Captains log 3312013

Sunday, Easter Sunday to be exact.  As it is the final day of March I celebrated with a one month of working out day by going to the gym this morning at 0430 and run/walking for 60 minutes.  My intervals were jog 4 minutes and walk 1 minute.  It slowed me down a bit but I feel that I got a good 5 miles in this morning.  I also weighed myself to end the month.  Official weigh in: 247lb.  Down 11lbs this month. 

I have to admit I am a little discouraged with the last 1.5 weeks.  I weighed myself 2 Tuesdays ago and was at 246.  I know I did not get my walks in this week as per usual but still I have kept my intake below the max I have set for myself.  Ok, I'm over it.

Tomorrow we fly out early to Orlando.  There will be a lot of walking in the next week.  The kids still don't know what's going on exactly but they suspect something, excitement is in the air.  Probably feeding off of me!  Since we are eating away from home, keeping my caloric intake below threshold will prove challenging.  Wish me luck.

13 days until the vampire run.  I'm pretty excited.  While it isn't exactly a timed run it will be my first official race.  Yay.

measurments - ugh!

70" tall
Weight - 247 lb
Chest - 47"
Belly button - 45"
hips (pant waist) - 40"
Thigh - 28"
calf - 17"

I will weigh in tomorrow when I use the gym in the morning for a long run.

Captains log 3302013

This morning I woke up and what should have been a day of rest turned into me realizing yesterday I did nothing, so I went for a 20 minute walk.run for about 1.8 miles, 2 miles with warm up walk.  an average of 5.4 mph felt good and could have kept going but I have to go to work and am pushing the envelope as I type.  Here is the route I took today.



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Captains log 3292013

Today I took a day of rest, and it was awesome.  We have a sickness going through the house and I am hoping that I do not get it.  Kept caloric intake below threshhold.  Good day.

Captains log 3282013

Today I awoke at 6am and had a great nights sleep after a great day of lounging around.  I worked my way through 4 of the Harry Potter series on dvd.  I am making it a point ot get ready for our Orlando trip next week and our three days at Universal studios.

I did get Alex the dog out for a walk this morning.  I strapped on her backpack and we took about a 3 mile stroll.  It felt great and was a nice crisp walk.  Here is the route we took:



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Captains log 3272013

Today I did very little and consumed a slight bit more than my caloric goal.  But it was awesome.  back to work to morrow.

Captains log 3262013

This morning I awoke at the crack of 0415 and made it to the gym by 0500.  It is still cold out in the morning so I did my run indoors.  Plus I still have a sinus issue that I'm dealing with.  Ran/ walked 36 laps around the turf field today in around 33 minutes.  36 laps is 3.05 miles so a 10:49 second per mile pace, but remember that is with walk breaks.  10 minutes of the 33 total was walking and 23 was running.  I average a 3.5 mph walk speed so 0.58 miles were walking and 2.47 were running, in 23 minutes is a 8:55 pace.  Good numbers when broken down I think.

I'm hoping the snow clears and this weekend I can do some timed personals on the track.  I'm interested in where I am at.

Captains log 3252013

Today was a Monday and it felt like it.  I ended up sleeping in bed until I had to go to work and never got a workout in.  The wife convinced me to stay in after work.  It is walk/cross train day so nothing lost really.  Until tomorrow.

Captains log 3242013

Sunday, my hump day, long run day.  It was -1° at 0430 this morning so I went to the gym and ran laps around the turf field and both basketball courts.   I jogged for 22 minutes without stopping today.  It was a slow pace and I never lost my breath.  I think it was around 5 mph or a 12 min mile.  After the 22 mins I did interval 2 min 1 min for another 15 at a faster pace.  Doing some rough calculations it takes almost 7 laps to hit a mile.  I did not focus on how many I got done, just on keeping running.   So while it may not have been the most mileage it was the longest constant run which I think I needed.  I could have kept going but wanted to get and interval session in and had to get to work.  Soon the weather will stop being a bitch and stay spring like.

Captains log 3232013

Today was a day of rest.  I successfully rested though I did shovel the driveway twice.  Doesn't count.  Intake was great.  Short and sweet.

Captains log 3222013

Happy Friday Yall!!!  It has been a nice day before we get another 4-8 forecasted inches of snow.  Usually that means we will get a dusting.  I did not wake up this morning for a run, I had a bit of a sinus issue, so I went out after work today.  This little jaunt reminded me why I love to run before breakfast right after waking up.  Man did I drag ass and suck wind on the first 2 minute run.  I was beat.  caught my breath in the first walk and after that I felt ok, but not nearly as good as I feel in the morning.  Plus it is way windier in the afternoons here in Denver Metro, which is not fun to run in at all!

I walk/ran for 32 minutes today and totaled 3.1 miles, a half a block short of a 5K.  That was an average of a 10:19/mile.  Back on 3-4-2013 I did this very same loop making it a 11:51/mile.  I find myself very surprised in the results in just 18 days.  Very cool.  I hope then to make it a full 5K in 30 minutes before the wife and I run on April 13th. 

My intervals were 2 mins running / 1 min walking for 11 cycles of running and 10 cycles of walking.. I walked cool down after the last run cycle.  So 22 minutes of the 32 were running.  So close..  Here is the loop as I ran today with the filler warm up and cool down.



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Captains log 3212013

Thursday, and I did not wake up to go for a run.  I was still pretty spent from yesterday so decided to sleep instead for more recovery.  I did make it to horseshoe park for a 3 mile walk though and it felt great.  I'm going to get a run in, scheduled for a 1.5 miler or 15 - 20 mins, definitely tomorrow but maybe after work if the rain stays away.  Looking forward to off day saturday, followed by a long run Sunday.  It is supposed to be highs of 30°s this weekend...  perfect for a hike, running, meh.

Captains log 3202013

What a great day.  At the last minute I decided to use a lift ticket I had bought a few weeks ago at Loveland Basin (www.skiloveland.com).  The highs hit the 30's on the hill and there were minimal crowds.  I did make it a solo trip, which I had not done since 1998 a year after I first moved out to Colorado.  I had purchased some boots a few weeks ago and this was the first day in them, so breaking them in was a bit of a chore but it felt great to be outside, and MAN do my legs feel it today after working out as hard as I did yesterday.
I made a total of 12 trips up and down the hill in about 3 hours before my legs protested movement, and being one to always remember that the bad stuff happens "on the last run of the day" I was proactive and bailed early.  Clouds were moving in and the wind really picked up.  This was my second time on skis this year and makes 2 times in 15+ years.  I knew I had always loved the sport but damn it can get pricey.  Loveland may change that.  They have a really good deal on season passes and for newbie skiers like the wife and kids, and a whole hill away from experienced people to practice.  It is a relatively short drive from Denver and really has some great potential.  The snow seems to be lacking a bit this year and I bet with all the terrain open this hill is awesome.  Loveland's prices are the best around and a season pass is pretty cheap.  Sure they dont have the fancy resort stuff but really it is a great hill with some challenging terrain.  Some of the greens I would have classified as easy blues and the trend continues throughout the grading, it is a pretty steep hill in some spots.
So no running today, instead I am sore in a cross training sort of way, tomorrow I get to run again.  Wish me luck, these quads are a burnin.
Here is a picture I took from the top of the #9 lift about as high as 1 can get without hiking.

 

Here is a picture of the mountain:

On a side note:  in 1996 my father and I made a trip out here from the east coast and went up to loveland pass.  We climbed a small hill to make it official that we were 12000 feet up, loveland Pass is 11,990', and both of us were huffing and puffing after only a short 15' hike up the hill.  I had not been there since that day and today made a short jaunt up hwy 6 to see how acclimated I have become, I made it up the hill without barely a huff, my legs however told me they were still exhausted from skiing.  I know for a fact I need to get more high mountain training in before I attempt a 14er.  Baby steps people.

Captains log 3192013

What a Tuesday this has started out being.  I woke up after a solid 7+ hour sleep, via alarm clock, to get out and get my Tuesday run in.  I upped my time today from a 10 -15 minute run/walk to a 15- 20 minute run/walk.  Actually it turned into a 26 min run/walk.  Running for 2 minutes/ walking for 1 minute for 13 cycles this morning took me 2.4 miles.  Warm up and cool down added an extra .3 miles and a few extra minutes.  I felt great this morning.  The first mile felt really slow but once I hit mile 2 I felt awesome.  My stride lengthened and I know I was moving faster than the first mile.  Maybe it was because I knew it was the home stretch, I'm not sure, but it felt great.  Hopefully this keeps up through the week.

I have a eye dr appointment and a meeting at S11's school today and plan on walking to both of them.  That will add a few more minutes of movement today.

here is the route I ran today:



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0900hrs: accompanied Kori to the gym to get a nice hot tub soak and steam in.  Ended up run/walking another 30 minutes on the turf field and riding the recumbent bike for another 10. So add another 2.5 to 3 miles to the run/walk schedule, again my breathing was great throughout the whole session and I paced myself differently throughout the run.  I then did get a soak in and hit up the steam room.. they felt great.

Captains log 3182013

Today was nice...  I did not get the workout I wanted in but instead took a nice relaxing walk with the wife and daughter and Alex the St Bernard at the local dog park.  About 60 min walk with 2 to 2.5 miles traveled.

I think I'll go skiing Wednesday.  I have a ticket to loveland ski area and need to use it...  it will be the end of ski season before we know it.

Chris

Captains log 3172013

16 hours at work again on my "rest day".  Atleast all day was double time so it actually works out to getting paid for 4 normals week days.  Not too bad a gig I have here. 

I did not get a workout in today of any sort really.  I got some walking and ladder/pole climbing but nothing strenuous.  I'm going to be below my food intake for the day too so all in all it will be a good day of rest.   Really windy out today.  Saw some people on their bikes chugging along with a sustained 40+MPH wind in their face... that had to suck.

Did some looking and found a loop hike/backpack adventure in the mountains that looks like great fun.  34 mile loop so I would plan on a good 3-4 days.  The elevation gain is not tremendous so it seems to be a great newbie trail.  I am also intrigued at the possibility of hiking the Colorado trail a few days at a time, if I can find someone to pick me up at the destinations.   Also saw a nice class 1 trail up a couple 14ers that I want to attempt before I decided whether or not I'm ready to join my cousin on his longs peak adventure.

Heard a great quote today, and it really hit home.   Stop saying you can't do something and start saying you can but don't want to.  It was used in respect to where people fail at changing their diets, they say I can't eat that cake instead of giving themselves some credit and saying I know I can eat that cake but I don't want to and thus choose not to.  I equate it to where I am at working out.  I know I can play video games all day on the couch but I don't want to, I choose not to and to workout instead therefore changing my lifestyle. 

-Chris

Captains Log 3162013

Today is is back to seasonal temperatures.  This morning S11 and I walked to the local middle school with Alex the Saint Bernard.  We then used the schools 400m track to do a bit of running.  I ran a lap, walked 100 meters, for a total of 5 laps run and 2 (total) walked.  the round trip walk was about 1.7 miles, and I knocked out another 1.75 miles on the track.. so another 3.5 mile endeavor.  I also added in one 100m sprint at the very end for good measure.  I am going to go buy a stop watch later today so I can have baseline numbers for next time.

Kori mentioned a workout to me that is intriguing, one her PT told her about when she mentioned one I had heard called "The Burpee Mile".  It involves running a mile, doing 100 push ups, running 1 mile, doing 100 sit ups, running 1 mile, doing 100 pull ups, and finishing by running 1 mile.  I think I am going to do an adaptation of this sometime soon but incorporate shorter intervals and greater length.  Besides I cant do 100 pull ups!  I would be lucky to do 10.

My ipod shut down due to lack of battery power around the first 100m mark and from there I got to hear myself breathe.  That made it difficult to keep running.  I do think though that had I my normal pace keeping device I could have run more.

Today was supposed to be my off day.  Since I am only working 8 hours this afternoon I turned it into a workout day and tomorrow I will use as my off day since I am working 16 hours.  I did get a chance to take my lovely wife out to see the movie "Oz the Great and Powerful".  It was wonderful to spend some alone time with her. 

Here is the route today.. the middle school track is the 6 lane track SW of the HS track.



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Captains log 3152013

A beautiful day outside in Colorado.  74°F for a high today under mostly cloudy conditions.  A slight breeze accompanied me on my walk today at the ole horseshoe park.  I got a good hour long walk in whilst getting paid and days like today make me realize how lucky I am to have what I have.

I am one of the 98% of America.  I live by the rules, for the most part, pay my taxes, and officially live the American dream of a house, a great wife, 3 kids, a dog, 3 cars and a boat.  Late last year I was reminded of how special life on earth is, my daughter left this world for 5 minutes after a long surgery.  She was in excellent hands and was brought back by a team of medical staff.  I remember going home the next day and just crying really hard.  How close I was to losing my baby girl at the age of almost 5.  I walked in the house to find both dogs waiting as usual, ready to go outside and I remember sitting with Cassie and just petting her.  You see my baby while back on earth was still in the icu.  She was riding a fine line as sick kids tend to do.  9 days later my little girl came home.  The first being to welcome her was Cassie.  She had to make sure her youngest was alright like a good mama would do.  She wouldn't leave the little girls side for a good long while.

Fast forward 4 months.   The wife and I were reminiscing about Cassie last night.  The wife mentions how Cassie's ailments started soon after we got home, and really surfaced in early January.  She wondered aloud if somehow Cassie had arranged a trade, a life for a life, in order for us to keep our little girl here with us, how she had thought about it all day.  I looked at her kind of in shock.  Without ever speaking of it with anyone, I had earlier, after Cassie's passing, wondered the very same thing!  We had called the little girls recovery a miracle, maybe there was more to it!  Stranger things have happened.

The picture is the little girl just getting home and Cassie checking on her.

-Chris

Captains log 3142013

Today has been a long day.  We had to put down our oldest dog Cassie today at the age of almost 8 years.  We got her before we knew our middle son was in utero as a 4 month old puppy.  She was the wife's baby before she had babies and held a special place in our hearts.  She grew up with our then 4 year old and he will miss her terribly. 

Cassie was a great dog.  She was a cattle dog mix and we were her pack.  She was there for the kids in ways they'll never understand.  She knew when the wife was pregnant and used to always watch over her through the days.  Then when they were born she considered them hers, sometimes even challenging the wifes patience.  She and our oldest had the classic bond a boy and dog develop from younger ages.  One time our St Bernard thought the daughter was going for her food and snapped in her general direction and Cassie LAID into her. 

Cassie was my camping buddy.  Every trip she went with me and I always felt comfortable about her sleeping with the kids and keeping them safe.  She never barked at random things so you knew that if she did bark it was for a reason.  She was a great member of this family and we did everything short of spending thousands of dollars to keep the cancer from taking over.  She had a fast growing tumor in her nasal passages and we attacked it with meds but to no avail.  She stopped eating days ago and could not sleep well since she could not breathe through her nose.  She was in pain but never let on.  We had to do right by her so we made the tough decision to put her down. 

She seemed to know we made this decision.  She got out of bed to tell the kids goodbye for the first time in weeks.  She wagged her tail when the wife took the daughter to her cousins then came inside with me and immediately laid down exhausted.  She went into the drs office wagging and went with the dr to get a catheter placed in her leg.  She knew!  Just like she always had.  She had a mothers intuition and it was always right!

It is hard to teach responsibility to kids.  About how we have to do things that are very hard to do as adults because it is the right thing to do.  Even when we don't want to.  The wife held her as she went.  I looked in her eyes as they injected the fatal cocktail.  She deserved no less from us.  She will be missed tremendously.

I got a run in tonight.  I was dragging at first but by the end felt great.  It was another 15 min walk run where I ran for 2 minutes and walked for 1.  Total distance was 1.4 miles.  As I said I felt great and think I could have easily done another round of 15, but I am taking it slow.  Plus I am technically on the clock.  Yay for me..  here's the route I ran.  It is almost the exact route Cassie and I walked with the daughter last week.  It felt right!



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Captains log 3132013

Hump day!  It is a beautiful day in Colorado, and what we were supposed to have yesterday according to weather know it alls.  It is also my first 8 hour work day since last Wednesday. 

I found my way back to horseshoe park.  I got 7 laps done in an hour and it should equate to ~3.5 miles walking.  I'm going to call it hiking.  I am doing it in jeans, long sleeve fr shirt, and my hiking boots.  Nothing more to report.. 

Chris

This just in...

I am officially signed up for the Colfax Marathon.. well the relay!!!  I am part of team PNDA BR and a proud runner of the 4th and most important leg of the relay.  It is only most important because it is the one where I am running!!  I am now signed up as follows:

April 26th (night) Vampire run 5k
May 11th - Rugged Maniac 5k obstacle course
May 19th- 4 mile leg of Colfax Marathon Relay.

Boots to asses!!!  I gotta get to work!!

L8..

Create Maps or search from 80 million at MapMyRun

Captains Log 3122013

Day four of 16 hour days...  they end tonight for a 24 hour spell, then I knock two more out Thursday and Friday, and 8 hours on Saturday and Sunday..  it will be a nice paycheck.  It will however come with sacrfices.

Today the weather was supposed to be in the 50's like yesterday, instead I awoke to snow and a 1.5 hour commute to work, 16 miles.  It has been overcast all day and really got my mood off on the wrong foot.  You gotta love Colorado.  I had packed my gym bag and took it to work today with the hopes of getting a little run in.  I found time to do a 15 minute interval session, 2 minutes jogging, 1 minute walking.  It felt great but was cut short when I was dispatched to an order.  It seems like a small amount but according to the Jeff Galloway theory it is exactly what I should have done on Tuesday of the second week.  We shall see.. it seemed like a weak workout.  This goes back to when I said that I need to take it slow.. I don't wanna!

As I mentioned, there are sacrifices that are made.  I am completely off my schedule when I work these hours.  I don't see my wife and kids often, and literally drive home to sleep to wake up 6 hours later to drive back to work.  It makes for very long days and I miss my family tremendously when I work like this.  You see, we are still a sit down and eat every night at 6pm family.  Granted there are a few exceptions but the wife and I try and make it a point to instill in the kids a bit of old fashioned family time.  We do not over schedule our kids.  We let them be a little loose and carefree but we are also very structured.  So when I work like this this kids feel it too.. things are not normal.  I try and make it a point to swing by the house just to let them know I am alive.  I leave before they're awake and home after their 8pm bed time, so when I get a chance i do stop in just to say hello.  I am pretty sure my 5 year old little girl thinks I am always at work!

I am a creature of habit, but at the same time I like to be free...  I like to make plans on a whim.  I like comfort, but enjoy traveling outside of my comfort zone every so often.  I love video games, but know in my heart I love the outdoors more.  I have chosen in the past to sit around and play all day, while eating everything in the house with no regard as to what I am doing to myself.  I am now choosing a different path.  Since I have started this training I have not sat down to play one video game.  That is now been 10 documented days since blog 1.  I like myself better already!

Next Sunday I am walking over to the high school and running on their track.  I would like to get a full 1 mile run in and time it.  I'd also like to time a 100m and 400m.  It is good to have a solid baseline.

Chris

Captains log 3112013

Third day of double shifts at work and after yesterdays long walk my body did not want to get moving this morning, and I did not sleep well.  For the first time ever I was cold in my bed, well my lower extremities were.  Very discomforting.

I made my way in to work and found some time in the late am to walk some laps around a nice park.  Each lap was ~8 minutes so I am guessing that it was about 0.5 miles per lap.  6 laps done and 3 miles logged in my hiking boots and it felt great.  It is in the low 40s and windy but I did not mind as I walked with my sleeves rolled up.

I love being outdoors.  The walk today just reconfirmed what I already knew...  it was around a couple softball fields and a playground and wound through a part of tollgate creek where in 1982 a couple kids playing found some native american remains.  The natives of several different tribes camped and walked along this stream so many glorious years ago and I found myself immersed in visions of what that was like amongst the willows 150 years ago.  I loved every minute of it.

You see, I am not a city native.  I grew up in the "backwoods" of the Maine coast in a small fishing town.  I had 9 acres of woods to call my playground along with 2 acres of yard.  I feel completely at home in the wilderness, and yet I have so much to learn.  While I am trying to become a long distance runner, I know I am already a long distance hiker.  Like Forrest gump running, I can just keep walking.  It can get hard at times but it is literally one foot in front of the other and just keep trudging along.  Running is similar but is harder to breathe...

My wife is a city girl.  She can make do anywhere but is most comfortable in the city.  We are a classic case of city mouse married citified country mouse.  Where the idea of homesteading in a remote area entices me, she would miss the hustle and bustle of the city.  I am not saying she couldn't do it, I'm saying she'd hate it.

As well as learning how to run this year it is also my goal to spend more time outside..  I deprive myself of it too often.

Chris

Captains log 3102013

Good morning and happy Spring forward day.  First off I would like to apologize to my wife for my alarm going off so early and me taking a lot if time to shut it off!  Second, it is a slow morning so far at work.  I had one order out the gate but nothing since I cleared it.  To pass the time I started walking laps around the complex here at work.  I did 10 laps, each lap being 3660 feet (I measured with a wheel) in 2 hours, all while being no more than a few hundred feet from my truck in the event dispatch was to drop me an order.  Not too shabby, and here I was worried that I wouldn't find time to move around a bit due to working 16 hours.  The walk was accomplished wearing my work clothes and my hiking boots, a bit more than I would normally wear while working out.  I did not get a long run in but a long walk instead... almost 7 miles, 36600 ft, its the longest I have walked in a long time, and I got paid to do it!

Again I did not get the sleep my body likes last night.  Got home from work at 2320 and woke up and hour early at 0600, so right at 6 hours of sleep...  I respond best to a solid 8.  Its the same old cycle.  I get to the top of the overtime list and accept all the ot I can get in the two week period that the list is in effect and burn myself out, swearing I'll never do it again, but then I go and do it again.  I'll never learn!

The snow that showed up yesterday is melting already so indoor exercise may not have to rear its ugly head.

I am typing these posts from my cell phone so I'm not worrying about grammar at this point.  Just putting pen to paper.

Chris

Captains log 392013

Rest day!  Albeit work 16 hours with a good metro snow event day but still rest nonetheless.   I got home from work last night around 0030 and was awake at 0600 in order to go back to work.  So I did not sleep the amount I desired especially after working out as hard as I did yesterday.  My body protested and I wanted to smash my alarm badly.

You see, in 3 weeks, the wife and I and our 3 kids are flying to Orlando for a weeks worth of Universal studios.  So in order to have some extra cash I have accepted ot through Tuesday so far and highly expect it to go through my next scheduled 4 day weekend.  All in all it could equal somewhere in the neighborhood of an extra 250+ hours of pay, just in time for vacation.  Unfortunately this means I have to find a time to workout somewhere, and that with generally mean lack of sleep.  I am also granted a 1 hour period to have a break during the day and may have to fit a workout in that time slot.

So with all this going on I find myself searching as to what I should do on the morrow.  It is supposed to be my long run day...  I have to fit it in.  The last time I focused on myself and lost weight I did not work any overtime for 2 months.  This time I have other goals on hand that must accompany my personal goals.

So today is rest day and I still focused on eating right and coming in under my calorie max.  I did so but did indulge in a 3 egg, ham, potato and gyro meat burrito (sans tortilla) smothered in green chile with pork.  Delicious and less calories than 2 pieces of Costco pizza.  Then I really splurged and had a russell's milk chocolate caramel egg for a useless 130 calories, but really yummy.  All in all a good day.

Chris

for the road..

I just got back from the gym, work out two of the day, and got called in to work..  who can say no to double time.  I did weigh myself and tipped the ole scale at 252.1 lbs.  I wasnt going to do it but I want a base line for the end goals of overall fitness and it will be fun to look back as the weeks progress.

peace out, im off to work.  Tomorrow is my scheduled off day but I am working a 16 hr shift so i cant say ill be just lounging around resting:P

Chris

Captains Log 382013

Last night I was called to fill shifts for the next 4 days, so today I am going to try and get a couple workouts in.  I started this morning with s 3.5 mile run walk.  It wasnt fast by any means.  It was a new route however so I have a new PR.  It took about 46:00 with an avg bpm of 135 and high of 173, 13.14 min mile.  It felt good for the first half until I stepped on something and had a little pain in my right ankle.  I was able to walk it off but it distracted me a bit.

I was talking with my cousin and his GF last night, as well as the wife, and we may team up and tackle the Colfax Marathon as a 5 person relay team.  There are 5 legs on the round trip route.  The first and last are 6.4miles, the 2nd and 4th are 4 miles, and the third is 5 miles, 6 hr time limt.  I said I would do one of the 4 mile legs this year, as that way I can keep it under an hour, and next year that should change.  Ill keep you posted on any new events..

I am working 16 hours shifts the next four days, through Tuesday, so training will be tough to fit in with trying to get sleep. I think I will be able to fit it in somewhere, at least 30 mins a day. 2 miles here, 2 miles there etc... better than nothing I suppose.

Here is the route I took this morning:



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So doing a little reading  this morning and I stumbled upon Wyatt Hornsby, and his blog, here.  Wyatt is a local Colorado Ultra Runner and he mentions training using the Maffetone Method.  He explains:

 "I'm still learning about the Maffetone Method. Here's what I know: It revolves around heart-rate monitoring based on the "180 formula," which determines your maximum aerobic function or MAF. This is the zone you want to train in while base-building because it's all aerobic and low-stress. The formula goes as follows:

1) Subtract your age from 180.
2) Modify this number by selecting among the following categories the one that best matches your fitness and health profile:

• If you have or are recovering from a major illness (heart disease, any operation or hospital stay, etc.) or are on any regular medication, subtract an additional 10.
• If you are injured, have regressed in training or competition, get more than two colds or bouts of flu per year, have allergies or asthma, or if you have been inconsistent or are just getting back into training, subtract an additional 5.
• If you have been training consistently (at least four times weekly) for up to two years without any of the problems just mentioned, keep the number (180–age) the same.
• If you have been training for more than two years without any of the problems listed above, and have made progress in competition without injury, add 5.

So, for me, since I'm 39 and very experienced, my formula goes as follows: 180-39+5=146. My MAF zone is then 136-146 beats per minute, meaning I want all of my training for the next few months, while I base-build, to be between 136-146 without exception. If I stay in that zone, I'm within my aerobic zone. I'm within the "safe zone."

This formula puts my numbers at 131 to 141 bpm, which is about where my body feels like I am getting a workout but not over exerting it.  My issue is trying to stay in that zone.. I wonder if ones average bpm counts because if that is the case then I am hitting it dead on this past week. 

The thing I have noticed is running is like eating is like life.. everyone does it different.  I am a person who likes to hear everyone's opinion but I don't take any for my own.  I use what I have learned and incorporate what works for me in the long run.  

On a side note, I need to buy an interval timer.. or find one for my Ipod.

-Chris

Captains log 372013

Today was absolutely a gorgeous day in Colorado.   60+ degrees out and a great day to go walk to the park with the daughter.  The park is only .4 miles north of our house and she goes regularly, but we took our oldest dog cassie and went in a different direction.  She kept up well at a decent pace and at times seemed to breathe a little harder, she just had a spinal fusion last November, but was excited to go to a "new park".  The different path took us on a 1.1 mile trip and when we arrived the little girl was so excited, she said " this park looks just like our park,"  and after looking North and seeing our normal route put two and two together.  I had a good laugh.

After about 20 minutes of play time we hiked back, the short way this time, to the house and that concluded out outing, taking about 1hr of our day.  All in all it was a 1.5 mile walk at a fairly slow pace, for me, and only burning minimal calories, but it was getting out.  We also went shopping at Sams club, I'd add at least a half a mile just walking in that store not to mention 2 other grocery stores, so I wasn't just sitting around today and probably burned just enough to justify my protein shake this morning:)

We are supposed to get 6+ inches of snow this Saturday so my outdoor routine may have to move to the gym.  I was planning on a long run Sunday morning, try to push myself but that may have to go to a treadmill run which seems like cheating. There is something nice about running to actually get somewhere instead of on a belt going nowhere.  Welcome to Colorado!

Our little hike today:



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Captains log 362013

This morning I did not want to wake up.. it is consecutive day 3 of working out and my body was not all ramped up as it was yesterday.  Needless to say, I soldiered on and went ahead with my longest route yet.



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3.8 miles in 47:22.  I think i made it a little longer than the basic map so I am going to go with a 12 min mile.  A little slower than in the past but I was forcing myself out today.  

I'm not too sure why I wasnt feeling it really today.  I ate well, went to bed at a decent time, I did have to wake up and pee which sucked, sorry to all you old folks.  I feel for you.  All in all another work out in the books.

I spoke with my cousin yesterday, he is talking about climbing a pretty intimidating mountain this September and I really want to go.  So now I have a few new goals to work toward once these running goals are complete.  

Time for work....   

Captains log 352013

I woke up feeling ready to go this morning for some odd reason, I hope this trend continues because it makes it very easy to get out and move.  I went to bed ~ 2030 and awoke by alarm at 0430 so a solid 8 hours of sleep.  I ate well yesterday and by looking at the numbers pretty well balanced.  I felt good enough to run but held back this morning and took a nice 34 minute walk instead.  I found I walk a little faster than I thought, ~3.88 mph and had a light average bpm of 112.   So while I feel out of shape, and definitely look it, the numbers point to me being in better shape than terrible!

I have caught up on my cousins blog finally, and his girlfriend's as well, and find myself inspired and slightly intimidated.  My cousin is able to run a 10k at an avg of a 7 - 8 min mile.  This folks is why I have not joined them on any runs, even when I had lost all the weight I had before.  I am very competitive and am also the oldest cousin on my fathers side of the family.  My cousin, of whom I speak, I have 4 total on my fathers side and 2 younger brothers as well, is 2 months younger than me, we grew up close and so there is always a little competition between us, or at least from my POV.  I think this is why I am writing this blog and doing my own thing, this running thing is about me and my personal goals, and maybe someday when I feel better about my skills, having honed them for a year or so, I may share them with close family.  I can tell you strangers anything!

Well I must get ready for work, here is a map of my travels this morning.



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1530 hrs:  got home and walked the dog, Alex, to pick up sons Rx from Walgreens since it was a very nice 44 degrees out, took a route that was about 1.7 miles round trip.. slightly slower, bpm not very high, but I let Alex do most of the pacing.  A few more calories burned and a nice way to unwind after work.

Captains log 342013

So I missed an update yesterday and I apologize.  I was called in to work 3 hours after going home for the day on Saturday and worked another 8 hours getting off at 0200 Sunday.  Then I had to be back at work at 1000 hrs on Sunday.  Needless to say it was a long day.

While I was not able to get a workout in on Sunday I kept my calorie intake below the max number, but my sugars were elevated due to quite a bit of fruit and being a good dad and trying the cake pops my son made. mmm.

This morning however I was back on track and got out for a run/walk.  This is the route I took:



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 It was 3.5 miles and I got it done in 41:30 a pace of 11.85 min/mile or just over 5mph.  Not too shabby for day two.  I upped the pace a bit.  I am finding that while I have taken a year+ off from working out, my body remembers loving it.  I burned somewhere in the area of 630 calories.  

I had a chance while at work to read up a bit on running while just sitting around.  I think I am going to stick with the Jeff Galloway method and throw in some couch to 5k to mix it up.  My goal is to learn to be a better runner...  and I have always hated running.  Jeff advocates walk rests every so often based on several variables.  Based on my current speed being around a 12 min mile he suggests running 2 minutes and resting 1 minute.  Interval training at its finest.  Those numbers obviously go up when your speed and endurance increases.  I found myself getting excited when reading on running and started envisioning the feeling of finally running an entire 5k, then 10k, and maybe someday do the colfax half here in town. 

My calorie goal was met easily today with the solid workout this morning.  All in all I felt very  energetic all day and was even contemplating a trip to the gym this evening but it was scrubbed at the last minute.  Have I mentioned how taking things slow is hard?  My food goals are not merely caloric, more I am looking to keep most carbs and sugars at a minimum on most days and have a cheat day of eating (keep calories lower) on my one off day I plan on taking weekly.

Sorry my blog structure is choppy at best.. i am treating this mainly as a journal and am writing from the top without a lot of thought..  just laying it out as I think it.

Captains log 322013

Today is day 1 of my "new Chris" regime.  It is 0330 hrs and I am awake and what a great time to go start!

0443hrs - morning exercise complete. 2.5 miles in total, 38:37.  I walked for the first 10 minutes for a warm up and then alternated running/jogging for ~1 minute (very fuzzy, was definitely more than a minute every time) and walking for ~ 6 minutes (again a little fuzzy, this time in the less column.)  Quick calculations are an average of 15.4 min mile on the first day.  I averaged 123 bpm with low being start (72) and high being 159.

I had a protein shake prior to my walk/run and 20oz of water.  I had 20oz water upon return.


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I have decided to start slow.  I will do this regimen 3 times in this first week and then up the jogging times and reduce walking times slowly.  The problem is it is really hard to not just start jogging again after I catch my breath.  I know the logic, I should be able to jog and talk normal, so I am training, but it is hard not to push through even knowing it is wrong.   

I am going to log my calorie intake on  http://www.myfitnesspal.com/cdover69.  Feel free to follow me there.  I am not going to step on a scale until the end of week 4 of this program.  My goal is not to lose weight but I know it will be a byproduct of this endeavor, which is good.  Last time I lost a lot of muscle, and would even bet a disproportionate ratio to the amount of fat lost.  I am going to worry less about the number and about how I feel and how I fit into clothes.

Tomorrow is the first day....

of the rest of my life....

I sit here 14 months since i started the graveyard shift at work and consequently stopped working out.  16 months ago I lost a total of 40 pounds in 2 months.. a bit high and a bit fast in retrospect.  I did it by eating few calories and filling up on vegetables.  Fast forward 14 months and I am back to the weight i was when I started and feel slightly ashamed when I look at myself in the mirror.  I kept it off through the summer but when halloween arrived there wasnt a candy I did not eat.  Tomorrow we shall start again.

I know I can do it, having done it once, but the drive is different this time, as in other than a little self loathing, I dont have the same drive I did before.  I went to the gym every morning then and walked on a treadmill for 45 to 60 minutes every morning.  My daughter had preschool there 3 times a week also, so I had motivation atleast 3 days a week to go take her and work out.  I dont have that any more.  I am back on days for the time being at work and I find it hard to re adjust back to waking to an alarm clock.  This time will be more difficult.

I shall prevail..  I saw a picture of a nice lady who transformed herself in 3 years.. I cannot be hasty.. I need to remember that slow and steady wins the race.

Speaking of races I have signed up for a 5k race and the rugged Maniac obstacle run.  Training is a must.  I am also gonna let you in on a little secret.. I kind of, no I want, to become a runner of sorts.. I never ever thought I would say that as I have always hated it but for some reason I am feeling compelled to learn how to run distances.

My goal is to renew an addiction to working out.  I actually love working out, but recently have found no desire as noted above, all excuses imo.  I invested in a nice pair of Brooks running shoes aptly named Addiction.  It's the little things folks.

I will use this blog to keep myself accountable.. my goal is to make daily entries.  keep me in your thoughts.

-Chris