Nuther non-Braille run

Two nights in a row with Knuckle Lights in tow . . . or held.

Whatever.

Anyway, I wasn't feeling it this time compared to the day before.  Tuesdays run was FANTASTIC!  Energy was through the roof!  I pushed the last half mile and ran like looter!  I wasn't really out of breath and I think I could've gone another 5 minutes at that pace.

Not quite the same thing for yesterdays run.  I started the run not really in the mood for it.  But I knew that once I was 5 minutes in, it would change and feel good.  And it did.  I wish I had the energy of the night before, but it was no big thing.  So I stopped a couple of times on the way back . . . so what?  I still finished the run in about 30 minutes.  An 11:15 pace.  I know it's slow, but you try being 5' 6" and 230 lbs and move that mass faster!

I'm not hurting like I usually do the next day.  Again!  This is weird.  I pretty much took a month off with only 3 or 4 runs in between and I'm not hurting?  Maybe I shouldn't complain and just take advantage of it.  Maybe MGBG is right and I've been over-training.  Not giving my body time to recover.

If I keep feeling this good though, I'm gonna continue.  I'm really considering going for a run tonight.

Screw it!  I'm doing it!

GD

p.s.
too lazy to check.  run smiley :)

So much for motivation . . .

So my post on motivation went NOWHERE!

I was hoping to psyche myself up with that, but it didn't help.  As you can see from my lack of posts since then, I've not done much.  I went through another routine with the 100 Pushups . . . and that was it.  I got up to the 3rd day of the first week and blargh'ed out.  I'm gonna start again on that day and continue on as if nothing stopped.  I don't think it'll matter how long it takes for me to get to 100, as long as I don't take a whole freakin' year.  But I'd like to accomplish it by February . . . March at the latest.

I did go for a run last night.  And I do mean last night.  I had to use my Knuckle-Lights.  It was COLD.  Well cold for Monterey County.  It was about 40 degrees, see-your-breath cold.  To help with the run, I used the Christmas gift my brother gave me.  It's a really cool pullover by Xersion.  I've never heard of the company, but it was wonderful for the run.  It vented well and kept me comfortable for the whole run.

I felt sooo comfortable, that I actually RAN (really ran) the last half mile of the 3 mile run.  I'm not hurting like I usually do the next day.  I think I'm going to go for another run tonight as well.  I'm feeling great, actually.

I can't wait!

GD

p.s.
too lazy to check.  run smiley :)

What is motivation?

Because I need some.

For the past two weeks I've not done any running whatsoever.  And I've gained almost 6 pounds. 

Blargh!

I want to run at work during lunch time, but I don't wanna be all stanky after the run.  I've got my Knuckle Lights, but my excuse in the evening is that it's too cold.  I'm finding excuses when I should think about what I've gained as far as my well-being.

I'm feeling lazy and tired and unmotivated.  I think I need some running pants.  Cause it's frickin' cold!  I like running at night, just not in the cold.  I love cold, but only because I can sleep like a bear when I'm in a cold room with warm comfortable blankets.  I'm gonna get some running pants tonight.  I need to run.

What I HAVE been doing instead of running is the 100-up drill and squats.  I've just passed the minor and I began the major last night.  Boy!  It does get the blood pumping when beginning the major!  I believe I did have correct form for the drill.  And I was only able to get to 76 majors before losing form.

And since I was still pumped up, I began doing pushups.  And to follow the theme, I did the initial test for Hundred Pushups. I'm at the cusp of level 2 and 3.  I'm gonna attempt level three tonight and if I finish it, I'm gonna stick with it.  If I can't hack, I drop to level two.  Either way, I'm gonna reach the 100 pushups dammit!

I figure if I'm not gonna run as much, I might as well incorporate some core and legs in there.  I'm gonna start doing lunges, burpees and kettlebells.  I'll let you know how it goes.

GD

p.s.
so lazy, i haven't written anything for a while.  run smiley :)

Last night of November 2011 run :)

I had originally planned to go for a run by my lonesome right after work.  It didn't quite work out the way I thought it would:

I got a text from one of my cousins.  He used to be a major gym-rat.  Taking supplements and protein.  Had this whole workout regimen to hit certain parts of the body . . . then he hooked up with one of my friends sisters and he went downhill from there.  He's now a chubs like me.  Except he ain't doing anything to remedy the situation.  He keeps saying he's going to do something like get back to the gym (he still has a Golds Gym membership) or doing some sort of fitness regimen at home.  He asked if he could go for a run with me.  "Sure, meet me at the Toro trail from last time", I said.

I had several missed calls on my iPhone (yeah, I said iPhone! Wanna make something of it?!).  They were from the daughter and her mom.  Apparently the daughter hadn't planned for a ride after her cheer practice aaaand she forgot her house keys.  Ooops.  I sent a text to my cuz and let him know I was gonna be a bit late.  He responded that he too would be late.  I told him to meet me at 6:30 at the trail.

I pick up the daughter from her friends house.  She's hungry.  She didn't want anything at the house.  I offered Subway, she countered with Der Weinerschnitzel.  Ugh!  So we're driving back home after the pick-up with the odor of chili cheese dogs in the car.  Crap.  And I can't have anything like that until Sunday-cheat-day!

I drop her ass off at the house and I head out to the trail.  I get a text from the cuz saying he can't make it.  Whatev!  I needed the run sooo bad . . .

And it turned out to be the most comfortable run in a loooong time.  I wasn't flying down the trail, but everything seemed right.  I had my rhythm down, I was pressing down with my big toe, my head was up, the Knuckle Lights kept my arms to my side.  It wasn't perfect by any measure, but it certainly felt perfect.

Distance: 2.68 miles
Time: 28:46

Yeah.  When I run I'm gonna start writing down those stats.  I've already got them on Daily Mile and Fitocracy.  I don't know if you'll be able to see my Fitocracy profile, but if you'd like an invite ask in the comment below.

GD

p.s.
too lazy to check.  run smiley :)

4HB day 3

This is my 3rd day on the 4-Hour Body and I've been kickin' and screaming to keep with it.  I forget how much simple carbs are in our life here in the states.  It calls from everywhere!  I'm not a big sugar fan whatsoever.  I've lived almost a whole year without having any type of candy just to see if I could and I never missed it.

Bread, corn, sugar, juices, fruit . . . the list goes on of what I cannot have.  The only reason I'm sticking with it is because I dropped 20 pounds and have been able to keep it off.  I started watching what I ate and carefully considered what I took in after I was done with my 4HB experiment.

I said to myself, "Self, let's see if we can keep the fat off".  And I have!  I've fluctuated within a 3 pound margin.  Right now I'm about 232 pounds.  I'm at the top of the 3 pounds.  I'll weigh myself again Saturday evening before my binge day.  The binge day is a necessary event during the 4HB project (it's a project now cause I know it works).  It does a couple of things: it shocks the body and it provides a psychological reward after a week of relative torture.

I remember the beginning of the program being difficult the first time I tried it but kept at it because I felt and saw a noticeable difference.  I had also begun training for the SVHM.  I was learning to cope with this and I found out I wasn't eating enough!  Why?  Because during my runs, I'd gas out fast!  I had no fuel to keep me going.  I needed to increase my carb intake somehow and that meant more beans!

One of the things to keep in mind is that you need to stay with the same menu at least every week.  Breakfast was no problem.  I had 100g of frozen spinach, 3 eggs and about a cup of lentils.  It sounds like a lot, it's not.  You're definitely eating more.  Not as much as those crazy fruitarians!  Look them up.  Those guys are INSANE!

For protein I kept it simple.  Chicken, beef (ground or flank), canned tuna, and eggs.  For veggies, it was a mixed bag of stuff from Costco (Normandy Mix) that had broccoli, cauliflower, baby carrots and some yellow vegetable.  Don't know what it is, but it's good.  The frozen spinach was also purchased at Costco.  A big three pound bag for cheap. I also bought the chicken, beef and tuna there.

For my legumes, I stuck with black beans for the most part and pinto every once in a while.  Oh, and lentils.  Can't forget those!  Lentils absorb whatever flavors you add to it so I'd use half a medium onion, two roma tomatoes, a cilantro bunch and some salt, pepper and garlic to taste. Awesome!

I used the same recipe for the black beans, but those are a bit more difficult to master.  I'm still playing with that recipe, but my last batch came up pretty good.  No tomato was used.  I think it was toughening up the bean.

And it does take a while to get used to all the legume intake.  Things get a bit exhausting . . . if you know what I mean?  There's some expansion in the gut, not due to fat but to gas.  And I don't mean burping!  You'll be tootin' is what I'm sayin'!

After a while, they don't stink.  Don't know why, but they don't.  At least they didn't for me.  I think it's because with all the fibrous material being passed through, you're literally cleaning shit out.

Ok, that's enough for today . . .

GD

p.s.
too lazy to finish AND check.  run smiley :)

Braille running: NO MORE

I received word from home that my Knuckle Lights had arrived via USPS.

After work I hurried home, threw on my running togs and out the door I went with my KL's.  It was past 6pm already and it was pretty frickin' dark!  I popped in the batteries turned them on and was a bit wary of the light . . .

They're not that bright . . . but I think that's the point.  Once I got running down the trail, my eyes adjusted and the lights were bright enough.  In fact, they were great!  It really is a nice wide beam from both that you have a nice wide view of stuff around you.

But try to look farther up the road and you were S.O.L.  Like I said, your night vision is obliterated.  It'll take a bit of time for you eyes to adjust once you shut off the lights.  I don't mean to make it sound that bad, it really isn't.  But I suggest if you're concerned with seeing what's going on WAY out there, take a flashlight or a headlamp.  Those are gonna be more spotlight than flood light.

For me, I'm really happy to have these.  I'm gonna try an experiment later on to try to increase night vision, though.  I gotta look for some red cellophane and see if that'll help.  Tape it on there and see if it works . . .

GD

p.s.
too lazy to check.  run smiley :)

You don't like me! You really, really don't like me . . .

Yup.

Checking out my page views and no one's reading this.  Do I care?


A bit.  But not enough to stop.  This blog is mainly for me, to keep a kind of online diary of my progress in running and possible weight loss.  I gotta figure out a way to draw more views on here that aren't from Brazil and Taiwan.

Stupid bugs!

Anyway . . .

So I had another non-running weekend.  It was anything but uneventful.  This was the beginning of having the daughter in my life on an every day basis.  She is mine.

Her mom will kill me if anything happens to her . . . oof.

I could'a gone running Friday or Saturday.  But it was cold and rainy.  I should'a gone, but didn't.  Sunday was a better day, nice and sunny . . . but cold . . . mid 40's.  I know those of you from REAL cold parts in the country are probably laughing your asses off, but us folk livin' in temperate climates . . . this is cold enough.  The coldest I've ever seen it here was about 22 degrees.  And later that day it kicked up to low 50's.  Brrr.

I'd like to go for a run, but I've been eating bad and I have no energy.  I had planned to start the 4HB program today, but . . .

Sunday morning I should'a gone running.  But didn't.  I was preparing for the arrival of the daughter.  I had to get some clothes for me, and some groceries for us.  I forgot some essentials and I'll be heading to the store again tonight with the daughter for what I need for Thanksgiving dinner and meal necessities for her.  I don't think she'll want to eat eggs, beans, veggies and chicken for breakfast.  She's a toothpick and needs fattening up . . . healthily.  Birdlike is what she's like.  We'll get her good food.

I hope to have enough oomph tonight for a run, but I'm seriously not feeling it.  I don't wanna talk myself outta this, but chances are I probably won't be running until this coming weekend.  What, with all the food and family to deal with I think I'll be looking forward to that run.  Maybe even a LONG run.

Here's to hopin'!

GD

too lazy to check grammar.  run smiley :)

'nuther Braille run . . . oof.

Earlier yesterday I decided to pull the trigger on these:



As you can see, they were outta stock.  But they're supposed to have some in by tomorrow (11/18/2011).  They work like this:



They are called Knuckle Lights!

The point is NO MORE BRAILLE RUNNING!  They more like flood lights and will give you a better view ahead in the dark than a flashlight or headlamp would which for the most part are spotlights, narrow beam.

I went for another Braille run last night and for some reason it was more difficult.  I think it was because there was a lot more spotty traffic and my night vision was getting all screwed up with the changes in ambient light.  I had a couple of trip-ups but no sprawling was involved.  I'm pretty sure if I'd been running in clunky shoes, I would'a ate it bad.

Those Knuckle Lights are gonna come in handy.  I checked the Runners World forums to see if anyone's used them and found a couple of posts with positive views on them.

I haven't found any real reviews on them anywhere and I'd like to get one done when I receive them.  I'll post pictures and everything.  Maybe even a video!  Imagine, my fat ass running in the dark with Knuckle Lights!

GD

p.s.
too lazy to check stuff.  run smiley :)