I’m running and other stuff.
I was all set for chocolate Friday (well, I bought the chocolate anyway) but decided to read blogs instead of putting in an entry. But next week for certain!
Got a little busy this week. I actually went to the gym on thursday and ran on the dreadmill for 3 miles. I forgot how really awful it is. I find myself constantly looking at the odometer, hoping it will be over soon. No fancy pace, about 10:00 to start and then up to 9:30 on the last mile. It did feel good to be moving (sort of) again.
I’m spending a longer time now stretching before and after my workouts. About 1/2 hour each time. Trying get my hips and adductors loosened up. Hamstrings too. Its really stupid because those are all the places that I was told to work on by Shannon when I was in PT. Maybe not the adductors, but everything else. Working on it. I’ll be happy if I get to the point that I can do a split. Heh, heh. Might not get quite that far, but #1 priority (even more than pace and distance in the runs) is lengthening the adductors and correcting my form. More video in the future.
And Saturday I actually ran outside! Three miles easy, 9:30 pace. The bad part, was that it was tiring. I am so out of shape its not even funny. I only ate a couple bananas before heading out, which may have contributed to the light headed feeling I had after I stopped. The cold weather has come in now and it was about mid 30’s on this run. I passed two women out running too, and they were all chipper and happy and cruising along.
I’ve put together my training plan for The Bay.
The first few weeks are to set up a base for me because I’ve turned into a sludge. Then after that it ramps up to the 18 for the race. Actually, its 30K, which I think is 18.6 (if my math is right), but it was easier to do the chart in miles for me.
I have new shoes which I like so far. They are Reebok Premier Road Lite’s. Roomy foot pocket and very lightweight. They have alot of mesh on the front which I like for the summer running, but I’m not sure how they will do as the weather gets colder. I may need to find a nice winter shoe to run in. Actually, I’d like to find some nice racing flats but nothing at the store looked good. I know Mark had mentioned alot of shoe locations, but we haven’t got alot of selection here.
On a non-running note, I know its getting colder in alot of places and sometimes that means the furnace is coming on about now. For me, that means that furnace begins breaking right about now. Every year something new breaks. The exhaust fan. The gas valve. The controller. The igniter. This year it was either the thermocouple (aka “flame rod” to the parts guy), or the pressure switch. I don’t know which it was but I replaced them both. The thing would start and would shut down and lock out, which means either no exhaust or no flame. I outsmarted it this year and bought both parts at once and saved myself a second trip to the parts store. The only thing left to break is the blower. I already have the part number. :)
Jack and Jank have begun their 17 pound challenge. I’d like to throw my hat into the ring (is that the right expression?). I could stand to lose that much again. Actually, I was in this same spot last year at this time. I think its halloween and marathon training that does it to me. Reread that post. Its scary how much of this is repeating. In the fridge right now is the new cake from the cub scout bake off and I’m still fighting myself to keep from eating it.
Which brings up another dilemma. My son used about 2 tablespoons of frosting for his cake, from two whole cans of the stuff that I bought (chocolate and vanilla). The rest is sitting in the fridge. There’s tons of fat, and TRANS fat especially, in this stuff but I feel like I am wasting it by throwing it out. Yet if I leave it there, I will eat it. Just like last night when I had a spoonfull. Best to just throw it out? I guess if had to ask myself if I would pay $5 to lose another 5 pounds, I would almost certainly say yes. I guess throwing it out is worth it.
Anyway, I would like to be part of the movement to dump that 17 extra. Tough to do but I heard that every extra pound is 3 seconds added to your max mile pace. It sounded pretty small till I realized for me thats the difference between a 7:00 pace (my goal) and a 7:51. Ugh. Need to drop the extra to meet my pace goal and to fit into my pants again.
Today’s weight 180.6 (so I’ll mark the starting weight as 180)
Goal weight: 163
Oh and we went to see Harry Potter last night! First date with the wife in ages and first real babysitter for my son. He was so happy with her, we barely got a goodbye out of him. Good movie. Lots of good stuff straight from the book. I hate the new Dumbledore. Too grumpy and bumbling. Mad Eye Moody was great. Hermione was…uh…very cute. :)
Hope you are having a good time this week. Cold weather means a slow down in running for alot of folks. Stay warm.
November 20th, 2005 10:23
HI!!!!! Um, after days of picking at it I finally threw the halloween candy my mom sent me in the dumpster outside of my building. I live ALONE!! I was DESTINED to eat it all otherwise. And it’s not like I could bring it to school (the public health kids are polite about it, but when I brought Valentines candy in they basically acted like i was feeing them arsenic.)
Point being I am so not above throwing out junk food so that I don’t eat it and so that the public health kids don’t judge me if i try to share.
Good luck with the 17!!! You can definitely definitely do it!!!
November 20th, 2005 10:44
I retired a pair of Reebok Premier Road Lites this Spring with 300 or so miles them. I use them now as my walking shoes when I need some cushioning. I like them. Good luck with your shoes.
November 20th, 2005 11:35
I heard things about Hermione. I’m not a HP watcher, but I heard things. ;)
November 20th, 2005 11:58
I’m from metric Canada and I still run and think in miles!
November 20th, 2005 12:57
Wow - I could’ve written that same post! So much of the same stuff going on; furnace, need a new pair of shoes, got back out on the road this Saturday for the first time, the weight and the amount to drop are all almost exactly the same. I’m going to check out that pair of Reebok’s you mentioned. Always good to hear from you Jon!
November 20th, 2005 13:00
I’m glad you are back out there, Jon. And there’s nothing like a plan. Lara mentioned this race to me…but I need to see how fast I recover, too. I found this link pretty helpful for strengthening and exercises:http://www.coventrypainclinic.org.uk/treatment-exercises-hipsbuttockslegs.htm
Good luck:)
November 20th, 2005 13:12
Welcome back to running. Good luck with your new weight goals. I’m waiting for all the crazy families with screaming kids to get that movie out of their systems before I watch that movie, maybe in a couple of weeks at matinee time.
November 20th, 2005 13:51
Sounds like you’re back on the wagon, in a good way. There’s nothing like a looming race to jump start your training.
Sadly, I probably would have eaten the chocolate.
November 20th, 2005 14:06
Glad your back at it. The plan looks good. Goodluck with the weight loss, I am gonna try myself as I have had much luck lately and its often hard to run with all this extra.
November 20th, 2005 18:13
Glad that you’re running.
My son and I went to see Harry Potter last night, too! I completely agree with you on Dumbledore. And I think even my 8-year old son thought Hermione was … uh … very cute! :)
November 20th, 2005 19:41
Glad you’re back to the running…inside and out. No matter as long as you get it in. I’m having a body composition done tomorrow & the former Mr. Canada (a BIG musclehead) is going to do a nutritional plan for me. I’m shooting for a bodyfat percentage in the single digits by The Bay. Not an easy goal. The training plan looks good.
November 20th, 2005 19:47
I hate the new Dumbledore too. He is so violent. and the book character is so above violence and emotion yet you know he cares about the students. This guy is just scary. Plus I don’t understand why they keep having new directors. It seem so incongruent. grr. grumpy
November 20th, 2005 22:18
Plan looks like a walk in the park.
As for the 17 - Jack is kicking my butt, and it’s not even thanksgiving. I need to drag myself onto the roads, apparently.
November 21st, 2005 01:05
Glad you’re back to hitting the asphalt, just start slow. I’ve come to the conclusion that cold weather just naturally slows a runner down and requires more energy. It sure does in my case. Of course if you consider all the extra clothes that are worn, which tend to absorb sweat, you end up carrying a few extra pounds with you by the time your are done. Your plan for the 30K looks good, have fun with it!
November 21st, 2005 06:21
I can’t wait to see Harry Potter . . .throw out the icing.
November 21st, 2005 10:59
Forget Harry Potter - I can’t wait for Around the Bay!!
November 21st, 2005 11:00
wow, each pound adds that much? I practically PROMISED myself id watch much more carefully what i ate in the last month before dec. marathon. but did i listen? yes, for half a day.
welcome back to running. stretching is so very good. and treadmills are so very bad. how did i used to run almost exclusively on them?
November 21st, 2005 16:53
Oh wow Jon, a date! I envy you. It’s not easy to get out sometimes so I hope you both had a lovely time.
I don’t know what trans fats are but I imagine they are the bad stuff
November 21st, 2005 20:14
ok! that’s totally MY training plan too!
hurray!
November 21st, 2005 20:29
Call me picky but I’m going to make a comparison of your plan to mine. You have cross training and rest after your Saturday extra long run, then a short run on Tuesday. On mine I have a short run Saturday, extra long run Sunday, rest day and long run on Tuesday with Wednesday as a shorty.
S- S-M-T-W-T-F
You: XL-XT-R-S-L-S-R
Me: S-XL-R-L-S-L-R
If you subscribe to the short-long alternating training concept your plan is not as rigorous. I agree you need to go slowly to get back in shape. If you want to be an animal trainer, I mean training animal, you might want to switch your midweek goals around.
November 21st, 2005 23:19
Glad you got out on that long awaited date!!!, dont wait so long for the next one!!
Heather
November 22nd, 2005 15:18
i’ve got some chocolate for you! straight from switzerland.. let me know how to get it to you.
also, can i throw my hat in on the 17 lbs, but do half or a third of that? if i lost 17 lbs i’d qualify for underweight (only being 5ft 1 and all) and the idea of me weighing 105 is just silly.
November 23rd, 2005 13:08
looks like a good plan. some one said a goal without a plan is a wish.
November 23rd, 2005 19:13
I could definitely join you in the weight loss challenge too, but I don’t have the willpower or desire. I have decided that being a little on the plump side and happy is better than being skinny and sad that I am not eating what I want! I am crosssing my fingers for you on the furnace. Stay warm and yeah for you and your wife for gettting out by yourselves!!
November 24th, 2005 08:22
Gobble on, my brother. Does anyone make holiday turkey chocolates?
November 25th, 2005 00:55
Step away from the frosting! Better yet, throw it out. You don’t need it. It’s great that you want to lose some unnecessary pounds - but 17?! That seems like an awful lot, based on the photos you’ve posted of yourself.