C6W1D1

Today is the first day of my new challenge. I woke up 35 minutes before I had to get up. No time for a workout before catching the 6:15am train to work but I plan to get one in this afternoon or evening. Nutrition so far has been greek yogurt and granola. Lunch will most likely be a grilled chicken salad. 200ml of water down a 3 liters to go.

I took my before pictures yesterday. I went on a run and it hurt. Did 2.4mi and felt like quitting 15 minutes into the run. It was sunny and in the 50s so I could not pass up the opportunity.  Later in the day Ellen and I rode our bikes because it was so nice.

My job contract ends two weeks from tomorrow and I am going to have to push hard to keep a consistent routine until then. Once it is up I will be working from home on Monday & Wednesday and commuting by train to work on Tue/Thur and maybe Fridays if my work load calls for it. If I do cardio MWF and weight TTHS then I will not have to buy a gym membership. I do want to pay a year pass to the city gym for only $150.

Things are looking up and good nutrition happens one choice at a time.

BFL Coffee Crew!

http://bodyforlife.com/community/boards/bfl/f/13/t/80.aspx

This was my biggest support group. When I started a new job in April and lost all my support. Bad habits I had not had in many years slowly came back. Last night I ate a double cheese burger, 6 chicken nuggets, a bean burrito, and a flatbread taco.

I have made 2-3 attempts to start back up that crashed and burned. I had the fuel but this group was the wind beneath my wings. I quit the new job two months ago and now I am working two jobs as a independent contractor. I quit my gym membership because I had not used it in months and only went 20 times the whole year VS. 3-6 times a week in the past.

I got thru for a long time saying as long as I am under 190 I am doing ok and maintaining all the hard work I put from 2008-2009. Right now I am 204 and had to switch to an old belt to go to work. My wife is worried that I am out of control as she never knew me before I lost most of my weight and started living healthy.

Last week I turned 30 and I feel like a whole new chapter is opening. I am starting a business from home that we plan to launch in the spring. I am losing my full time contract at the end of the month. I slept in till 11am yesterday when I was suppose to be at work at 6:45am. I drank a red bull on the way to my second job and could not sleep last night.

I plan to take before pictures and measurement this week. My very first BFL challenge started December 14th 2009 (weighed 182) and I hope to start a new one or some type of training plan soon.
I miss this support group. It was one of a kind and everyone moving to Facebook then all the members fading away really hurt. The forum was magic because anyone could post and there were always new people who wanted to join in. The Facebook group was closed so only 1 person in it is still motivated and posts.

This is only my 17th blog post of 2013. I had 248 in 2012 and 340 in 2011. I have not had much to say and have not done much to write home about.

With 2014 on the horizon I am still optimistic about what the future will bring. I have been laying the stepping stones to escape the cubicle and draining commutes and focus on what I am passionate about to make a living. Depends on how a talk goes with my boss at my part time job my freedom might greatly increase. Freedom of time and freedom of living closer to what I believe in and what I want the future to bring.

C5W7D6 - 5k

I have been running on the treadmill too much recently. This morning I decided to run a 5k to see how my actual speed is progressing. I set my alarm for 5am but I did not get up until after 6am.

I did not look at my watch for the first 0.75mi and just ran at pace that felt hard but sustainable. When I finally looked I was going at a 8:30 pace so I sped up. I reached 1mi in 8:05. I picked up the pace to around 7:45 and ran another 0.55mi then turned around to run back. I finished mile 2 right at 16 minutes and was feeling good. I ran at a 7:30 pace until I reached the big hill on Spencer and pushed to keep just under 8:00. On the downhill I began to run just under 7:15 and kept the pace for 0.45mi. With 0.25mi left I pushed harder and got up at a 6:45-6:55 pace and finished in 24:14. I had not run an outdoor 5k in 15 days. I beat my PR by 11 seconds and was a sweaty mess.

On Thursday I downloaded an app on my phone called FigureRunning. I read about it in a Runners World magazine a co-worker gave me while Ellen was in surgery. Basically you can doodle on google maps with different colors and thickness using your GPS and running to do the drawing. This was my first time to try it and all I did was an out and back and I changed the color as I reached the turnaround.
 

C5W7D3 - LBWO + 2 Miles

Continuing my week of being unable to wake up early and exercise before work I got to the gym around 7pm due to working 15 min late and traffic. A few weeks ago I added running 2 miles to my strength training workouts on Wednesdays. It was 100f outside so I figure the treadmill is a safer option.

I am in the third week of my current LBWO routine and have been able to add 5 to 20 pounds per set each workout. The week of August 6th I will switching to a new 4 week routine to finish out my BFL challenge. I plan to use as many free weights as possible.

I felt strong despite being hungry on my drive home. My training intensity is very focused and I do my best to use good form. This is the first time I have done Barbell Squats using the Smith Machine since I had a personal trainer 3 years ago. I remember he put on 50 lbs and it used to kill me and I hated it. I still hate it but I can lift more now. I completely gave up doing any lower body lifting from April 2011 to April 2012 and I can feel my strength coming back. I have read the lower body lifting helps runners stay injury free.

I was able to cut my LBWO 2 minutes short. I got on the treadmill and set it to 8.2 mph. After 0.75mi I changed it 8.3. At the mile mark I bumped it up to 8.6mph (6:58 pace) and kept that speed until I had 0.25 left and switched it to 9.0 and with 0.1 left up to 9.5 finishing 2 miles in 14:08. Checking my spreadsheet stats I figured out this was my first 2 mile run on a treadmill. I keep stats on my PR by distance and keep treadmill runs separate. This is my first treadmill 2mi and my outdoor 2mi PR is 14:55. My treadmill time tend to be 4-7% faster than outdoors.

I am taking off tomorrow as my rest day so I can be there for Ellen's surgery. She is nervous and will need me there for her for 24 hours after surgery. I am glad it is finally happening and hope/pray everything goes well.

C5W7D1 - UBWO

This morning I woke up with zero energy and it felt like every muscle in my body was sore. I slept in Ellen cooked a nice breakfast. After work I got to the gym around 6:45pm and had a good UBWO. I feel better now.

C5W6D7 - 6.5mi Outdoors 1.5mi Treadmill

When my alarm went off at 4:50am I drank a 5 hour energy and hit snooze. I woke up 4 hours later and decided to run 9 miles in the heat. I got in bed before 10pm last night so I could run before the sunrise and beat the heat. The treadmills at the gym will only let you program them for 60 mins. I think mentally the treadmill is harder on long distances and I prefer to do less than 30 minutes on them.

I started my run at 9:30am and it was 84 degrees with a nice breeze and no clouds. I began a little slower than a 10 min pace for 2 miles. I picked up the speed for the next 0.75 mi then the heat got to me. I pushed myself up the hill to the square then walked for a bit. I decided to run to the convenience store and get a Gatorade. I got the the Mid-Way Mart at 3.25 mi and paused my Garmin watch.

Being in the A/C felt nice and I cooled off. I looked around for a snack but nothing looked very healthy. I went back outside and started back on my run moving at a sub 10min pace for 0.5mi. I got back on the trail determined to do at least a 10k outdoors and finish my run on the treadmill since I started from my gym parking lot. I kept a good pace for another 0.75 mi then walked for a little big. There was a big hill ahead with a long downhill afterward so I decided to push some more and ended up going 1.15mi then took my last walk break. I was at the big hill on Spencer road and I had less than a mile back to the gym and half a mile to a 10k. I gave it everything I had only getting up to a 9 min pace but I just kept going finishing 6.5mi in 1:07:29.

I walked straight into the gym, refilled my water bottle, and got on a treadmill. I started out at 6.5mph thinking I had 1.5mi to go but soon remembered I needed 2.5mi to reach 9 miles. I got discouraged and slowed down. I decided due to sleeping in 8 miles was good enough as I would put me at the same mileage as last week. I have two long run left before I start my training program. I ended up doing 1.5 miles in 14:46. That makes a combined total of 8 miles in 1:22:15

This coming Saturday morning I will attempt 9 miles and I hope to get in 10 miles the first weekend in August. We will be visiting San Marcos so there will be lots of very big hills. I did 10.25mi there when I visited Easter weekend.

C5W6D6 - LBWO

I have heard that the middle of the afternoon is the ideal time to do a strength training session since testosterone levels are the highest. My routine is off by a day this week because I used Thursday as a rest day. Tomorrow will be my long run day.
My right leg was sore from Monday's LBWO so it was nice to have an extra day to recover.

C5W6D5 - 4 Miles Treadmill

Yesterday morning I went into work early and last night I went to the Midnight Premiere of The Dark Knight Rises so I missed my run. I got home around 3am and slept till noon today. I decided to run on the treadmill due to the heat. I did 1 mile instead of 2 on Wendesday so I decided to do 4 miles instead of 3.1 today.

 I started out at a 10 min pace for half a mile. I bumped up my speed every 0.25 to 0.5mi. I finished 3.1mi in 26:16. I started out the last mile at a 7 min pace and increased the speed finishing 4 miles in 32:35 beating my 4 mile treadmill PR by 1:42.

 

D5W6D3 - UBWO + 1 Mile

This morning I was tired. I wanted an energy drink but we didn't have any. I powered through my upper body workout but it ended up taking 3 minutes longer than usual. Ellen got off the treadmill right as my weight workout ended and we headed outside to run. I had planned on doing 2 miles but 0.5mi in my legs were SUPER sore from Monday's lower body workout so I turned around. Ellen reached 0.25mi as I turned around. She saw me and headed back too. We finished at the same time, 7:30, with Ellen going a half mile and I finished a mile.

Afterward I was worn out.

C5W6D2 - Treadmill HIIT/5k

This morning I ran on the treadmill for the first time in over 6 weeks. I did a BFL style HIIT for 20 minutes finished out to a 5k. I found out after going to the same gym for almost 3 years that the max speed on the treadmill is 10.0 mph. I reached 2.7mi in 20 minutes beating my old treadmill distance by 0.1mi. I finished 3.1mi in 22:44 beating my treadmill 5k PR by 64 seconds. 22:44 makes 21 minutes seem closer in reach.

Maybe I should run on the treadmill more to work on high speeds or should I just build up my speed outdoors?

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/200204898

Red = Race, Blue = Training Run, Grey = Treadmill Gym

Blue = Treadmill, Green = Outdoors

C5W6D1 - LBWO

I workout.....

C5D5D6 - 8 Mile Run

Even though I ran yesterday to makeup missing my run Thursday I did my long run today. It will give me two day off from running and time to recover.
I decided to run from Lowes to Cool Beans as I know it is a little over 4 miles and I planned to run 8 miles continuing adding 1 mile each long run.
I ran at an easy pace for two miles then stayed around a 10 pace for the next two. At the halfway point I started going a little faster until I slowed down midway thru Mile 5 to drink water and down an gel pack. I reached 6 miles right around 60 minutes and decided to push the final 2 miles. I finished in 1:17:44.
 

C5W5D3 - LBWO + 2 Miles

In order to increase my weekly volume while increasing my speed I will be doing a 2 mile run on Wednesday after my strength training. This means I need to be at the gym right when it opens at 5am to be "on time" to work. Ellen joined me even though her right hand was swollen from a kitten scratch. What a trooper!

I was shooting for a sub-15min run but my legs were burning from all the lifting. My legs felt like they usually do on the last mile or 2 of my long runs. Next Wednesday is an upper body workout so I will have more leg strength. I was still able to finish in 15:12.

C5W5D1 - UBWO

Success!!!!! Today we both got up before 5am and went to the gym together. This marks my first Monday morning pre-work workout since March. I am so excited to have Ellen with me and starting an new UBWO routine today.

C5W4D7

I got started 4 hours later than planned this morning. I decided to go to the nice shady Greenbelt Trail and do a 7 mile out and back. I felt great the first half but the heat got to me in mile 3 as I ran in a clearing in direct sunlight. I took a gel pack but I was overheated. I took 4 or 5 walk breaks on the way back. I had planned to finish in 63 minutes but once I slowed down I was just aiming for 70min. At 6.75mi in I got a call from Ellen checking on me and it gave the motivation to keep going strong. 
31:42 out and 38:16 back finishing 7 miles in 70:10. The outdoor heat beats an hour on the treadmill any day.
It was 86-88f during my run.

C5W4D5 - 5K

This morning I woke up on a mission, set a new 5k PR. I skipped my workout yesterday so today I am running in the morning and lifting lower body in the afternoon. I need to do laundry and my only clean underpants are my flash boxers and I only wear them to celebrate setting new running personal bests.

I decided to reverse the 5k route I have been running to give me 2 mile of flat and 1 mile of hills at the end so it is more like the Rahr 5k course. I started from my gym parking lot and ran up the side of Loop 288 in the grass for half a mile then turned on to Shady Oaks Dr. I was running right at an 8min pace I finished mile 1 in 8:03.

 I kept my pace and focused on my form and posture making sure to lift with my foot and not push off. I finished mile 2 in 8:01 right as the base of the the biggest hill. I sped up and pushed hard but I had slowed down to 8:25 when I reached the top. I used the downhill to get to a 7:15-7:30 pace and I felt good.

I came up on the second smaller hill with 0.25mi to go. I kept saying to myself "You can do this" and "Just do it" so I would not slow down. With less than 0.1 to go I gave it everything I has left and finished in 24:24 beating my PR by 38 seconds.

I am excited to see what I can accomplish in the next 4 weeks before I really increase my mileage. 21 min 5k does not seem that far off and 12 weeks until the Rahr 5k.

C5W4D3 - UBWO

We slept in until 11:30am today. An hour later I was headed to the gym so I could relax and enjoy the rest of the day. I missed my lower body workout on Monday. 

After my seconds set of chest I spilt my water bottle on the crotch of my shorts. During my 12 rep peak of dumbbell shoulder press my left shoulder gave out and I dropped the 50 lb dumbbell. I was pushing my limits since this is week 4 and I an changing up my UBWO routine on Monday.

Volume Charts

C5W4D2

I overslept this morning so I got to run in the nice sunny 97f weather. I took off too fast and had to walk for 30 seonds after 0.5mi to catch my breath. I sped back up and finished mile 1 under 8 minutes and kept going telling myself, "This is what sleeping in really feels like." I finished 2 miles 3 seconds faster than last Tueday morning. My goal is to get my 2 mile run under 14 minutes in the next 4-8 weeks.
 

C5W3D5 - UBWO

C5W3D4 - HIIT/5K

This morning I could not decided if I wanted to run a 5k or do a 20 min BFL style HIIT workout. I ran out of steam after 3 miles on my "long" run on Saturday. I had been running less than 3 miles a run for 3 weeks. I decided to run for 2 minutes before I decide which workout to do.

 I started out my run around a 9 minute pace and decided to do intervals. I felt heavy as I ran but had extra energy. I was able to get under an 8 min pace during minute 6 while running uphill. After my second 4 minute set of intervals I was at Shady Oaks drive and decided to keep moving forward instead of turning around committing myself to a 5k loop. It felt cooler running on the dark empty road. I ran my 3rd set of intervals a little faster. During the last set I was determined to maintain under a 6:45 pace (my goal pace for the Rahr 5k) for the 1 minute high point. I got up to 6:33 then I did my 1 minute cool down finishing my 20 min HIIT workout in 2.44mi. My previous best was 2.26mi two weeks ago.

 Seeing a new outdoor 5k time in reach I pushed hard as I got on the grass along Loop 288. I maintained a 7:45 pace until 2.95mi when I noticed I was slowing down. I gave all I had left finishing at a 7-7:30 pace hitting 5k in 25:20 just 17 second slower than my best outdoor 5k. Part of my New Years Resolution was to run a 5k under 25 minutes. I have done it on the treadmill but not outdoor yet.

Next Thursday I WILL beat my 5k time while setting a new HIIT distance as long as July 4th does not get in the way. Maybe I should switch my 2 mile Tuesday with my HIIT Thursday workouts.