Training post

Yesterday, I ran 20 miles in 3 hours. I was happy that I stuck with my marathon pace, which was my goal for the run. I plan on running the marathon in 4 hours, so I need to run a 9 minute mile. 

Training Post

I ran 17 miles today. My run was from Vacaville to Fairfield and back. It was a good route that had some nice hills to prepare me for the race. I'm working up my miles to prepare for a marathon later this year. 

Training Post

Last Sunday I ran 6 miles around the neighborhood. On Monday, I did 30 minutes on the elliptical machine. I was looking for a low impact workout that would work up a sweat, so I chose the elliptical and followed with 3 sets of planks. Today, I did 3 sets on the total body workout. My body isn't used to that 3rd set yet, so I'm a little tired and sore. Which is a good thing. It's good to mix up the workout every once and awhile. For my cardio, I did 30 minutes of rowing.

Long Beach Half Marathon

I completed the Long Beach Half Marathon yesterday. The race course was nice and scenic. It started and ended at the Long Beach Convention Center with a portion of the course going along the beach. You could hear the waves crashing during portions of the run. The beginning of the course was a multi-lane road, so there wasn't the bunching of runners at the start of the race that normally occurs. Which is nice because you don't have to deal with looking for ways to pass the slower runners in front of you or catching elbows.

I had a goal of finishing the course in 1' 40", but my eyes were bigger than my stomach on this one. My finish time was a resectable 1"45", but I'm still disappointed that I didn't meet my goal. I ran w/ the 1' 40" pace group for 8 miles, but then I started to fizzle out. This was around the point that the course was on the beach path and in direct sunlight. At this point I should mention the temperature at the start of the race was 77 degrees and the high was in the 90s. I thought to myself as they were pulling away, "okay, just as long as you can see them and I'll be able to at least beat my PR of 1'43". However, I began to slow down more and eventually I couldn't see them anymore. Then I used "just don't let the 1'45" pace group beat you" mantra to keep myself motivated to finish the race. For the record, I did beat that pace group. Barely, but I still beat them none the less.

They did have a nice finishers medal and this was my final race of the Beach Cities Challenge, so I received a special medal for that accomplishment.

Long Beach Half Marathon finishers medal

Beach Cities Challenge medal. The clam shell open and closes.

Training Post

I have been real busy and haven't been able to keep up with my blog. Last Sunday, I ran 6 miles around town at a pretty good clip. I did a light cardio workout on Monday and then my normal routine of weights & cardio on Tuesday. Today, I ran on the treadmill for 30 mins @ 7 mph. I was able to run 3.5 miles at that pace while watching Jeopardy!. I didn't too well with playing along with Jeopardy!  and I didn't have time to do my core workout today. I'll try to do my core workout tomorrow and hopefully I'll do better with Jeopardy!.

Training Post

I have been real busy lately. I have had a lot things going on, so I haven't been keeping up with the blog. I have been working out though. Even if I'm really busy, I try to do some sort of workout. Those are the times that you really benefit from the workouts. They help me to relax and buffer the stress from all the demands being placed on me. But enough of that. I had a nice run this morning. I ran 13 miles this morning on a route that I haven't ran in a while. As the say, it was revisiting that old friend. The weather was nice and there wasn't very much traffic, so I was able to enjoy my run. Now it is time to get back to all those things I didn't finish yesterday.

Training Post

I ran 6 miles today. My route was around the neighborhood, so it was nice and flat. I was happy because I finished the run in 46 minutes. I have another race coming up, so I'm tapering the distance. I also wanted to attend the Jazz mass at church today, so the short distance made that possible. I still had to wake up early for the run though. They do this mass every year and it is a fun experience. They have musicians come in and play some great music that liven ups the service. It's a nice change of pace that I look forward to every year.

Training Post

I had a lot going on today, so I did an abbreviated workout. I did the 29 minute total body workout and cycling at the random setting for 30 minutes. I worked up a good sweat and I'm glad that I was able to fit in some type of workout today.

Training Post

The air quality was bad today. There was heavy amounts of ash in the air from the Lake County fires. I decided to workout inside the gym today. I used the octane machine for 30 minutes today at a setting of 125 bpm. It was a good workout, but not as good as running. The octane machine says it mimics the running mechanics, but it doesn't feel the same. I did complete 6.25 miles on that machine.

Training Post

I ran on the treadmill today. This time it was using the variety setting @ 7 mph for 30 minutes. I ran a total of 3.95 miles. After my run, I performed 3 sets of flutter kicks for 45 seconds. I felt strong on my run and was able to watch a Jeopardy! episode from start to finish. I like running while watching this show. It distracts my from the run.

9/9 Training

I did some interval training on the treadmill today. I started off with a 5 minute warm up and then I did the intervals. I ran 1 minute @ 10 mph and then dropped down to 7 mph for 2 minutes for my recovery. This was repeated for 30 minutes. I ended up running 4.36 miles and finished off my workout with 3 sets of 20 reps of kettle bell twists.

It was a good workout. I enjoy doing the intervals and look forward to them every other week. I'm thinking about taking my speed up to 11 mph for the next workout. I'll see how I feel and then make the decision that day. I never thought I'd be running this fast on the treadmill. Two years ago, 7.0 mph was my top speed. I'm glad I stuck with it and kept pushing myself. Who knows, maybe one day I'll look back and laugh at 10 mph being my top speed.

Training Post

I rode my bicycle to and from the gym today. It is a good warm up and cool down for my workout. For strength training, I did the 29 minute total body workout, assisted pull ups, hip abduction, and hip adduction workout. It is good for runners to exercise their hips and develop those muscles. It can help improve running form and prevent injuries down the road.

I finished off my workout by using the rowing machine for 30 minutes. It was kind of boring using that machine today. The machine doesn't face a tv with the station I like, so I was going to listen to my iPod. However, I forgot it today. I was stuck listening to the music that is being pumped over the gym loudspeakers. My fault for being forgetful.

A rest day with the Oakland A's

I took Labor Day off from training and spent it watching the Oakland A's.  They defeated the Houston Astros in a thriller. The Astros got off to an early lead, but the A's had a big inning and took over the lead for good. The Astros rallied, but it wasn't enough. Sean Doolittle recorded the final outs for the save. He was out with a shoulder injury, so it was good to see him back to form.

My seats were in the value deck. If your not familiar with the seating in the coliseum, its in the upper most level. The tickets have a $6 food voucher on them, so that's why they call it the value deck. I used my credit to buy a hotdog during the fifth. The food at sporting events is like the food at movie theaters, its ridiculously expensive. That's why I stopped of at the grocery store for snacks beforehand. I saved so much money and I was able to eat healthier snacks by doing that. 

I don't mind sitting that high up in the coliseum. I had a great view of all of the field. However, I was too high up to make out the players without the help of their numbers on their jerseys. Not a big deal to me. They upgraded the scoreboard this year, so I was able to watch the replays on it for the close plays that I had trouble seeing on the field. I do miss the view of the Oakland hills. Before they built Mt. Davis (the upper deck portion of centerfield in the photo below), you could see the hills from those seats. I miss them. Oh well.

I got there early because it was the striped backpack giveaway. I waited in the hot sun for an hour before the gates were open. There were games in the past that I barely missed getting the giveaway because I didn't get there soon enough. I was 10 people away from getting a bobble head last year. Ughhh!!!! Today, I was determined to get that backpack. I was on a mission. So, I got up early to get to the O.co Coliseum before they ran out of them. 

I was surprised by the quality of the backpack. It's a full size pack with a large front pocket and padded straps. It'll be perfect for the next time I go to a game. Nice job promo department.

A little bit on the warm side, but it was a beautiful day at the park.

Here is the reason why I didn't sleep in today.

9/6 Training Post

I ran at a slow pace today for my long run. These long, slow runs are for developing the slow twitch muscles and the blood vessels in my legs. However, I really wasn't feeling it today. Normally, I'm excited for these runs, but not today. I might change up the route next week, to see if that will help get me out of my running funk. I did complete my goal of 14 miles, but I really had to force myself. I would use tricks like focusing on my form and breaking down my run in increments to keep me going.

9/1 Training Post

I had a good workout today. I lifted weights and used the stationary bike for 30 minutes. My weight lifting session was the 29 minute total body workout at the gym. I'm thinking about adding another set to my workout. Right now, I'm only doing 2 sets. This was mostly because of time constraints, but now I can fit in the time for an additional set on the total body circuit. 

I increased the setting on the heart rate to 125 for the stationary bike for this workout. It was more challenging and I worked up quite the sweat. I have been riding the bike on my off days a lot. I need to do a better job of switching up my off day cardio workouts. That way I'll work different muscles and prevent burnout.

Training Post

It felt good to sleep in today. I eventually got out of bed and did my run. I ran the surface streets around town and it turned out to be a nice run. I had to wait at some of the intersections because of traffic, but it wasn't too bad. The route was nice and flat, so I focused on my form and did some speed work. I was able to run 13 miles today, so I was happy with my effort. Too bad I negated any health benefits from my run by having a cheeseburger, fries, and soda from the Squeeze Inn. There is a reason behind the name of my blog.

Training Post- 8/26/15

I wasn't feeling very motivated today. I was tired and had a long day at work. To top it off, there was an accident on the freeway that shutdown one lane. So, I sat in traffic for an extra 30 minutes. I was thinking about skipping today's interval workout on the treadmill, but I told myself I would go to the gym and ride the stationary bike for 10 minutes. If I still felt too tired, then I'd just go home. After the 10 minutes on the bike, I decided I would run at an easy pace for 5 minutes and see if I felt like doing the intervals. After the 5 minutes I was feeling a lot better, so I went ahead and did my normal workout routine. My mood improved dramatically after my workout, so I'm glad I talked myself into going to the gym. Somedays, finding the motivation is the hardest part of the workout.

Training Post

I did some weight lifting this morning. My shoulder still isn't a 100%, but it is getting better. I just need to be patient and keep doing the exercises the physical therapist told me to do. It is hard to believe that it has been a year since I separated my shoulder. Time is flying by and it's going to be 2016 before you know it. I wrapped up my workout today by riding on the stationary bicycle. I had it set to adjust the resistance to maintain my heart rate at 120 bpm.

Here is an article on taking control of a food addiction I found the other day.

Training Run

I woke up early, well early for me, and did a 14 mile run this morning. The weather was perfect and their wasn't too much traffic out where I was running. I wanted to to focus on increasing my leg strength today, so my run included some hill work. I felt strong this morning and attacked the hills. I'll take tomorrow off and rest my body as reward for my hard work today.

My friend ran the Santa Rosa Half Marathon this morning and was happy with his race time. He liked the course and texted me a picture of the finisher's medal. It was a nice medal, so I'll have to run that race sometime. I was thinking about running it this year, but I decided not to run it because it was too close to the SF half marathon. I wanted to give my body sometime to rest before training for another race.

Training Post 8/18

My workout was delayed today because I had to report for jury duty. It wasn't the way I wanted to spend my day off. I wanted to sleep in, work out, and then see a movie, but it turned out to be an alright day. There was a girl I went to school with that was also reporting for jury duty, so I was able to talk with her while we waited for the courts to get ready. It was nice catching up with her and made reporting for jury duty a pleasant experience. My group wasn't needed and the judge personally thanked us before dismissing my group. It turns out the defendant accepted a plea bargain after the judge ruled on some motions. I was let out by noon, so I had time to run some errands before going to the gym. Not enough time for the movie. I'll have to wait until later to see Straight Out of Compton.

I did my normal routine of weightlifting and 30 minutes on the stationary bike. My gym has a workout station set up that provides a total body workout in 29 minutes. I have been using that workout for about 6 months and I'm happy with it. I'm using the weight lifting to support my running, so that type of workout suits me.  If I was looking to increase strength or get cut, then I'd meet with a trainer and get a different workout routine.

Training Post

I decided to sleep in and run after church today. The temperature was predicted to be in the triple digits and the air quality was poor from all of the wildfires in the area. I decided the night before I would go to the gym and log my miles on the treadmill. I normally try to avoid running more than 30 minutes on the treadmill because it can be very boring. I was planning on running for over 2 hours on this one. Another drawback to the treadmill, is your not really running as fast as the treadmill says your running. There is a noticeable difference between running 9.0 mph on the treadmill, then say, on the track.

Granted, most gyms have televisions to help stave off boredom in the cardio area. However, there is slim pickings on the television on Sunday afternoons. My choices were limited to an infomercial on hair care products, a preseason football game between two teams that I wouldn't even want to watch during the regular season, Mexican league soccer, and some weird western show on TNT. I went with the Mexican league soccer match while listening to music on my iPod. The match ended before my run was over, so I was left watching a Spanish soap opera until my run was over. The closed captions are also in Spanish, so I had no idea what was going on with that show.

There are some benefits to running on the treadmill though. You don't have to worry about pot holes, cracks, or other forms of uneven surfaces. You can also control the speed and elevations as well. The most important benefit is you don't have to worry about interacting with traffic. I had an interaction with a car last year that was rather unpleasant. As in most of those types of interactions, the car won despite my gallant efforts.

Exercise vs. Tumors

Hello,

I found this interesting article about research being done on how exercise may make tumors respond more favorably to treatment. They believe that exercise will increase the blood flow and oxygen into the tumor area. Tumors are areas that are low in oxygen, so they are more resistant to radiotherapy treatment and more likely to metastasize. The increase of blood flow and oxygen from exercise will make the tumors respond better to treatment therapies. Here is a link to the full article, cancer.org/research.

Cancer has impacted the lives of many people. Chances are you know somebody that has been diagnosed for some type of cancer. Last year, I had an old friend of mine pass away from colon cancer. To honor his memory, I volunteer for the Road to Recovery program with the American Cancer Society. This program provides rides for individuals to their chemo and radiation therapy appointments. Often times it can be a struggle for their caretakers, or they don't have anyone, to take them to their treatment appointments. This program provides them with rides to their treatments at no cost. It is a very worthwhile program and they are always in need of volunteer drivers. So, if you have the time, please volunteer.

Calorie Counter on Exercise Machines

I recently completed a 30 minute run on a treadmill at my gym and was pretty impressed by the number of calories the display said I burned. Like an arrogant ass, I pointed out this number to the complete stranger working out on the treadmill next to me. He wasn't as impressed with the number and quickly pointed out that those counters aren't accurate.

It turns out that the senior citizen, bubble bursting walker on the treadmill was right. The calorie counters on the exercise machines aren't very accurate. They are calculations based on your weight, age, and pace. However, there is more to measuring how many calories you burned during exercise than those factors. Those other factors include your gender, height, and body fat percentage. An individual with a lower body fat percentage burns more calories during exercise because muscle burns more calories than fat.

This is important to keep in mind if you do what I do after I finish working out. That is telling yourself that it is okay to have seconds on deserts or have a bigger portion size during a meal because the treadmill said I burned close to a 1,000 calories.


Sources:
myfitnesspal.com
womenshealthmag.com
abcnews.go.com

Smoothie Recipes

The temperatures has been fairly warm where I live the last few weeks. There were a couple of days that were in the triple digits, so I went looking for some drink recipes to help keep me cool. Here are two that I particularly like:

Strawberry & Banana Smoothie

1 cup frozen strawberries 

1 cup frozen bananas 

4 ounces of plain yogurt 

1 cup of milk

Combine into a Blender and blend until smooth.

Tart Cherry Juice & Lime (Runner's World featured this drink recipe) 

2 lime cubes (lime juice frozen in ice cube trays)

1 cup tart cherry juice 

1 sprig of mint

This is a fairly simple drink to make. Just add the lime cubes and cherry juice in a tall glass. Garnish with the mint. For best results, be sure to let let the juice cubes melt for a few minutes.

8/2/15 Training Post

Since the race last Sunday, I have been focusing on cross training. I took the week off from running, but I continued my normal routine of weight lifting 3x a week and 30 minutes of cardio. It was a nice break to help prevent burnout or repetitive use injuries. Normally, I would go from training for one race and straight into training for another race. However, I had a foot injury a few weeks ago that opened my eyes on the importance of rest. So, I decided to take a week off from running after this last race.

For my cardio workouts this week, I spent most of my time on the stationary cycle. This helped to get the blood flowing in my legs with less stress on my knees. I also used the rowing machine on one of those days. It is a nice change of pace and offers a total body workout, as well. Next week I will go back to my regular running schedule, but I'll use these machines on my off days to keep up my cardiovascular health. I'm also going to try a new recipe I found for a post workout smoothie. If it is any good, then I'll post the recipe.

Ways to Keep Blood Pressure Down

High blood pressure is known as the silent killer. It is called this because there are typically no symptoms. For quite a few years my blood pressure was high and I didn't even realize it. I would go to the doctor once a year for my routine physical and he would tell me it was too high. This was due in part to my horrible diet, heredity factors, and lack of physical activity. I eventually got my blood pressure under control with diet, exercise, and medications.

What is blood pressure? Blood pressure is the force is the amount of force exerted on your arteries when your heart beats. There are two measurements being taken. One measurement is the systolic pressure and the other is the diastolic pressure. The systolic pressure is when the heart is contracting and pumping blood. It is the top number on your reading. The diastolic pressure is when the heart muscle relaxes and is filling up with blood. It is the bottom number on your reading.

Here are some tips I found to help lower your blood pressure:

A good nights rest. Sleep loss can cause high blood pressure and a host of other health related ailments. 10 Surprising Effects of Sleep Loss

Relaxation techniques. Meditation, progressive muscle relaxation, yoga, deep breathing exercises can help to lower your BP by helping to dilate your blood vessels and reduce stress. WebMD

Losing weight. Losing as little as 10 pounds can improve your cardiovascular health. Heart.org

Time management. Use time management techniques to help you plan your day. You'll reduce the amount of stress and lower your BP as a result.

Treat yourself. Set time aside to do your favorite activity or for a relaxing activity, like getting a massage.

Resolve conflicts or other stressful situations. Don't let these types of situations continue. Use conflict resolution skills to resolve these issues.

Ask for help. Trying to do everything yourself creates stress. Don't be afraid to ask friends,co-workers, or family for help with tasks.

Physical Activity. It increases your heart rate and blood circulation, which brings oxygen and nutrients throughout your body. Aim for 30 minutes of moderate physical activity* a day for at least 5 days a week. You can break this up into 10 minute increments throughout the day. WebMd

Spirituality. Some studies have shown that spiritual beliefs and practices create a positive attitude that may help you feel better and improve your well being. WebMD

*Use these simple tests to determine if you are reaching a moderate level of intensity from the American Heart Association

• If you can easily carry on a full conversation and perform the activity at the same time, you probably aren't working hard enough.
• If you can exchange brief sentences easily while performing the activity, but not a comfortable or lengthy conversation, your intensity level is likely on target.
• If you get out of breath quickly, or if short sentences feel like a strain, you're probably working too hard, especially if you have to stop and catch your breath.

SF Half Marathon Recap

Last Sunday, I completed the first half of the SF marathon (13.1 miles). I finished the race in 1:46. My goal for the race was 1:40, so I'll have to wait for my next race to set a new personal record. I'm not disappointed in myself for my slow time. There were some steep hills and the course was pretty crowded.

The first half and full marathon started at the Ferry building and followed the coast to the Golden Gate Bridge. We crossed the bridged turnaround at the first off ramp in Marin and then headed back to the city. The course went through the Presido and some nice neighborhoods in the city before ending in Golden Gate Park. The full marathon continued on through the city. I can only imagine what they were thinking when they saw the half marathoners finishing and enjoying the complementary food and beverages. I'm sure it was along the lines of what was I thinking. If I registered for the half, then I would be done by now. Oh well, the get bigger medals for their efforts. The second half of the half marathon started up somewhere in the park and finished at the Embarcadero with the marathoners. 

They held the race expo at Fort Mason on Friday and Saturday. It was like any other race expo. There were vendors hocking their merchandise and some giving out free samples. The latter had the longer lines with more aggressive behavior from the people waiting in line. It's not like the cornucopia scenes from the Hunger Games movie, but it's getting closer. Maybe it'll happen if they gave out full size Cliff bars as samples, instead of the bite size slices with toothpicks. Sounds like an interesting social experiment for next year.

Overall the race wasn't a pleasant experience for me. They are a victim of their own success. The course was overcrowded from start to finish and it really detracts from the enjoyment of the race. It's hard to enjoy the scenery when you are constantly trying to squeeze past slower runners or looking for a way around a wall of people running at the same speed. I was really looking forward to running over the Golden Gate Bridge and through the tourist traps along the Embarcadero before the race started because it was closed off to traffic.  The bridge had two lanes closed for the race, but it was still crowded. This made it difficult to pass the slower runners and made it an extremely frustrating 4 miles. I'll do the second half of the marathon next year, but that will be it. I'm only doing that for the special challenge medal they give out for runners that do the other half of the marathon the following year. I must admit, the did a good job on the medal. It is one of the better looking medals I have from running. Here are some photos:

This is the front of the finisher medal for the half marathon

The back of the medal

This is a challenge medal I received for completing the Surf City and SF half marathons

The backside of the California Dreamin' challenge medal

Speaking of race challenges.... I challenged my friend to eat the Carl's Jr All American Burger on the drive home after the race, my treat of course. For those of you who don't know, this is the burger with hot dogs and potato chips on it because it was dangerously lacking in fat, calories, and sodium without them. For the record he did make it home without becoming sick. The next morning however was a different story...

Boost your self confidence to accomplish your goals

I was having trouble getting below the 2 hour mark for the half marathon. I was putting in the training time and I felt I should be running faster than I was actually running. This led me to exploring the psychological side of performance. I found a book entitled, "The Champions Mind: How Great Athletes Think, Train, and Thrive" by Jim Afremow.

This book talked about various ways to change how you think about yourself and your performance. He studied various athletes who are successful in their fields and found some tricks they use to boost their performance. One of those tricks is visualization. You need to visualize your future performance with as much detail as possible. For example, picture yourself running the race with the clothes you'll be wearing, with people cheering, feeling the sting of sweat in your eyes, the heavy breathing, and crossing the finish line and seeing your goal time on the clock.

Another trick is have self confidence. If you don't think you will be able to reach your goal in your mind, then it will never happen. Your body follows your mind. I found this article on boosting your self confidence that will help you get you started on thinking positive and achieving your goals. Good luck!

7/21/15 Training Post

I have been taking it easy the last three weeks. I'm doing a half marathon on Sunday, so I have been cycling down. I do this to avoid getting injured from overtraining or being too tired for the race. Many running experts recommend doing this and a good way to do it is follow a training plan. I have used running coach Jeff Galloway's training plans from run Disney. There are training plans for 10 k, half marathon, and full marathons.

Speaking of injuries, I hurt my foot during a cross training session for this up coming race. I had tendonitis in my left foot, so I had to rest for a couple of days to get over my injury. It was incredibly painful and I had to use a cane to hobble around. I should have used crutches, but I didn't have any around the house. This injury was caused by the type of shoe I was using for my weight training. It didn't provide enough support for my foot, so thats what caused the injury. I bought some new shoes and some supports recommended by my doctor.

I spent three days without performing any type of workout. All I did was rest, ice, use compression, and elevate my foot (RICE). Using the RICE treatment, my foot healed up pretty quickly and I feel confident enough to participate in the race on Sunday. There is no lingering pain after my runs since my injury, so I feel like there won't be any issues with my foot. Normally, I try to beat my previous race time. However, I'm going to err on the side of caution for this race and take it easy.

Super Food Pancakes

I saw this recipe in an issue of Runner's World magazine and decided to give it a try. It is a healthy twist on a breakfast staple. It contains some "super foods", like kale and broccoli and it also has ginger in it. Ginger is good for fighting inflammation in joints, so its good to eat if you run a lot or have joint problems.

Ingredients
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 ½ tablespoons baking powder
2 tablespoons sugar (optional)
1 teaspoon salt
2 ½ cups buttermilk
4  eggs
3 cups kale
2 tablespoons grated ginger
1 ½ cups broccoli
1 cup celery
Arugula
Sunflower seeds

Instructions
1. Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and sugar in large bowl.
2. In a separate bowl, mix buttermilk and eggs until smooth, then add to dry items.
3. Roughly chop kale, broccoli and celery; grate ginger.
4. In separate bowl, toss small portion of vegetables with ½ cup of batter and mix until well coated; season with salt.
5. Pour into cast-iron or nonstick pan and cook on medium heat for about three minutes or until golden brown on each side.
6. Top with arugula and sunflower seeds.

7. Sprinkle with fresh lemon juice and extra virgin olive oil. Makes 8 pancakes.

How Soda Affects the Body and How to Quit Soda

Soda is a major contributor to weight gain and type 2 diabetes. It has been a hot topic in recent months and also during the November elections. There were some cities that placed banning soft drink proposals and tax increases on the sugary drinks before voters. Here is an interesting article on how soda affects your body in a 60 minute time span to show you how unhealthy soda is for you.

Your Body on Soda


I hardly ever drink soda now. But that wasn't always the case. There was a time when I would drink 5 or 6 sodas a day. I was un-employed during the "Great Recession", so I couldn't spend money on soda. I had to quit cold turkey and I went through that miserable experience of caffeine withdrawals. After going through those withdrawals, I vowed I wouldn't take up drinking caffeinated beverages again when I became employed. Here is an article on how to help you to stop drinking sodas, so your experience will be better than mine.

You Want to Stop Drinking Soda?

Need Help with Motivation, Get a Workout Partner

Its tough going at it alone. You are more likely to give up on your goals unless you have someone out there to help keep you motivated. People who exercise with someone else are much less likely to blow off a workout if they have someone else waiting for them at the gym. Also when you exercise socially, you take the focus off the task. This will make the workout go by faster.

Another benefit of exercising with others is performance. In 1898, Norman Triplett found that bicyclists were faster when they raced against another rider than if they were riding alone. It turns out we perform better in the presence of others.

Don't have friends who like to exercise? Try working out with the Team in Training, meetup.com, or do an Internet search to find an exercise group/partner.


How to find an accountabilibuddy

Post Fourth Run

My neighborhood had a bbq for the holiday that offered some great food. With the holiday celebrations, I try not to over eat or eat too many unhealthy foods. However, with this celebration I overate and feasted on brownies, cookies, and this delicious cheesecake tart dish. I need to make up for this by increasing my physical activity and eating better during the rest of the week. That way I can stave off any weight gain and get back on track.

Originally, I planned on running 11 miles around Lagoon Valley park on Sunday. As a penance for my gluttonous behavior the day before, I decided to increase my mileage to 15 miles. Unfortunately, there was a fire in the hills around the park that started on the night of the fourth and was still smoldering the next day. The fire department closed the park, so I ran on the surface streets around town. The air quality was still good because of a breeze that took the smoke away from the area I was running, so I didn't have to run on a treadmill indoors. Whats the point of running if your going to breathe in heavy amounts of smoke that will damage your lungs. 

The new route was a nice change of pace from my normal route. My normal routine has some hill work, but the new route was nice and flat. I decided to run at my half marathon pace for 5 miles to make the run more challenging. My Sunday runs are normally my long and slow runs to build up the blood vessels in my legs. However, today was different and I was being flexible. 

Grilled Pineapple Chicken Recipe

Good morning! I hope everyone enjoyed the holiday. Here is a timely recipe....

I found this recipe and tried it out when the outside temperature was in the triple digits. I didn't feel like cooking inside, so I fired up the bbq and retreated back inside to the a/c. I came out once to flip the foil packets and then went quickly back inside.

I did make some substitutions to the recipe. I couldn't find any pineapple jelly, so I had to go with pineapple w/apricot jelly. I also went with Mrs. Dash instead of salt.

I tried this recipe again without the pineapple jelly sauce. I just soaked the chicken chunks with low sodium soy sauce in a zip loc bag for 1/2 hour. That switch also tasted pretty good. Just something to consider.

I do recommend using an "ov-glove" or bbq glove instead of tongs. The tongs can puncture the foil packets and cause a mess. It is also a good idea to use a cookie sheet or a platter to carry the packets to and from the bbq.

Here is the link: Betty Crocker Grilled Pineapple Chicken

The finished product.

Before and After photos

We've all seen them. They're a marketing tool used to help sell weight loss products, exercise equipment, and dietary supplements. Sometimes those photos are "photo shopped" in order to make the person appear thinner or more muscular. It turns out some companies are stealing photos from websites that people have posted and using them to help sell their products. These are photos of people who have actually lost weight, but it wasn't because they used their product or services. Here is another reason not to believe those photos. Remember if it is too good to be true, it is.

The Truth About Before and After Photos

6/29/15 Run

On Monday, I ran on the treadmill for 30 minutes. I varied the speed, so my body wouldn't adapt to the workout. A trainer once  told me it's good to keep my muscles "guessing" or my workout would be less effective. I'm not sure if it really applies to a 30 minute run on the treadmill, but I figure it couldn't hurt anything. So, I adjusted the speed from 7.0 to 8.0 for 10 minutes and then kicked it up to 9.0 for 5 minutes. If anything, it kept the workout interesting. 

I also did some planks for 45 seconds after my run to strengthen my core. A strong core helps you maintain your form during the run. Runner's World recommends doing the core workout afterwards because you're tired and this will make it more challenging. I can attest that it is more challenging to do the core workouts after running.

About Me

In 2010, I tipped the scales at 270 pounds. I now weigh 170 pounds and I owe a lot of that weight loss to running. Running has not only helped me to lose weight, it has also helped me to keep it off.

I started running on the treadmills at the gym. I slowly worked my way up to running for an hour on the treadmill. At this point in my life, running was just another workout routine to help me lose weight. This mindset would change shortly after I reconnected with an old friend who got into running marathons. After talking with him about distance running, I decided it was something that I wanted to try. I decided on running the California International Marathon as my first race. I found a training plan online and followed it for 6 months. It was tough going, but I finished the race. I achieved my race goals of finishing and running the entire time. However, I failed miserably on my time goal. This was because I started off to fast and "hit the wall" later in the race. I learned some lessons from that race and I look forward to running it in the upcoming years.

I look at running differently now. It's a major part of my life that brings me great joy. My worse day of running is still better than my best day at work. This blog is intended to provide tips on running, workouts, and healthy recipes, so you'll enjoy running as well. Enjoy and if you have any questions or comments, post it.

6/28/15 Training Run

I ran 14 miles for my run today in 2 hours. I did it in the morning to beat the heat and because I also  wanted to go to the blues festival they had downtown. This was a training run for the SF half marathon I’m doing at the end of July. I’m trying to go for a new PR of 1:40. 

For this run, I took it easy and just enjoyed the run. It was my long, slow, distance (lsd) run for the week. Running coach Jack Daniels recommends doing lsd runs to build up the blood vessels in your legs and develop the slow twitch muscles. By doing these slow types of runs, I'll actually become faster. I read it in his book entitled, Daniels’ Running Formula, 3rd Edition (Kindle edition, so I can’t cite the page number).