Half-Marathon Training Progress: Weeks of Dec. 28, 2025, Jan. 4th, 2026 & Jan. 11th

A sad couple of weeks. I really think I need to pull out of the Half. 

Sunday - Tried to go for a 2 mile run. I made it a half of a mile and had to walk to the mile mark. I thought I'd turn around and do a run/walk back but all I could do was walk. I was in a lot of pain. Shins. Calves. Feet. It was very disheartening. 

Monday - I received a delayed Christmas gift from my son. A walking pad. I set it up and walk .8 miles carrying 10lb dumbbells and did occasional curls while walking. My arms were spent after. But not bad for 20 minutes. 

Tuesday - I walked on my walking pad for 1.24 miles in 30 minutes and six seconds. I haven't tried running on it. for some reason, 2.5 MPH on this walking pad seems MUCH faster than the same on a treadmill. Maybe it's the much shorter walking area? I have no idea. In the gym, I walk at a 3.4 MPH speed and it's a brisk walk. On the walking pad, I feel like I have to run. No joke. 

The good news is that my weight is down a little. I had hit 206lbs last Thursday, Christmas Day. The last three days, I've been holding steady at 203lbs. So a 3 pound loss is decent. I'm sure it was mostly water weight, but I'll take it. 

Wednesday - It's New Year's Eve! I can't believe it's going to be 2026! That's crazy!! I took a break today since I'd walked on the treadmill the last three days. My ankles were a little sore so I figured I had been much more active the last few days. 

Thursday, January 1st, 2026!! HAPPY NEW YEAR! 

Today, I ventured outside and ran 2.23 miles. I then did a squat and hold and some kettlebell exercises later in the evening. 

Friday, I walked 1.26 on the walking pad and did some kettlebell exercises and some more squat and hold exercises to help my ankles.

Saturday, I walked on the walking pad again and did some ankle rotations with a stretchy band the Physical Therapist gave me. 

This was  pretty good week. I was active and I got my weight down to 198. 8 POUNDS LOST SINCE CHRISTMAS DAY!! I'm very happy!

Week of January 4th 

Sunday I ran-walked on the walking pad for 1.71 miles 

Monday, I walked on the walking pad with dumbbells and did an arm routine for 30 minutes straight. I covered 1.24 miles while doing arm curls, shoulder presses, side raises, front raises and skull crushers. 

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday & Friday, I didn't do anything. Work got crazy and I lost my mojo. 

Saturday, I was able to squeeze in some PT stretches and some squats and 2 sets of overhead presses with a 20lb kettlebell. Overall, not a great week. 

Week of January 11th

Not a good week. This will be short. 

Sunday - Thursday I did nothing. I worked. I slept. I got up and repeated like some awful version of groundhog day. I have a situation at work that I'm having to deal with and it's just got me totally exhausted. 

Friday, Jan. 16th work was better. things have calmed down some but I was just so exhausted. 

As you can see, the last 3 weeks has been very little - VERY LITTLE - running. My ankles are still whacked so I definitely shouldn't run the half on the 24th. I just wish I knew what happened to my ankles. A month after the marathon, I was totally fine, and then they started hurting and aching all the time. I walk like I'm 90 until they loosen up. It's so frustrating!! 

For weeks, I've debating just running the 5K if they'd let me switch, so I looked into it and I was able to change my race distance. I ended paying a very small transfer fee and switched from the Half-marathon down to the 5K. Hopefully, I can do that. 

Saturday, Jan. 17th, my wife and I left for an overnight trip/getaway. Much needed, but not great for exercise and gym time. Also, I gained some weight back this week, but not too much. Still below 200 so that's good news at least. Being on the road so much, I was back to a lot of fast food, but I tried to be better and get less/eat less. 

Half-Marathon Training: Week of December 21st

Half-Marathon Training Update: Sunday, December 21st

It's Christmas week and it's been a slow start. Yesterday, Sunday, December 21st, I didn't do anything other than go Christmas shopping. I had time to run. But I didn't. It's Christmas week and I'm off on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Hopefully on Saturday and Sunday too but work is picking up. In fact, today we started to get ballot proofs coming in for the March Primary so works about to get insane!

Reflecting on this Past Week

Well - Monday, Dec. 22nd and Tuesday, Dec. 23rd were tough. I didn't run or do anything. Wednesday and Thursday were no better even though I was off work. there was so much to do to get ready for the family to come over, etc. On Christmas Day, I weighed myself and I was at 206 lbs.!! My all time heaviest. I've been on Mars Men for a couple of weeks now and I'm not seeing any increase in energy, drive, or anything else. They say to give it 90 days. So far, not impressed, but I'm willing to give it 90 days. 

Friday, Dec. 26th, I did attempt to run 4 miles. It turned into a run/walk for 3.2 miles. My calves were tight. My shins hurt. My Breathing was like I had smoked four packs of cigarettes per day for all my life. It was just awful, but I stuck to it rather than turn around at the half-mile mark like I wanted to. I did turn around before the two mile mark though. My feet were really hurting. 

I'm seriously considering just eating the entry fee and skipping the half-marathon in January. I'm feeling like I'm too heavy, too slow, and just COMPLETELY unprepared for 13.1 miles with less than a month to go. 

I was talking with family on Christmas Eve and telling them how I ran the marathon in March and since then I've just had ZERO motivation to run. It's like my brain and body said "OK. You achieved your lifelong dream of running a marathon. You don't have to run ever again." I know that sounds crazy. At least, it does to me. But that's seriously what it feels like. 

I've done some research and apparently it is a thing. It's called the Post-Event Blues or sometimes the "Post-Goal Letdown". Basically, my body and brain have said, "Yep, we did it. Mission Accomplished. Now we can rest and chill into the sunset."

So my work now is trying to figure out whether I accept that and just embrace coaching, hiking, and other activities, or if I try to put some new spin on running to re-invigorate me. 

Half-Marathon Training: Week of December 14th

6 Weeks to Go

I can't believe I only have 6 weeks to go before the half-marathon. I'm seriously considering not running it. One, I don't think I'll be ready to run sub-3. Two, my ankles are whack! They seem to hurt all the time. 

I don't care about the sub-3 too much as the end of the race is on the greenway and a little traveled road so if support closes up, no big deal. I also don't believe I'd miss it by very much if at all. But the ankles. OMG, I just feel like they are trashed. 

Sunday, Dec. 14th I did not run. It was below freezing and the temperature continued to drop all day long. It was actually warmer at 28 degrees the morning than at night when it was 16 with a "feels like" of 2 degrees. That's cold! 

Monday and Tuesday I didn't run. I had ZERO motivation. I thought about it. I wanted to at some point during the day, but I just could NOT get myself up, dressed and out the door. I don't know if I'm just caught in a holiday funk, a work funk, a running funk or what. It's bad. 

On Wednesday & Thursday, I didn't run or hike, but I did do some push ups and held a low squat for 30 seconds the first day and 50 seconds the next day. 

On Friday, I held the squat for a minute and did arm curls with dumbbells and some front and side raises after. 

Saturday I didn't do anything, but on Sunday I held a deep squat for one minute and then I did 2 sets of 25 reps on a bench press type exercise with 25lb dumbbells. I didn't have a bench so I used a foot stool of sorts. I followed that up with 2 sets 10 deadlifts with 25lb dumbbells.

On the bright side, I did lose 1.4lbs this week. So that was interesting.

What to Do at This Point?

My ankles have good days and bad days. Because I haven't been running, I'm not sure what my long run even is at this point. Not to mention that I haven't been running, so I haven't been wearing my barefoot style shoes. Can I jump into a long run of 5 or 6 miles (assuming I can still go that far) in barefoot shoes without injury? As a coach, I'd advise against it. In fact, as a coach, I'd probably tell any client to just drop out of the race, I'm not ready, I show nothing / demonstrate nothing that would indicate anything is going to change at this point. But my ego! My ego is insisting I have time. I just need to figure out what's happening that I have ZERO motivation. 

Half-Marathon Training: Week of December 7th

Week of December 7th: Marathon Training Progress

Here's an update on training progress for the week of December7th. 

On Sunday, December 7th, my wife and I took a 4.5 mile hike at the arboretum. It was cold, but nice. That evening, for some reason, I decided after brushing my teeth, that I was going to drop and crank out just 10 push-ups.

I will add that my Mars Men T-Supplement arrived late Saturday night, but today was the first day I took it so I do not credit it for the desire to do 10 push-ups. It was just something I did.

On Monday, I got off work and really didn't feel like running even though I had told myself I would all day. I just wasn't feeling it and my ankles were hurting for some reason. But I sucked it up a little bit, put on a jacket and hat and told myself I'd walk 30 minutes. I ended up walking around 35 minutes so that was something. I also did 15 body-weight squats before bed.

On Tuesday, I didn't do anything. My ankles were pretty sore from the day before. 

On Wednesday, I did my arm curls, front raises and side raises before bed but no running. 

Thursday I didn't do anything due to work. I was on the road to Raleigh at 8 a.m., drove the 4 hours there, dropped off the equipment I had to take them and then drove home. However, on the way home, I did stop and see my son in Chapel Hill. We had lunch and I got to see his new place. Then I dropped him off at the airport on my way home. I got home around 8:15-8:30 p.m. and I was pretty beat. 

Friday we went downtown and walked around and shopped so that was some walking but I don't think it was too much. We did finish by walking up the same hill that the 2012 Asheville Half-Marathon went up around mile 12.9. That brought back some good memories. That was the year I ran Sub-2. Hard to believe that was 13 years ago. Crazy stuff!

Saturday, December 13th: 6 weeks to go before the Half. 

Saturday, my wife and I hiked 3.5 miles in DuPont Forest and took a trail to see the Wintergreen Falls. 

My weight started and ended this week at 202.2 lbs. I'm not sure what's happening and why my weight seems to be at a new set point. I'm not happy about that but we'll keep plugging along and trying to eat better. I hate that I'm over 200 lbs. If I was bigger guy, it would be a fine weight, but I'm only 5'7". They say that a better metric for weight is a waist: height ratio. One's waist should be half their height. So even on this front at a 35" waist (and that might be being kind) I fail the weight test. 

Overall, I'm feeling strangely more and more positive about the half but worried my ankles aren't getting better. Of course, I'm not very good at doing my exercises so that's on me. 

My fear is that I may be thinking I can do this since I ran a marathon. However, that was back in March, and I did NOT keep up that level of fitness. I really feel like I'm starting at square one. The weather is not cooperating either. It's been cold and sometimes rainy this week. In fact, tomorrow is supposed to be really cold with "feels like" temps in the single digits. 

Half-Marathon Progress: Weeks of November 23rd & November 30th, 2025

Week of November 23rd

Here's how this week week. 

Sunday: I spent the day in the ER with my daughter. She was fine. She had an enlarged lymph node yesterday and today it was almost twice as big. She was having trouble swallowing and therefore trouble eating and drinking. The urgent care center she went to told her to get a CT scan. That's when I picked her up and we went together. Turns out, you can get  stones in your salivary glands. How weird is that? She'll be fine but it did eat up most of the day. At night, I was exhausted having not slept well the night before. 

Monday: Didn't do anything. Just laid around the house. I had no energy at all. 

Tuesday: Today was a travel day. We went to Atlanta for a little getaway. It poured rain and the traffic was crazy, but we made it.

Wednesday: Didn't exercise per se, but did do a LOT of walking. Probably 3-4 miles.

Thursday: It's Thanksgiving Day and we traveled home from Atlanta.

Friday: Didn't do anything. Another day of low energy. 

Saturday: It is now 8 weeks until the half-marathon. It was cold and dreary but did manage to do a short hike of 1.6 miles. 

Week of November 30th

On Sunday, I had planned to do a long run but never did. I have no idea why other than low energy. 

Monday I did manage to do some of PT exercises and I even did some Arm Curls with the dumbbells along with some side and front raises. Still no running. 

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday I did nothing. I wanted to run in the a.m. but again, I have no energy or motivation. I really don't know what is going on. Normally, I would think someone is overtraining, but we know that's not it. I know work has me stressed, but it's certainly less stressful than a Presidential  election year and a hurricane. This year should have seemed like a walk in the park. 

Saturday I woke up and even though I didn't feel like it, I put on my stuff and I was ready to get out there and do a run-walk if I had to for just 30 minutes. I ended up running the whole way and actually felt pretty good. it was 36 degrees when I started which I think is my sweet spot. A long sleeve t-shirt, shorts and a hat and I felt great. Maybe it reminds me of running in Minnesota in the fall or spring. Who knows. 

In Other News

Today, Saturday, December 6th is now just 7 weeks away from the Half-Marathon. I feel so unprepared, but I also have this weird confidence. Covering the distance by then I feel like I can do. Once I lock in on a run, I can feel like I can run forever. My concern is the cutoff time, which I believe is 3 hours. That will be the challenge. 

Since my birthday and through Thanksgiving, I've gained a lot of weight. In fact, I've been over 200 lbs for over a week straight. I think that has maybe got something to do with my fatigue and lack of motivation. I try to eat better and I'm fine until the evening and dinner. At dinner, we keep having pasta dishes and I do love pasta! Could I cut down on the sweets. Absolutely. Is it easy? No. There's so much candy, baked goods, etc around ALL THE TIME. My birthday, Halloween, Thanksgiving and now Christmas is coming with more and more sweets. I'm starting to sound like the Grinch on the top of Mount Crumpet. 

I'm embarrassed to admit this, but I have ordered a Testosterone supplement from Mars Men. I have no idea if it will work or not, but I will let you know. It should be here by Monday. Hell, even if it's just a placebo effect, I'll take it. I'm so tired of feeling tired all the time. I tell my doctor this stuff - that I'm worried that at 58, maybe I have low-T, but he doesn't seem to care or just isn't concerned. He's a young guy so he probably thinks it's just natural. 

I know I could lift weights, eat more protein, do HIIT workouts and raise my Testosterone naturally, but I feel like I need a jump start and that's what I'm hoping the supplement will do. I don't want to get TRT - Testosterone Replacement Therapy. From what I've read, your body becomes dependent on it and it shuts down the natural production. Basically, if you start it, you have to keep doing it and paying for it. The supplement I ordered is supposed to boost natural production. Once I have more energy, I really feel like I'll exercise more and therefore create my own. Naturally, I will need to change some things. Diet. Exercise. Motivation. But I really feel that will come naturally once I get into it. I just need that initial jump-start or boost to get going. 

Half-Marathon Progress: Nov. 2nd until November 22nd

 You know how I like to post weekly updates. Well, obviously that hasn't been happening, so I wanted to catch you up on how things are going - or in this case - how things are NOT going. 

Week of Nov. 2nd

On Sunday, Nov. 2nd, I hiked 3.5 miles with my wife. This was just under 12 weeks until the half marathon. I did nothing for the rest of the week. I was just slammed with work and by the end of the day, I was exhausted. both mentally and physically. I'm not sure if something happened when I turned 58, but my motivation and energy are in the toilet. I talk a lot about embracing the suck and just getting out there even if it's just to walk. I can't even get myself to do that. 

Week of Nov. 9th

This week, I forced myself to do something. Anything. On Sunday, Nov. 9th, I went for a hike with my wife. Another 3.5 miles which was nice and relaxing. 

On Monday, I ran 1.5 miles and did some arm curls along with front and side raises. 

On Wednesday, Thursday and Friday I did the same arm curls, front raises and side raises. 

On Saturday, I hiked 5 miles with my wife. This was a really fun hike because there is a new Troll exhibit at the NC Arboretum. Trolls: A Field Study. It is awesome if you're in the area. 

Week of Nov. 16th

Sunday thru Friday I did nothing. I did have PT on Thursday night, so I guess that's something, but just a wasted week. 

On Friday and into today, Saturday, Nov. 22nd, my calves are insanely tight. I'm not sure why. We did a lot in PT work on my calves so perhaps it's delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). Today, I did manage to hike 3.6 miles. Today is also officially 9 weeks until the Half-Marathon. 

Half-Marathon Training Update: Week of October 12th, 2025

This week started off great! On Sunday, I went on a 4.5 mile hike with my daughter. She even joked that I was flying up the trail and she was "fighting for her life". That made me feel good. My weight didn't go down so that was a bummer. I was 197.2 which was about a half-pound more than last week but nothing to really worry about. Weight loss is not linear no matter how much I want it to be. I realize that. 

On Monday, I went for a 5 mile long-run and just ran for fun. I was totally aimless and just ran around West Asheville turning down a street when I felt like it. I averaged a 13:43 pace which is what I need to keep if I want to break 3 hours in the half. If felt pretty easy so that was a good sign. 

Tuesday, I went to Gold's Gym and worked out and then ended with a mile walk on the treadmill at a 16:40 pace. I have to say, I do like the gym and I do like Gold's more than planet fitness. There's just something about the free weights that I like. Maybe it's the old-school nature of them as opposed to all the fancy machines. Although, I will say that I like doing the Leg Press machine more than actual squats. I get nervous I'm going to hurt my back by lifting wrong. 

On Wednesday, I took a rest day which at the time was a good idea. I had done something active, Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. Way more activity than this old guy had been used to doing. 

Thursday I didn't do anything either. Work had been getting crazier but I felt like I should have squeezed in something so I did do some arm curls, front raises and side raises at home with my adjustable dumbbells. 

On Friday, I was pretty busy with work again and it was date night, so I didn't do any running. But what a great date night.

Today, Saturday I didn't do anything. Not sure why. I can't remember what happened that I didn't do anything. No run, no hike, nothing. That's weird for me. 

As you may notice, not once did I mention doing my physical therapy stretches and routine. Very unhappy about that part of my life. I feel so much better when I do them and after my sessions. I have to get a sense of discipline. Motivation just ain't doing it. 

Half-Marathon Training Update: I've Suffered from LBS the Past Three Weeks

Training is not going well. Apparently with work and bad ankles, I've suffered from LBS, or Little Bitch Syndrome. Thanks to my son Christopher for this technical term that best describes my lack of activity. 

Where do I even begin? Let's just go week by week to get caught up. 

Half-Marathon Training for the Week of Sept 21

I woke up and weight in at 197lbs. I think I mentioned this last week since I wrote the post on Sunday. I didn't run on Sunday, the 21st but I did go out on Monday for a long run. I ran 4.08 miles and fine during the run, but the next day, my ankles hurt like hell. On Tuesday I felt like crap but I did do some arm curls and military press exercises with 20lb weights. I skipped Wednesday but did arm curls again on Thursday as well as went to a Physical Therapy session for my ankles. On Friday, I walked a mile on a treadmill at the hotel we stayed out for our weekend in Charlotte, NC. I did nothing but sight see Saturday or Sunday. 

I have a set of exercises that I'm supposed to be doing to help my ankles. Am I doing them? Did I mention doing them? The answer to both is "no". Again...LBS. It hurts to do them so I don't want to. They do feel better after doing them. But then I'm sore the next day. Somebody get me a glass for all this "whine". 

Half-Marathon Training for the Week of Sept 28

I weight in at 199.6lbs. Not happy about this, but it was a fun weekend with the wife. For whatever reason, I didn't do anything Sunday or Monday. On Tuesday, I managed to knock out 10 x 20lb arm curls. That was it. On Wednesday, I went for a 2.4 mile hike at the Arboretum and did some more arm curls that night before bed. On Thursday, more arm curls since those are easy and quick. Friday, I was back to hiking. I did 3.5 miles at the Arboretum. On Saturday, I did another hike of 3.9 miles in Bent Creek doing the Deerfield Loop trail.

Did I do my exercises this week to help my ankles? No. Do I suck? Apparently so. 

Half-Marathon Training for the Week of Oct 5: Only 15 Weeks Remaining

I weighed in this morning at 196.8. A big improvement over last week and a slight improvement over the 21st. I started the week by hiking Graveyard Fields for 4.5 miles. On Monday I did 10 x 20lb curls - my old standby but nothing else. Tuesday was Election Day, so I worked all day from 5 a.m. until 9:30 p.m. I was exhausted and couldn't even muster up the energy to do my arm curls. I skipped Wednesday as I was still super tired and my ankles were killing me. On Thursday, I went for a hike at the Arboretum. On Friday, I did nothing. 

Once again, I did not do my ankle exercises this week. What is stupid is that it will not only help my ankles feel better, but it will help my running...if I ever do any. So what's wrong with me????

Saturday - Today, October 11th, I got up early as my wife was heading out of town for a few days. She left early so I stayed up and hit the gym for a total body workout. I did chest, back, shoulders, biceps, triceps, quads, hamstrings and calf muscles. I even walked a mile on the treadmill in 17:23 after the workout. In the evening, I went for 30-minute run and covered 2.45 miles in 30:45 for an average mile pace of 12:30. It felt O.K. I was definitely trying to quicken my cadence for the first mile. On the way back I kept giving it some gas here and there, almost like a fartlek. 

The Half-Marathon is in 15 weeks exactly as of today. I am nowhere near ready, but I believe I do have time. I really want to beat 3 hours, but I'm running out of time for that. This week will be better. It has to be. 

Half-Marathon Training Progress: Week of September 14th

This week was a little bit of a slow start but things are rolling well overall. I had mentioned last week that during the Marathon, I actually gained weight. Not all that uncommon, but for me, it was frustrating. So one thing I want to focus on this time around is weight loss. Not just because I want to run faster, but because I want to look better doing it :)

The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly

Sunday: I didn't do anything last Sunday. My wife wasn't feeling well and I felt guilty for wanting to go for a run when she needed me. She would have wanted me to run, which I why I didn't mention anything to her about it being my long run day. Of course, my long run would have been may 3 miles, but still. I chose to stay at home. 

Monday: Monday is the day my wife works late so I planned on running my long run Monday night after work. Looking back, I don't know why I didn't. I know I was on the computer doing some work and I also wanted to try and get my car running again or at least cleaned up. This is a long story but basically, some varmint has chewed the fuel supply line AGAIN (3rd time) and it's really expensive to fix. So the car has been sitting there getting dirty and gross and the tires lost air from all the sitting. I hand washed the car and it looks great. But I realized there's a mold issue on the steering wheel and I didn't have the band-width to deal with that night. But that's enough about that. 

Tuesday: I went on a 2 mile hike and I did 10 Arm Curls with 20lbs. I was supposed to do a full body workout, but I wasn't feeling it at all. I tried the atomic habits trick of just doing something small and seeing if it went anywhere. After 10 reps, I set the weights down. Didn't do anything else, but at least I did that. 

Wednesday: Wednesday, I went for a 30 minute run and actually felt good. I ran the whole way out and back. I did another 10 reps of Arm Curls with 20lbs. 

Thursday: Thursday was a rest day since I ran on Wednesday. I should have worked out with weights but I didn't. 

Friday: I went for a morning run. I overslept and got up late and almost decided to stay in bed, but then I thought of Atomic Habits and decided to put on my running clothes and just go for a mile. I knew I had time for that. Well, once I was out there, I realized the time crunch wasn't nearly as bad as I had made it in my head. I ended up running just shy of two miles and felt really good and had plenty of time. I was so happy with myself, I made an Instagram post about it. 

I was really glad I went for the run because I had thought that I could always run at night. I rarely do that when I have that thought, but on this night, I ended up having to work late. Almost until 10 p.m. and by the end of the day with traveling and such, I was absolutely spent!

Saturday: This day was a 4.75 mile hike. I also was good and did my PT exercises. I can't recall if I mentioned it or not, but my ankles are doing something weird. It's like they've lost their flexion. They haven't, but it feels like it when going down stairs or even walking after sitting for a long time. 

This morning, Sunday, Sept. 21st, I weighed in at 197 even. Only a .2lb loss, but I'll take it. Tune in next week for this coming week's progress. 

Marathon Training Update: Week of January 26th

I felt good last week despite some missed days. I had two great time breakthroughs. I crushed my long run of 9 miles and a short 3 mile run. It was a good week. I'm happy to report that this week started out great too! 

The Week in Review! What a Pain!

On Sunday, I re-upped my distance. I hiked in the morning to see some frozen waterfalls. Absolutely beautiful! I didn't get home until about 3:30 and didn't get running until 4. Knowing I'd be getting home in the dark, I wore my light up running vest. By the way, if you don't have one, I highly recommend it. Anyway, I went out and was trying to run easy. It felt super easy. Two weeks ago, I ran 14.5 miles at a 14:40 pace and I felt like I was going to die at the end. This run ended up being at a 14:05 pace and I while I felt dead at the end, it was easier than the 14.5 in terms of effort. I passed the half-marathon point in 3:03:16 which was faster than my 3:04:55 back in 2022, the last time I ran a half in a road race and faster than the last time I hit a 13.1 in a training run. I'm really seeing progress. If you had told me a year ago that I'd be running these distances, I would have told you you're crazy. What a difference  a year can make!

On Monday, I took a rest day, which is typical. I like to rest the day after my long run. It helps this old man recover faster. 16 miles takes  a lot out of a guy...lol.

On Tuesday I woke up with really bad back pain. I'm not sure if it was DOMS from the long run, or if it's work related. I think it could be work related in that when I get in the car, I am slinging my heavy backpack over to the passenger floorboard area. When I get out of the car, I'm hefting it up from there and across the seats as I get out. This has happened before and at the time, I had blamed it on the same thing and I wasn't running back then. Needless to say, I did not run or workout. I also started to go to the passenger side and place my backpack down and retrieve it. 

On Wednesday and Thursday, I was no better. Still in a lot of pain so I didn't do anything exercise related. 

On Friday, I felt better but not 100%. I did think about going for a short run to test the waters so to speak, but then I decided to err on the side of caution since it was the first day I didn't feel bad all day. 

Today, Saturday, Feb. 1st, I did not run, but I did go on a 4 mile hike with my wife. My back felt OK all day with the exception of one little moment when I ran/hopped across some rocks at a creek. I felt a small twinge of pain, but it went away immediately. Tomorrow is my long run which I'm determined to do despite having not run since last Sunday. If you've been keeping up with my progress, you'll know that it's not my first time doing a long run with nothing but the prior long run in the training books. 

Six weeks to Go!

Today, Saturday, Feb. 1st marks six weeks until the Marathon so I REALLY have to get dialed in. Here's my plan:

1. I'm going to be more consistent with the runs. I have to be. 
   
   
2. I'm gong to be more consistent with the strength training - twice per week. 
   
   
3. I'm going to be more consistent with stretching. I'm sure it's been helping my legs not feel heavy so I have to keep it going and not get lazy with it. 
   
   
4. I'm still working out nutrition. So far, I think what works best is a couple boxes of raisins, a chewy granola bar and lime Gatorade. That' what I've been taking on my long runs. I have a little snack and a sip every 3 miles or 45 minutes depending on how I feel. 
5. I need to lose weight! I started January at 195 and ended January at 195. While I didn't gain any weight, I didn't lose any either. I really need to slim down. 195lbs is just too much for me. I'm officially obese per the BMI chart (which I hate). The Rock is technically obese, but I'm not muscular so I have no excuse. For every pound I can lose, I should gain 30 - 60 seconds per mile. For a marathon, that's 13 to 26 minutes faster. In the first week of Hurricane Helene, I was down to 177lbs. I can't believe I've gained it all back. I had heard that some runners gain weight while training for a marathon, but I didn't think it would be me. I suppose, even though I lost some weight, I'm where I was when I started training so it's not as bad as gaining weight really. I just have lost any overall. 

Marathon Training Update: Week of December 15th

This was another great week until today. I have been feeling pretty optimistic all this week but then today was just garbage. I think it was more psychological than anything, but I'll get to today in a moment. 

I started out the week with a long run of 10 miles. I ran the whole way, felt good and felt like I could have run more. However, I stuck to my plan and didn't push it, especially since the week's prior plantar fasciitis coming back. While I did have some foot sensitivity after the run, it was nothing at all like before and the next morning, I felt fine. 

On Monday and Tuesday I had to travel for work. Monday should have been a break from running, but I was bored so I did 2 miles on an elliptical in the hotel gym along with an upper body workout. I stuck with my typical 3 x 10 Shoulder Press, Dumbbell Rows, Arm Curls, Triceps Kickbacks, Front and Side Raises. Tuesday morning I woke up, hit the gym and did 2.5 miles on the elliptical and tried to do my typical lower body workout. However, after lunges and deadlifts, my hamstring was acting very weird and felt like it was going to pop, so I finished with some Calf Raises and called it a day. 

Wednesday was a rest day. My hamstring felt fine so that was good. Whatever twinge I had in the hotel gym seemed to have gone away. However, my Achilles was very sore and it hurt to walk.  

On Thursday, I did my upper body workout at home but my Achilles was still very sore and I was limping all day so I did not run. 

Friday was not any better. My Achilles still hurt to walk, but I powered through my typical home lower body workout which is 3 x 10 Deadlifts, Split Squats, Lunges, Step Ups and Calf Raises. 

Today, Saturday I was not looking forward to running. The "feels like" temp was in the teens but I sucked it up, but on layers and went out for a run. I didn't even make it a mile and I had to stop. My legs felt like solid steel. It was so much effort to pick them up it was crazy. I was only wearing leggings - no sweat pants - so I'm not sure why they felt so heavy but I just couldn't run. I wasn't even going that fast. Tomorrow is my long run, so we'll see what happens then. I don't think it's supposed to be any warmer tomorrow but I will suck it up. With the hat, gloves, gaiter and sweatshirt all up top, I was actually not cold. I felt very big...like the little kid in A Christmas Story that falls and can't get up from the snow. 

I mentioned I felt like today was more mental than physical. I have been back up in the 190's again, having got my weight down to 177 so that has really affected me. I see myself as "fat" again, as a big lumbering blob and it's definitely impacting my motivation. I think that, combined with the extreme cold (for my area) really did a number on me today.

Wish me luck. 

Marathon Training Update: If You Can Call it That!

WOW! I suck. That's really all there is to say! I have not been running at all. Work was supposed to get better after the election but we have been dealing with recounts, protests, and other issues. Here's a quick summary of things since I left off last. 

Week of October 27th

I didn't do anything. Nothing. Didn't even go for a walk. It was just work, work and more work leading up to the election. At the end of the day I was so exhausted and in the mornings, I had to drag myself out of bed from being so tired from working the day before. 

Week of November 3rd

On Sunday, Nov. 3rd, I did take a walk around Lake Junaluska. It was a 3.5 mile walk and felt good to be outside. Tuesday, November 5th was Election Day so I never planned on doing any exercise. This was a 17 hour day for me. On Wednesday, Nov. 6th, I walked 3.5 miles home after dropping my car off at the garage for repairs. I then had to walk back to get it that same day so I walked 7 miles total. Why didn't I run? No idea. Would have been a good training. On Saturday, Nov. 9th, I ran 3.5 miles and it actually felt ok. I did have to walk some but overall, I felt ok. 

Week of November 10th

On Sunday, Nov. 10th, I hiked and saw 5 different waterfalls. I didn't do anything again until Saturday, Nov. 16th when I ran 3.5 miles again. This time I felt great and actually ran my fastest time for this route. 

Week of November 17th

On Sunday, Nov. 17th, I hiked Deerfield Loop which is a little over 4 miles. On Monday, I had to travel all day. On Tuesday, I did a little weight training at home with my dumbbells. That was all for this week. I traveled all day Thursday. Traveled again and stood up scanning ballots for 8 hours straight on Friday. Traveled again most of the day on Saturday the 23rd. 

Week of November 24th

On Sunday, Nov. 24th, I ran 5.32 miles and felt pretty good. I was only going to run 4 but I felt good so added a mile. On Monday I lifted weights at home after having stood for 8 hours scanning ballots again for the recount. On Tuesday, Nov. 26th, I was on the road all again delivering voting equipment. On Thursday the 28th, I hiked 4 miles at the arboretum. I finished the week on Saturday, Nov. 30th by doing 10 push ups. My left bicep has been hurting which I haven't mentioned but it's really strange. It feels so week and it hurts to lift anything. I cut my arm curls from 20lbs down to 15lbs. Long story short, 10 push ups was all I could squeeze out for fear of hurting my arm more. 

With less than 15 weeks left before the marathon, I need to get my act together. December has not been good and it's only the 2nd, but I'll save that for next time. I have no excuse for not running yesterday or today. I will do a short upper body workout tonight though. 

Marathon Training? Not So Much! Thank you Hurricane Helene!!

Last I wrote, things were going good. I had mentioned that the week of September 22nd I started with a 5.37 mile hike and that I was going to do my long run on Monday. I did. I was working out with dumb bells doing curls, triceps, push ups. I was eating a lower carb diet, but feeling totally fine with running. I was doing really well at keeping my carbs to 120 grams or less per day. I was losing weight, getting faster, feeling better, things were GREAT!! But let me tell you, it got crazy after that!

Week of Sept. 22nd

After the 5 plus mile hike on Sunday I went for my long run on Monday. I ran the farthest I've ever run: 14.05 miles in 3:20:52 which is a 14:18 pace. Not as fast as I'd like, but faster than I need to run to make the cutoff of 6.5 hours. I rested Tuesday and Wednesday I was going to run in the morning but work got crazy and I was taking phone calls. I figured that I'd run at night but it poured rain! 

On Thursday, I had to go to a county first thing and it poured ALL Day so I did not run. Friday the rain continued non-stop and late Friday early Saturday, Hurricane Helene arrived in Western North Carolina. We lost power, water, cable, internet, and even cell service. In the afternoon, when the storm left and the sun came out, I walked 3.1 miles to check on my daughter and then walked back home. Why? Gas stations were closed. Numerous roads were closed or impassible by car, etc. but since I couldn't reach anyone by phone, I walked to check on her.  

Week of Sept. 29th. 

On Monday, I walked 4.25 miles to the local County Board of Elections office so I could start assessing damage in my various counties. (Remember, I work for the State Board of Elections). I of course then walked home 4.25 miles. I repeated this again on Tuesday, walking a total of 8.5 miles or more, since I did a bit of side excursions to find food, water, etc. I was able to find gas Wednesday, but I was still walking places after work to find food and water each night for this week.

Week of Oct. 6th. 

I didn't run most of this week. Hard to run and get sweaty and gross and then have no way to shower, not to mention that trails, greenways were still closed. I did finally run on Friday, the 11th for 3.5 miles which felt really good overall but I could tell I hadn't run in awhile. Work was insane this week trying the help get counties back up and running. We did manage to go to a friend's place in Waynesville, NC and stayed there and once again had water and power and such, hence me running again. 

Week of Oct. 13th

On Sunday, I decided to try a semi-long run. I went out for 7 miles and ran it in 1:25:17. That's a 12:11 pace!! I was so happy and excited by my time/pace. The funny thing was that I wasn't even trying to run fast. I was just out exploring Waynesville. Sadly, work was insane and this was the only day I ran this week. 

I was supposed to have a half-marathon on the 13th but it was canceled due to storm damage on the greenway and rescheduled to November 2nd, which I can't do so I canceled my entry. 

Week of Oct. 20th.

Crazy work schedule and I didn't run. Phone calls early in the a.m. starting at 7 or earlier and calls as late as 9 p.m.

I'll save the week of Oct.27th for next time as I haven't run yet today, but plan to run later. I was on-call this morning until noon. 

Considering Running A Marathon. Am I Crazy?

Lately, I keep having this "crazy" idea that I want to run a marathon. Back in high school, in the 1980's, I wanted to run one, but I never did. Before I had the chance, I moved to Miami and struggled to acclimate to the heat. I had grown up in Minnesota so you can imagine the change. Just for reference, I now live in North Carolina but the summers are still crazy hot here. But at least there's some semblance of  seasons. 

I've been a runner pretty much the whole time. However, Between 1998 when my first child was born and today it's been sporadic at best. I'd say the last time I was in decent shape still was in 2012 when I broke 2 hours for the Half. I ran a 1:57 and really did not train at all. In 2013 I ran another Half-Marathon with no training but was a little over 2 Hours. Why does it matter the times? Well, after that Half, I pretty much stopped running. I would run a 5K here or there, but nothing consistent. 

In 2018, I ran a 10K with my son and after the award ceremony, I could barely walk to the car. I was in excruciating pain! I tried to rest, I tried to stretch, but nothing really helped. I had a horrible case of Plantar Fasciitis. Literally a couple of years went by but every time I thought I had taken enough time off, the pain would come back the moment I ran. 

Long story short, I switched to minimalist shoes after reading Born to Run and it changed everything! I trained and ran, completely pain free, a Half in 2022, but my time was 3 hours and 6 minutes. 

So - Knowing all that, I am now in a situation where I find myself regretting that I ever stopped running. And I'm having regrets that I never took on the Marathon. There's one coming up in March, 2025 here in Asheville where I live. It's incredibly flat so it seems like the ideal introduction to the Marathon. If I attempt it, I would not be looking to compete at all obviously. My goal would be to just complete it and beat the cutoff time of 6.5 hours. 

So, why am I crazy? I work in Elections. Is it crazy to try to train for a Marathon during a Presidential Election year when I'm working 60+ hour weeks? Is it crazy to train for a marathon in barefoot-style shoes? Is it crazy to train for your first Marathon at age 57? The answer to all of this is - maybe. 

However, here's my thoughts: 

• If not now, when? Yes, it will be hard to train with work being so crazy, but I'll have all Summer and Fall to ramp up mileage and save the really long runs for December, January and February - my favorite months due to the temperature. 
• I'm never going to be this young again and I'm sure there have been people that ran their first marathon later than this. 
• The Tarahumara runners mentioned in the book, Born to Run, run ultras in sandals. There are also completely barefoot distance runners such as Zola Budd in the 1984 Olympics and Abebe Bikila in the 1960 marathon. He won in Olympic record time running barefoot!  

So - Registration opens up for the March Marathon in Asheville on July 17th. I have about a week to decide. 

Yesterday, I went out for a four mile run. But it had been so long since I had run on the greenway, I remembered the 2 mile turnaround incorrectly. Instead of 4 miles, I ran 5.57! I was going really slow and didn't want to look at my watch for fear it would take me out of my running trance, which is why I wasn't aware of the 2 mile mark. What was so great about this run was that even though I was slow, I ran the whole time. Just two weeks before I had tried to run 3 miles and had to walk two different times. This got me thinking that with the right mental state, I can actually train for and run a Marathon. 

I know this sounds weird - saying "maybe I can actually run a marathon" - I have coached numerous people to their first marathon so I don't know why I should be any different. I guess we all have those demons that sit on our shoulder and tell us we aren't good enough. I ran again tonight for just a short run and felt good. All signs are pointing to me signing up for a Marathon next week. I'll keep you posted!

Running for Heart Health

 

Did you know that running can also improve your heart health? Of course you did. Running is probably the OG cardio workout. But just in case, according to the American Heart Association, running can lower your risk of heart disease, stroke, and other cardiovascular conditions.

Running is a form of aerobic exercise that can be beneficial for your heart in several ways. When you run, your heart rate increases, which helps to improve cardiovascular fitness and strengthen the heart muscle. Here are some specific ways running can benefit your heart:

1. Increases heart strength: Running makes the heart work harder, which over time can strengthen the heart muscle and make it more efficient at pumping blood throughout the body.

2. Improves blood circulation: Running can help to improve blood circulation, which can reduce the risk of developing heart disease. Regular exercise can also help to lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, which are both risk factors for heart disease.

3. Promotes healthy weight: Running can help you to maintain a healthy weight, which is important for heart health. Excess body weight puts added stress on the heart and increases the risk of developing heart disease.

4. Reduces stress: Regular exercise, including running, can help to reduce stress levels, which can have a positive impact on heart health. High levels of stress can increase the risk of heart disease.

Overall, running is an excellent form of exercise for improving heart health. However, if you have any underlying health conditions or concerns, it's always best to speak with your doctor before starting a new exercise routine. 

As a running coach, I can help you develop a training plan that is tailored to your heart health goals. Whether you are looking to lower your blood pressure or improve your overall cardiovascular fitness, I can help you achieve your goals.

Next week, we’ll look into how running can help with weight loss.

Ran my first 5K of 2023

First 5K in the books & a Half-Marathon for my son!

Yesterday I ran my first 5K of 2023. I had created a training plan for my son who wanted to run a half-marathon so I figured since group offered a 5K as well, I'd run that while he was running the Half. 

His goal was to run a half...big goal was to break 2 hours...dream goal was to run in 1:45 or better. He ran a 1:46! Now, my son is a runner even if he doesn't realize it. He ran cross country a little in school but mainly he focused on track. He ran the 400, 800 and 4x400 relays. So as you can see, distance running wasn't really his thing. But I knew he was my kid and I'd seen him run. He just needed a plan. 

He went out fast, but then again so did I. I wanted to break 40 and I ran a 35:21. The first mile was downhill and flat so it was fast. I hit my first mile at 9:54. I was expecting to be around 12. That's what my effort felt like. Same for my son. He hit his first mile under 7 minutes and he felt like he was running around a 8-8:30 pace. 

He had fun and was proud of himself. He says he may even do it again. For me, I plan on working back up to a half. It'd be fun to run it with him next year. 

As for my personal progress? Well, work has gone off the rails in what is supposed to be my quiet time. I have a special election in March, a county buying new voting equipment and testing it this month and I lost a director in another county so I'm having to watch the office until they can get a new one. I'm up and on the road by 6:30 a.m. and not getting home until after 6 p.m. As a result, my training has been in the toilet, but I have been eating well. Rather than fast food, I've been going to Subway and getting a six inch sub on wheat with a bottle of water or going to the grocery store and getting a sandwich at the deli counter along with a water. I've lost 5 lbs so far. I'm down from 199 to 194 so I'm very happy about that. It's heading in the right direction. 

Today, I didn't run, but I did lift weights in my basement. It's not a finished basement, but there is a concrete floor although it needs lots of work and isn't even in all areas. I have a small space big enough for a bench-type apparatus that has it where the back can go down in a decline, flat, or up at various angles. It must be for kids, or I'm bigger than I think I am because I feel my legs don't fit on the padding part where my legs hang over. Regardless, it helps me keep my back straight during overhead presses and allows me to do a dumbbell bench. 

I am going to figure out a running goal to keep me motivated. I know I want to run a half again, but for right now, I'd like to just get my 5K down under 30 minutes. Honestly, if I do it right, I can actually train for the half and accomplish the 5K goal on the way. 

I really hate that I ever let myself get out of running. At least I retained all the knowledge...LOL. I gave my some tips and tricks I used to get through all the halves I've run. He found them very helpful. Maybe my next post, I'll share those. 

New Year's Resolution 2023 - And How a Coach can Help

I started this year at my heaviest ever weight. I had lost weight last year but gained it back over the holidays. This is very common with most people. I can't speak for everyone, but here's my thoughts on why this happens based on personal experience. 

1. I cut down on sweets and sodas and I lose weight. Once I get to a point where I'm feeling good about myself, I allow for some "indulgences". All of the sudden, it's a few more and few more and soon, I'm eating sweets and sodas again. 
   
   
2. I cut down on sweets and sodas and I lose weight. Once I hit my goal weight, I go back to old habits and the weight comes back. 
   
   
3. I start to exercise but then stop. What seems to happen here is that I exercise, increase my activity, put on a little muscle but then when I stop, which I inevitably seem to do for a variety of reasons, the weight comes back. The muscle I gained starts to turn to fat. A pound of fat takes up a lot more space than a pound a muscle and I'm back to (or close to) where I started.

So how's this year going for me? Well, the first week, I was doing great. I was either running, walking or hiking every day. I lifted weights twice the first week and did some stretching along with the runs. I cut out sweets, sodas and fast food. I lost 2.5 lbs. that first week. 

The second week, I was back at work. I was traveling again, stressed, eating fast food, having a soda here and there, but worst of all - I did no exercise. I didn't run, walk, hike or lift weights. I gained back some of the weight but I'm still down overall for this year. 

The key for me, and the key I believe for everyone is consistency. That first week, I wasn't exercising around the clock. I ran or walked for just 30 minutes. The hikes were longer but the pace wasn't crazy. My weight sessions only took about 20 minutes so not a lot of time out of my day there either.

This week and through the end of the month, work will be crazy for me. I basically have to travel everyday over an hour each way, to take care of a county that is going through some personnel changes. There is a Subway and a grocery store near the office so I will eat there instead of fast food. I can easily avoid sodas if I avoid fast food places. I don't think of Subway as fast food since I have to go inside. In the drive through, it's just so easy to get the combo (which comes with a soda). I have had luck just getting a grilled chicken sandwich and a bottle of water at fast food places, but there's only McDonalds and Burger King in the area and neither offer a grilled chicken sandwich. 

So, what's next? Well, I will get back on track. I will be consistent. I will run more, even if it's at night and in the dark. I have to get on the road so early that I know I won't run before work. The weights are in my basement so it's just a matter of going down there and using them. I did it the first week. I can do it again. I just can't use the excuse, "I'm tired."

What I really need is some accountability. I can coach people and help them hit their goals time after time. But for some reason, I can't seem to motivate myself. The difference? They are accountable to me. I don't have anyone to answer to. Don't get me wrong. I get that I answer to myself. But honestly, if I had someone checking in on me weekly, I'd undoubtedly be more "on task". Maybe I need to start thinking of myself in the third person...LOL.

So, what's the point of this blog post? 1. Be consistent. 2. Be accountable. Those two things will help you hit your goals. Good luck, and don't give up. 

Happy New Year - 2023

Happy New Year!

I can't believe it's January 1st, 2023! I had wanted to be much farther along than I am with my personal fitness. In fact, I ended up making things worse toward year's end. 

I had made a 90 Day Challenge for myself  back in August and when I finished at the end of October, I had lost 8 pounds. This was good, but my goal was 20+ lbs that I wanted to lose. But still a win in my book. Weight loss is weight loss. 

So then, I made a 60 Day Challenge which would take me to the end of the year. My goal was to lose more weight. But instead, traveling for work, Thanksgiving, birthdays, Christmas, vacations, etc...all had me doing whatever the hell I wanted and not making time for running or even eating right. I did a few little things with weights here and there, but nothing that could offset the junk I was eating. 

Now it's January 1st, 2023 and I am the heaviest I've ever been. Ever! I tried to run 4 miles today but had to walk after 3/4 of a mile because my shins were hurting and my legs felt like lead. My shins never hurt and yet they did today and yesterday when I tried to run on the last day of the year. What is so strange, is that before I left on vacation, I had run 5 miles without stopping. So is it mental? Physical? Just an off couple of days? I don't know. My sleep is the same. No better, no worse. 

Anyway, back to the run. I had to walk after 3/4 of a mile. But I was determined to go four miles today. So I ran/walked the whole distance. Coming back I was faster so I either ran more of it, or I ran faster when I did run. 

Upcoming Physical

I have my annual physical in the beginning of March so I have some real incentive to lose weight. No holidays coming up that call for tons of food. Work shouldn't be too crazy either. The one thing is weather, but I just need to suck it up and run no matter the cold. I used to live in Minnesota and ran all the time so I need to tap back into that inner animal or whatever mojo I had back in the day. 

My Plan Going Forward

I do not plan on running every day. Just every other day and then a long run on Sundays. I do want to start doing more with weights. I have the dumbbells I've been using and I got some pool noodles to try and fix my little bench. The padding on my bench got old, hard and crusty. So I got some pool noodles that I will cut to size and hopefully fix the issue.  

I'm not sure if you read my other blogs or not. Hopefully, if you're struggling with getting back in shape, you will see that no matter what, I kept trying - even if the effort wasn't the best. 

So what's my plan now? No more set challenges. Just taking it day by day. I will cut down on sodas and sweets now that the holidays are over. I will be more active. My job has me either sitting at a desk or sitting in the car driving to counties where I then sit and talk. My plan is to really make an effort to run or workout in the morning before work so that way it's done and I have no excuses. 

60 Day Challenge - Week 9

 I am beyond disappointed. I was on vacation all this week except for today, that last day, December 31st. I ate whatever I wanted since last Monday. I had two or more sodas per day. Lot's of fried fish and no exercise. I always make time to run when I go to Virginia, but this trip I did not. It was cold and I didn't pack the right stuff to run in the mornings and failed to make time in the afternoons when it warmed up. I ended this year and this challenge at the HEAVIEST I've ever been in my life. When I first got on the scale this morning, I was 199.2 lbs. About a half hour later I stepped on the scale again and was 198.2 so who knows what the right number is. Either way though, I've never been this heavy. 

 I am starting this week where I was yesterday; 194lbs. But that's better than the 197 I hit last week. 

Day 57: December 27th

For breakfast, I had a bagel with butter and orange juice. For lunch, I had Indian food. I had butter chicken, tandoori wings, rice and naan. I also had a Mai Thai drink. For dinner, I had 10 garlic parmesan wings. I had a birthday cupcake from yesterday and a Coke.

For exercise, I did 25 air squats.

Day 58: December 28th 

For breakfast, I had a cupcake. For lunch, I had 3 slices of pizza. Pepperoni, Philly Cheese Steak and cheese along with a Coke. For dinner, I had fried fish, a crab cake and fried shrimp along with fries and 2 cokes. 

For exercise, I did 25 air squats. 

Day 59: December 29th

For breakfast,  had grits and eggs. For lunch I just had 2 cokes. For dinner, I had a fried fish po boy with fries and a drink called "Ship Faced".

For exercise, I did 25 air squats. 

Day 60: December 30th 

For breakfast, I had a homemade cinnamon roll. Lunch consisted of candy and 2 cokes. Dinner was Chicken Parmesan and pasta at an Italian restaurant on the drive home. 

I didn't exercise today. 

Day 61: December 31st

This morning is when I weighed in at my all-time heaviest...199.2. Talk about upset!

I skipped breakfast. For lunch I had a roast beef sandwich on a Kaiser roll with muenster cheese & horseradish sauce. For dinner, I had 8 pieces of sushi and a mini-Godzilla roll. I actually tried to run today, but only made it .87 miles before my legs felt like solid lead and my shins started to get sore. I walked the rest of the way home for a total of 1.64 miles...again, half of it I was able to run. As if this year couldn't have ended worse for my fitness. 

Signing off now, but I will post a new blog tomorrow.

60 Day Challenge - Week 8

 I am starting this week where I was yesterday; 194lbs. But that's better than the 197 I hit last week. 

Day 50: December 20th

For breakfast, I had a McDonald's Sausage McMuffin with egg and cheese. I also had the hash brown and an orange juice. I skipped lunch. I just wasn't hungry after eating breakfast. For dinner, we made chicken, beans and cheese tostadas. I also had grilled veggies to go with mine.

For exercise, I did 10 x 15lb curls and 10 x 15lb overhead presses.

Day 51: December 21st 

I skipped breakfast. For lunch, I had a roast beef, muenster cheese sandwich on an onion roll with horseradish sauce. For dinner, I cooked and made Tortellini with italian sausage. 

For exercise, I did a combo move with my 10 x 15lb curls but on the up position, I went straight into the overhead press. 

Day 52: December 22nd

I skipped breakfast. For lunch I had a grilled chicken sandwich from Chick Fil-a. For dinner we went out to eat at an Asian restaurant called Itto's. I had the Salmon & Tuna Poke bowl with water to drink. 

For exercise, I ran 5 miles. I had planned on running out 2.5 miles and then run/walking back. However, at the turnaround, I felt OK so I thought, let's go for 3. I kept feeling good at each half mile so I ended up running the whole way. It was definitely a confidence boost. 

Day 53: December 23rd

It is in the single digits today so I'm glad I ran yesterday. There was the lightest dusting outside. The interesting thing is that I've been rather sad lately. I know people get seasonal depression because it's cold and grey and gets dark early, but that never bothered me. I think my seasonal sadness is due to it being cold but no snow. I grew up in Minnesota so cold and grey is typical in the winters. I never knew any different. However, there was tons of snow so playing outside was fun. 

But then moved to Miami, then Austin, TX and then to Asheville. All had/have winters, but none really have the snow. Occasionally, Texas and North Carolina have some snow, but it's very limited and not very much. Interestingly, when there is a lot of snow, those are the days I feel the best. Leave it to me to have some weird version of seasonal sadness. 

Anyways...my weight this morning was 192.6. Last Friday, I had hit 197 and was really pissed. It was my fault though. Fast food twice a day sometimes. Lots of sodas. Lots of sweets. But this week, I reigned it back in and the results make me happy. I don't think I can lose weight during this 60 day challenge at this point, but hopefully, I will not gain any. But then again...what was I thinking trying to lose weight during November (Thanksgiving) and December (Christmas) when I love food and sweets?

I skipped breakfast this morning. I spent the morning wrapping presents, For lunch, I had leftover tortellini and sausage. For dinner, we ate in and made nut encrusted Salmon with mashed potatoes and brussel sprouts. I did have a glass of "spiked" eggnog with Maker's Mark Bourbon. 

For exercise, I did not run. My feet were a little sore from yesterday, but nothing too bad. It was always crazy cold and I did do 5 miles yesterday after having only run twice in the last two weeks. I did however lift my weights. 10 x 15lb dumbbell curls into a overhead press. 

Day 54: December 24th 

It's Christmas Eve! I know I'll eat a lot today with family coming over, baking, etc...but that's OK. It's Christmas and I'm not going to worry about it. I will do my best to limit the amount of sweets though. 

I skipped breakfast and for lunch I had a steak, a chicken and pork taco. For dinner, we went to Carrabba's and I had the Mahi Wolfe (fish) with garlic mashed potatoes. I also had a winter lager beer to drink and a slice or two of the bread with olive oil. 

At home, my wife baked so I did have cookies throughout the day, but I didn't go crazy. At night, opening presents with my kids who came over, I had an eggnog with bourbon.

I did not exercise. I thought about doing my weights earlier in the day but then I thought "I'll just do them tonight before bed.". I did not do them before bed. 

Day 55: December 25th

It's Christmas! I woke up and had a cup of hot chocolate to get in the spirit. 

For breakfast, my wife made hash browns, sausage links, French toast. For a late lunch, early dinner, we went to a Japanese Hibachi Grill where they cook at your table. I had the steak and chicken combo which comes with veggies, fried rice and a couple of shrimp. I did have a couple of cookies totday too.

Day 56: December 26th

Today, we drove to Virginia Beach. For breakfast, we stopped at a place called Biscuitville and I had a sausage and egg biscuit along with a hash brown and an orange juice. For lunch, we really just had snacks in the car and I had a Coke. For dinner, we celebrated my mother in-law's birthday with Mexican food. I had a carnitas burrito.

I have no scale here in Virginia so I have no idea where finished this week. For exercise, I did 25 air squats.