Well another week of training is past and I must admit that this week resulted in me being in a bit more pain than the previous week.  Still nothing that I need to take ibuprofen or other pain relievers for but a decidedly marked increase in general leg soreness.  Oh yeah, I’m in training and that’s what happens to muscles once you start to push them.

I made an 11 mile run today to cap off this week, which followed a number of 6 mile days during the week and a couple of “easy runs” which basically are recovery days.  I guess these recovery days are important in the sense that these are the days that you give you muscles a chance to recover and grow stronger from the increased strain you are putting on them during training.

Today marked another first for me in that I’ve never gone 11 miles before in my life except for on a bicycle which in this respect doesn’t count.  I thought 11  miles on a bike was a good work out but let me tell you, it’s got nothing on an 11 mile  run!  I have good training days and bad training days and I have to admit today was a bad training day!

The wind was blowing about 20 mile per hour and that drove wind chills down to about “feels like 5 degrees” and I’ll be honest, I seriously underestimated a few things. You’ll remember I said last week that I had not really found any limitations to my runs except the ones in my head? Well I still believe that but I’ll tell you, 6 miles into the wind does some serious screwing around with ones head not to mention takes strength that I don’t yet have.

I was seriously unprepared for the fatigue that it caused me today. I purposely chose a route that would put the wind at least at my back for most of the return run, but was not ready for a hill after running against the wind for 6 miles that I forgot about! Oh my goodness! I ended up walking up the last 3rd of the hill, both because physically and mentally I hit a “wall” at that point.

You hear about these walls but I ran smack dab into it head on today! That hill was bad enough but then I fought with it for the next three miles, running, walking, running, walking…you get the picture. I just really struggled getting my head back into the game. I am glad actually because I now know what it feels like and can better prepare for it in the future. 

Someone that recognized me at about the 9 mile mark when I was in one of my brief walking periods honked and waved. This embarrassed me and gave me the push to make the rest of the run finally and in the last mile, I finally got beyond the head games and made good time.  I finished today in 1 hour 52 minutes, which all things considered I’ll take it. A bad day of training is still better than a good day of sitting around on the couch doing nothing but growing fatter and more unhealthy.

Next week I need to do a bit of carb loading and bring along some snacks and drink on the run so I don’t run out of gas as I did today. Live and learn I guess and once again, all part of the training. If you’ve never run a race, I recommend that you set a goal to do so this year even if it’s only a 5K or something like that.  Get off that couch and do something! Take back control of your life and you can take that from a former fat guy!  See you soon!

Well here I am at the end of week two in training for the upcoming Fifth Third Annual 25K race.  I have decided to best I can, just follow the training routine that I received in the mail for this race and see how it goes.  So far I’ve been able to manage this training routine and other than the fact that I picked up a severe chest cold, things are going according to plan.

I am still trying to come to grips with this long distance running stuff in my head but I hit a new milestone yesterday for myself and that was completing a 10 mile run.  I can remember less than a year ago as I was preparing for my first ever race which was a 10K at this same event, thinking that I could never run 6.2 miles in one continuous race.  Now here I am 1 year and 100’s of miles run later, getting ready to run 15.5 miles in one race!  It’s insane…or not!

As I mentioned last week, the only limitations I’ve found for myself so far in any of this weight loss and more recently fitness improvement process are the ones I created in my own mind.  Obviously there are always the physical limitations or injuries that my inexperience has brought but done properly, I should be able to work through those.  After 1o miles yesterday the only real issue I have at the moment is a slight twinge in my right knee.  I’m hoping that it’s nothing and we’ll see how it feels on my 6 miler tomorrow evening.

I went to the doctor last Thursday for my quarterly diabetic and cardiac risk profiles and all is well.  After speaking with my doctor upon reviewing my numbers and where we are currently, we decided to add Crestor back into my medication list to see if we can bring down my cholesterol a bit more.  By any current guidelines my numbers are more than acceptable where they are.  My HDL is 61, LDL 113, at total is 190. Triglycerides are 80.  My diabetes is still fully under control without need for further medications.

So why add the Crestor you might ask? Well I actually asked for it. Having done a lot research over the years about cholesterol with my history, I know that even though my numbers may be fine for the average person, it’s not good enough for me. Having had a full bypass to my left arm and a 75% blocked carotid artery 12 years ago, normal is not good enough. I would like to see my total back down around 140 or 150 at least, with LDL numbers below 100 (70 would be great!). Statins are also proving to be good for reducing inflammation of the arteries which is a beneficial thing for me as well. All this being said, we’ve added 10mg of Crestor back to my daily meds and will re-evaluate in 3 months.  I’m guessing this will do the trick.

So onward and upward with my training for the 25K. Running has become a huge part of my fitness life and I hope that I will have many years of being able to enjoy it without tearing up my knees and legs in general. I am learning how to run better and have switched to a mid-foot running style which at least for the moment seems to be having a positive effect on my shin splints.  That and the shoe change and and addition of the orthotic as well. It’s been difficult switching from a heel strike stride to one of a mid or forefoot stride, but so far so good and I haven’t caused any new injuries from it.  Plus I ran 10 miles! I just can’t get over that! I ran 1o miles! OK, enough now…

One last thing about my Saturday run. I did it in 2 degrees! Talk about a “nippy” run! Luckily I don’t seem to have a big problem with running and breathing in very cold temperatures but I thought I’d share a picture of what happens to ones beard and mustache at 2 degrees with exhalation of a lot of “hot air” while running.

Running 10 miles in 2 degree temperature

I was afraid to touch it until it thawed so I didn’t break the hairs off!

I goes to show you that there are no excuses not to exercise even if it’s cold out. If I can do it, so can you. Don’t wait to lose the weight! The old fat you is still just “one pound ago”! Start that diet and exercise program today. It’s never too soon or too late and everyone can. No special diet pills or fads required. Just good old fashioned common sense about eating, and daily exercise.  You can do this!  See ya next week after I hopefully have run 11 miles!