Woo! What a Lady! What a Run! Grateful…

I’m in a great mood as I write this because I had the rare chance to run with my wife. Normally she is off on a pace far beyond what I can handle. While I know she was holding back at times, I kept up with her for the full five miles! I hadn’t run a five-miler since October ’12, so, the distance in and of itself was something to feel good about today.

It was the next step up for my weekly long run en route to April’s Country Music Half Marathon in Nashville. But, to do it at a 10:57/mile pace?! For real runners, that is a sleep walk, but, for a long run when I’m consciously trying to rein it in, for me, to run five miles at a pace faster than any 4+ mile run I’ve run before, this was fantastic!

So, I’m thrilled with the run, the distance, and the pace. And I’m thrilled with the fact that “quality time” for my wife and I now, sometimes, is characterized by enjoying a good run together. Running it quickly and getting to spend the time with her while doing so makes me a happy man. I’m also thrilled with the fact that I was able to take a step forward in my plan to complete my first half marathon without my hamstring didn’t objecting.

Looking back on these things, in combination with a great morning spent visiting a friend’s church in Greensboro with my wife and kids and it makes for a great Sunday evening.

My total mileage for the week was only 9 miles, instead of the scheduled 10, but, this was due to the fact that we had a pretty good sleet/freezing rain storm Friday afternoon – my scheduled run day. We had early dismissal from school and, by the time we got home and had lunch, driving anywhere was a bad idea. Not only that, but, even jogging around the neighborhood was out of question because of the ice that coated the roads. So, I resorted to my Garmin’s ability to keep track of my distance while I did laps around my yard in a 23 degree sleet/freezing rain downpour. Instead of the scheduled three I stopped at two miles and, when I came in, I had a clear, solid coating of ice on the brim of my hat as well as on parts of my sleeves. I was happy simply to have gotten that run in.

My weigh-in average for the week added on to the 219.5 pound plateau that I’d already been riding for two weeks. Unfortunately, my blood sugar average for the week also went up for a second straight week.

I simply need to be more disciplined and careful in what I’m eating this week: less carbs. I’m also going to try to cut back on my nut consumption. I’ve become a bit of an addict – especially to almonds. Finally, I need to break out of the non-running day rut that I’ve been stuck in of late that finds me doing strength/core workouts that have very little value in terms of cardio. I’ve got to start cross-training with some activities that keep my heart rate up. If I can be a bit more disciplined with my intake and more aggressive with the cardio aspect on my non-running days, I think I’ll start to see some positive returns.

Last, but, not least, if you haven’t already read it, please check out the post I put up yesterday on my other blog about some neat things that are happening in my life, in memory of my Dad, thanks to the gracious kindness of The Hands And Feet Project, the organization that I am fundraising for through my Beards, Hands & Feet Project effort. Check it out!

Finally: A lock for the iPod mix that will provide the soundtrack to my first half marathon effort at the Country Music Half Marathon in Nashville on 4/27/13 – “Until My Heart Caves In” by Audio Adrenaline

Digging In: Slow And Steady

This week has been a rough one! I went into the week with a two-mile run intended just to shake the dust off and, perhaps, clear my lungs. It was last weekend when coughing and chest irritation started, likely as a result of preparations for last week’s estate sale (moving around a lot of old machinery, tools, etc., in dusty and dirty sheds). I continued in optimism that the discomfort would let up as I went out Tuesday morning for my long run of this cut-back week, a 5 mile run on the greenway downtown. The run went fine, but, I was completely drained, depleted, and sore for the next three days. It took the next three days without physical activity, a doctor’s appointment, a shot, and some antibiotics to begin improving. Fortunately, I was able to get back out there for about 3.5 miles this morning.

My goal this morning was to put forth a focused effort on running at a pace slow enough to maintain a heart rate equal to or less than 75% of my maximum heart rate. I’ve read in multiple resources that long distance endurance requires running at no higher than 75% of your maximum heart rate in order to be able to go the distance, at least for a novice runner like myself, but, I could never quite make it happen and, subsequently, stopped focusing on achieving what was seemingly an unrealistic goal. But, with my appointment yesterday at Greenapple Sports & Wellness in Charlotte, came a new direction and a renewed resolve to get it straightened out even if, as Dr. Greenapple suggested, it means walking at times to keep it under 75% which, for me, is 142 beats per minute. So, in today’s run I kept a close eye on my heart monitor and slowed my pace enough to keep the overall average right at 142 bpm. I didn’t have to actually slow to a walk at any point, but, I wasn’t about to impress anybody driving by with speed either.

The main reason for running at a lower heart rate is to encourage the body to draw from fat stores as an energy source instead of accessing the much more limited supply of glycogen stored in the muscles. The glycogen supply, accessed mainly when quick, intense energy is needed all at once, can only last for about ninety minutes before it is depleted. The theory is that if I can train my body to depend more on body fat as a fuel by running at a lower percentage of my maximum heart rate, I should be able to cover more distance and, at the same time, burn body fat more efficiently, subsequently helping me to lose the excess pounds more quickly.

Yesterday’s Greenapple appointment was my first during which the exam was actually conducted by Dr. Scott Greenapple. I have to say that, through the whole appointment I felt like I was really getting the best care available. He took time to completely assess my strengths and weaknesses, provide treatment, address my concerns, answer questions, and then provide focused guidance in order to help me strengthen my plank form and learn a new core exercise. I’m not sure that I’ve left any kind of doctor appointment with a greater feeling of satisfaction and sense of direction and motivation than I did yesterday. I highly recommend his office for anyone in the Charlotte area dealing with sports-related injuries. I originally went there based on the recommendation of a well-established running friend who cited Greenapple Sports & Wellness as the go-to office for sports injuries in the Charlotte area. He hadn’t been treated their personally, but, told me many of his friends in the running community who’ve had injuries have gone there and been very satisfied with the results. While it is a fact that I am no more than a novice, overweight, slow runner Dr. Greenapple’s office (who treats all kinds including Olympic and pro athletes) has treated me with the same level of care and attention that one would expect as a gold medal Olympian from my first appointment onward and, especially, during this last appointment when Dr. Greenapple himself conducted my appointment. I will surely continue following his advice as I train for a fall half marathon.

On the daily numbers front, my blood sugar was a bit off, but, the three days that were higher

than normal (104, 108, 101 – compared to the average for the rest of the week: 86) were likely caused, at least in part, by the extra medicines that I’ve been taking this week to deal with my chest troubles. [Update: after not taking Nyquil the night before, I still had a 110 reading this morning. Subsequently, I’m thinking that its the antibiotics that are causing the higher-than-normal blood sugar readings]. As far as the weight goes, though, its been a great week! In the last four weeks my weekly weight averages have dropped by four pounds. Today, though, the scale showed me a number lower than any other that I’ve seen in at least a decade: 224.4 lbs! I’ve got a long way to go to reach my goal of getting under 180, but, it sure feels good to be breaking new ground again!

Finally, a plug for the book that I just finished reading: FINDING ULTRA by Rich Roll. I ripped through this book in just a couple of days and found it to be quite an inspiring read! In a nutshell, Roll rode his youthful passion for swimming to a prized spot on Stanford’s swim team before beginning a downhill slide lasting for years due to alcohol abuse. The book chronicles what the turning point was, how he did it, and what it was like, in glaring detail, to transition from an overweight father who grew winded just going up stairs, to one of the fittest men on the face of the earth. Check out the trailer and then find yourself a copy. You won’t be disappointed.

Midweek Update: Onward And Upward!

This week started with a solid 4-mile long run on Sunday. My left knee, however, has been a bit tender since then. So, instead of doing a shorter run (2.5-3.0) on Tuesday like I normally would, I took a rest day on Monday (except for daily crunches) and focused on strength training and core strengthening exercises on Tuesday and Wednesday. This morning I felt good and headed out for a run. I planned on doing just a couple, but, realized while on the way there that I left my Garmin home and, subsequently, decided to just run three distinct laps on the Salisbury Greenway while using my iPod playlist to keep track of the time. When I got home and calculated it out I learned that I had actually done 3.6 miles at a relatively quick pace. Now, however, the knee a bit tender again, so, it looks like I’ll do some strength training tomorrow and take Saturday off (since we’re celebrating Father’s day in my house on that day anyway – good day for a rest day!). This will allow me to get a long run in Sunday morning while my wife and kids head to my father-in-law’s to celebrate with him. So, things are going alright. Just need to hold steady and stay the course with a constant flow of patience. Onward and upward!

By the way, the playlist for my run this morning was Josh Harmony’s new album BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT which is available for free download here. Check it out! You won’t be sorry.

Another Encouraging Weekend

Overall, this past week was a real disappointment. My average weight for the week went up by .7 of a pound to 233.6 and my blood sugar went up by over ten points from 93.2 for last week to 103.5! As a result I’ve been much more conscious of sugar and carb intake this weekend. The more restrictive approach, in combination with 3 and a quarter miles running yesterday paid off this morning with a blood sugar reading of 89 and this week’s first scale reading was promising, too: 231. 6.

Had a good weekend from the workout perspective. Yesterday I ran a decent 3.26 miles on the trail at Granite Lake and today, on what was really my day off from exercise, I decided to wear my GPS watch and heart monitor strap just to see, out of curiosity, what kind of calorie burn I might get from push-mowing the lawn. After nearly 60 minutes and just over two miles of pushing I burned 595 calories which exactly 5 calories more than yesterday’s run. So, I’m pretty pleased with the amount of exercise this weekend. Hopefully it will pay off heading into this week.

Strangely, the issues I’ve been complaining about for weeks, if not months, now, have been barely noticeable this weekend with the exception of some continued discomfort sitting on my piriformis. This is only an issue for me because tomorrow is my sports doc appointment where I’m going to be evaluated to see what has been causing my issues. We’ll see how I feel tomorrow.

A Great Day!

I’m pleased to report that the 5K at my school was an all-around good day. The turnout was pretty good and everyone seemed to have a good time. As far as the race goes, conditions were pretty good for a run. An overcast sky prevented the sun from beating down on us and temperatures were mild. My wife set a new PR and finished ahead of me, as usual. But, I set a new PR as well! My previous PR of 31:31 (set in May 2011 and then tied in October 2011) was improved upon by 51 seconds with a time of 30:39. I guess the next goal needs to be breaking through the 30:00 mark. I think that is certainly a realistic goal if I can continue shedding these pounds back off and get below the low of 225 that I was at last October.

Racing with my Garmin on hand (wrist) was a mixed bag. It certainly helped me to pace more effectively, but, because I failed to hit the button hard enough as I crossed the finish line I didn’t end up with an accurate time until I was able to see the official times posted online later in the day. Another technology glitch struck with my iPod which, for some reason, didn’t want to start my playlist at the beginning of the run and then, with about 1/4 mile to go cut out altogether.

The run itself was as painful as expected. I felt really stiff for the first mile only to have that complaint give way to the pain that was a massive hill about 1.5-2.0 miles in. I remember distinctively asking myself, in the last mile why in the world I was doing this to myself. I firmly believe that any runner, fast or slow (me being the latter), experiences a great deal of pain if he/she is giving their all and I definitely was.

The post-race euphoria of a new personal record and the pats on the back from friends, family, students, and colleagues at school eventually gave way to the reality of my meddlesome left knee and hip issues, though. They were feeling a bit tender during the run and after. Today the knee has been pretty sore. With about a month to go until the next 5K (the Angels Among Us 5K to benefit the Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center at Duke University) I’m going to take my time working back into running this week and spend some extra time reading a book I ordered on managing/preventing running injuries. A doctor’s appointment will be set up as well so that, hopefully, I can be a bit more proactive in the hopes of keeping the issues under control so that I can continue to do what I’ve grown to love so much: run.

Steady…Steady…

For the last two days both my blood sugar (104) and weight (236.6) have held steady, but, from week to week it is going down. I haven’t documented my intake here in a couple of days, but, its been fairly consistent: banana, cereal, and blueberries with skim milk for breakfast; protein bar for mid-morning snack, vegetables and cheese for lunch; apple for snack; some kind of supper with minimized helping of carbs; cereal with skim milk for snack; handful of dried fruit/mixed nuts with skim milk for late snack.

I had a good run Sunday and accomplished my goal of running the full 5K distance, but, without pushing for any kind of speed. I just want to continue easing into more distance while, intermittently, throwing in some repeats every now and then. Once March roles around I think it will be time to start ramping up my intensity with more tempo runs at the 5K distance in the hopes of setting myself up for a PR in my first 5K of the year: the first annual Millbridge Elementary School 5K. Hopefully with the pacing help of my new Garmin Forerunner 110 watch I can do it.

Looking forward to exploring a newly discovered neighborhood not far from the house today for 2-3 miles. So glad to be running again and to have my weight moving in the right direction: steadily downward.

Seven Days Of Positive Transition

The only thing that I’m not too pleased with in the past week is that I failed to record my daily numbers and intake for the last two days. That being said, everything else has turned out just the way I hoped it would. My blood sugar readings have continued to register lower than they have in months and, after gaining back enough weight during the holidays to hit 241, I’ve turned the corner and, as of this morning, I weighed in at 236.6. I attribute this success to two main factors: 1-I’ve been pretty careful about eating a very low-sugar, low-carb diet. 2-I’ve made sure to get in a workout at least every other day this week: three runs totaling 6.9 miles and 37 laps/1,850 yards in the pool at the local Y yesterday. I will either take today off and get a longer run in tomorrow or run today.

I’m especially excited about the running workout’s now that my mother-in-law and wife made arrangements for me to get GPS Garmin Forerunner 110 watch with heart monitor chest strap as a late Christmas/early birthday present. I’ve run with it one time, so far, and absolutely love all of the data that it collects and the accuracy and detail with which it does so. At the very least, I’ll be able to regulate my pace in workouts and in races when I’m trying to improve upon my personal record. I expect, though, that it will also help me as a motivational tool. For example, if I’m running along feeling one way about how I’m running, but, glance at the watch and see that I’m not running as fast as I thought I was, I can can kick it up a notch in order make better use of what my body is actually capable of as opposed to just going with whatever effort it feels like giving on a particular day. The increased likelihood of me staying on pace means that my 5K PR’s days are numbered!

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Blood sugar: 99

Weight 236.6