Yesterday (Monday) was a very nice day for a run. The temp was down and scattered clouds, slight breeze. PERFECT. Unfortunately, my run was not perfect. In fact, I woke up hurting this morning. BUMMER. However, I know the problem and could have prevented it. Sort of like sticking your tongue in the toaster-you know it's not a good idea but you just have to know for sure. Let me 'splain . .

Sunday morning I did a very sweet four miles in the rain. Didn't care . . it felt great. I finished up, took my orthotics out of the shoes and took them in the house. I put the dripping wet shoes in the laundry room (no, not in the dryer) to air dry. I figured they'd be dried out by Monday afternoon. Wrong. So, I pulled out an old, old, old pair of shoes I had retired and a very comfortable. Well, at least they are comfortable for knocking around in. Not so good for running in anymore. My ankles and knees hurt the whole time I was running. Ain't doing that again.

Since my B'day is coming up, I am going to get me some new shoes. I normally keep two pair in rotation but since I was not doing that many miles, I had let myself get down to one pair. I will be getting back into my favorites-Brooks Beast. I love my Mizuno Wave Renegades but they just don't hold up like the Beast.

Hopefully my present shoes have dried out and I'll be able to get in a four miler this afternoon.

Wow . . . . it has been soooooooo long since I've posted here. Like others, I moved over to FB world but it is just not the same for logging my thoughts and experiences of being a fat man running.

Yes, I have been running. Granted during the last six months or so I have sort of been "running on empty", not really having any motivation and just slipping by with no real plan. I know that is no way to do anything in life, especially running. Seems if there is no plan, there is no goal and no motivation and the running quickly becomes tedious and ultimately gets moved to lower priority activity.

Not anymore. I have a goal. Therefore, I am working on a plan. I have been increasing my mileage, trying to get a decent base. I've been hitting 14-16 mile weeks for a while now, losing weight, and am ready to start increasing my mileage (SLOWLY). I am wanting to run the Mercedes half marathon here in B'ham in Feb. I know I won't break any records but I think that I am up for it and use that as a spring board to move on to greater things.

I hope you join me on journey to Feb 2011.

Had one of "those" runs last night. No, not a bad one, but a good one. They seem so few nowadays. I still have not got a handle on my life as a married man with kids but working on it. I have taken easy scheduling so much for granted. Now I realize, more than ever, that time is a premium and I have to save some for myself.

anyway . . . Had a couple of tough runs last week. Just didn't feel good, legs sore, pushed for time, lots of junk on my mind. Nothing seemed to groove. Ran Sunday afternoon and swore that I was going to just quit running altogether-it was awful. I didn't quit but slogged through an awful three miles. Ran right after church and the weather was pretty but it just didn't work.

However, last night was like magic. You know what I mean? I didn't get started until after dark. It was cold and getting colder by the minute. Stiff breeze from the west. Should have been tough for a run but I had a blast. I did wear lightweight tights (such a wuss), a windshirt and windvest, thin gloves and ear protection. Also wore my little red flashy lights to I wouldn't get run over or so Susan could find my body laying in a ditch, whichever came first. After a cuople of hundred yards, my breathing grooved, my legs didn't hurt, good running and breathin cadence . . . . could it be that the runner inside of me had been hiding? Decided to come out and play in the dark of a cold, snowy night? Yep, that is what made it really fun-it was snowing like crazy and the feel of the cold ice crystals hitting my face was so invigorating. I guess I'm just a glutton for punishment.

worked out after getting back home and that went well also.

Did somebody flip a switch in my head?

just thinking

I was able to squeeze in a nice, quick three miler this evening. Still trying to adjust to our new schedule. Most of my afternoon was running car pool, taking to tutors, picking up from extended care, doing laundry. So three miles between the whites and taking MA to soccer practice made me happy.

I've run three out of four days and planning on one a little longer sometime Saturday. Nothing spectacular but getting back into a routine.

While running tonight, it occurred to me that I have been such a slug since getting married. One of my weekend activities is to move my weights to Susans house. I have a few dumbells here (not the kids and wife) and do some light stuff but nothing to amount to much. I think the dust on the dumbells is getting thicker than my muscles. Pretty dang embarrassing.

So Jim is going to take care of Jim. I am retrieving my weight machine and setting it up in MY room and start using it.

My plan is to get back into my old routine of four days running and two days lifting. Eventually add bicycling in as a cross training.

I'll start off simple and light with the weights. Even when I was going full bore with it, I could get a workout in inside an hour. Here's how I'm starting and your feedback is welcome.

Bench Press (narrow, normal, wide, reverse gripped). That is four sets. 10-12 reps with a manageable weight.

Behind the neck seated press (narrow and wide grip) Four sets, 10-12.

Chin lifts or upright rowing(varying grips). Three sets 10-12.

Lat pulldowns behind the neck, three sets 10-12

Bent over rowing with dumbbells, three sets 10-12

Dumbell curls 2 sets of 10 concentrated, 1 set of 10 power.

Laying dumbell over the head curls 3 sets of 10-12

Leg press 3 sets of 15-20

Leg curls 3 sets of 15-20

leg extensions 3 sets of 15-20


After several weeks of just getting my body used to the added stress, I'll try to group my lifts into opposing muscle groups as much as possible and try to work two exercises concurrently, alternating the lifts (sort of similar to super-sets).

I refuse to be a wuss any longer!

June?
are you kidding me? Has it been that long since I've posted. Wow, what a slug.

Actually, I have been doing some running but nothing serious. I have been trying to get in at least 4 days a week but it's tough. Especially with my modified schedule. However, I am proud that I've had several good weeks and yesterday's run was a confidence booster.

Last night was the first time in a long, long time I actually had a "running dream". Some you have no clue but some of you do. Isn't it a great feeling to dream about it? And to really top it off, I also dreamed about biking. Got me to thinking that maybe I need to set up my stationary bike and start trying get in better shape . . . maybe plan on doing some 30-50 mile rides later on this summer. I guess my primary goal is to be in shape enough to run Peavine Falls run on July 4th. Locals know this as the crazy man's run early in the morning at Oak Mtn State Park. Approx miles up the mountain and then 4 miles down the mountain. I've done this race many times before and love the comradarie. Plus it justifies the pork, potato salad, cole slaw intake later on in the day. I'm hoping that MA will run it with me. She says she wants to run it but she will be in the middle of soccer season and not sure if she'll feel like it. Anyway, stay tuned-I am trying to get back in the saddle and do a better job of running and documenting it!