What #fitwinning means to me, and why it is important

Dear James, Daniel and Emily,

Today's Run

7 miles! 1000+ calories!

That's what I'm talking about! I was a little nervous about this run, knowing I was looking at my longest run ever. But I did it, even threw in a small hill at the beginning. It feels so good to know I have hit that number, because my 10K is in about 3 weeks, and my 10 mile race 2 weeks after that and I now feel more confident I will be able to do both at a level I feel comfortable with.

Achievements like that are what I look to when I use that #fitwinning hashtag. It's pretty simple: Fit, as in fitness, as in being able to comfortably run a certain distance, to set a fitness goal and achieve it like my running in races or my friends who ran in the Tough Mudder. Winning is all about attitude, taking a can do approach to things, instead of letting your mind defeat you. And combined fitwinning is best summed up by days like today: run a personal best 7 miles in the morning, then look forward to playing kick ball with friends and family in the evening. It's going to a big family gathering and feeling more comfortable going and playing ball with the kids and teenagers than sitting around talking.

I think that is the biggest part of what gets missed in the messages about getting fit and being fit are the real benefits. Fitness on it's own is a worthy goal, but what you can do when you are fit, and what an effect it has on the rest of your life, that is the biggest message that I like to get across.

The legs are recovered and ready to go

Dear James, Daniel and Emily,

Today's Run

Me: Okay, coach says we can walk now

Legs: OK, just so you know we are sorry about last week, and we could have gone longer today.

Me: Good to hear, because Thursday the goal is 7 miles

Legs: Oh snap! Did we say we were good to go? Just joking...

Me: Oh stop messing around, I'm counting on you.

Legs: yessir, we got your back, in a manner of speaking.

Me: Good to know.

Getting into a routine and pattern of #fitwinning

Dear James, Daniel and Emily

Had a good weekend overall as far as fitness. Splurged a little too much food wise on Friday, but otherwise did well. Had some good workouts, no recurrence of the pain.

Sunday's Run

Held to my goal of running, but staying on the flats, and not pushing the speed. Which kept my hamstring under control. I think that by stopping right when the pain hit, and then medicating it, and keeping as stretched out as possible I was able to avoid letting the pain get worse. Which was the first part, and then held to the overall strategy of still running but not pushing for speed so much as time. And that really is my goal anyway, time and distance, I'll worry about speed later.

Some of my friends ran in the Tough Mudder race this past weekend, and at least one of them thought I should sign up. And along the same lines there is the Fall Series here in Colorado Springs. The more I think of those though, the more I think that I have no interest in incorporating obstacles in my running, I just want to run, I am not even all that interested in running up any big hills to be honest. So for now I will stick to my distance runs, and just make sure I complete the races I run in, and save the obstacles for another time.

I fell back into my bad habits on Friday, knowing I wasn't going home for dinner I still had a junk food lunch, then an OK dinner but had the urge to top that with a desert. Not the best way to start the weekend. I just need to be aware of those things and control those urges better next time. In the long run no harm no foul, just need to avoid letting it become a habit.

Good news & bad news from today's run

Dear James, Daniel and Emily,

Today's Run

If you look at that link you will see I was doing great, I had just passed 3 miles, and had hit a nice open, slightly downhill stretch for my speed zone, when my left hamstring tightened up. Since it had been sore on Tuesday I realized that the smart thing would be to stop, walk home and then rub it out. Being I am a smart guy, I did the smart thing.

Here's the good news:

I did a little research, found a link with some good information, and it appears that I can keep running, but have to take it slow and easy, and ice it down when I get done. Here's what it says:

For immediate relief, ice your hamstring right after running. You may either use a commercially available cold pack or simply put a wet towel in the freezer before you go out for your run. Wrap the pack around your leg for fifteen minutes. Also, take an anti-inflammatory like ibuprofen or aspirin with meals, but never before running, to bring down the swelling.

The good news is that you can keep running. In fact, it's part of your treatment to help gradually stretch and extend your hamstring. Just take it easy, using short steps that don't require you to extend your legs too much.

That's the good news, this shouldn't slow down my training much, I just need to be smart about where I run and train.

The bad news:

I think it is pretty clear what caused all of this, all of that kick ball, especially on Saturday, because so much of what I was doing was straight sprinting from a dead stop, and very inconsistent, plus all the kicking, which is something my body is not used to. Also trying to add some hills back into my routes probably made things worse.

My plan:

At this point I plan to play our kick ball game with the BV folks tonight. Assuming my leg doesn't tighten up too much during the day. I just need to play as much infield as possible, and not try to sprint when running the bases. I think I can do that. Then make sure I stretch the next couple of days when I get up, and then take it easy on my weekend runs. Of course I will play it smart, if I am running and it really tightens up I will stop running, and if it gets too bad I will see the doctor to make sure there isn't a tear (but I don't think that's the case.)

Fighting through some new stiffness on the way to more #Fitwinning

Dear James, Daniel and Emily,

Today's Workout

I was still stiff yesterday from all the running around, and actually felt it some this morning when I got up. But I fought through it (although my hamstring is still a little tender, I will have to monitor it). Did a comfortable 4 miles today.

Came across a new book yesterday on my Kindle, the Hotel Room workout. And found some good stuff that I think I can use for my off day workouts. The big thing about those, other than not wanting to push myself on the running, is that I need to find some things I can do in the house in the mornings, I cannot just go to the gym.

But after looking at those workouts here's a general plan:

1. Stretch

2. Push ups

3. Crunches

4. Plank

5. Squats

I think that is a good mix that should cover most of the areas I want to improve, and not tax anything that I need for running.

Finding my way back to #fitwinning slowly but surely

Dear James, Daniel and Emily,

After a week back I am feeling good physically, already dropped a couple of my vacation pounds. Which is good. And I may have unwittingly stumbled upon a new eating strategy that I had actually done at one time but was skipping: the mid morning snack. But I am fighting the doldrums for my non-running day workouts.

Eating wise this weekend actually went very well. I kept myself occupied and busy later in the day so I was able to make dinner either a snack or nothing at all, after having a large lunch. Which was all to the good. One of my big downfalls on the weekend has always been that big dinner. I just need to try to break that habit, and make dinners either a snack or eat light. I did my Saturday run, strong run, and then played kick ball for a couple of hours with the family. Which involved lots of running around chasing long kicks from the teenagers, so I ended up pretty exhausted. So Sunday I skipped my run, figured it all balanced out.

Last week I had something happen which normally disrupts my efforts: I had a little cash for the vending machines at work. Which allowed me to get some snacks in the mornings, which I normally don't do. Not the healthiest snacks mind you. Well as the week wore on I started thinking about how I felt better at lunch, and not as famished, and realized that the snack was helping me appetite wise. And the results were positive as I ended up dropping 2 pounds over the week. And in retrospect it was really a no brainer, I normally eat breakfast around 6:30 so I was expecting my body to make it 5-6 hours without any food, no wonder I was always hungry at lunch! So I will make sure to start packing a little snack for my mornings this week (healthier than something from the vending machine).

I am back to a frustration point: what to do on the days I don't run. I can't run every day, not at this point. But I am bored/tired of the push ups on their own, and still nervous about the sit ups. Which leaves me wondering what to do in the off days. One option I might try this week is just getting out for a walk, ideally with Spotty. Either in the morning or in the evening, depending on weather and my schedule. This is all tinkering at this point, I want to remain active every day, but want to avoid wiping myself out or get bored with doing the same thing every day.

Got my ass kicked by today's run, but as always feel better for having done it.

Dear James, Daniel and Emily

Today's workout

5.5 miles was by far the longest I have run in a while, since before I went into the hospital. And I could barely even try to increase my speed when the trainer asked me to. But it was all well worth it. I felt so good once I was walking back to the house, when 'Give It Away' by the Red Hot Chili Peppers came on I was feeling fine, even strutting a little as I walked up to the house!

Of course I might have ran a little better had we not played kick ball last night. One of James' soccer coaches has taken it upon himself to organize some friendly family kickball games and invited us last night. It was a fun time, mixed with kids (mostly grade school, kids James goes to school with) and a few adults. Not super competitive, but I did get some chances to run, so that might have affected me a tiny bit this morning.

One of the surprising things about the game last night was how well James played. He was catching balls in the air, chasing down kids on the run. One of the things I wasn't prepared for as a parent was having a budding little jock for a son! The biggest thing I can do for that is to keep him playing, and make sure it is just that: play, that it doesn't become a chore.

Realizations and Revelations: lessons from my vacation

Dear James, Daniel and Emily,

Back from vacation today, although we got back home Friday night. As it turned out I didn't get in any official workouts the entire week, until my run yesterday (Sunday) morning. But I did get in some exercise, strolling around a very big mall and Sea World 2 of the days, and got in a lot of swimming with the kids, which also included some good breath control. On the flip side I didn't over eat the way I expected I might (Kim's family does not entertain the way mine does).

But all of the above is just fine with me, because I feel good, and I feel really good physically, mainly due to 2 things.

1. I realized as we were trekking out of Sea World, that 2 to 3 years ago if you had asked me to spend a day walking around a theme park, including wrestling with a wave pool, and riding some rides, all in 90+ degree temperatures I would have been simply drained and exhausted at the end of the day. Instead I was energized enough to throw in another hour of horse play in the pool with the kids. That realization was big, to see and feel the real bonuses of everything I have done as far as weight loss and fitness.

2. I did put on a couple of pounds over the course of the week (mostly due to all the time spent sitting in the car and the day of fast food at the end of the week I am sure). But I did not have any troubles with digestion, everuthing worked just like it normally does. Leading to a personal revelation: I need to make my main dietary focus on eating right, rather than on simply eating less. Make sure I eat small meals, spread out my eating, get plenty of fiber. If I can just do that, along with returning to my exercise regime I should be good, and continue feeling better.

3. Missing the regular training did make me feel a little more sluggish, at least until I did something physical. I found that I felt more energetic after I got in some exercise than I did before. Which just reinforces what I have been hearing all these years, and makes me want to keep up with my morning workout regime.

5 mile barrier conquered again, my #fitwinning days continue

Dear James, Daniel and Emily,

Today's Run

Struggled to get out of be this morning (kids and the dog were very restless last night). Thought real hard about bagging the run, but I got myself up and moving by reminding myself:

No one ever complains about the workouts they do, just the ones they skipped

Once I got going I felt good, I think that by the time I get back from vacation I will be able to strip down toshorts again for my morning runs. I took a slightly different route today, knowing that I had a long run and wanting to avoid wiping out my energy in the beginning. I still felt wiped at the end, but I kept my legs moving and made that 5 mile mark at the 50 minute mark, keeping my goal pace. And that is fine with me, and it feels good to be back to this stage again.

I don't know how many or what kind of workouts I will get in next week while I am on vacation. I hope to at least do something, but it is vacation after all so I won't kill myself to do so.