Considering how hard last year's race stomped the hell out of me, I really wanted to come out swinging this year. I wanted to try and not gain any weight back over the winter, then hit the pavement hard in the early months leading up to this race.
Well, that didn't completely go as planned. However, I didn't pack on very much weight, and, unlike last year, there wasn't any long periods where J and I completely abandoned the run days. In fact, we kept running about twice a week, outside, throughout this entire horrible cold, and almost record-setting, snowy winter.
That means, we've been running with muscles that have been tested with cold-weather tightness. We have had to climb snowbanks, run through several feet deep of snow, gingerly run and correct our balance on ice, and get back up and finish runs after several falls.
So I guess what I'm saying is, I don't consider this winter a failure, and now that the weather's broke I've tried to make up ground. This year, I'm actually training for the Martian. I know I haven't logged jack on daily mile. I forgot over the winter that I even had a Garmin, and the quiet coming from this blog reaks of "slacker," but I'm here now to dispel that stench.
Perhaps the running mileage isn't what it should be, but I've ran a lot more than last year. Barring a pre-Half Marathon (Flushing) last year, I've kept the feet moving a lot more regularly. Outside of that, I've also added to the workout regimen. Nearly every day, I have something scheduled (with only really 1 or 2 days off during the month). I've basically doubled the weight regimen I did last year. The most significant difference with that, though, is that I'm actually doing it consistently (and not ditching it for a month or more).
The other thing I'm mixing in on non-run days is some yoga exercises. For some reason, I've kind of latched onto John Vitarelli as my video teacher. I don't know. I think I like the laid back style, the Star Wars references, and the fact he's not all geared up in a $1000 work out outfit. He just kind of reminds me of the good runners I see out there that wear that ratty old white t-shirt and shorts, but go straight out and kick everyone's ass. How I fell into doing this all the time, I can hardly remember, but I've stuck with it.
I think it's all been good for me, because I used to really sluff off eating properly on days off, because I didn't have to work out. I could just eat horribly and sit in a chair with a book or a movie later. Now I actually have to watch it, because it's no fun forcing yourself through a workout stuffed to the gills or running off straight sugar (and, believe me, I've been forcing myself).
J has mirrored with his own regimen (also weights and yoga, but different styles of each). At the beginning of the year we got to talking about what we were doing, and what results we expected, and talking about those results at the end of the month. Eventually, like all conversations like this between men, we figured out a way to make it into a contest.
With Wrestlemania XXX being fairly recent (last night), enter the "Weight Loss Championship." Every month, on the very last day we have a weigh in (honor system) on the same scale and same time of day and text over the results of the month. The person who drops the most (which I still believe should be by percentage of body weight, to handicap me from winning too much) wins.
Currently, the winner keeps an old child-sized (formerly WCW) World Heavyweight Championship belt. Since we're both too fat to actually wear the thing (at least I am, perhaps it fits him, who knows?), I put it on my plastic "party" goose and he puts it on his stuffed dog. I won February, he's won March, and I'm winning April (I hope). Perhaps, eventually, there will be another prize or a custom made belt for this honor. Until then, we'll continue with this ritual.
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| Renfield and Party Goose |
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| Stuffed Dog Champ |
I'll see you at Martian! I'm doing the 5k and Spike will be out on the course harassing runners cheering our running team. He has a blow up Martian, be afraid. Good luck!!!
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