this thing. I am exercising this summer. Actually, there's a diet/exercise thing going on. So, this is me working through that...
A few weeks ago, I went to buy some running clothes. I don't want to look like a slob or an idiot-- not in public, anyway. One of the things the salesperson talked about was specific undergarments that provide "compression." Basically, they are very stretchy but are supposed to fit tightly so as to avoid chaffing while running. I had never thought about chaffing. The distances I run were never a problem before.
Guess what happened last night?
Chaffing. And not chaffing under my shirt, either. So, now I'm being irritated by a mild abrasion in the upper thigh area. What's up with that? Compression clothes are expensive, by the way.
A word about the diet side: Running at 6mph burns about 1,000 calories per hour. Useful bit of trivia, there. Here's another: to burn 1lb of fat requires about 3,500 calories. So, if a person were to run, say, 3 miles per day at 6mph, 7 days a week, that would net 1 less pound each week. Whether that is encouraging or not depends on how much you want to lose, I guess. Of course, you can also run farther, and/or faster and/or eat fewer calories to net more gain.
One of the people that I acknowledge as an inspiration to run is someone I worked with at the job where I ended up with back surgery. She runs marathons. With an "s." Plural. Competitively. And she's much older than me. But, when asked what her favorite food is, she replied "beer and pizza." Which, she points to as one of the reasons that she bothers with all the running-- so she would not have to watch the dieting side so carefully as to take all the fun out of life.
I really like that idea.
A few weeks ago, I went to buy some running clothes. I don't want to look like a slob or an idiot-- not in public, anyway. One of the things the salesperson talked about was specific undergarments that provide "compression." Basically, they are very stretchy but are supposed to fit tightly so as to avoid chaffing while running. I had never thought about chaffing. The distances I run were never a problem before.
Guess what happened last night?
Chaffing. And not chaffing under my shirt, either. So, now I'm being irritated by a mild abrasion in the upper thigh area. What's up with that? Compression clothes are expensive, by the way.
A word about the diet side: Running at 6mph burns about 1,000 calories per hour. Useful bit of trivia, there. Here's another: to burn 1lb of fat requires about 3,500 calories. So, if a person were to run, say, 3 miles per day at 6mph, 7 days a week, that would net 1 less pound each week. Whether that is encouraging or not depends on how much you want to lose, I guess. Of course, you can also run farther, and/or faster and/or eat fewer calories to net more gain.
One of the people that I acknowledge as an inspiration to run is someone I worked with at the job where I ended up with back surgery. She runs marathons. With an "s." Plural. Competitively. And she's much older than me. But, when asked what her favorite food is, she replied "beer and pizza." Which, she points to as one of the reasons that she bothers with all the running-- so she would not have to watch the dieting side so carefully as to take all the fun out of life.
I really like that idea.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
The Daily Blog 2010-05-04
I've got this thing on my mind. It seemed the best thing to do was to express it. And since no one really reads this blog anyway, I'm just gonna use this thing. I am exercising this summer. Actually, there's a diet/exercise thing going on. So, this is me working through that...
First of all, I meant to start this yesterday. That does not surprise me, but it disappoints me. I never was very good at journalizing because I am not a consistent writer. I like to write when I have something to say, but that is not everyday. When I force myself to write, I am more disappointed by the results than I am disappointed by not writing at all. So, there is that. We'll see what happens. This, incidentally, is why I do not pursue any professional writing/career. If someone is going to pay me, sooner or later they are going to start pushing their expectations, and I...just... don't... care... about their expectations. I'll make money some other way and preserve the writing for all things good.
Second, I have been exercising for a while now. In the summer of 2007, I had back surgery for a ruptured disc. For the 10 years prior to that, give or take, I had white-collar jobs. That felt good at the time in the I'm-using-my-expensive-education way. It was horrible for me physically. The food was good, though. I like food. I'm about 6'1" and peaked somewhere around 230lbs. No one ever told me I was overweight. I could see it, though, especially in pictures of myself. In 2004, I started what I thought was the absolute best job I had ever had. It used my education, used what I thought were my strengths, paid what I thought was pretty well, and some other good stuff. Three years later, I needed back surgery. Sad. I have done plenty of physical work in my life. I grew up on a farm and even did some after graduating. I worked in a shipping/receiving position that involved a whole bunch of loading and unloading stuff by hand. But, it was the desk job that did me in. Interesting.
Anyway, after the surgery, the best thing I could do for my back and myself was to walk alot. For weeks after the surgery, I was supposed to avoid sitting altogether. Standing still drove me crazy. Thus, walking... After a while, I started wondering about running. Part of that was the high school reunion. At the same time as that event there was a running event in town (it's an annual thing) and some of us joked about it. Some of my non-classmate friends were also participating in marathon events local to them. So, I started wondering just what I was capable of accomplishing. But, that event came and went. I exercised off and on. Another inspiring event was the end of a Biggest Loser series where the remaining contestants ran a marathon. Keep in mind, even after losing almost 200lbs, these people were still obese. And they all finished. It only took them around 5.5 hours. That really got me thinking.
I'm not going to run a marathon, though. What I am going to do is run a marathon relay with 3 other people from work. The distance is either 5.5, 6.2, or 8.5 miles. I don't know which I have to do yet.
So, this is day two of running 3.105 miles (5k) per day. I have run 6.2 miles at one time twice, now. The plan is to run the 3.105 each day and on Saturday 7+ miles and then maybe have to run as far as 8.5 miles at the 5/22/2010 Fargo marathon.
First of all, I meant to start this yesterday. That does not surprise me, but it disappoints me. I never was very good at journalizing because I am not a consistent writer. I like to write when I have something to say, but that is not everyday. When I force myself to write, I am more disappointed by the results than I am disappointed by not writing at all. So, there is that. We'll see what happens. This, incidentally, is why I do not pursue any professional writing/career. If someone is going to pay me, sooner or later they are going to start pushing their expectations, and I...just... don't... care... about their expectations. I'll make money some other way and preserve the writing for all things good.
Second, I have been exercising for a while now. In the summer of 2007, I had back surgery for a ruptured disc. For the 10 years prior to that, give or take, I had white-collar jobs. That felt good at the time in the I'm-using-my-expensive-education way. It was horrible for me physically. The food was good, though. I like food. I'm about 6'1" and peaked somewhere around 230lbs. No one ever told me I was overweight. I could see it, though, especially in pictures of myself. In 2004, I started what I thought was the absolute best job I had ever had. It used my education, used what I thought were my strengths, paid what I thought was pretty well, and some other good stuff. Three years later, I needed back surgery. Sad. I have done plenty of physical work in my life. I grew up on a farm and even did some after graduating. I worked in a shipping/receiving position that involved a whole bunch of loading and unloading stuff by hand. But, it was the desk job that did me in. Interesting.
Anyway, after the surgery, the best thing I could do for my back and myself was to walk alot. For weeks after the surgery, I was supposed to avoid sitting altogether. Standing still drove me crazy. Thus, walking... After a while, I started wondering about running. Part of that was the high school reunion. At the same time as that event there was a running event in town (it's an annual thing) and some of us joked about it. Some of my non-classmate friends were also participating in marathon events local to them. So, I started wondering just what I was capable of accomplishing. But, that event came and went. I exercised off and on. Another inspiring event was the end of a Biggest Loser series where the remaining contestants ran a marathon. Keep in mind, even after losing almost 200lbs, these people were still obese. And they all finished. It only took them around 5.5 hours. That really got me thinking.
I'm not going to run a marathon, though. What I am going to do is run a marathon relay with 3 other people from work. The distance is either 5.5, 6.2, or 8.5 miles. I don't know which I have to do yet.
So, this is day two of running 3.105 miles (5k) per day. I have run 6.2 miles at one time twice, now. The plan is to run the 3.105 each day and on Saturday 7+ miles and then maybe have to run as far as 8.5 miles at the 5/22/2010 Fargo marathon.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
