Achievement: Awesome

Sometimes I don't know what my headline should be.  I know what I am writing about but most the time I think it's about the same stuff; family, health, and exercise.  Well, anyways.

Another great week.  It is amazing how wonderful things can be when you have everything you dreamed of.  Our lives have definitely changed this past few months but we have settled in pretty good.  You just really need to be patient when you have a baby.  I don't know how my buddy did it with three young ones.  We have really settled in with Lori going back to work.  I have been enjoying the three hours I get with Avery while we wait for Lori to get home from work.  I think Avery enjoys it too.

lolololol

This week went well I guess.  Last weekend I got in my 9 mile run and yesterday I got in my first double digit run.  Felt great.  I really felt good running. I averaged around 11:41.  I only had two mile intervals where I went above my 12 minute mile goal.  I was pretty happy with that.  I got my run on late.  Avery slept in (clearly she didn't this morning).  But on the weekends, we just wake up with her.  Which is typically pretty early.  I was pretty dehydrated and hungry.  Clearly Orange Crushes and Sushi didn't help me on my run from the night before.  But overall, pretty happy. My body is handling the mileage well. Only 7 more weeks until my half marathon.

Weight Watchers has been doing great.  I kicked ass this weekend.  I lost 2.8. The Weight Watchers app even told me I was losing weight too fast.  Clearly it doesn't know that I am exercising more on the extreme side.  I was pretty happy.  I got my 75 pound anchor. Which is really important to me.  We were talking with our friends last night about our vacation last year and how much weight I loss. We were all blown away by pictures of me from last August (right before I started WW). I was shocked myself because until I really hit the 60 pound loss mark, I didn't really notice it that much.  But most of that is a mental thing.  Anyways, felt good.  On to the next steps.

Big Morning

Today I ran my long run.  I ran 9 miles.  I will be honest. It was tough.  But I guess that's why I am training so its not tough later.  I did pretty well.  I ran an average pace of 12:05.  Not bad.  At 5 miles I felt really good.  My legs were loose and my foot pain, shin splint, and other little kinks went away.  Mile six I started to go down hill.  You could tell from my splits that I was slowing down.  I could feel it too.  But it's okay.  I don't expect it to be easy.  On the positive side, I ran my longest run ever.  Very proud of that.  I do think I need to start going somewhere else to do my long run.  I think next week I am going to the boardwalk.

Yesterday I weighed in and lost 4.8 pounds.  I was pretty excited.  I had been struggling and only loosing a minimal amount.  To normal people,that's fine but I know I have been on the extreme side because of my running regiment.  So I lost another five pounds and I am less then one pound away from my next anchor, which would be the 75 pounds.  That's exciting.  Looking forward to getting that and making my next goal weight of 80 pounds.

Today is my best pal Ryan's birthday.  He is turning 5.  Looking forward to partying up.  Here's a picture of us rocking our onesies.

OFFICIAL: Crawlin Crab Half Marathon

It is official.  I made it legit yesterday.  I signed up for the Crawlin Crab Half Marathon in Hampton.  It will be my first half marathon.  I am very excited and also scared shit-less.  I really shouldn't be because I have been increasing my mileage successfully and have hit 8 miles this past weekend and also PR'ed my 5K on Tuesday.  It's funny that fifteen dollars of savings was the reason for me to sign up but I also wanted to sign up because they say once you sign up that forces you to commit to your goal.

My goal is 12 minute miles or a 2 hour 42 minute race.  I have been running faster than that on average but I know 13 miles is much longer.  My training program is in the "intermediate" model instead of the beginner model.  I didn't want to do the beginner because I knew I wanted to get my body strong enough to handle the race.  I don't want to feel weak by mile ten.  I want to feel strong the whole race and enjoy it.  I have had friends that didn't train enough for whatever reasons and were miserable.  I want the exact opposite.  I am not doing this as an extreme goal.  I am doing this to be healthy.

The good thing is this.  I will have my wonderful wife there to support me and my kids.  I will probably also have my mom in town too.  My Aunt and two cousins are also running, which will be great.  They are all skinny fellas and probably be drunk by the time I am done but whatever.  My one cousin has done basically every hardcore running event you can think of including ultra marathons.  But I am excited that my aunt and cousins decided to pick their fall half marathon to co-exist with my first half.  its pretty cool to have some family supporting your goals.

Right now I am basically at 70 pounds weight loss.  I would like to be at 80 for the race.  Very do-able but just need to keep on task.  My running schedule is changing a bit right now because Lori went back to work today for the first time since maternity leave.  But i will work around our schedules and the babies.  I can always run at night around the lake.

Good thing is I have some good races before my half.  I plan on running the 9.11 Memorial run at the Dismal Swamp park (9.11 miles).  It's a few weeks before the race.  I also plan on running the Neptune's 8K the weekend before.  It will be perfect for the week before race.

Long term goal: Run the Shamrock Half and 8k AKA the Dolphin Challenge next year and god willing (aka body willing) the DETROIT FREE PRESS MARATHON.  If I am going to run a marathon, it's got be my hometown marathon.  I ran the relay once and loved it.  I am also hoping to have friends run a relay team with me to keep me going.  Hopefully, if I do it, I can raise a few bucks for a charity of some sorts.  So there you have it.  I put it on paper.

Amping up the distance

Man, Vacation felt so long ago.  I got home Saturday, it's Monday.  Vacation was great.  It didn't move too fast.  it was mostly relaxing and went by slowly which was great.  Vacation is never long enough though.  But it was a great week off of work and normal day to day stuff.  Now we are back to the grind.  Our family starts a new chapter this week as Lori goes back to work on Thursday.  She has had twelve weeks off spending it with Avery.  It will be a huge adjustment for us all as we will now being be both working full time with two kids.  Hopefully, her mom can handle taking care of Avery.

Yesterday I ran my longest run ever.  I an 8 miles.  It wasn't terrible.  I was running a new route that I don't know very well and missed my turn and went too far.  I had to have Lori pick me up 2 miles from home.  But I wasn't going to run too long.  I am going to stick to my running plan.  It is really intimidating.  I have 7 more long runs of 9 miles or more.  I's funny how when i ran my 7.2 mile long run, I felt amazing after.  Yesterday, I felt like I got beat up.  I think i's mostly because I was on vacation and I was very active.  I destroyed my activity points record for Weight Watchers.We walked everywhere and I did run my scheduled runs.  Which is good but it is also a lot to do while on vacation (It was basically my second highest weekly total of mileage EVER).  My legs seemed pretty tired this morning.  I need to make sure I stretch out good this evening.

The run itself went great other than the missed turn.  It really made me feel that this Half marathon dream can actually happen.  It's exciting to know my body can handle the mileage.  I don't want to sign up and fail.  I don't care what anybody else thinks but for myself, I want to do this.  Next Sunday I have a planned 9 mile run.  I am planning to run to our friends house and cannonball into their pool.  Their house is exactly 9 miles away.  I do have to cross the Pungo Ferry Bridge, which is the only steep incline in our area and is also sketchy because the speed limit is 55.  But anyways, I am excited for that run.  Should test my limits and help me reach my goals.

Right now I am sitting in my office dreaming of siting in he pool with my tube, my wife, and margarita.  I purely enjoyed flip flopping between the hot tub and pool last week.

Vacation 2014

My expectations for my vacation were much higher than I should of had them for my diet.  I can't control everything.  Can't control everyone wanting to go get ice cream or have a drink. I also can't not enjoy myself.  Sorry for the double negative but it is what it is.  After a day I realized a few things. First off the weekly points are there for a reason.  Use them.  Especially on vacation.  Go get ice cream with your family.  If you can, find a healthier version or smaller portion.  Second, exercise.  Don't be lazy.  Go for a walk.  Don't change up your routine.  It's actually really enjoyable seeing the area you are vacationing in a different method.  Just enjoy yourself.  Don't make yourself excluded from the family.  Your routines should be assisting you anyways.  My daily habits are there.  It was the extra drink and ice cream with the family that made things out of normal.

My positives were this. I ran 17.5 miles.  I also earned 134 activity points.  More than I ever had.  Actually more than 36 than my max.  That's more than two days worth of points for me and I am a large man.  My training for my running went great.  ran a shorter long run but that is expected because it was part of my schedule.  But I actually ran more times than I expected. I was pretty happy with that.  Overall, I don't care how I weigh in the next week after I get back.  If I break even, so be it.  If I gain, so be it.  I was active and healthy.  I ate healthy foods and didn't break my system.  It helped that my wife supports me and we planned pretty well.  We scheduled good meals.  The only problems were my mom buying a bunch of junk for the condo.  Clearly I got really fat growing up.  No excuses though.

Anyways, I did go.  I have a scheduled run of 8 miles on Sunday.  I look forward to the new challenge.  Here's to the next 134 activity points I earn.  Wish I had another 7 days of vacation.

Keep It Moving....

A Tribe Called Quest had it right, Keep It Moving to the KIM.

Well, I only lost 0.4 pounds this week but its okay. It's still a lost and I do need to cut some things from my diet.  I weighed in extra early Saturday morning because we had to get on the road to head down to Myrtle Beach.  We packed up the baby, two teenagers, and two grandmas.  We are heading to our timeshare at the Sheraton Plantation. Its a perfect place for us with the kids and the baby.  We got in at 4 and just hung out at the resort.

Sunday I went for a run.  I did my long run for the day.  Nice thing about our resort is that it is right on the East Coast Greenway in Myrtle Beach.  Not a bad run.  I did it early so the humidity wasn't bad.  It was still in the 70s but good for the South.  I am so thankful for my new water belt.  I ran 6 miles.  I almost got hit crossing one road.  That was a first since I never have any major roads to cross by my house. I ran past the Margaritaville which motivated me even more because I love ritas.  I also ran past these woods with a bunch of goat paths from bums living in the woods. Was a bit creepy and sad.

We also headed to the pool. Our hotel has a lazy river, bar, and all kinds of things.  Got to go now since the grandmas are about to watch Avery.

Big Week

Man, this week flew by. After my brother left I had another busy week with everything going on.  The summer has been flying by. Weight Watchers has been going good.  I only lost 0.4 pounds this week but that it is okay.  I did have two days with family in town and it is still a loss.  I was hoping for a bigger loss but you can't be greedy.

Running wise, life has been good.  My shin splints seem to be staying at bay.  I did hurt my arch randomly at my desk this week.  So weird.  I got up and it felt like I tore my plantar fascia.  I used some KT Tape and it was better with some ice.  I was super dehydrated one day this week so maybe that was part of the problem. I did get a 6.6 mile run last weekend.  Felt good. It was the longest run of my training so far.  I also ran 7.2 miles this morning. It was a beautiful run.  I used my new amphipod water bottle thing.  It helped me.  I also got a running visor.  It was drenched when I got done.  Like completely soaked.  Thanks for Running Etc. for the visor (More on that later).  My legs were a bit tire at the end but that is expected when your running your longest run ever.  I did have a tender nipple from boogie boarding yesterday and getting sunburned.  It was my first bloody nipple from running (I have had one from boogie boarding).

nice view from my run this morning

I also became an Official Ambassador for Running Etc.  What does this mean?  Well for me, my goal is to run more races aka keep losing weight.  It also means I get to represent the best local running store in Hampton Roads when I do run.  I think I was probably twice the weight of every other ambassador but somebody does have to represent the Clydesdale Division at races, right?  Last night we had our kick-off meeting.  It was fun meeting everyone. I am definitely not the pro-typical running or am in the in crowd but I look forward to getting to know everyone better.

At home.  Everything is good. Lori has a few more weeks off and Avery keeps growing and learning.  Next week we have a vacation.  We also took Avery to the beach yesterday.  She enjoyed it.  We all did really.