Pounding out those miles, while coming to sad conclusions about eating #Running

Dear James, Daniel and Emily

I had a big week last week, over 23 miles altogether, over 6 hours on the roads and trails. Which felt good, even with some different circumstances during some of the runs. Unfortunately I then noticed that I have been letting all that good calorie burn go to my head mentally.

Saturday I did my usual short AM run (still feels odd to say that a 3 mile run is short). Then the kids and I went and hiked around some trails in a regional park doing trash pickup. Which was 1.5 miles all told. Then Saturday night was a wonderful Cub Scout hike in another regional park. But that was another 2.5 miles of up and down hills. So, my legs were a little rubbery when it came time for my long Sunday Run.

Sunday Run

I knew that this was going to be a challenge. But I wanted to tackle the hills that led to the Garden of the Gods just to heighten the challenge. At least that was my plan. But then I tacked on those extra miles Saturday. And to make things a little worse the swirling wind seemed to swirl directly into my face no matter what direction I was running. So I was forced to adopt the Slow part of the Long Slow Day plan a little more than I would have liked.

But, once I got over the hill I started cruising. I was getting all set to make my planned turn to add the extra miles that I wanted to meet for my goal. And I was running in an area that is in a serious flood plain, heightened danger from the burn scar (one of the reasons I lie this route is I don't know how long I will be able to run it if we do get that flood.) So I got distracted looking at the houses that were prepped for said flooding with sandbags all over strategic locations. And I tripped and fell.

Let me just say that I am glad that it appears that my kids have more of Kim's coordination because I sure wouldn't want them to inherit the athletic ability of someone who can trip running on a smooth sidewalk in broad daylight.

Anyway, the fall hurt, a lot. I scraped up my hands and knees (and even my face) pretty bad on the sidewalk. And my knees are pretty clearly bruised as well because they are pretty damn sore. So I walked for a while, then gradually did some running, and still managed to get near 9 miles out of the run. I was pretty proud of that.

I hope that I can get a similar effort (without the fall and damage) next Sunday after my 5 mile race on Saturday.

Today's Run

I wasn't sure how my body would react this morning. But after the initial loosening up I turned in a respectable 3 mile run at my regular pace. Which means no permanent or real damage from the fall on Sunday which is very good.

Running to eat, instead of eating to run

How apropos that one of my running friends posted that phrase one Facebook one day last week. Because that seems to have become my pattern of late. Yes, the weight is slowly going down, although it has mostly plateaued. But I seem to have internalized a feeling of 'I ran this morning so I can pig out today' or 'I've got a big run tomorrow I can burn some of it off'. I noticed on my calorie tracker that the last couple of weeks have settled into that trend.

Time to take stock of what I am really eating, and maybe make some adjustments moving forward. I haven't so much strayed from the Skinny Rules as I have just been skipping some important points. I am confident I can make the desired changes, just have to suck it up a little more.

Welcoming a weather change, and fighting to regain focus on #skinny rules

Dear James, Daniel and Emily

Woohoo! I am wearing shorts to work today! Not that it is that terribly warm in the office, in fact my office is actually pretty damn cold. But I have discovered that so long as my head is covered and I have a warm torso and feet my legs are not that big of a deal. Plus, I am mentally forcing the deal on Spring and warmer weather.

Today's Run

Another efficient run, the Hoka's passed the interval run test. 4 miles with an average under 11 minutes, I can be pleased with that number. I made a schedule change this week, back to a Tues-Thurs-Sat-Sun schedule. I realized that all of my races between now and the marathon are on Saturday's and I don't want to disrupt my long run schedule by running a race the same day that I am supposed to be running a longer distance. Which does mean that on race weekends it will be a little tougher to do the long runs, but I think I will get more out of this schedule on those weekends.

Having a tough week keeping to my calorie limit and sticking to the rules. It's a disruptive week. Kim was sick, then she is gone for 2 nights with Jimmy on his school trip, so I have essentially been feeding myself most of the week rather than preparing regular meals. And that is not my strong point. Guess I just have to suck it up and handle it, face whatever consequences, and do my best to not let a few slips become the new habits.

3 runs in, report on the new shoes: expected & unexpected #running

Dear James, Daniel and Emily

Friday's Run

First run in the new shoes, wow that felt good. So good in fact that I pushed out to 4.5 miles. Legs hardly felt like I had run at all. Which is what the reviews led me to expect.

What I didn't expect? I'll start with some perspective. One of the things I remember as a kid, when I got new tennis shoes, was the the expectation that they would somehow make me faster. Of course they didn't but it sure felt that way. Well, now as an adult, I certainly didn't expect a pair of new shoes, no matter how different, to add to my speed. But the facts bear that out, even with a decent hill involved, I did complete my run faster.

Sunday's Run

I have a race in 2 weeks through the Garden of the Gods. It's a 5 mile race. And when I just traced the route in my car the other day I realized how many hills and ups and downs there are on the route. I figured the smart thing to do would be to run through it at least once, so I am mentally prepared for that. Now, it didn't help that I caught some bug that gave me a nasty sore throat all weekend. So I was fighting that as well as all these hills.

As a result, I wasn't expecting a speedy 5 miles. But I made the 5 mile mark under 55 minutes, which meant I was just under 11 minute miles so that really isn't that bad for me. And with another couple of weeks, better health, and the added incentive of a race environment, I should finish at a respectable time.

Monday's Run

Normally I never run the day after my long run. But there were some schedule changes this week so I went ahead and did so. Which was also a bit of a test for the new shoes and how my feet and legs would handle 3 miles on little rest. And I am pleased to say that it was much better than I would have expected. Yeah, I walked a little more, but I still had a good time, and very little soreness after I finished.

In conclusion, after 3 runs of differing lengths, difficulty and conditions I can say that I am very pleased with the Hokas. Really the only negative is that I might as well kiss my toe nails goodbye. Because, for some reason, unlike my minimalist shoes, my toenails do take a beating, and there was some post run blood, especially after the long run. Not a big deal, just an observation, and one that is common I guess.

Another big step in my commitment to serious mileage #Running #HokaOneOne

Dear James, Daniel and Emily

I didn't expect to do this. And just like the point that if you had told me I would be running 15-20 miles a week I would have laughed. I never thought I would spend this kind of money on a pair of shoes. But today I did, I went on my lunch break to my new favorite place: The Colorado Running Company (note the new reflective vest I got for free by mentioning them on Facebook), I picked up a pair of Hoke One One Bondi B running shoes.

There they are, notice the lack of gold plating or jet packs that you would expect of shoes that cost this much to have. But hey, I am very confident that they will be well worth it. And I can't wait to strap them on tomorrow morning and take off.

On a side note, I was really proud of a little moment that occurred when I picked up the shoes. In the past, I would have taken the long trip on lunch break as a reason to pick up some fast food instead of eating my left overs. But no, I barely even thought about it, I just came back to work, heated up my food and slammed it down like a good boy.

More thoughts on running shoes, and finally cracking a weight plateau #running #theskinnyrules #Hokaoneone

Dear James, Daniel and Emily

I've been thinking more about shoes. And finally cracked a plateau over the weekend.

My leg was bothering me a lot last week. I even took Friday off from running to give myself another days rest. While I had decided to just re-up on my Reebok Realflex I was not totally sold on that move. So last week when I was talking to a work colleague about shoes I decided to listen to her advice about going to the Colorado Running Company and getting a true gait analysis. What kind of feet do I have? Turns out I have high arches, with virtually no rotation at all (go figure, as unlimber as I am it turns out that my ankles barely flex at all.)

What that means is that while I could continue with the Reeboks or pretty much any other minimalist shoe, it would be better for me to get something with neutral cushioning. So I tried on 5 different pairs of shoes. Narrowed it down to one pair when I said, what the heck why not try the Hoka's? I figured that since they were good enough for my friend who runs every day and does the Manitou Incline virtually every day they might work for me. Wow, is all I could say, they were very different, and after a short run around the block I was sold. So, after some discussion with Kim I will be picking up a pair this week. And just about right on time too.

Saturday's Run

Because this run hurt! My feet, my lower leg, my hamstring, they were all hurting by the end. And while I passed 5 miles it was by no means my best run. Clearly my body is ready for new shoes.

Monday's Run

But I rebounded from that run to take a decent walk on Sunday, and then resumed my training on Monday. And that, combined with considerably more discipline on the eating front over the weekend were enough to get me down into 1derlad on Monday morning! Which is a real plateau, I had been below 200 on Friday for 3 weeks, but I don't really count that until I make it through a weekend. Because I do much better during the week, and tend to slip on the weekends. So if I can crack the mark after the weekend then I should be below that number more or less for good.

That goes to show what hard work, some discipline and adhering to the Skinny Rules can really do. And I can say that I have really internalized a lot of those rules at this point. They are really just second nature. It really is just a matter or mental and physical training to get the body and mind to adapt.

How to get that 'want to' mindset, some thoughts on changing your life. #fitness #running #Theskinnyrules

Dear James, Daniel and Emily,

How do I get myself back in the proper fitness/weight loss mindset?

I don't have a great answer for this question. I wish I did (and so does most of America). But there is no simple answer.

I think of the the biggest factors for me was finding something active that I enjoy. Because it is a heck of a lot easier to do a fitness activity when you enjoy it, instead of fear it and have to force yourself to do it. I know that from personal experience. It is a lot easier to get up, get dressed and get moving at 0 dark thirty and head out the door in single digit temperatures when I enjoy what I am doing. In fact that enjoyment can push you past a lot of things (pain, hunger etc.).

In fact that description exactly matches this:

Latest run

Running in the dark, in single digit temperatures, with a freezing wind. Although not as bad as the wind the day before, I might not have gone out in that wind (I do have my limits.) Either way, just going out for a 3 mile run in those circumstances shows how my mental outlook has embraced the idea of running.

I want to emphasize that it doesn't have to be running. The exercise could be anything, so long as it is something that you enjoy doing enough to want to do it regularly. I have 1 parent who plays sports 3 days a week. Another swims and takes their dogs on walks. Another friend is a crossfit junkie. The thing they all have in common is they have found something active that they enjoy enough to do regularly. And this is not as easy as I make it sound. I sure never expected my thing to be running. To be honest for most of my life I would have thought that finding a good tennis partner or basketball group would have been the way I found to be active. But that isn't how things turned out, that isn't a bad thing or negative. I found my 'thing', and all I can do is suggest that other people find theirs somehow.

The other factor for me has been routine. I am a creature of habit. And I had some bad ones. Eating a 2000 calorie lunch every Friday for example. Eating the same high carb cereal every day. Having what seemed like a healthy evening snack of honey toast every night. And the flip side of developing good habits is breaking bad ones.

Which is one of the reasons I like the Skinny Rules. Having something that I can model my routines around made it a lot easier to establish those new practices as habits. That has made a real difference for me. It was easier for me than just following a strict diet like no fat, or the Paleo, or Atkins etc. Because, while those are good, they didn't provide enough structure for me, because they don't address lifestyle changes. It is a good thing to watch what you eat, don't get me wrong. But for me, having a practice of limiting/eliminating carbs after lunch, not eating after dinner, etc. are easier to turn into habits. And that is what worked for me: better habits.

I guess that those are the 2 answers to the above question. First, find something active that you enjoy and want to do. Doesn't matter what that is: running, biking, playing basketball and soccer 3 times a week, swimming, taking the dogs for a walk. Second, find a way to develop good habits to replace bad habits. This requires patience and constant work until the good ones really sink in.

Struggling (not so successfully) with temptation this week, plus shoe thoughts

Dear James, Daniel and Emily

There have been some irregularities in our schedule this week. Kim not being around in the evenings, no regular dinner plan. And there have been a number of temptations: snacks at work, yummy leftovers etc. These factors have combined to result in a not so great eating week. Not a terrible one, I have exceeded calorie numbers, but not by a huge amount. It hasn't been like I have been eating out every day, or having huge meals, just not fully obeying my Skinny rule commandments, or sticking to my desired caloric intake numbers.

I know this is not the end of the world, and I don't expect a huge weight gain or anything. It is just a minor setback, and I need to get back on the wagon so to speak. I have gradually realized that if I want to be a better runner I do need to drop some pounds.

On a different subject, I am once again pondering the topic of shoes. I have been studying the idea of changing to a different shoe style. Thinking that with the impending increase in miles that I should do so. But I have found 2 things. First, good shoes are expensive (and I am relatively cheap.) I know that this is not something I should skimp on, but there is a difference between being willing to spend 80-100$ for a pair versus 150-200$. Especially when experience indicates that the less expensive shoe is adequate, which leads to the second point. Two, I have been worried that my quasi-minimalist shoes will not hold up to the mileage, but after doing some research, my brand of shoes, the Reebok Realflex, does have a good track record as far as mileage. So that is not something I should look to as a major factor. Those 2 factors mean that the best thing for me to do is not not break what isn't broken, and when it is time just pick up another pair or 2 of what I know works for me. I think in the end that is the biggest thing: go with what you know works.

A good week, lots of running and work, offset lots of good food.

Dear James, Daniel and Emily

First, I am going to make it as official as I can without having actually signed up and committed money, I am going to go for a marathon this year. Shooting for the American Discovery Trail marathon on Labor day, the same race where I have done my 2 Half marathons. I have adjusted my training schedule accordingly.

That change, combined with a weeks vacation and Easter led me to change my running schedule. But I will try to keep to my blog schedule here, it just will read a little differently.

Last week's Long Run

My next race is the Take 5 in the Garden, which is the hilliest race I have on my schedule until the marathon. Knowing that I will have to face those hills in May has me focusing my long runs on routes with some climbing in them, so I am at least somewhat prepared. This week I am actually planning on going and running the course itself (since Kim will be home with the kids.)

I was on my feet a lot last week, working on projects around the house. Which helped with my fitness, offsetting a little slack on the eating habits that came with a week off my usual schedule. Of course the holiday feasts didn't exactly help as a week ender, but it's all part of life, I was good overall, refrained from gorging myself.

On a side note, I am beginning to feel that it is time to swap out the shoes, just have to make it a couple of more weeks. I am beginning to get those odd twinges that I get when that time comes. While I love my Reebok Flex, I am seriously considering going for something a little heavier duty as I plan to add on considerably more miles. Just something to ponder.