In the face… In the face!!!

…so yesterday was my rest day, and other than shoveling the 2nd half of my driveway, I actually did rest.

Today started out with a few hours of pick up volleyball. There are some pretty decent athletes that show up on a weekly basis to play, and one of them decided to leave his mark on my face today. He is one of the local high school kids that plays for his varsity team, and he is a very solid hitter. I love getting in there and mixing it up, and when I get a block on him I tend to needle him a bit. It’s all in good fun, and the jawing goes back and forth. Today he was given a perfect set, and he split the blockers really well. I set up right in between the blockers for the dig, but he hit the ball right at my face instead. Being the agile beast that I am, I was barely able to turn my head to the side before the ball hit me squarely in the face. Good times, Good times! I would say I owe him one, but I like to mess with him quite a bit, so I probably just got what was coming to me. It’s all in good fun, and the only thing hurt was my pride.

Later today I need to get in a walk/run of about 20-30 minutes or so, and then tomorrow starts my next week of training. All in all, this week was very successful, training-wise. My diet is leaving plenty to be desired, and that is going to be my focus for the upcoming week. I’m not going to workout 5-6 hours per week plus only to sabotage myself at the kitchen table. I guess it’s time to download MyFitnessPal to my new phone.

I will also be adding some strength training to the mix this week, but only a day or 2 for probably 30-45 minutes. I don’t want to get too far ahead of myself at this point. Here is my schedule for the week:

Sunday: Bike – 20 minutes (1 min hard, 2 min easy)
Monday: Weights (30-45 minutes total body)/ Swim – 20 minutes (1 min hard, 2 min easy)
Tuesday: Run – 30 minutes (1 min run, 3-4 min walk)
Wednesday: 20 minutes (1 min hard, 2 min easy)/ Swim – 20 minutes (1 min hard, 2 min easy)
Thursday: Run – 30 minutes (1 min run, 3-4 min walk)/ Weights (30-45 minutes total body)
Friday: Rest
Saturday: Run – 45-60 minutes (mostly walking)

This is really just a guide for the first few weeks. If I’m really feeling it I may add to this, and if I’m not feeling it I will back off a bit. Over the course of the next few weeks I will be sticking to this much more closely, while adding some distance/time. I will also be playing tennis on Wednesday nights and Sundays as part of my USTA league, and playing volleyball on Saturday mornings for fun.

It seems like quite a bit of working out when I list it this way, but it’s really quite easy to get in. I can’t believe how much better I feel already just getting back into the swing of an actual schedule. Enjoy!

The first day of real soreness

I’ve had the on again off again workout routine down for a while now. I’m used to getting sore when starting a new workout program, but my goal is to make this the last “initial” soreness. Yesterday I had a couple of good workouts, including a win in my 3.5/4.0 tennis league last night.

My partner and I won 6-3,5-7,1-0 (10-8 in a 3rd set tie break). I love playing tennis, because it’s an amazing workout, and it allows me to feel like a kid again, because I never played this game as a child. I get butterflies before a big match, and I’m constantly learning new shots.

With that said, I want to keep my exercise program varied enough that I’m constantly learning, and really enjoying the process. In the past, I have scheduled races and didn’t think much about the process. I was always looking forward to the race day. This time I am going to enjoy the work up to my event. I would really like to use this triathlon as a stepping stone to other events, and by enjoying the process I can make sure that the race isn’t the end, but rather the first of many to come.

My legs are feeling pretty heavy right now, but it’s time to get them moving. I’m planning a VERY easy bike this morning, and probably a short walk to work out the kinks. More to come later…

I’m going to make it official

…so I’m signing up for my first triathlon in 10 years.

Wood River Triathlon Bike

The RecPlex SPRING TRIATHLON: Sunday, June 16, 2013 will be my welcome back to the sport. This triathlon sets up as follows:

500-meter swim in the Rec-Plex’s Olympic-quality Natatorium
21-mile bicycle ride through flat farmlands*
5-mile run through shady, scenic and serene St. Peters parks

I couldn’t wait to get started with my training, so today I did 20 minutes on the track (just walking at this point, but that is going to be changing soon) and 2000 meters on the rower (in 9:08). One of the staff members at the Rec-Plex gave me a quick start guide to get my training in motion. This is going to be a bunch of work, but it’s going to be fun.

When I completed my last triathlon I was weighing in at about 220 lbs (in the picture above), but now I’m right at 275. I guess it’s time to start shedding the lbs once and for all. Here is a fairly current picture:

Recent – Before Pic

I will also be walking this afternoon with my daughter once she gets home from school, and I have tennis tonight in the Steel Shop Men’s 3.5/4.0 league. It’s a busy day, but an active day. I’m already feeling better!

The wheels are back in motion

I walked for about 1/2 hour earlier today with my daughter, and then I had 1 1/2 hours worth of tennis drills tonight.

Tomorrow I’m going to talk to the Recreation Director at the gym about setting up a triathlon training plan. I haven’t completed a triathlon since 2002, so it’s about that time to get back at it. I can’t wait to see what he has in store for me.

I will start posting PR’s again soon, because I should be getting better and better really quickly in the beginning. Here’s to small victories. I’m better today than I was yesterday, and I’m going to be better tomorrow than I was today. That’s all I can ask for.

5K, here I come, again…

…so last week my daughter and I started to train for a 5K, sort of. We walked 3x last week, and we are going to be walking 3-5x this week, while increasing our mileage and/or adding a small amount of jogging/running.

I want to make sure that whatever we do, we are able to continue moving forward with it. I am one of those strange people who actually enjoys working out, but getting started is simply not fun. I have to enjoy the process, or I’ll be starting again in a month or two. If you read this post, please jump on the bandwagon and either join in, or push me to keep going.

Today is going to be a walk around the block (1.7 miles), and a short strength training session of some sort. I did play tennis yesterday, and I won 6-3, 7-5 during a pretty tough match. Tomorrow is going to be another walk and possibly tennis drills at night. I will see how my legs react to yesterday and today.

I don’t care if I ever have a 6 pack again, but I most certainly want to know what it feels like to be fit. My initial goal is going to be 250 lbs. I’m starting this time at 275. Here’s to a successful journey.

New Beginnings…

I think it’s pretty funny that the last post I made referred to a reboot.  Over the last week, I have figured out that it’s time for a VERY significant reboot.

I was going through my student teaching, and I figured out that it was not what I wanted to do for the next 20+ years of my life.  Over the course of a month and change, I was getting severe headaches three to four times per week.  By the time the headaches would go away, I had just enough time to prep for the next day and grade the papers that needed grading.  It simply wasn’t something that I wanted to do with my life.  I truly admire teachers, and I have a tremendous respect for what they do.  I just don’t want to be a teacher any longer.  I still love working with kids, but there is so much more to teaching than simply working with kids.  …moving on.

My daughter and I have started training for a 5K this week.  I looked up a few couch to 5K plans, and we are going to follow one of those fairly closely.  We have been walking about 2 miles per day, and we are going to start adding in some small amounts of running next week.  I’m still playing tennis and volleyball regularly, so I haven’t added weight, but I haven’t lost weight either.  My goals going forward are going to be centered around getting in better shape, figuring out exactly what I want to do for a career, and enjoying my kids while they are still in the house (my daughters are both in HS – 1 junior and 1 senior).

This blog is going to be pretty similar to what it was in the past, I think.  I am going to get back to working out regularly and posting to my blog about my workouts.  I plan to add my diet information as well so that I can keep myself accountable and on track.

Well, it’s like my last post stated.  …it’s time for a REBOOT!!!

I am still alive, and I am still moving!

I just realized that I hadn’t posted in quite a few days.  I have been moving, and actually had a pretty active weekend.  I played some volleyball, tennis, and basketball.  I spent the majority of the day on Saturday setting up our new basketball goal in our yard.  It only took about 5 or 6 hours to put the thing together and get it filled with water.

I only walked a couple of times over the last week though, and I have a race coming up so I have to get back on the ball with my couch to 5K program.  I did walk 1.7 miles yesterday with my wife, and I will do at least that again today.

My daughter had me doing the same workout as her yesterday, and it just about killed me, but I felt great once I was done.  That workout was:

100 jumping jacks

90 crunches

80 squats

70 lunges

60 step ups

50 jumping jacks

40 crunches

30 squats

20 lunges

10 step ups

I am not used to working my legs quite like that, and they let me know it today.  I can’t wait to see what she has in store for me this time.  …or maybe I can wait!

Oh well.  I will try to make sure I remember to post something every day, even on those days when I’m not quite as motivated.  By posting something, I usually gain that extra motivation I need anyway.

I fell off the wagon… again, but it’s all good.

…so this week was NOT a good week for my weight loss.  My diet was atrocious, my workouts were hit or miss (mostly miss), and my running plan is now a week behind schedule with my 5K just 3 weeks away.  This is horrible news for my new training plan, but I’m really not worried about it.  Why am I not worried you ask?

Over the last several years, I have become a semi-pro at quitting.  I taught myself how to simply give up, and once you give up enough, you become pretty good at it.  Just like working out, repetition is the mother of skill.  I have started so many workout plans only to come up short that I stopped counting them years ago.  There is a difference this time though.  Usually, I take one day off, which turns into two, which turns into weeks, months, and even years.  I took 3 days off this time, however, and I was so mad at myself that I couldn’t stand it.  I have officially made moving a part of my life again.  It really is a lifestyle change that I don’t want to give up.  This is VERY promising!

Thanks Vince!  I really needed that.

Today is a new day, not because I had the best workout, but because I realized that I can take a day off and get back to working out.  Just because I miss 2 or 3 days doesn’t mean I have to quit.  I can win!  I will win!  Winning (as the video clearly illustrates) is an every day thing.  Winning isn’t something that you do on gameday, but it’s what leads you to gameday.  If you win everyday, it really doesn’t matter where you finish the race, because you have already won.  Today I played volleyball, and tomorrow I am going to workout and get back on my couch to 5K training plan.  I don’t care what my time is in my 5K, because I know it will be better than not running the race to begin with.

I may not win every day, but every time I do win brings me closer to my goals.  Repetition is the mother of skill, and the more often I win, the easier it will become to win.  Sooner or later, I will be a winner again.

So what if I fell off the wagon.  Everyone falls off the wagon.  Today I had the strength to get up, dust myself off, and get back on the wagon.  Here’s to winning the day tomorrow.

2 heads are better than 1

I have always had issues with will power.  I have had many friends who said they were going to do something, and it was just assumed to be done.  I am not like those friends of mine with will power.  If I say I am going to do something, I really need someone behind me pushing me to complete that task, or at least cheering me on.  I was always a bit of a show-off growing up, and maybe that was a sign that I needed someone watching my back down the road.

I was taking with one of my best friends today, and he agreed to hold my feet to the fire regarding my diet and workout plan.  This may be the kick in the butt I need to keep things going.  I am really good at starting, but not very good at following through.  This week we are going to hold each other to our workouts.  Every day this week, I have to check in with him at the end of the day, and if I don’t do what I was supposed to for the day I will have to answer to him.  It’s a simple thing, but it gives me an extra push to get where I want to go.  I am going to do the same for him, and hopefully we will both be more productive for it.  I have always heard that it’s easier to lose weight when you have someone else losing with you, and we are going to put that to the test.

This week I didn’t walk nearly as much as I wanted to, and I am already falling behind on my couch to 5K plan.  Last week was very good, but its consistency that I really need.  I can’t tell you how many times I’ve done P7X, because like I said I am great at starting.  It’s about time I follow through and complete P90X and my couch to 5K program.  I honestly don’t care if I am ever truly “ripped”, but I certainly need to be in better shape than I am.  Even though I have someone who will be keeping me accountable, I am asking that everyone that follows my blog do the same for me.  If I don’t blog for more than a day, e-mail me, comment on Facebook, or give me a call and say “get going lazy!”

Everyone has heard the saying, “Two heads are better than one”, and now I’m hoping that it works for me.  If two heads are better than one, then it stands to reason that several are better than 2.  Today I am starting again, and I have already said I’m really good at starting.  Tomorrow is another day, however, and I would appreciate everyone’s help.  Thanks for keeping me going, and if you need a nudge feel free to ask.  The more the merrier!  The more people that I have holding me accountable, and the more people that want me to hold them accountable, the better.  ENJOY!

A journey of 1000 miles starts with one step!

While I’m sure nearly everyone has heard this little gem, it really occurred to me recently that it made complete sense.  It came to me on a walk with my daughter the other day.  I was as out of shape as I have ever been, but I was on day 5 or 6 of my most recent workout plan.  It really was the first step that started me on my way to great things.  I still can’t truly see where I am heading, but it’s a long way off.  I can, however, see that I am moving in the right direction.  I feel better before, during, and after a walk than I do while sitting on my backside on the couch.  My couch to 5K program will have me adding some running this week, and it remains to be seen how my legs are going to react, but at least I am moving forward.

I don’t know exactly how long it’s going to take to get in shape for my first 1/2 marathon, but I am well on my way to a 5K.  I have walked every day for the past week and a half, and while my legs are sore, but its a good kind of soreness.  I have walked with my daughter, and plan to walk with my wife.  Hopefully along the way I will walk with my other 2 children as well.  We are also planning to put up a basketball goal in the very near future, which I think is a direct result of my being more mobile.  A body in motion does tend to stay in motion, and I don’t have any plans to stop mine again for a very long time.  At 280 pounds, it’s not very easy to run, but walking is quite tolerable.  I grew up a skinny, athletic kid, and graduated high school at 160 pounds.  I still have that idea in my head that I should be able to walk out my front door and start running, because I could do that for the majority of my life (even when I was out of shape).  I am starting to learn that all of those 40-somethings weren’t kidding when they said it takes a lot more to get in shape than it does to stay in shape.  It’s not necessarily harder, but it takes time and a consistent effort.

I am going to continue moving 5-7 days per week until I reach my goals, and I am hoping that at some point things start to become easier.  I have a Tough Mudder in September, and for the first time I am starting to wonder if I will be limping my way through that event.  I will complete the event if I am able to crawl to the finish line, but I would far prefer the ability to at least jog the open sections.  If I am brought to a crawl, however, I will still complete the event, and look forward to a 1/2 marathon not far beyond.  Sooner or later, I will be telling people that it’s much easier to stay in shape that it is to get back in shape, and I can only hope they will listen to me before they get to the point I have.  While it is an uphill climb, I at least know that I am climbing, and ultimately I will reach my goals.  It’s nice to be able to see the miles or time going by.  Last week I walked 225 minutes, and although my pace is very slow, it’s 225 more miles than I walked the previous month and maybe even year.

I don’t have a goal to walk 1000 miles this year, but that doesn’t seem like a bad way to go.  I am not going to be upset if I only walk/run 600 or 700 miles en route to preparing for my races, but 1000 miles does have a nice ring to it.  Thank God I took that first step, because it was a big milestone in my life.  That first step might just keep me around for some important things in my life, and the lives of my children.  A friend of mine from high school recently had a heart attack, and it really put some things into perspective (He is doing well thankfully – Hi Dave!).  When something like this happens to someone you know, and especially someone your own age, it tends to hit a little closer to home.  My journey already had focus, but when that happened it really made me think that I NEED to get in better shape.  I now have one more person that will help to keep me accountable in reaching my goals, and he has someone else to keep him on track as well.  Whether my journey takes me 1000 miles or not remains to be seen, but the first step is behind me and I’m not going to stop for a very long time.