85F and 70% humidity -- I'm determined to log another 20-plus week in mileage, so I went out for a run in the morning sun. My new C9 wicking hat was put to the test as I grinded out five not-so-fun miles. I made the final turn on the street heading home; at this point I'm two blocks away. Literally seconds after the Garmin beeps "5.00mi," a cool rain started to fall.
I looked upward, shook my fist at the sky and exclaimed, "Where were you when I needed you!?"
Saturday, June 30, 2007
Monday, June 25, 2007
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Puppy PR
To shake some of the soreness out of my legs from yesterday's run (and to be able to log an even 20 for the week), I took Mimi out for 2 miles this morning, which is now her personal record for distance!I'm proud of you, dawg!
Saturday, June 23, 2007
More stubborn than my fat
(This post is written specifically for my friend Mary, but I figured that others may benefit from this.)
I'm slowly closing in on a milestone that seemed outlandish a few years ago -- a weight under 200 pounds. I am already at a weight that I haven't seen since high school. How is it happening? I haven't bought any of the numerous diet books on the bestseller lists, not have I ordered any of the miracle diet pills you see advertised on late-night TV. So what am I doing?
1) I'm eating five or more servings of fruits and vegetables daily.
This is my first fundamental eating strategy. I'm not interested in going totally vegetarian, but the more of these I eat, the less hungry I am for calorie-dense foods. On my "all-star" list are raisins and bananas (for their portability and no need for refrigeration), romaine lettuce, spinach, snow peas and sweet potatoes (fiber and vitamins), strawberries (taste and vitamin C). On my "meh" list are white potatoes and iceberg lettuce, which lack nutritional "punch" versus other choices.
2) I pay attention to portion sizes and make calories count.
This is my second fundamental eating strategy. In particular, restaurant portions are way too big for a single meal. This is one area where pre-packaged meals from the freezer section can really help by meting out defined portions. My rough rule of thumb is to try to keep meals to single helpings that cover only a nine-inch lunch plate.
By "making calories count" I mean that there are a lot of foods out there that will pack me with calories yet can still fail to make me feel full or deliver significant nutrients. These include anything fried, mayonnaise (yummy, but 100 calories/tablespoon!), and foods with refined sugars. Now keep in mind that I haven't stopped eating these entirely, but they have become only occasional choices.
3) I'm staying active.
In case you haven't read any other posts on my blog yet, I guess I should tell you that I run. Not everyone likes doing that, but there are so many other things that people can do now. Even video gamers can burn calories with Dance Dance Revolution. I try not to let more than two "rest days" go by without any physical activity. Swim, bike, run, basketball, tennis, dance -- there's gotta be something out there for just about anyone.
At this point I'm aiming to make 20 miles (four to five hours) per week a standard. Keep in mind that I've been working my way up to this point. If you are a non-runner that is interested in giving running a try, get fitted for shoes at your local running specialty store and check out a beginner's program like the popular Couch to 5K on the Cool Running site. The Beginners forum on Runner's World is also chock full of inspiration, support and advice.
4) I am more stubborn than my fat.
I can give myself permission to indulge in the occasional burger (no mayo, no cheese) and fries or skip a running day if I'm not feeling well. It doesn't mean I've thrown it all away and need to start over again. I just keep myself steered back into good habits. I don't stress about being a perfectionist and getting every detail right. I just keep myself steered into good habits. If I don't see any weight loss in a week, it's OK. I just keep myself steered into good habits. See a pattern?
Americans love to think of things in terms of projects. That's why advertisements proclaiming "lose X pounds in Y weeks" are so enticing. By definition, a project is a temporary and unique sequence of events that are aimed towards a specific goal. (Hey, I actually pay attention in my masters degree classes!) What I realized was that a healthy lifestyle is not a project, it's -- well -- a lifestyle. I am making choices on a daily basis, and if I make good choices at a high-enough rate, I get healthier. If these daily choices are sub-par, I get less healthy. This means that there is no real beginning and no end. This is a discouraging truth to people that are project-oriented. But if you are willing to be more stubborn than your fat and make those long-term choices about diet and exercise, the excess pounds have no choice but to yield eventually.
TYPICAL FOODS I'M EATING LATELY ON A WORKDAY:
(I'm not trying to hold myself out as a model, but part of this request was to detail out my typical diet these days, so here goes....)
Breakfast: various combinations of .... Clif bar (250 Cal), banana (90 Cal), strawberries (45 Cal for eight), string cheese (70 Cal), hard boiled egg (75 Cal)
Lunch: Healthy Choice Cafe Selections series (200-300 Cal for an entree and a side vegetable) augmented with Mrs. Baird's whole grain wheat bread (140 cal for two slices) and fresh leaf spinach (like 10 Cal for an entire cup!), Coke Zero or water (0 Cal)
Dinner: Meat portion (200 Cal for a roasted chicken quarter), a cup of cooked rice (170 Cal), vegetables (more spinach with Italian dressing works for me)
Typical snacks between meals: Box of raisins, peach, bag of Orville Redenbacher Smart Pop, additional Clif bar . . . and there's still room for things to slip in treats like an ice cream or a single 12-ounce can of actual Coca-Cola.
Actually, as I read the above, I think I might benefit from more whole-grain items for more good carbs to fuel my running. It's always a work in progress. Now here's something you may expect to see in this type of post.....
Eating out at McDonald's: Homestyle Burger (400 Cal - no cheese, no mayo), medium fries (400 Cal), Diet Coke (0 Cal). As an occasional meal, even fast food can find a place in my day.
Hope this helps!
I'm slowly closing in on a milestone that seemed outlandish a few years ago -- a weight under 200 pounds. I am already at a weight that I haven't seen since high school. How is it happening? I haven't bought any of the numerous diet books on the bestseller lists, not have I ordered any of the miracle diet pills you see advertised on late-night TV. So what am I doing?
1) I'm eating five or more servings of fruits and vegetables daily.
This is my first fundamental eating strategy. I'm not interested in going totally vegetarian, but the more of these I eat, the less hungry I am for calorie-dense foods. On my "all-star" list are raisins and bananas (for their portability and no need for refrigeration), romaine lettuce, spinach, snow peas and sweet potatoes (fiber and vitamins), strawberries (taste and vitamin C). On my "meh" list are white potatoes and iceberg lettuce, which lack nutritional "punch" versus other choices.
2) I pay attention to portion sizes and make calories count.
This is my second fundamental eating strategy. In particular, restaurant portions are way too big for a single meal. This is one area where pre-packaged meals from the freezer section can really help by meting out defined portions. My rough rule of thumb is to try to keep meals to single helpings that cover only a nine-inch lunch plate.
By "making calories count" I mean that there are a lot of foods out there that will pack me with calories yet can still fail to make me feel full or deliver significant nutrients. These include anything fried, mayonnaise (yummy, but 100 calories/tablespoon!), and foods with refined sugars. Now keep in mind that I haven't stopped eating these entirely, but they have become only occasional choices.
3) I'm staying active.
In case you haven't read any other posts on my blog yet, I guess I should tell you that I run. Not everyone likes doing that, but there are so many other things that people can do now. Even video gamers can burn calories with Dance Dance Revolution. I try not to let more than two "rest days" go by without any physical activity. Swim, bike, run, basketball, tennis, dance -- there's gotta be something out there for just about anyone.
At this point I'm aiming to make 20 miles (four to five hours) per week a standard. Keep in mind that I've been working my way up to this point. If you are a non-runner that is interested in giving running a try, get fitted for shoes at your local running specialty store and check out a beginner's program like the popular Couch to 5K on the Cool Running site. The Beginners forum on Runner's World is also chock full of inspiration, support and advice.
4) I am more stubborn than my fat.
I can give myself permission to indulge in the occasional burger (no mayo, no cheese) and fries or skip a running day if I'm not feeling well. It doesn't mean I've thrown it all away and need to start over again. I just keep myself steered back into good habits. I don't stress about being a perfectionist and getting every detail right. I just keep myself steered into good habits. If I don't see any weight loss in a week, it's OK. I just keep myself steered into good habits. See a pattern?
Americans love to think of things in terms of projects. That's why advertisements proclaiming "lose X pounds in Y weeks" are so enticing. By definition, a project is a temporary and unique sequence of events that are aimed towards a specific goal. (Hey, I actually pay attention in my masters degree classes!) What I realized was that a healthy lifestyle is not a project, it's -- well -- a lifestyle. I am making choices on a daily basis, and if I make good choices at a high-enough rate, I get healthier. If these daily choices are sub-par, I get less healthy. This means that there is no real beginning and no end. This is a discouraging truth to people that are project-oriented. But if you are willing to be more stubborn than your fat and make those long-term choices about diet and exercise, the excess pounds have no choice but to yield eventually.
TYPICAL FOODS I'M EATING LATELY ON A WORKDAY:
(I'm not trying to hold myself out as a model, but part of this request was to detail out my typical diet these days, so here goes....)
Breakfast: various combinations of .... Clif bar (250 Cal), banana (90 Cal), strawberries (45 Cal for eight), string cheese (70 Cal), hard boiled egg (75 Cal)
Lunch: Healthy Choice Cafe Selections series (200-300 Cal for an entree and a side vegetable) augmented with Mrs. Baird's whole grain wheat bread (140 cal for two slices) and fresh leaf spinach (like 10 Cal for an entire cup!), Coke Zero or water (0 Cal)
Dinner: Meat portion (200 Cal for a roasted chicken quarter), a cup of cooked rice (170 Cal), vegetables (more spinach with Italian dressing works for me)
Typical snacks between meals: Box of raisins, peach, bag of Orville Redenbacher Smart Pop, additional Clif bar . . . and there's still room for things to slip in treats like an ice cream or a single 12-ounce can of actual Coca-Cola.
Actually, as I read the above, I think I might benefit from more whole-grain items for more good carbs to fuel my running. It's always a work in progress. Now here's something you may expect to see in this type of post.....
Eating out at McDonald's: Homestyle Burger (400 Cal - no cheese, no mayo), medium fries (400 Cal), Diet Coke (0 Cal). As an occasional meal, even fast food can find a place in my day.
Hope this helps!
Summer goalposts
My new goal is to someday run so fast that I'll trigger the flashing "SLOW DOWN" message on this sign:
Back in the Land of Reality, I'm just in from nine muggy miles around the neighborhood. My shorts, shirt and socks were all very damp by the end. It frightens me to think what it would have been like to run this morning in cotton clothing. My reward at the end: SuperSonic breakfast burrito, tots and a tropical fruit smoothie. Yummy!
On my way out, I dropped my entry for this year's Freedom 5K in the mailbox. I'm sending it early this weekend to save a couple of bucks. I'm normally a fan of online registration, but the First Colony Community Association isn't using encryption on their website form. Sending credit card information over plain-text HTTP doesn't strike me as a very smart idea these days.
After a couple of rest days, I also got a four-miler done last night, despite the rumblings of threatening dark clouds. Felt good. Felt strong. It was nice to run on fresh legs.
I think I've come to a decision about the idea of doing a full marathon. I would like to have plenty of confidence that my marathon debut will be a positive experience. My last half in January was run at around two and a half hours. I'm not sure I really want to be on my feet for way over five hours in a full. So I think my near-term goals should now be:
1) Maintain a consistent running base of 20 miles/week
2) Drop my weight to under 200 pounds. I'm close.
3) Run a half marathon in 2:15.
The day I can pull off goal number three, I will give myself permission to think about a full marathon.
I owe someone a post about diet and weight loss. It's coming, really!
Back in the Land of Reality, I'm just in from nine muggy miles around the neighborhood. My shorts, shirt and socks were all very damp by the end. It frightens me to think what it would have been like to run this morning in cotton clothing. My reward at the end: SuperSonic breakfast burrito, tots and a tropical fruit smoothie. Yummy!On my way out, I dropped my entry for this year's Freedom 5K in the mailbox. I'm sending it early this weekend to save a couple of bucks. I'm normally a fan of online registration, but the First Colony Community Association isn't using encryption on their website form. Sending credit card information over plain-text HTTP doesn't strike me as a very smart idea these days.
After a couple of rest days, I also got a four-miler done last night, despite the rumblings of threatening dark clouds. Felt good. Felt strong. It was nice to run on fresh legs.
I think I've come to a decision about the idea of doing a full marathon. I would like to have plenty of confidence that my marathon debut will be a positive experience. My last half in January was run at around two and a half hours. I'm not sure I really want to be on my feet for way over five hours in a full. So I think my near-term goals should now be:
1) Maintain a consistent running base of 20 miles/week
2) Drop my weight to under 200 pounds. I'm close.
3) Run a half marathon in 2:15.
The day I can pull off goal number three, I will give myself permission to think about a full marathon.
I owe someone a post about diet and weight loss. It's coming, really!
Monday, June 18, 2007
Monday, June 11, 2007
Saturday, June 9, 2007
Long distance tots
I did nine warm, muggy miles this morning. I haven't logged distances like these since I was training up to the half marathon this past January. At least there was a bacon-and-egg toaster sandwich with a cranberry slush waiting for me at the end. I'm sure scrambled eggs are a recommended recovery food in someone's plan, right?What's keeping me going is the hope that keeping up the miles in the summer will mold me into a sleek cheetah when fall and winter hit.
Okay, you can stop laughing now.
Friday, June 8, 2007
flashback: 2006 Aramco Houston Half Marathon
One of the folks on the RWBF started a thread to invite others to share their first half marathon stories as a motivation for himself as he trained for his first. I never really wrote anything comprehensive about the experience, so I thought I'd repeat my response here on this blog:
* The 15th of January started out with cool overnight weather, mid-forties Fahrenheit I think. I was wearing a shorts and a short-sleeve tech fabric shirt with the logo from the CBS show "The Amazing Race" on the front. I watch the show regularly, and it certainly seemed amazing that I was even actually out there!
* I had wanted to attend the Catholic Mass service in the George R. Brown, but by the time I finished my business in the porta-potty line, it was over.
* The first part of my race plan that day was to just walk the first mile to get warmed up and then turn it into a twelve-mile run. I was amazed at the sight of thousands of participants around me as we streamed over the 4-lane Elysian bridge around mile 2
* I was really touched by the people I didn't know who were cheering for me. More than once, I heard someone shout my name from the sidewalk. The first time it happened, it took me by surprise. Then I remembered that our first names were printed on our bibs. This is probably no big deal for anyone who played sports in high school or college, but this was new to me.
* The Tundra Dancers were running the race! These were "super-sized" guys who served as timeout entertainment at Houston Rockets games at Toyota Center. I spotted them ahead of me at mile 2 and promptly passed them up. There was no way I was letting them beat me.
* I loved the inspirational and humorous signs. I really liked "FREE BEER. JUST AHEAD."
* I also loved the high-fivers on the sidewalks, especially the kids.
* Then there was the group of teenagers standing along Montrose Blvd at mile 8 wearing letter jackets from my old high school. By coincidence, this was also where the race passed by my old college! It really reminded me of how old I am now, but I also rejoiced in knowing that I'm not too old to run. It turned out to be an emotional pick-me-up.
* I remember making the turn on Allen Parkway and watching runners from the Chevron Houston Marathon merge with us half-marathoners and pass us up on the way to our common finish line. I realized just how fast these people were knowing they were already on mile 24 (and passing us) while we were just on 10!
* In the finishing miles, runners who had never met before were giving pep talks to one another, resolving to run together to the finish. Everything's hurting at this point, and after I made the turn on Rusk Street, I could see the finish line six blocks away. Six blocks never seemed so long in my life.
* I must have been breaking down mentally towards the end because after the race I realized that I forgot to consume my final GU gel at the desired interval, and I could have used the energy too.
* On the 10 o'clock news that evening, video of me waddling under the clock was illustrating "...some were just grateful to finish." It was absolutely a laugh-out-loud moment.
Event: Aramco Houston Half Marathon (15 Jan 2006)
Distance: 13.1 miles
Chip Time: 2 hours, 42 minutes
Experience: Priceless
* The 15th of January started out with cool overnight weather, mid-forties Fahrenheit I think. I was wearing a shorts and a short-sleeve tech fabric shirt with the logo from the CBS show "The Amazing Race" on the front. I watch the show regularly, and it certainly seemed amazing that I was even actually out there!
* I had wanted to attend the Catholic Mass service in the George R. Brown, but by the time I finished my business in the porta-potty line, it was over.
* The first part of my race plan that day was to just walk the first mile to get warmed up and then turn it into a twelve-mile run. I was amazed at the sight of thousands of participants around me as we streamed over the 4-lane Elysian bridge around mile 2
* I was really touched by the people I didn't know who were cheering for me. More than once, I heard someone shout my name from the sidewalk. The first time it happened, it took me by surprise. Then I remembered that our first names were printed on our bibs. This is probably no big deal for anyone who played sports in high school or college, but this was new to me.
* The Tundra Dancers were running the race! These were "super-sized" guys who served as timeout entertainment at Houston Rockets games at Toyota Center. I spotted them ahead of me at mile 2 and promptly passed them up. There was no way I was letting them beat me.
* I loved the inspirational and humorous signs. I really liked "FREE BEER. JUST AHEAD."
* I also loved the high-fivers on the sidewalks, especially the kids.
* Then there was the group of teenagers standing along Montrose Blvd at mile 8 wearing letter jackets from my old high school. By coincidence, this was also where the race passed by my old college! It really reminded me of how old I am now, but I also rejoiced in knowing that I'm not too old to run. It turned out to be an emotional pick-me-up.
* I remember making the turn on Allen Parkway and watching runners from the Chevron Houston Marathon merge with us half-marathoners and pass us up on the way to our common finish line. I realized just how fast these people were knowing they were already on mile 24 (and passing us) while we were just on 10!
* In the finishing miles, runners who had never met before were giving pep talks to one another, resolving to run together to the finish. Everything's hurting at this point, and after I made the turn on Rusk Street, I could see the finish line six blocks away. Six blocks never seemed so long in my life.
* I must have been breaking down mentally towards the end because after the race I realized that I forgot to consume my final GU gel at the desired interval, and I could have used the energy too.
* On the 10 o'clock news that evening, video of me waddling under the clock was illustrating "...some were just grateful to finish." It was absolutely a laugh-out-loud moment.
Event: Aramco Houston Half Marathon (15 Jan 2006)
Distance: 13.1 miles
Chip Time: 2 hours, 42 minutes
Experience: Priceless
Thursday, June 7, 2007
Grass under my feet sure beats concrete
When I woke up this morning, I was intending on running "an easy three" in the neighborhood streets when I got home from work. Well, that didn't happen. What happened instead was that I got inspired by some nature-celebrating pictures posted on the RWBF, and decided to take off along the creek that cuts through the neighborhood for "an easy six."
It was slow going (12:00/mi) but who needs speed when you're out free and frolicking across the grass on a summer eve?
Please excuse the low-res images. All I had to record the moment was my memory and my cameraphone -- and picturetaking is not its strong suit.
Monday, June 4, 2007
do (run) while (date < 20070604)
In May I logged 60 miles on foot and 27 on the bike.
May 28 through June 3:
(This week also: 19 miles on bike on June 3)
Feeling a bit nervous because I'm thinking about going for the full marathon in January. If so, I need to "lay the foundation" this summer.
May 28 through June 3:
| MON | TUE | WED | THU | FRI | SAT | SUN | TOTAL |
| 4 mi | 3 mi | 3 mi | 10 mi |
(This week also: 19 miles on bike on June 3)
Feeling a bit nervous because I'm thinking about going for the full marathon in January. If so, I need to "lay the foundation" this summer.
Saturday, June 2, 2007
Impact A Hero 5K
Today I ran in the Impact A Hero 5K, part of a fundraising weekend for the nonprofit organization Impact Player Partners. I decided that I was going take a risk and go out a bit fast. I certainly did that, popping out of the gate with my fastest mile one split ever at 8:07. Would I be able to keep it up? Of course not! Duh! The temperature at dawn was 72F with 90% humidity, and my running top was soaked through by the end of mile number two. At this point I broke down laughing when I heard the following exchange behind me:"I'm all hot and sweaty. You think I should take my shirt off?"
"Ewwww. No, daddy don't! Gross!"
At the U-turn around 2-1/2 miles, I realized that I was just a short way behind Gary Kubiak, head coach of the NFL Houston Texans and today's honorary race chairman. I tried and tried to hang in there behind him, but ultimately he had more left in the tank than I did and he lost me by the mile three turn.
The more significant story here, however, was that today's race was an opportunity to recognize and support wounded and disabled military veterans. Several of them were at today's race; some were able to participate. At the awards ceremony, IPP announced that the 5K event had raised $40,000.
Event: Impact A Hero 5K (2 Jun 2007) 
Location: Lost Creek Park, Sugar Land
Result: 29:21 (Garmin Forerunner 101)
Benefits: Impact Player Partners
This race caps off a streak of ten weekends in a row that I've been registered for a race:
24 Mar -- 30:00 -- Stride 4 Stroke 5K
31 Mar -- -N/A- -- Steps for Students 5K (cancelled, storms)
07 Apr -- 30:02 -- Resurrection Run 5K
14 Apr -- 31:38 -- Safari Trail Fun Run 5K (3rd place in age group)
28 Apr -- 29:41 -- Running for the Arts 5K
05 May -- 30:51 -- Sprint for Life 5K
12 May -- 1:02:35 -- Pear Run 10K (new 10K personal record)
19 May -- 29:17 -- Celiac Awareness Run 5K
26 May -- 29:17 -- Astros Race for the Pennant 5K
02 Jun -- 29:21 -- Impact A Hero 5K
It's been an interesting series for sure!
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