Faster Stronger

Training for a marathon is not easy. Neither is dropping pounds. So I'm gonna blog about it. And I'll probably complain about a bunch of stuff too.

NYRR 9+1 Races:
Colon Cancer 15K - 1:49:15
Scotland Run 10K - 1:08:21
Celebrate Israel 4M - 46:47
Portugal Day 5M - 57:54
Run for Central Park 4M - 44:49
Queens Half Marathon - 2:52:43
Fitness 4M - 45:28
Race to Deliver 4M – 43:11
Join the Voices 5M – 59:00

PS I love hearing from you guys! Feel free to hit me up at fasterstronger19 [at] gmail [dot] com!
Ask me anything

Today was less than great. But new sneakers make it better!

WIW! I Remembered…

And had success:

  • LW: 260.5
  • TW: 254.5
  • Loss: 6 lbs
  • Total Loss: 17.5

Happily I have lost 11.5 pounds since last Monday (mostly water, I’m assuming). Things are slowing down a bit, as they should, but I’m trying hard not to lose my super focus. 

At work we’re doing this corporate initiative project that emphasizes the importance of staying focused on a task and setting major goals and minor ones to help accomplish the major.  I’m having a hard time applying it to my job (as I feel mostly administrative at the moment), but I definitely see where this could go in terms of weight loss.  Will have to mull it over a bit and lay out the plan for you all.

In other news: training.  Running has been…not great.  I haven’t been committed to it.  I’ve completely fallen off the schedule.  Recognizing it is the first step to the solution though.  

The tragedy in life doesn’t lie in not reaching your goal. The tragedy lies in having no goal to reach.

Benjamin Mays

Discontent is the first step in progress. No one knows what is in him till he tries, and many would never try if they were not forced to.

Basil Maturin

The Official, For Reals Return of WIW

This is shameful to admit:

  • Today’s weight: 260.5
  • Last WIW (which was on 11/30/11, btw): 250
  • That’s a lovely gain of: 10.5 pounds.
  • Total loss since beginning this journey: 11.5 pounds

EVEN MORE SHAMEFUL?  I previously weighed 266. 

Since Monday, Eric and I have been attempting this super-strict low-cal, low-carb diet that sometimes I fall back on when I feel like eating has gotten out of control. And as of last Friday, eating was officially OUT OF CONTROL.  It’s a take on this Physicians Weight Loss diet I did years ago and was pretty successful at.  So far I’ve lost 5.5 pounds since Monday (when the 266 reared it’s ugly head).  I’m very much looking forward to blowing through the 250’s and back in the 240’s. 

My ultimate goal?  To be under 240 by the marathon (May 13).  Doable.  Very doable.  Just need to keep my focus.

Also need to get back to running!  I’ve already lost steam (which is bad).  Part of it is that I don’t get home from work ‘til pretty late sometimes and all motivation to move is lost.  I always say this, but it’s true: morning workouts really need to happen.

When a man is sufficiently motivated, discipline will take care of itself.

Sir Alexander Paterson

Now, to find my motivation.

What. Up.  

What. Up.  

Officially Registered!

For the Delaware Marathon.

Despite radio silence (and fall induced injuries), training rolls on.  My usual speed is coming back, slowly but surely.

AND I’ve ordered new sneakers (same Asics I currently have, different color).  And via the magic of good friends I got my $110 sneakers for $55. WHAT UP!

I SHOULD go do Ab Ripper X…buttt…

I hurt.

I hurt.

It finally happened

I fell whilst running. On completely level ground nonetheless. Pride, knee and hip all hurt.

With the marathon, you don’t swing for the fences on your first try. It’s a race you’ve got to learn. It takes time to master the feeling of a marathon.

Keith Hanson, co-founder of the Hansons-Brooks Distance Project via Runner’s World Daily Kick in the Butt

Delaware Marathon Training Day #2

The first official run of round 2 of marathon training was one of the three key run workouts my new plan calls for: intervals.

Today’s workout call for 10 minute warm up (I did 5), 6 x 1m hard, 3m easy, 10 minute cool down (I did about 8).

My neighborhood makes it a little tough to actually do speed intervals because its really hilly, but I tried (plus pushing speed up even a little on an incline definitely qualifies as hard), you can see the up/down in speed here: 

Did I mention I really enjoy the MapMyRun app?  It’s so much easier.

And I had it alert me to the time every minute, so I could easily tell when each interval was done.

Delaware Marathon Training Day #1

P90X Core Synergistics = Done!

It was just as hard as it was last time.  Only this time I ate too much chili for dinner and felt like maybe I was going to puke throughout 90% of the workout.

GOOD TIMES!

Far away in the sunshine are my highest inspirations. I may not reach them, but I can look up and see the beauty, believe in them and try to follow where they lead.

Louisa May Alcott

Exciting!

Oh yes, hi hello friends of the internet.  It’s been a looonnggg week.  Starting a new job, whilst awesome and exciting, is tough.  Learning new systems, and ways of doing things, and meeting new people is draining.  Also tough?  Working 9.5+ hour days (plus commute time) and not getting home before 7 PM and still having to make dinner and be productive.Some schedule rearranging is definitely in order. But, aside from that, I’m very happy with my decision.  It’s a different environment, one that I think I’ll work better in.  And that is all. 

In health-related news, I’ve been trying to eat better.  Operative word there is “trying.”  These past two days haven’t been the greatest. MyFitnessPal friends may have noticed I’ve started tracking calories, and have been pretty dedicated to it (these last two days excluded), so that’s a step in the right direction.

Also, I did go for a few runs this week. And! Marathon #2 Training officially starts tomorrow. I’m following this training plan, which only calls for 3 key runs a week, with alternate days as cross training days.  Those days I’ll be doing P90X workouts.  Full workout schedule to come once i find the notebook I put it in. 

Originally my plan was to do P90X (Lean) in conjunction with marathon training.  But I’d rather not set myself up for something I’ll inevitably fail at (it’s a little unrealistic and extreme and I just don’t have the time (or energy now that I think about it) to do hour long runs and then an hour to an hour and a half of cross training.  

And! Wednesday I’m going to get try out some sneakers at Jack Rabbit.  I’m predicting more Asics. 

And! Jennelle and I got free passes to try out Physique 57.  So that’s exciting. 

Also exciting? The trailer for Season 2 of Game of Thrones.  I’m on the third book of the series and probably addicted.

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