Wednesday, April 21, 2010

#i8this status update

A progress report on my #i8this challenge is in order I think.


So far this week I have been solid in eating salad before dinner. In fact last night Salad WAS dinner. I had a Grilled Chicken Ceasar salad. Also this morning I had a banana, in fact have had one every morning this week. As for hydration I have managed to have at least 4 cups per day. Still need to up that a bit, but it is an improvement.

Doing these things has been working out great in that I really have been able to keep portions down at dinner time. The salad step really has made a difference.

My overall goal is to get back to “race weight” so to speak. I have about 8 lbs to lose. But I am not really targeting losing 8 lbs. What I am targeting are the habits that will help me get there. Its all about setting the right goals. Set an overall objective, and then the individual goals that will get me to the overall objective. The individual goals should be such that if I meet the goals, then the overall objective is a given.

Now these goals for the i8this challenge would by themselves not get me to my overall goal of losing 8 lbs, but they help me achieve one of the areas that would, which is to eat healthier. To lose the weight I also need to throw in a good solid workout regimen, which coincidentally I have done also :)

So basically, it looks like this: to lose 8 lbs

1) Eat healthier by managing portion control, improving my water intake, and eating more fruits. By doing this I would be eating a bit less of the stuff that are fatty. And eating stuff that would help my body work better.

2) Workouts to keep body and mind strong and also more pertinent to my objective, to burn fat, and build muscles that will in turn burn MORE fat.


If I accomplish these two, then losing the weight should be automatic. We shall see.

Monday, April 19, 2010

4 Miler race goal and mind games

I set out Sunday morning to achieve a specific goal for this race, the "Race for parks" race. I wanted to finish in 30 minutes or less. I almost made it. I finished in 30:09. CRAP But was still happy with it


Its not that this was a goal race of mine, because it wasn’t. But I have been slowly migrating from a “I am just running these races to get 9 races under my belt so I can qualify for the 2011 NYC Marathon” approach to a more “I want to do as good as I can” approach. For me that requires setting up a goal for myself.

Up until now I have been running, not really training. So speed goals just were not part of the equation. But I have now committed myself to doing 1:45 in the Brooklyn half marathon on May 22. I have a good base to go on, so now I am focusing on building some speed. These 4 mile races are perfect as a measure because there are so many of them. It will allow me to see progress.  Last week I did the "Run as one" 4 miler and did it in 32:01. I did that race just to do it. I put in an effort and was tired at the end, so It was not goofing off really.  But this past Sunday It was different, I raced with intent. The funny part is, I was just as tired after each of the races. And they were only a week apart so fitness wise nothing I did could have made a different. But by having a strategy and having “ Intent” I shaved basically 2 minutes off my time.

So you wonder if the head game matters during a race? It matters A lot!

Now wait till I actually have some training behind me when I get to the next 4 miler. I have another coming up in June 6, the Japan run. I plan on finishing it in 28 minutes.

So lets see if I can manage to combine Intent with training and pull this off.

Saturday, April 17, 2010

Running groups

One of the things I have always known to be true, its easier to train when you share the pain with others. This past tuesday I joined in on a run with Team Continuum, a group whose mission is to provide immediate and vital, non-medical, assistance to cancer patients and their families where the diagnosis results in disruption, hardship and uncertainty in their everyday lives. One of the ways they raise funds is through training fundraisers who in turn participate in marathons and other endurance events. Their head coach is my friend and professional Triathlete John Hirsch.

It was a great group that meets on Tuesdays at 6:30. They have runners of different skills so it was easy to find runners at my level. I was suppossed to meet Holisticguru there but she suffered yet another tragedy on the way there, this time it was her phone hehe This is better than her more recent accidents such suffering habitual concussions due to running accidents either from her gentle dog dragging into oblivion, or those crazy tree roots leaping out of the ground. ("look out here comes another tree!" hehe).

Anyhow, its important to find folks to train with, at least for me. It connects me to others who want the same. I also belong to a group called "The Reservoir Dogs", a fun group that meets several times a week for runs. They usually end up in a bar for a drink after their runs, or for breakfast on Saturdays. My kind of group!

Looking forward to more runs with both of these groups.

New Challenges!

WOW! its been forever since I posted anything on here. Well life has been eventful for me. As some may know I have been in the midst of MANY changes in my life, getting divorced, having moved out on my own into NYC etc. Many BIG changes. But not all have been bad. Been doing some travel for work which includes going to Amsterdam which was a blast.

Anything things are for now seemingly settling a bit and its time to get moving on personal goals! For one I have registerred for a half Marathon on May 22, and I have to get a serious training plan together. I have not been idle and have at least kept running and been building up my running distance. But I would like to do better than 1:45 which will take a serious effort on my part. Buckeyeoutdoors.com here I come!

#I8this

Also I need to improve my overall health. Not due to any serious issue, but I could lose a few pounds, and improve my overall diet. So I taking my pals @holisticguru 's #I8this challenge.

For me my goals are simple,

1) I need to add more greens to my diet
2) eat more fruit
3) hydrate more

These are relatively simple but yet I am lousy at all of these. I am perpetually dehydrated. And rarely eat any greens at all. I also am trying to get back to 160 which is closer to a normal weight for me. thats 10 lbs. If I stick to those three objectives above AND maintain my training regimen, I WILL lose the 10 lbs in time.

SO so far I have made it a point of having Salad BEFORE having dinner. Done this 3 days straight. The purpose was 1) I get my greens in when I am hungriest, 2) by doing this I am less hungry when I get to the main portion of my meal ( ie I am able to stick to a reasonable meal instead of over eating)

Have made it a point to have a fruit in the morning for breakfast, also when I am hungry.

Finally I am adding water midday during the day, this also helps keep hunger in check, so I do not go off buying a candybar. Helps me meet my hydrating goal too! Its a win win!!

Well that it, will keep you posted on progress!