w3d2 part II

I am not a runner. Never have been, never will be. I plow through my workouts the same way I plow through a case of beer or a plate of ribs...just stick my chin out and go. I've got all the agility of a mack truck and probably as much quickness. That's why I can take a smidgeon of satisfaction from workouts like today. As good as I felt during Tuesday's run, (with good being a decidedly relative term) I felt the opposite today. Couldn't get my wind, quads screaming, calves on fire, minor hangover, the entire litany, which in the past would have led to failure. For some reason, today was different. I don't know if I've crossed some sort of threshold or if it was the presence of my beautiful little princess cheering me on to the finish, but I sucked it up and completed the circuit, and it felt good.

Maybe I can do this thing. Maybe I can run a 5k. Maybe I can actually start to regain some semblance of fitness and set a better example for my kids. I hope so. I KNOW I'm going to keep trying.

Week two of the week three training...

I stuck with the week three training schedule and it felt better. Not great, but better..probably because the princess joined me for parts of the run and all of the walking segments. She's a natural athlete and I can't wait to monitor her progress if she chooses to stay with sports as she grows up.

Cookie had his first all-stars practice Sunday. He hit the ball really well, one of the top 4 or 5 out there....I was happy for him. The tournament starts the 12th, and i hope we win at least one game. We open with Paris and then play a Champaign team, win or lose. Tough sledding, but we've got some skilled players.

The princess has her final game on Thursday, and then I think they have some sort of tournament, also.

The firstborn has had a setback and won't be coming home this weekend after all...overcoming unfavorable circumstances is crucial to her development, so I hope she doesn't let this defeat her.

Net loss for the two weeks since this endeavor started is 4 pounds...Probably would have been more, but I devoured some pizza this weekend...washed down with plenty of barley and hops...
I'm willing to give up a lot, but some things are inviolate!

I hope that everyone has a fun, safe fourth of July, filled with family and friends.

Day 2

Hot, steamy, sweaty....and I'm not talking about Mrs. BFL, though I could be!

Did the full week three C25K routine this morning. run 200, walk 200, run 400, walk 400...rinse, lather, repeat.

I got a new pair of running shoes with better arch supports and they seemed to help a bit.

Today is #1 son's 13th birthday. He's growing up too quickly, dammit. We'll be swimming, grilling, drinking, chilling, so if you're in the neighborhood, come on by.

Couch to 5 K

Mixed results from day 1...hereafter known as the HOTTEST, MUGGIEST DAY EVER!

I jumped in to the C25K at week three, thinking that should just about get me to the Ag days run on schedule, and it was a bit too much. It called for two sets, and I was only able to complete one. brisk warmup walk from the house to the track, do two sets of 200's and 2 sets of 400's. Twice. The 86% humidity was pretty oppressive and I decided not to push it on my first day. I am encouraged that I was able to huff and puff my way around for a couple laps...but I surely didn't set any land speed records...Oh, and big props to Katie Dog, who, as always, ran with me...she probably ran twice as far as I did because she would range ahead and then double back to check on me. Nice Doggie....

melon collie

No...Katie didn't eat a cantaloupe. Once again, a funk has descended upon me and I'm not sure why. I think it's because the boss has been working herself to exhaustion doing projects after working her regular job and driving the kids to myriad activities. I wish there was some way that I could make it so she didn't have to work so damned hard.

I did the 20 minute workout from MH yesterday, and frankly I don't think I'm in good enough shape to try it again. This workout is all about standing on one leg and doing the exercises, and my left leg balked. I was ok on my right leg, but my form started breaking down almost immediately when I balanced on my left. It's a good solid workout....two sets of alternating arm db bench presses, single leg, single arm rows, the infamous bulgarian split squats, standing single leg lifts and split curl to presses with one leg elevated. All of this is designed to put pressure on the core muscles of your lower back and abs, and it did. I was pretty sore this morning. I don't however, think it worked the chest, back and arms as much as I expected, probably as a result of my aforementioned form meltdown.

We're told that Cookie made the baseball All-Star team, and I'm ashamed to admit that I'm a little ambivalent. I know that he REALLY wanted to make the team, so I'm grateful for that, but had he not made it, we would have had almost a month between sports. Now it's going to be a week or two, at the max, before football starts. Then soccer, basketball, and soon it's March and baseball again. Damn.

Mad props to my homies who are sticking to their running programs. Nerdgardener, Tom, Ally, and Astro are all kicking Ass and taking names while I remain...the big FAT loser.

weekly wrapup...

Grades for the week...

Diet=B

Exercise=B-

beer consumption=B

Net= Solid B, lost two pounds since Sunday. All I have to do is do that for the next 44 weeks and I'll attain my target weight. :-)

Addictions

It's time for me to bare my soul about something that probably shouldn't see the light of day, but we all know that sunlight is the best disinfectant.

That's right friends. I'm talking about my addiction to gas station hot dogs. Those tawny, spinning tubes of delight, two for 2 dollars, while one is $1.39. Even a VG grad can compute the savings by taking the double. Hell, some places will even throw in a ginormous soda for next to nothing.

Sure, they're packed with enough nitrates and sodium to embalm the 5th fleet, but that's what makes them so tasty. Ooooh...my knees get weak and my hands get twitchy when you add flecks of cheese and jalapeno bits.

Geesh, temptation is EVERYWHERE! No wonder I remain the big, FAT loser.