With the price jump kicking in on the 25th, I jumped right in on Detroit Marathon #2. Sure, I don't care for the medal, and I've already ran it once, but also: it's a marathon, it's relatively close, it's somewhat home turf, I'll know what I'm getting into more, and I already know I'm capable (or at least I was last year). Also, even if I end up unemployed by then and can't pay for anything, I'm sure someone can get me to Detroit, right? I already have the enhanced license and everything else. So at this point, it was just the fee to get in.
Now that that's happening I need to make up some ground. Last March I only put in 68 miles, and so far this month, I'm only at 47. Part of it is weather, and the rest is a mix of work keeping me later and having to walk the dog, which pushes the dark upon my runs early. Sorry, but some of the areas I run in are not places you want to run in when it's dark (or daylight for that matter). Just the uneven sidewalk alone could end your running year, never mind some of the safety of life issues in some of our not-so-pleasant areas of Flint.
I've also said "enough is enough" and I'm dropping weight. I popped up a bit after the marathon (and while approaching the marathon before that), and I was hoping all the things I dropped out of for Lent would shrink me back. It didn't. Apparently I can keep on the path to amorphous blobitude without soda, beer, meat, fast food, or pizza. Though I did cheat on the meat last Sunday. I'm sorry, but I'm not showing up to my wife's grandparent's house for dinner with a jar of veggie-approved Ragu sauce to replace her grandpa's homemade meat sauce. That pushes too far beyond my rudeness capabilities.
Anyway, I've had to create a time cut-off for food at night, and started limiting my lunch. I know I'm more of a big lunch guy, but that doesn't work when your wife is a dinner person. Sure, on my own, I could pretty much shut down the eating before dinner, but I'm not going to get away with it, so I've given in to her small lunch, big dinner ways. It's working. I have 4 pounds to drop to get back to "Marathon Brent." Of course this course is set to collide with Easter (though I have only had one cadbury egg to date and not a single delightful reese's egg-shapped delight) and the future availability of 5 gallons of homemade beer. I don't know, I have two weddings I'm in this year, and pictures are forever, so I'll just have to pretend I care as much about those pictures as I did my own (yeah, I know that plan sounds stupid).
Other than that, I've the Martian Half Marathon coming up here on April 13th. I have no idea about my readiness. I haven't gone that distance in a long while. There's almost no chance of a PR, but plenty of opportunity for a PU (personal underachievement?). I'm considering signing up for a practice run at the more local Flushing Half-Marathon this weekend. If I opt out of a shirt, we're only looking at $15, but I don't know if I'll be available that morning. It would be nice to see where I'm at and see if it spurs me on a bit, but it's only 2 weeks notice of where I'm at before the Martian, anyway. I'm not sure it would make a difference. If I'm able, though, I think I'll set the alarm and go.
The personal underachievement? I like that phrase. I've been doing a lot of "P.U-ing" lately.
ReplyDeleteIf you're really looking at dropping weight . . .
ReplyDeleteA while back, I posted about following the recommendation of the 4-Hour Body for weight loss. I tell you in good conscience, it works. It's similar to the paleo thing. But you pretty much eliminate sugars. Including fruit and grains.
I would've kept following it, but with the kids right now . . . not gonna happen.
I WILL be back on it after this next coming week. The first week or so is a bit of nightmare of your body getting used to not getting it's usual compliment of sugary goodness. But you begin to adapt. After a while, you begin to realize you feel much better. And the one cheat day you get, you kinda don't want it after a while. But you need it to keep shocking the system.
My goal is to finally get under the 200 pound mark. I've been sittin' at 225-220 for the last few months. And the only reason is because I've begun including more body weight exercises. Without those, I've probably would've begun creeping up again.
There's plenty of information and support out there for 4HB, too. If you're interested in checking it out, email me your address and I'll send you the book. It's a pretty good read anyway. Tim Ferriss knows how to sell his stuff. Very entertaining and informative.
gaudentius(at)gmail(dot)com
And you have some brass ones for aiming at the marathon goal AGAIN! I'm still on the fence about doing something like that. Depending on how I do at the Salinas Valley Half Marathon, I may be beginning to jump off it.