Week 4

After a lackluster week, due to illness, we are on our way to s new big week.

Last week I didn't run until Thursday, and only got 4 miles in. I have the feeling I did something more, and that I even started a blog post on it that I decided to save, but it is gone now. So Saturday was a bit low key, but Sunday I got my 6 miles in and walked another mile or so. Same today.

I haven't been keeping track of my food intake, although it has been pretty good. The quantity of beer ingested last week, however took almost all my good work. Putting me at 141 this morning. I haven't seen below 138 in a long, long time. Soooo this week: No booze. None. There are a few beers in my fridge, but beer doesn't go bad.

About Sunday's run. It wasn't too bad. It was rather hot by the time I got out (due to beer) and I was feeling a bit shaky (due to beer). I'll be interested to see how Wednesday's 6 mile pace run goes. Very interested.

Week Three

This week, I'm adding some extra information to each post. This should help me drop some weight by monitoring what it is and what I'm eating.

But first, to finish last week. Yesterday I took it pretty slow, aside from vacuuming the house, I just basically ate. Part of the reason I'm going to start keeping tabs on that. I think the 9 miler really did take it out of me.

Now, for this week.
Monday 7/23 should be a rest day, but judging from my lack of activity yesterday, did 20 mins. elliptical, 20 stationary bike, 400 sit ups, and 100 push ups (writing this on Wednesday, my abs are still a bit sore!)

This morning I weight 142 lbs. I believe on Friday I clocked at 139 lbs. I suspect this is part water weight, part the extra eating I did.

For breakfast I had a bowl of TJ high fiber cereal with skim milk. 180 calories and 1.5 grams of fat.

Lunch was a walk and a chop't salad which, checking it out on their website was a whopping 480 calories and 21.5 grams of fat (only two of them saturated fat). I'm not sure how to feel about this. Most of the calories are from the dressing, which in turn means that they are from olive oil... All the same I'm going to stick to their 'spa' dressings from now on.

Dinner was a can of low fat beef chilli from TJs with reduced fat string cheese and three tortillas. Also a few chips and guacamole. I'm already bored of keeping tabs on calories and fat, but I can assume that this was in the vicinity of 400 calories and 7 gr. of fat.

This is the last time I try to guess at nutritional content, from now on, I'll just try to eat healthy, but I will keep writing down what I eat.

Tuesday 7/24
I was sick, so I could not run.

For lunch I ate a ham and cheese sandwich with roasted red peppers and pepperocini. Dinner was a bowl of cereal.

Today is Wednesday, and I am not sure if I will run or not. I should, to not get too far behind after such a promising start, but then... what if I make it worse? I have half the day to make up my mind, as I did quite a bit of sleeping yesterday.

First Long Run

Mind you, it should not be. This should be the second. It was 9 miles and it exhausted me so very much! It should not have been that hard. This is just another sign that I am seriously out of shape. I'm glad I took the training down to the Novice 2. I'm sure I'll get much better. I am serious about sticking to the schedule strictly, unless there is a good reason not to. No more, "I just don't feel like it." Also, Fridays are going to be low wine days. Finally, starting on Monday, I am also going to keep a record on this blog on my weight (which is too high) and what I am eating.

I have to say, I was proud of myself for doing my run. It is a good start. The week was perfect!

Change in Plans

The last two training seasons, I've noticed at some point or another that I can't put up with the Intermediate 1 schedule. This year, I am once again walking into training in pretty bad shape. I did notice last weekend that getting the 8 miles on Sunday was not possible.

All this is to say that from now on, I'm switching down to Novice 2. It basically takes away the Saturday semi-long run and adds one extra day of rest. It is possible that I will cross on Sunday AND Monday (the new rest day), thereby helping with the weight lifting problem. As I go on, if I feel I'm getting stronger and doing well, I might jump back up to Intermediate 1, but from now on, I will step it down a notch.

Treadmills are BORING!

Thursday 7/19 - I again chose sleep over a nice outdoor run this morning (shame on me). So I put in 3 miles on the treadmill at a pace of 11:34 or so. I then did 300 sit-ups and about 70 push ups. I need to step up my weight training a bit.

Moving Right Along

Wednesday 7/18 - I didn't get up in the morning like I was supposed to, so I was reduced to running on the treadmill in the office during my lunch time. It is too hot to go outside, close to 100 F. I ran 5 miles at a more or less reasonable pace 11:21, which is about what I want to shoot for the marathon. As much as I dislike treadmill running, it can be helpful when trying to get a pace going.

Into Week Two

I had some tourble with the weeks leading up to training.  The first week (July 9-15)didn't go quite as planned:

Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday were fine.  Cross, 3 miles (+strength training), 5 miles.  Thursday I skipped due to a dinner engagement, thinking I'd run the 3 on Friday.  Friday my stomach had the runs, due to the dinner.  Saturday I had a nice 5 miler, but Sunday, the 8 miler did not happen.  Mostly out of lack of organization.  Got up too late and didn't get another chance until the evening, when there was a bit of a thunderstorm.  I decided to let those 8 go and instead concentrate on this week.

This week is going fine so far.

Monday 7/16 - Although I did not get up early, I did walk/run on my treadmill for about 4.5 hours after I came home (cleaning people came for the first time ever!)
Tuesday 7/17 (today) - I got up early, ran 3 miles outside before the heat got a foot hold on the day (rather slow) and then did about half an hour or so of core work - 300 sit ups and 300 repeats with the rolling thingy (must find a name for it).

From now on, I'd like to try to update this a bit more often.  If not daily, then at least every other day.