Today was the day to do the third day of Couch to 10K. My typical routine is to do my workouts after work. I decided to do today's workout first thing this morning. I have heard a lot of different thoughts and theories about working out. The the second day after a workout hurts more than the day after is one I hear often.
Some people say that it is best to do a workout first thing in the morning. It gets the blood pumping and makes you feel better for the rest of the day. I have had some experience with this and I believe that there is a lot of merit to it. A few years ago, I worked with a guy who had some experience in the Marine Corps. He and I spent a few months working out together every morning before work. We met up at the office workout and did the basic sorts of exercises that Marine Recruits do during basic training. We worked out for about an hour, and then got going with our day after cleaning up.
I felt that endorphin rush that people talk about when they talk about after workouts in the morning. The reason why I don't get do my workouts first thing in the morning is because it would require me to get up at about 3 in the morning to happen. I honestly sleep too little as it is. Also, I have found that working out can be a little loud, particularly on the treadmill. Running outside would not be a noise issue, but, I live in the Pacific Northwest. It does rain often, so some days I would prefer to stay dry during my workout. My wife sleeps later than I do in the mornings, so it is simpler for me to do my workouts in the afternoon, when my work day is over.
I am not aware of any particular advantages to morning or afternoon workouts from the standpoint of Biology. I think the import thing is that the workout happens. One thing that I did notice about working out this morning is that I do feel more soreness this evening than I do when I do my workout in the late afternoon. Maybe I sleep through it in the night.
Three months to go before I should be 10K ready.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Trials and Declarations
It is unusual for me to get two blog posts in during a single day. I consider myself lucky if I get one in per week. I wrote earlier today I was going to start Couch to 10k. It is advertised that by following this regime and doing the workouts 3 time per week, in 13 weeks, I will be ready to do a 10 k without stopping. I did indeed start this evening. I started shortly after I got home and let the dogs outside for their "yard time." It took about 40 minutes and it was a lot more work than I expected.
For those of you who are interested in the stats, the first step was to walk for 4 minutes 30 seconds and then run for 30 seconds. This interval repeated itself 7 times. During this workout, I went just a little over 2 miles and burned 230 calories.
These are the lessons that I learned from trying this method.
1) My workout playlist needs a serious makeover. Those who have read some of my previous posts know that I need to have my tunes during my workout. I set the playlist to random and I definitely need to get some songs with more energy. I will be working on that correction. I am open to suggestions.
2) After trying a couple of different approaches during the workout, holding on to my iPod worked best. I did have event where the iPod flew off the bookshelf of my treadmill. Who reads while running on the treadmill anyway?\
3) I am still very happy with the shoes I wrote about in a previous post. I definitely want to continue to use them and get another pair for running outside. I have a different pair of shoes that I can use in the meantime.
4) Running on the treadmill is loud, so I will have to do it after work. I don't want to wake my wife up in the early morning hours.
5) I am not very flexible. Stretching is very difficult for me, so I think I am going to have to start doing it daily. When I stretched this afternoon, it sounded like the whole upper half of my skeleton was resetting. I dont expect to be goalie flexible when I am done, but, I hope to be able to be competitive in a limbo competition. Speaking of competition....
I know I have talked about 10k's and working out, losing weight and a little about stress reduction. I am something of a goal oriented person. The 10k races will be a step in my progression toward the my goal, as will half and full marathons as well as bike races. The goal that I have set for my self is to complete an Ironman Triathlon at the age of 40. I figure that gives me 3 years to train. Now that I have said it and published it, than I need to get it done. I don't plan to talk a whole lot about the triathlon at this point, rather focus on the running or bike race that is right in front of me.
I appreciate your support, prayers and comments. Keep the music and informations suggestions coming.
Addition: In response to Lindsay's comment, I have read the Couch to 10k online before as a post from Cool Running Magazine. I am actually using an app for the iPhone that uses the same process. This blogging software doesn't appear to like links, so if you want the link, send me an email at 1pairofshoes@gmail.com and I will send it to you.
For those of you who are interested in the stats, the first step was to walk for 4 minutes 30 seconds and then run for 30 seconds. This interval repeated itself 7 times. During this workout, I went just a little over 2 miles and burned 230 calories.
These are the lessons that I learned from trying this method.
1) My workout playlist needs a serious makeover. Those who have read some of my previous posts know that I need to have my tunes during my workout. I set the playlist to random and I definitely need to get some songs with more energy. I will be working on that correction. I am open to suggestions.
2) After trying a couple of different approaches during the workout, holding on to my iPod worked best. I did have event where the iPod flew off the bookshelf of my treadmill. Who reads while running on the treadmill anyway?\
3) I am still very happy with the shoes I wrote about in a previous post. I definitely want to continue to use them and get another pair for running outside. I have a different pair of shoes that I can use in the meantime.
4) Running on the treadmill is loud, so I will have to do it after work. I don't want to wake my wife up in the early morning hours.
5) I am not very flexible. Stretching is very difficult for me, so I think I am going to have to start doing it daily. When I stretched this afternoon, it sounded like the whole upper half of my skeleton was resetting. I dont expect to be goalie flexible when I am done, but, I hope to be able to be competitive in a limbo competition. Speaking of competition....
I know I have talked about 10k's and working out, losing weight and a little about stress reduction. I am something of a goal oriented person. The 10k races will be a step in my progression toward the my goal, as will half and full marathons as well as bike races. The goal that I have set for my self is to complete an Ironman Triathlon at the age of 40. I figure that gives me 3 years to train. Now that I have said it and published it, than I need to get it done. I don't plan to talk a whole lot about the triathlon at this point, rather focus on the running or bike race that is right in front of me.
I appreciate your support, prayers and comments. Keep the music and informations suggestions coming.
Addition: In response to Lindsay's comment, I have read the Couch to 10k online before as a post from Cool Running Magazine. I am actually using an app for the iPhone that uses the same process. This blogging software doesn't appear to like links, so if you want the link, send me an email at 1pairofshoes@gmail.com and I will send it to you.
Routines
I am back at home and back to work, trying to get settled back into something close to what my daily routine is. Admittedly, my training routine has been erratic to say the least. I have been back on the treadmill a few times and actually ran outside once since I have been home. Happily, I have lost some weight while everything has been changed. I am down to 253 as of this morning. We didn't eat very much or on a regular schedule while I was gone, so I am not sure how much that was a part of the change. I can say that my in laws eat mostly organic, so that may have been a factor.
I am going to start Couch to 10K this evening. I have read through the process and there is an app for the iPhone that I can get to faciliate the process. I hope that I have not lost all of my progress to this point, but, I think having something consistant will help. I am also looking for a 10K to run in the next few months. Something local (around Portland, OR) would be preferred.
Something that I have learned is that having a consistant routine is very helpful. Also, running, even on the treadmill, is a better stress reliever than I realized.
As always, I am open to suggestions for training tips, or playlists.
I am going to start Couch to 10K this evening. I have read through the process and there is an app for the iPhone that I can get to faciliate the process. I hope that I have not lost all of my progress to this point, but, I think having something consistant will help. I am also looking for a 10K to run in the next few months. Something local (around Portland, OR) would be preferred.
Something that I have learned is that having a consistant routine is very helpful. Also, running, even on the treadmill, is a better stress reliever than I realized.
As always, I am open to suggestions for training tips, or playlists.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Losses and Gains
I referred in my last post to my Brother in Law's battle with Hodgekin's Lymphoma. He fought bravely against the disease. Sadly, Aaron passed away on 8 March, 2010 at approximately 6:30 in the evening. He was only 23 years old.
As the family has come together this past week, I have had the opportunity to hear stories, see films and listen to music that he created. He was a soldier, an actor, a musician and singer. I think that I have learned more from him in the past two weeks than I realized at the time. He looked for the positive things in life and chose to focus on those. He had a strict rule that there was to be no negativity in his room and didn't want to see people crying in front of him. I had the chance to help him in ways I would have never imagined.
He didn't complain about not being able to lie on his back, be comfortable or even having cancer in the first place. His passing has taken a lot from the family, but it also reminded us of what he gave us.
His funeral will be this coming Monday. I am looking forward to hearing new stories, meeting friends of his that I haven't had the pleasure to in the past. While we will return to our routines, the routines will not be the same completely. I plan to take his positive attitude his "Let's do it" spirit and apply it to the elements of my life in new ways.
Life, Love and Happiness.
As the family has come together this past week, I have had the opportunity to hear stories, see films and listen to music that he created. He was a soldier, an actor, a musician and singer. I think that I have learned more from him in the past two weeks than I realized at the time. He looked for the positive things in life and chose to focus on those. He had a strict rule that there was to be no negativity in his room and didn't want to see people crying in front of him. I had the chance to help him in ways I would have never imagined.
He didn't complain about not being able to lie on his back, be comfortable or even having cancer in the first place. His passing has taken a lot from the family, but it also reminded us of what he gave us.
His funeral will be this coming Monday. I am looking forward to hearing new stories, meeting friends of his that I haven't had the pleasure to in the past. While we will return to our routines, the routines will not be the same completely. I plan to take his positive attitude his "Let's do it" spirit and apply it to the elements of my life in new ways.
Life, Love and Happiness.
Monday, March 8, 2010
Life Balances
While the primary arc to this blog is about working out and losing weight, there are other aspects of life that this fits into. I have written a little bit about goals and trying to strike a balance in life.
It has been about two weeks since I posted for one of those life balance kinds of reasons. There are a few places in the Bible that basically say that a person who doesnt take care of their family is worse than a non believer. I very much believe that to be the case. As some of whomever may be reading this, my Brother in Law has been battling Hodgekin's Lymphoma for about a year now and he is at a very important point in his fight. Without going into the details of another person's story, I have been focusing more time on being involved in his treatment, including taking time off of work and as a result, I have not been training much. I know now that taking care of someone who cannot take care of themselves clues you into things you didn't know you could do. Just from working with Aaron this past week, I think I have grown as a person, even though I have lost over two pounds.
I have read in a few places that there is a mindset in the Triathelete culture that causes life to become focused around training and workouts. While my current goals and ambitions are more consistant with becoming a Triathelete, I do not intend on letting that become the center of my life. I am OK with the consequences of that decision. There are battles out there that are exponentially more important than the one that I am preparing for.
It has been about two weeks since I posted for one of those life balance kinds of reasons. There are a few places in the Bible that basically say that a person who doesnt take care of their family is worse than a non believer. I very much believe that to be the case. As some of whomever may be reading this, my Brother in Law has been battling Hodgekin's Lymphoma for about a year now and he is at a very important point in his fight. Without going into the details of another person's story, I have been focusing more time on being involved in his treatment, including taking time off of work and as a result, I have not been training much. I know now that taking care of someone who cannot take care of themselves clues you into things you didn't know you could do. Just from working with Aaron this past week, I think I have grown as a person, even though I have lost over two pounds.
I have read in a few places that there is a mindset in the Triathelete culture that causes life to become focused around training and workouts. While my current goals and ambitions are more consistant with becoming a Triathelete, I do not intend on letting that become the center of my life. I am OK with the consequences of that decision. There are battles out there that are exponentially more important than the one that I am preparing for.
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