Road Trip 1.0

This was the first official road trip with the baby. Not the easiest of tasks but still was fun and pretty smooth. The 7 hours of rain was terrible for driving on the way down. Avery was a trooper and we really couldn't complain. She slept the way there but was smiling the whole way back. It is always fun to go to Aiken, South Carolina.  We went to celebrate my grandma's birthday.

But the weekend was awesome.  I got to see some family that I haven't really seen in a very long time plus my daughter got to meet her Great Grandparents.

Friday night I didn't really sleep real well. I guess I had some nerves about seeing my dad's family. Without him or my brother or mom with me I was pretty nervous.  I don't know why.  I had my wonderful wife and kids for support plus my extended family understands me and knows the reality of the past with my dad. I was pretty exhausted from driving the whole time.  The only bad part with the kid is Lori had to sit in the back and teenagers don't really talk to the driver.  I tossed and turned. I took a shower at 2 A.M. and I ate breakfast at 3 A.M.  I finally got some rest 3:30 to wake up to the alarm at 5: 45 to get ready to go running.  

My Aunt Nancy is a runner.  Well, her whole darn family is.  I tower over all of them and I probably weigh as much as my two cousins and my aunt and uncle combine.  No worries.  I emailed my aunt earlier in the week to see where I could get a good flat 5.5 mile run in.  She said, what pace,how far, and told me she would pick me up. I was pretty nervous.  I haven't actually run with anyone yet and I like to be proven before I show off.  But I went with it.  We met one of her friends she trained in her Coach to 5k class.  She was fun.  It was nice running with people and having great conversation.  Wasn't use to it.  Anyways,  I got my longest run since I was 22 and even then I wasn't trying.  It felt awesome.  I didn't get tired or winded and was really proud we averaged 11:30 minute miles.  I ran a total of 6.11 miles.  It was great running with family.  Not bad on 2 hours of sleep.

After my run my family met us to get coffee and breakfast at Atlanta Bread Company.  Then Tim and I headed to my grandparents house to help cleanup and just overall try to make their house cleaner and nicer.  It's tough for them at their age to do that.  It was great spending time with my cousins.  Tim had a blast just working and doing random chores.  

My grandma's birthday party was blast.  It was really nice catching up with most my relatives.  Especially the ones I grew up in Michigan.  I don't really get to see a lot of my cousins often or my Aunts and Uncles.  It was really great spending time with my Grandparents.  I am pretty fortunate to have all my grandparents when I am 33 years old. It was also funny to see how everyone has changed or not changed in the past 5 years.  After we had dinner at my Aunt Nancy's and Uncle Dan's house.  It was fun seeing 25 family members shoved into a house. Especially with almost 10 young kids around.  

Sunday, we stopped and got coffee and hit the road to my cousin Dylan's in Columbia, SC.  We moved across country just like me and has really grown in the past few years.  He always asked me how I did it when I moved and his situation was really different.  He had a huge support system.  Instead, he has a wonderful girl friend that has helped him be far away by visiting.  It was awesome to have Avery meet my cousin.  She will love him when she gets old enough to run around with him.  Dylan cooked us an awesome lunch then we hit the road home.  

Drive home wasn't bad.  I wish I did have more time to spend with my family but so glad I got to spend sometime.  It was really great for Lori, Tim and Avery to get to know my dad's side of the family a little bit more.

Long weekend well worth it. 

Not only did I have a great weekend, good work out Saturday, I also earned 31 activity points on Saturday. New record!!!!

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#2 Weight Goal Reached

So this week was great.  I not only lost 3 pounds but I also I hit my goal weight at Weight Watchers.  My first goal was 10% or 33 pounds. My next goal was 63 pounds. Not only did I hit it, I also went past it by 2 pounds.  It felt really good to hit 65 pounds.  It was also great to realize I am getting closer and closer to my next award. So my next weight goal is 80 pounds. If I hit that, I will be lighter than I was in High School except I am not as strong.  Felt really awesome to hit that goal though.  I have kicking ass on my diet and making sure I was doing what I can.  I also broke my activity points for the week twice in the past 3 weeks.  I hit 90 activity points last week.  Which is like 2 days worth of food for a normal sized male.

I also got a new pair of Brooks Glycerin 12.  They are much different than my Brooks Beasts but I think they will be better for my feet and my running motion. Running, Etc. I ran 3 miles in them this morning and I was pretty quick.  I don't know if it was the shoes or the temp outside.  But either way I ran a 11:07 minute mile.  My average is about 12:21.

Here's a picture from my run on Friday. I love running in Pungo.  Much better than running in the city.  I only have to dodge big trucks.  But I enjoy the view of corn fields, wetlands, and the country.

Injuries: Past and Present

Monday I took Tim and his buddy, Kevin, to Water Country USA.  If you don't know what it is, it's a huge water park in Williamsburg that is part of the Busch Gardens Park.  Our whole family has passes and we usually go to both parks a few times a yea.  We love it.  Before we left, I ran 2.5 miles.  Felt great, especially since I ran the 8k the Saturday before.  I was in much better shape this time for the race not like the Shamrock 8k.  Anyways, if you don't know anything about Busch Gardens or Water Country, they are both enormous.  A lot of walking is involved.  I earned 29 Weight Watchers Activity Points that day, which to some women is actually their total daily amount.  It was my best day yet.  But I woke up the next morning with a slight pain in my front lower leg.  I have been fighting tight calves since the Shamrock.  I actually took a month off after the Color Me Rad to recover but I found out I just needed to stretch more.  I supernate and it causes my calves to be much more tight than the average person.

Both injuries have occurred on my left leg.  Coincidence, I think not.  In January 2009 I was hit by a Lincoln Town car in Downtown Detroit while Bartending.  I was blindsided by the car and was hit broadside on my left side.  I bounced off the car hood and rolled off.  I was instantly sent to the ER.  Everything checked out fine but I was in a lot of pain.  They ran a bunch of tests and I was very fortunate.  But the doctor said I did have a chip in my hip bone and he said it wouldn't be expected to have major injuries in the future from the impact of the accident.  I walked around with a cane for a month until I recovered. Since then, my leg hasn't been the same.  In the winter I can feel the tightness of my leg and hip, my knee is much weaker than my right, and for some reason all my lg injuries happen on that leg.

Clearly my accident has affected my whole leg.  I think the muscular distribution in m left leg has been a little off and it does effect from top to bottom.  My shins or lower legs do hurt a bit but nothing major.  I have been icing the anterior muscle the last two nights and I bought some compression socks to help.  I ran 3 miles on Wednesday and I felt great.  I am more bothered by this when I am sitting.  I clearly shouldn't of ran the day I went to water country.  I probably walked and ran a combined 8-10 miles.  NOTE TO SELF: JUST TAKE A DAY OFF NEXT TIME.

So my goal is to keep paying attention to my leg, keep stretching and keep researching issues to make sure I am on top of it.  I don't want to have to take another month off to train.  I am going to Running, Etc., the local running store tomorrow.  I think I will be getting a different style of running shoes.  I have been running in Brooks Beast for years but I don't think it is the right shoe for me after doing research about Supernators.  Back in the early 2000s when I decided on Beasts, the internet wasn't what it is today.  Hopefully the store specialists can help me.  I have been on a good schedule the past 6 weeks and I want to keep on it.I really do want to run a half this fall.

Here are pictures of my leg after the crash in 2009.  It sucked.  It really changed my outlook on life and it reminds me when it's sore how fragile life really is and how important it is to enjoy life.  I know I was lucky that day because not even a car can take me down.

CHKD Run/ Walk for Kids 8k

Today I ran my second 8k.  I was a little nervous because my wife had to stay home with the baby and I didn't have a cheering section.  The weather was perfect.  It was in the high 60s at the start of the race.  The line to the bathrooms almost made me miss the start.  I got off to a great start.  My first mile was well under my average.  It felt good.  I was in shape much more than in the past.  This run was a lot of fun because it was fora good cause.  It was for CHKD.  It was pretty fun running past Harbor Park where the Norfolk Tides play. I would of liked to seen more of the course blocked up but it is Norfolk.

Anyways,  My time was around 57 minutes.  My last race was 61 so I am happy.  I will find out my real time when they post it.

I didn't get to weigh in because of the race but that is not a big deal.  I did burn 1050 calories this morning.

Down 61.8 pounds

This week I kicked ass.  I weighed in and lost 3 pounds.  I stuck to my points and didn't use any of my weekly points or activity points.  I did earn 87 activity points last week which is my best yet.  I ran a bunch training for my 8k this weekend.  I hit my 60 pound mark plus a few.  Felt good because I was so disappointed with last week.

Doing this is not easy.  Nobody every said it was.  But it is a lot of fun to challenge yourself and push yourself to be a better person.  Is much like AA, it's a lot of work.  But I was really proud of my work last week.  I hit my next 5 and a few more.  Plus I know I am going to good this week.  It was pretty simple with my wife assisting me with making great meals.  

I did sneak in one pack of peanut M&M's but it was within my points.  

Speaking of points, last night I had 9 points left.  Lori and I just started getting Oberweis Dairy delivery.  We got a really good deal and it is the same price as our regular milk we buy in the store.  Thank god we have farmer friends who hooked it up.  Anyways......  Lori bought two half gallons of ice cream.  One Mint chocolate and the other low fat vanilla.  I portioned out my 9 points worth of ice cream.  It was really depressing.  It was really small.  but the ice cream was so good.  Lori also bought non fat greek yogurt from them.  It was really good.  It was 3 WW points but it was much thicker and creamier then Chobani.  Plus there was much more fruit than before.  

Running.....So I ran 4 miles Friday.  Felt great.  Was pretty sore Saturday but that's okay.  Calves didn't hurt too bad.  I am looking forward to my 8k this weekend.  I hope I can keep bumping up my mileage so i can finish out my long term goal for the summer.

I can't believe I am almost at 20% body weight loss.  I will probably hit that next meeting.  I hope to hit 75 pounds by the end of the summer.  I should if I keep running.  I really want my new token plus I will be one step closer to my goal.  By original thought was 80 pounds but I might make it 100.  I don't know.  We will see.

Also, my daughter Avery turned one month old Sunday.  It has flown by so quick.  Its probably the best coolest thing doing.  Watching a newborn learn each and everyday how to do things is incredible.  I wish I could of been there for Tim at this stage.

MOTIVATION

Saturday I weighed in.  Much to my ignorance and surprise, I gained 0.6 lbs.  Which isn't a lot but it was for me.  Since September 18, 2013 I have been on Weight Watchers.  I have been working out.  I have been staying on target of my points every week.  I was really disappointed in myself.  Not because it was a gain.  But because I let myself be lackadaisical.  Last week wasn't the greatest week.  We had family in town, celebrated Memorial Day, Spent two days at a baseball tournament.  You know, normal day things.  But I let it get to me.

I used my weekly points on multiple days.  I probably didn't even count right because I was at a party that had a bunch of finger food.  I told myself I would be alright since I ran 4 times during the week.  I didn't go over my weekly bonus points but I didn't do great.  I ate crappy snacks at work.  In hindsight, I should of expected it to be that bad.  This was the first time I truly gained during a week.  Until Saturday, I felt bulletproof.  I felt that I was doing enough to keep losing weight.  As the term "lackadaisical" suggests, I lacked enthusiasm and motivation.  When it comes easy, that can happen.  I can make all the excuses in the world: "its okay, I have been doing so good", "we have a newborn", "I have been exercising" or whatever else but I need to stop.  I needed to stop eating peanut M & Ms everyday at work (even if I counted them).I needed to get back on track with planning our meals for us (not just me), plan my schedule to make sure we have time to cook, me time to exercise, and still have time taking care of the everyday projects.

I promised myself a few things:

Work better each week at scheduling meals
Exercise consistently
NO MORE M&Ms

So far it has gone great.  We have eaten out a few times but I made sure to eat better and not cheat.  I also haven't eaten any junk from the office snack room so far.  I have also made sure we cooked every dinner so we had good meals and leftovers.  So far I haven't gone over my daily points or used any of my weekly points.  I have also logged 44 exercise points in 3 days.  I hope I can stay on this schedule this week so I can hit my 60 lb weight loss.

I also need to do better so I can train.  I really want to be able to do a half marathon this fall.  Actually, I want to do two.  I want to run the Rock and Roll half on August 31 at the oceanfront in VB and I want to run the Crawling Crab Half in October.  I really want to do both of these because they both sound fun.  I love J&A Racing because they do a phenomenal job at organizing races.  As long as my body allows me to train I am going to attempt to do these races.  But I need to keep losing weight and eating healthy foods to keep up the fuel to try to do this.

I just need to remind myself.  It's not about the battle, its about winning the war.  One week isn't going to deter me from my goal.