... without a Jog Blog (your quick and friendly reminder --->)to step to!
Since my last blog I've been out running no more than five times. Not only that but each time seemed to be less interesting than the last. Needless to say, I hit an early running slump. Hopefully I've pulled (or been pulled) out of the slump and back on to the road. However, my overall fitness progression has, for the most part, stayed the course.
Next week I start week five (of six) of physical therapy for my knee. The progress I have made during the course of the therapy has been nothing short of triumphant. A month ago I was running, but still couldn't handle stairs very well. On bad days I would even have to do the one step at a time while holding the rail and grunting routine going both up and down a flight. But, just three days ago I found myself running up a flight of stairs without even the slightest sense of hesitation. That my friends, is something worth stepping to!
My other victory comes in the form of weight loss. Since the day I first decided to run the Long Beach marathon I have lost about thirty pounds! Now, to some of you who remember my Facebook status a few weeks ago, yes, I haven't lost much since then :). There was about a two to three week span where I hit a plateau in my weight loss. It's the funniest thing really. I started falling back into old eating habits and wasn't exercising as much, and for some reason I wasn't losing weight anymore. Hmmm, may have to consult a physician on this one, 'cause I'm befuddled. Last weekend was a complete dietary breakdown for me. I put on seven pounds in two days! Two days! Stepping on the scale was all the leverage I needed to get right back on the proverbial horse. Since last weekend I have taken off the seven pounds plus two more. And no, I am not starving myself, just still big enough to fluctuate weight at a greater rate. My new short term and aggressive goal is to lose another twenty pounds by Christmas. At that point I will be approximately 73.52941176470588235% towards my (first) goal in exactly 50% the time I was hoping to reach it. Right on pace! :)
OK, enough about me. When I first started this edition of the Jog Blog I wanted to make it something "to step to (for those with short term memory problems this is your cue to scroll back to the top for a quick and friendly reminder)."
If you read this, and you run, or have run, and have ever fallen into slumps, what got you out? How did you muster the motivation to tighten your laces, warm up your muscles and get back out on the pavement? For me it was reminding myself of my goal while looking down at the scale.
For your own safety I should warn you, comments are mandatory, not optional! For proof, see below.
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Sorry everybody. I'm feeling a little silly... I had just gotten back from a great run when I wrote this, and I think I'm high on endorphins. Hmmm... maybe I should have written more about that? Nah...
Friday, November 27, 2009
Sunday, October 25, 2009
On Shin Splints, Cardio, and Friends
My Wednesday run started out with long strides and big smiles, but finished in painful baby steps. I was properly hydrated. I warmed up purposefully. I stretched adequately. But, sometimes things don't always go according to plan.
Instead of my normal one mile loop around the neighborhood I decided I would head off in a random direction and when I reached the halfway mark in time I would turn around and come back. Sounds reasonable.
So I headed out, briskly walked the first four minutes, like I always do, then started my two minute run. But, things were different this time. I was feeling great! So great in fact that I actually found myself joyfully laughing at the prospect of maybe running through the next four minute song. When my two minute anthem wound down I decided to go for it. About three minutes into the song I was starting to fatigue and thought about walking. However, I pushed through the rest of the song and back into my two minute song. At the end of my eight minute surge I was feeling great! Finally, my conditioning was catching up, my shin splints weren't causing me any problems. I could almost see twelve months into the future when I crossed the finish line of my target marathon, it was all falling into place.
I got back into my normal walk four run two routine and when the halfway time mark came up I turned around. My mind was set on doing another eight minute surge. Nope! Like clockwork, a few steps after heading back my shins started throbbing with nearly unbearable pain. My hope of running back was in the past, and now I couldn't even walk at my normally brisk pace. So, I walked back, slowly, in pain, and late to a Bible study I was leading. A day that started off with victorious clamour was silenced by physical defeat. At this point the advice I had been given by everybody resounded louder than ever. I took the next two days off, exercised and stretched my shins, took some Ibuprofen, and looked towards my next run.
On Saturday I timorously drove to the local riverside running/biking path in the hopes of putting in four miles. With Wednesday's mishap still on my mind I had my doubts about running another straight line in fear that I would have to hobble back again. If it were not for the encouragement of a friend, who was running eleven miles on the same stretch, I probably wouldn't have gone. Turns out, no shin pains! I did however hit a wall with my cardio. This time there was no pushing my run through for eight minutes. This time I was glad I had chosen a great running song because thirty seconds into every two minute run I wanted to quit. With all that said, just finishing the four miles felt great!
My experiences over my last two runs were full of ups and downs, conquers and defeats, and all tied into these three important lessons.
1. Don't go it alone.
2. When somebody gives you sound advice, take it.
3. There's more to running than running.
Thank you Allison and Elizabeth for the shared time after Saturday's run. What a perfect moment!
Thank you Bob and Tiffany for walking with me last Tuesday. That was a lot of fun! Let me know when you're going again.
Thank you everybody! I'm loving writing this blog! Please feel free to give feedback, and if this is your 3rd time here, please "follow" it (thanks Mom for being the first!). No reason to be shy! That type of thing goes a long way with motivating and supporting me. Love you all and stay tuned for more!
Instead of my normal one mile loop around the neighborhood I decided I would head off in a random direction and when I reached the halfway mark in time I would turn around and come back. Sounds reasonable.
So I headed out, briskly walked the first four minutes, like I always do, then started my two minute run. But, things were different this time. I was feeling great! So great in fact that I actually found myself joyfully laughing at the prospect of maybe running through the next four minute song. When my two minute anthem wound down I decided to go for it. About three minutes into the song I was starting to fatigue and thought about walking. However, I pushed through the rest of the song and back into my two minute song. At the end of my eight minute surge I was feeling great! Finally, my conditioning was catching up, my shin splints weren't causing me any problems. I could almost see twelve months into the future when I crossed the finish line of my target marathon, it was all falling into place.
I got back into my normal walk four run two routine and when the halfway time mark came up I turned around. My mind was set on doing another eight minute surge. Nope! Like clockwork, a few steps after heading back my shins started throbbing with nearly unbearable pain. My hope of running back was in the past, and now I couldn't even walk at my normally brisk pace. So, I walked back, slowly, in pain, and late to a Bible study I was leading. A day that started off with victorious clamour was silenced by physical defeat. At this point the advice I had been given by everybody resounded louder than ever. I took the next two days off, exercised and stretched my shins, took some Ibuprofen, and looked towards my next run.
On Saturday I timorously drove to the local riverside running/biking path in the hopes of putting in four miles. With Wednesday's mishap still on my mind I had my doubts about running another straight line in fear that I would have to hobble back again. If it were not for the encouragement of a friend, who was running eleven miles on the same stretch, I probably wouldn't have gone. Turns out, no shin pains! I did however hit a wall with my cardio. This time there was no pushing my run through for eight minutes. This time I was glad I had chosen a great running song because thirty seconds into every two minute run I wanted to quit. With all that said, just finishing the four miles felt great!
My experiences over my last two runs were full of ups and downs, conquers and defeats, and all tied into these three important lessons.
1. Don't go it alone.
Having friends around that share an interest is invaluable. The motivation has been great, but gaining camaraderie was better still.
2. When somebody gives you sound advice, take it.
My shin splints have been a problem, but now I know more about the problem. I know I'm not entirely over them, but the amount of information (and now experience) I have learned will always be there when I need it.
3. There's more to running than running.
Until recently I kind of thought that running was all I had to do to be serious about running. But after a near cardio meltdown on Saturday, I'm searching for ways to cross train.
Thank you Allison and Elizabeth for the shared time after Saturday's run. What a perfect moment!
Thank you Bob and Tiffany for walking with me last Tuesday. That was a lot of fun! Let me know when you're going again.
Thank you everybody! I'm loving writing this blog! Please feel free to give feedback, and if this is your 3rd time here, please "follow" it (thanks Mom for being the first!). No reason to be shy! That type of thing goes a long way with motivating and supporting me. Love you all and stay tuned for more!
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Where I am Now
The thought that running can be a positive thing is new to me. Throughout my life running has been more likely to conjure thoughts of torture, pain, and masochism (see dictionary.com's 3rd definition, not 1st! lol) than excitement, joy, and satisfaction. I'm the type of person, as are a lot of people, that gets excited about getting in shape, goes to the gym, works harder than I thought I could, then never goes back because I overdid it. So, naturally, the thought of running would also have similar negative connotations. So when I decided that I would run the Long Beach marathon the first thing I decided to do was to discredit my lifelong thoughts and ideas and replace them with reality and positivity. Research ensued.
I reached out to somebody who's running experience I trusted and who had overcome many of the same issues I am currently dealing with, my dad. The first piece of good advice he gave me was to get a John Galloway book called Galloway on Running. The part that I honed in on was the short section on "Getting Started."
The gist of this section was, in my words, "Get started. Walk slow, then walk fast. Add a little running, then add a little more. Just get started." Right now I am in the "add a little running" phase. I walk for four minutes, then run for two. I have even made a playlist on my phone of 6 four minute songs with Requiem for a Tower by Escala in between (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxTV4y9tD6s). I dare you to listen to that song and tell me you aren't amped up and ready to run! I read about running, I talk to friends and family about it, I set goals, I eat healthy, I started this blog, and more, all as a source of motivation. Not only that, but I know very well that there will be hurdles and times I want to quit, so I figure the more sources of motivation I have now the more nets I have to catch me when I fall. Encouragement and advice from those running behind me, beside me, or well out in front of me has been the greatest motivation surge I have received so far.
Already in my short journey I have dealt with, or at least started to deal with, a couple hurdles. The first was cutting my runs short because of shin splints. The second was purely not wanting to run. Not to mention of course, the fact that I have a ruptured ACL, which does still hurt. I start physical therapy on it tomorrow though, so I'm pumped about that!
As of right now I'm excited because thus far I have been going out alone, but tonight I'll be joining a couple friends. I just hope this is a trend in the making. The idea of going this alone seems like it would be as fruitless as desert sands during periods of endless drought.
Next week, or whenever my body says it's ok, I'll start walking for four minutes and running for three.
I reached out to somebody who's running experience I trusted and who had overcome many of the same issues I am currently dealing with, my dad. The first piece of good advice he gave me was to get a John Galloway book called Galloway on Running. The part that I honed in on was the short section on "Getting Started."
The gist of this section was, in my words, "Get started. Walk slow, then walk fast. Add a little running, then add a little more. Just get started." Right now I am in the "add a little running" phase. I walk for four minutes, then run for two. I have even made a playlist on my phone of 6 four minute songs with Requiem for a Tower by Escala in between (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxTV4y9tD6s). I dare you to listen to that song and tell me you aren't amped up and ready to run! I read about running, I talk to friends and family about it, I set goals, I eat healthy, I started this blog, and more, all as a source of motivation. Not only that, but I know very well that there will be hurdles and times I want to quit, so I figure the more sources of motivation I have now the more nets I have to catch me when I fall. Encouragement and advice from those running behind me, beside me, or well out in front of me has been the greatest motivation surge I have received so far.
Already in my short journey I have dealt with, or at least started to deal with, a couple hurdles. The first was cutting my runs short because of shin splints. The second was purely not wanting to run. Not to mention of course, the fact that I have a ruptured ACL, which does still hurt. I start physical therapy on it tomorrow though, so I'm pumped about that!
As of right now I'm excited because thus far I have been going out alone, but tonight I'll be joining a couple friends. I just hope this is a trend in the making. The idea of going this alone seems like it would be as fruitless as desert sands during periods of endless drought.
Next week, or whenever my body says it's ok, I'll start walking for four minutes and running for three.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Peering out into the distance
I stand facing a windy road that is massaging obscured hills hiding the first light of a new day. The dew is my hydration and the wind is my breath. And with childlike innocence I put one foot in front of the other, and smile.
Just over a month ago I was a defeated man. I had just gotten home from the hospital after receiving news that my little knee injury was actually a major knee injury, and that it would most likely require surgery.
Oddly, the reason behind my defeat was not so much in the injury, the surgery, or even in being uninsured. My defeat was in realizing that not only was the invincibility of my youth gone, but it had been gone for so long that when I looked to lean on it I couldn't even remember what it looked like. The abuse I suffered myself through a gluttonous and sedentary life had caused my prime years to scurry away before they even got here.
So I prayed. I prayed that God would use this opportunity to open my eyes to the importance of preserving my body through healthy living. I prayed that God would embrace me warmly and shove me out the door abruptly. I prayed for healing. I prayed for understanding.
My next trip to the doctor gave me more good news. Not only am I missing an ACL, but my blood pressure is just below hypertension. So not only did my lifestyle choices help cause a serious injury and make the healing process complicated, but now I find out that I've been killing myself. My head and my heart started arguing at this point. It was as if my head knew what my heart didn't want to hear. The mantra for the rest of the doctors visit (all 6 more hours of it) became "You're killing yourself. You're killing yourself." It wasn't until I got news that physical therapy was going to be the recommended treatment and that I have a green light to be active that my heart finally leaped in excitement at the prospect of survival.
God smiled warmly upon me, then kicked me out of the storm into a beautiful horizon. It is what is beyond the horizon that this blog will be about...
Just over a month ago I was a defeated man. I had just gotten home from the hospital after receiving news that my little knee injury was actually a major knee injury, and that it would most likely require surgery.
Oddly, the reason behind my defeat was not so much in the injury, the surgery, or even in being uninsured. My defeat was in realizing that not only was the invincibility of my youth gone, but it had been gone for so long that when I looked to lean on it I couldn't even remember what it looked like. The abuse I suffered myself through a gluttonous and sedentary life had caused my prime years to scurry away before they even got here.
So I prayed. I prayed that God would use this opportunity to open my eyes to the importance of preserving my body through healthy living. I prayed that God would embrace me warmly and shove me out the door abruptly. I prayed for healing. I prayed for understanding.
My next trip to the doctor gave me more good news. Not only am I missing an ACL, but my blood pressure is just below hypertension. So not only did my lifestyle choices help cause a serious injury and make the healing process complicated, but now I find out that I've been killing myself. My head and my heart started arguing at this point. It was as if my head knew what my heart didn't want to hear. The mantra for the rest of the doctors visit (all 6 more hours of it) became "You're killing yourself. You're killing yourself." It wasn't until I got news that physical therapy was going to be the recommended treatment and that I have a green light to be active that my heart finally leaped in excitement at the prospect of survival.
God smiled warmly upon me, then kicked me out of the storm into a beautiful horizon. It is what is beyond the horizon that this blog will be about...
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