I'm Back

It has been an interesting three weeks.  The last time I ran was Saturday November 20th.  I did a 5 mile jog/walk.  The next day I went to the gym and did 35 minutes on the elliptical.  I was then damn near crippled.  I really hurt my right calf.  I spent about two weeks limping around.  I got depressed and started feeling sorry for myself and despite not admitting it, I think I was starting to give up...again.

But I have to say that this little blog helped in a couple of ways.  First, the shame aspect.  Like I said when I started this up.  If I quit, I know there are at least a few people who have read my words here and would know that I was a quitter.  Second, I actually had a couple people say "Hey...whats up?  Haven't seen anything for a while on the blog."  Thank you to those people, you know who you are.  That is EXACTLY what I was hoping to get out of this effort.

So I really wasn't able to exercise much at all.  I went to the gym once and did the incumbent bicycle.  This was OK...didn't hurt too much.  But I really was just feeling depressed about not being able to run.

So I realized that I could not overcome nearly 20 years of inactivity in 3 weeks.  Despite thinking that I was following a sensible plan, I wasn't.  I obviously wasn't, or I wouldn't have hurt myself. 

But today I got back on the horse.  A couple of changes.  First, I took it slow.  Slower than before.  Second, I went to the gym and did the treadmill.  This was a WHOLE lot less stressful on my legs.  I obviously need to drop some weight before I go back to the roads.

I still plan on aiming for the half marathon this spring.  But I not going to do it by killing myself.  If I am ready, than I'll do it.  But hitting that destination is not as important as taking the journey. 

On another health note, I had my colonoscopy done this week.  Everything is fine.  One polyp, doc took it out and said it looked like nothing.  A relief.  I was actually worried.  Just had a bad vibe going in.  Family history and horror stories from other people had me concerned, but all is good. 

There was another lesson out of the experience though.  While I was getting ready to go in, they brought out the patient who was before me to the recovery bed the next curtain over.  I could hear the whole conversation.  55 year old man.  Smoked two packs a day and drank.  He had recently lost a lot of weight because he was having trouble eating/swallowing.  Well, I listened to the doctor break the news to this man that they had found an ulceration and a mass in his esophagus.  They immediately sent him to the hospital for more testing.  The nurse that was helping me was actually in near tears.  She said this was the toughest part of her job.

It is not often you hear a death sentence being delivered.  I don't know that of course...but that is what I was thinking.

Like I said in an earlier post.  Life provides you with plenty of messages.  You just need to be prepared to listen to them.

On a positive note, while I was not exercising I was still doing my low cholesterol eating and managed to drop some more weight.  Down to 276, which is a total weight loss of 14 pounds since I started.

Onward and upward...

A Setback

I am really disappointed.  I've heard about "running injuries" but didn't quite understand.  How do you get injured from just running?  I get it if you step into a hole or trip and fall...but how do you hurt yourself from just running?

Well the pain in my right calf has not gone away.  It has intensified and gotten more specific.  It is clear that I am not just "sore" but rather I am injured.  Walking hurts.. a lot.  Running is impossible.  Did a lot of reading tonight on calf strains and it is clear that I need to rest the leg for a few days.  If I run through the pain, which is what I did last week, I'll just make it worse.  Hoping I can rest the leg for a few days and get back on the road.

This is a precarious time.  I could easily "rest" for a week, then two, then more, then the whole program is shot.  I need to make sure I do the right thing here.  I need to give it enough time to heal the leg, but I can't let the program fade away.

Really depressed about this....

Sunday - The Day After

I can see Sunday's are going to be painful days for a while.  I am very sore from yesterday's five miler.  But the pain is a good thing...that's what I keep telling myself.

I went to Planet Fitness today for the first time since February.  I half expected the staff to laugh when a scanned my membership card, but there was no public humiliation. 

I did 30 minutes on the elliptical.  So much smoother than running, no pain in the joints.

Tomorrow is a rest day.  Facing Thanksgiving this week and Thursday is a run day.  I'll have to hit the road before I stuff my face.

The Polar Biathalon

What a great day.  Started at 7AM setting up at Cedar Beach for the Polar Plunge to benefit Special Olympics.  Then at 12 noon I jumped into the Long Island Sound.  It was COLD!! But it was a lot of fun and I will do it again.  And it was a huge turnout from the community for the first time event.  About 300 plungers!

Then after I got home and all the commotion was over, I still had to tackle long run day.  I did 5 miles today at 2 minute walk / 2 minute run intervals.  Longest effort yet.  It was a little tough, but I was still on a high from jumping in the water so I got through it in about an hour and ten minutes.

Funny moment was running past one of those roadside digital speed signs that show how fast you are going.  It didn't flash as I passed it.  I guess I have to pick up the pace a little!

And the best news is I am down 11 pounds since I began the program 2 weeks ago!

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5 minute warm up walk
5 miles at 2/2 intervals
1 hour 11 minutes

Saturday weigh in : 279 (-11 lbs total)

A Long Day Finished on the Road

I spent yesterday volunteering at the Suffolk County Board of Elections doing the absentee ballot count for the very tight Bishop/Altshuler race.  I spent about 11 hours sitting on a folding chair in a big warehouse starring at envelopes and ballots.

They are nice enough to feed you lunch and dinner during the process.  Lunch was easy, I was able to order a healthy sandwich.  But of course dinner was the usual Italian take-out feast that I can't eat any of.  Meatballs heroes, chicken parm, fried calamari, lasagna, etc.  I did good...I picked at the salad while others at the table were scarfing down the food and probably wondering why the large man in the corner was nibbling on cauliflower...

So after hours and hours of sitting I got home around 8 PM and still had my Thursday run to do.  Again, having this printed daily schedule is the best thing yet because I know I just can't skip a day.  So out into the dark I went to do my program.  It was 2 minutes jog / 2 minutes walk, 34 minutes total.

Damn it hurt like hell again for the first 15-20 minutes.  Tonight it was my knees.  On the brighter side, the shin splints are getting better and hopefully will continue to fade away.  Once I was out there for a while things started to loosen up and feel better.  But it seems like every time now it just sucks for the first half and then gets tolerable for the second half.

But when I was back in the house at 9 PM and showered and resting, it felt great to have gotten out there, even late in the day and after a long day of complete inactivity.  Not something I would have done in the past...

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5 min warm up walk
24 minutes of 2min walking / 2min jog intervals
5 minute cool down walk

Back on the Road

As per the program, I took Monday off after just doing the 25 minute walk on Sunday.  Tuesday had me back out on the road, increasing the jog time compared to the walk time.  I did intervals of 3 minutes jogging to 2 minutes walking.  Did these seven times along with the warm up walk and cool down walk.  Total of 45 minutes on the road.

My legs were totally dead last night.  The shin splints are getting much better, but I was cramping up a lot last night in the lower legs.  I just keep telling myself that the weight will decrease while the legs get stronger and eventually, the pain will subside.

Since my last run was Saturday, I noticed during the day on Tuesday a feeling I have had many, many times before.  I kept thinking, I don't have time to run today...maybe I'll skip today and do it tomorrow...I'm just too damn tired to do this today...etc.  This is the point, a week to two weeks into a program, where I have quit so many times before.  This is where a day off becomes a week off which becomes...Program Over. 

The best thing I have dome this time around is actually map out this program day by day.  I simply cannot skip a day or half-ass a day.  If the calendar says I need to do 45 minutes today, then I just need to do it.  I have every day planned out through May 1, which is half-marathon day.

I read this week that Al Roker said he hates running.  He did it just so he could accomplish the marathon, but found very little joy in the training.  I am experiencing a lot of pain and the process has been more difficult than I thought it would, but somehow I am I am finding a lot of joy in the process.  Twisted...

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Tuesday 11/16
5 minute warm up walk
3 minute jog/2 minute walk for 35 minutes
5 minute cool down walk

Sunday...

Today is just a walk day, to recover from the long run day that is Saturday.  I was pretty wiped out yesterday, but in a good way.

But now we have the latest issue to deal with on this journey...chafing.  I'll spare you all the details, but lets just say that certain body parts are doing a little dance with other parts in a way they haven't done in a long time.  And the result is not comfortable.  So now I find myself researching running underwear (for big guys).  Its funny, every search I have been doing for the past week and a half is always "something for big guys", like running shoes for big guys, running for big guys, exercise for big guys...etc.

Good news received yesterday was that my 2-pack-a-day, 10 year older brother seems to have been inspired by my  message and has vowed to get on the program and run in the Long Island Half Marathon with me in May.  I look forward to sharing the journey with him, and hopefully this will get him to kick the habit once and for all!

***

25 minute walk / 1.4 miles