Week 45: 175 pounds

Getting there! Whew. I just finished Week Six of the C25K Plan, and it kicked my ass. But on 2 out of the 3 runs, the damn circuit breaker on the treadmill tripped, sending me careening forward in what I suppose was a comical display of uncoordination, if anyone would have seen it. But all it did was piss me off, as all of my numbers (distance, time, laps, calories, etc) reset to zeros! Grrrr!! Tonight, after work, I am taking the thing apart and bypassing the wimpy circuit breaker. I know, that's unsafe. But so is putting a chubby body onto a treadmill so I guess I'm living on the edge!

Week seven looks daunting to me, but I gotta do it. I promised, with a handshake, that I would run with a friend of mine on the Turkey Day 5K Run, which is in only a few weeks! He happens to be a runner in phenomenal shape too, so no pressure there!! But there is no backing out, and I really don't want to anyway, so here I go.

Oh, and I like the fact that I am noticing less "belly bounce" when I walk around throughout the day. Not that I have six-pack abs or anything, but I am tighter! I like that, so that is helping me fuel my resolve to continue.

The cumulative effect of this is paying off now in a slightly exponential way. That is to say, that the more I work out, the more I CAN work out. Thus my increased workouts are resulting in greater gains (or, losses, I suppose!), which means I can do even MORE! Adding more weights and doing more reps of each, running greater distances and at faster paces, all are providing me more benefit. The kicker here, is that even though I knew this logically all along, I still had to feel it for myself in order to believe it myself. Hardly an epiphanistic revelation, but still a thinking point for me when I ponder why the kids won't listen to what I am telling them. But I digress...

Week 44: 177 pounds

Give or take a few, I suppose. The numbers aren't reflecting the progress I am making, but I don't really care. I started Week 5 of the C25K Plan, and I gotta say this week is easier than Week 4 was. But I also think some of that is due to conditioning too. It's getting easier because I'm getting better. I can feel the difference in my stomach, and my clothes are starting to fit again.
Last week was a "cluster" for scheduling, so I ran Sunday, and then not again until Thursday and right away again Friday. I got my Week 4 done that way, but it sucked. I didn't get the day between for recovery that they recommend, and I felt it on Saturday. But sure enough, Sunday came along like it always does, and I started Week 5. When I was done, I felt pretty good which was lucky for me because I needed to take a quick shower and get to work, where I spent the whole 8 hours on my feet running around like mad. THANK GOD FOR 5-HOUR ENERGY!!!! I really love that stuff. My breakfast on Sunday consisted of a cereal bar, a Diet coke, and a 5-Hour Energy. And I felt great all day. Collapsed into a blubbering heap that night, but felt great all day!
I'm posting my progress at the C25K Facebook page too, and it is so great to see the inspiring posts from others there going through this too. Some are just starting out and doubtful of their potential, and others are veterans offering up "if I can you can too" style encouragement. It's really nice. I'm somewhere in the middle now; not a newbie but not done either. I like it here.
I was challenged by my friend to run in the Turkey Day 5K this year, and going by the calendar that would be just about the right timing assuming I am sticking to the program. And I am assuming as much, so we'll see. For now I am not making that promise, because he is going through the recent loss of his dad and has other things to think about now, but maybe in time we'll revisit the notion. Until then, gotta keep running.

Week 42: 178 pounds

Back at it! I started running again, and I have decided to repeat Week 3 of the Couch to 5K Plan. Not as a form of self-punishment, but because I really need to get back up to where I was before thinking I can just jump into it. And honestly, Weeks 1 and 2 were not all that dang hard. Sure, I was sweaty and breathing hard, but other stuff causes that too. Week 3 isn't really hard either in the grand scheme of it all, but for a lump like me it is enough of a challenge for me to be respectful of it.

Ooh, and a big ball!!

I have one of those stability balls that I use for doing sit-ups on, and let me tell ya it is SO MUCH BETTER ON THE BACK! My lower back has been doing weird things lately, and I really notice it during sit-ups. This thing is a hoot! Sure, I like to bounce around on it too. Who wouldn't? But the little plug that goes into the air fill hole is rather intimidating. It's like FOUR INCHES LONG! I have this nightmare-ish vision of the ball popping while I'm sitting on it, and the spike impaling me right through the "Exit Only" sign.

But I still bounce on it. Can't resist.

Back to the Plan: I am supposed to run three days a week (every other day), and take 2 days off to recover. Golly, a M-W-F "on", Sa-Su "off" schedule seems right on. But no, I tried that and found that it's better for me to do a Su-Tu-Th "on", F-Sa "off" approach. Sunday mornings I get up before everyone else anyway, so I have plenty of time to get in a workout and a run, take a shower, and have a bowl of cereal before anyone else is even stirring. It's nice. That leaves two nights in the middle of the week. Two nights! Psshhh! Who can't commit to two nights? AND, I'm talking about a commitment of about 45 minutes total, if I take my time.

Seriously, if I whine about how I can't do this, come find me and offer up the head-smack I deserve.

Week 41: 179 pounds

...and holding. In fact, I'm stuck once again in a "holding pattern" just circling around my plan instead of doing something about it. Dammit! I haven't run once since my dad went into the hospital, but there hasn't been a day I don't think about it. So there it sits, in my head, nagging me to do something about it. And there I sit, rationalizing it away and promising myself I'll get to it.

Sure, the truth is that I have a lot of stuff happening right now in my life, and I'm stressed out big time about it. And the last thing I am interested in is exercising. But I gotta slap that lame-o excuse outta my head and realize that EVERYONE is stressed about something, and in fact exercising actually HELPS me feel better (albeit tired) afterward.

Man, this blogging thing is easy. The rest of it sucks though.

Week 40: 178 pounds

Ok, so I had to take a break from the Couch-to-5K thing for a week, because my father was in the hospital and I spent all of my available time there. He is recovering nicely now, after beating back congestive heart failure. But I learned a few startling things during the time I was visiting him. Actually no, I guess I knew them all along, but they never really registered with me until now. I'm gonna die of a heart attack, assuming I don't get hit by a truck first. It's in my family, on both sides. My dad's dad had a heart attack, my mom's dad had a heart attack, my dad's birth mother did, as did my mom's mom and her mom as well; all heart attacks. So, I guess I know what my ticket out will be.

Seeing my father in the hospital, all hooked up to enough technology to amaze NASA, made me project myself there in a few years. I didn't like it. Gotta work the program harder, so I can reduce my risk.

But then the surgeon that performed the procedure added this little bit of wisdom: "I've seen people in horrible shape, and people in fine-tuned athletic shape, suffer congestive heart failure, so one never knows." Great. What's the point then?

Oh, I know: So when the hot nurses are hooking me up to NASA, I'm not too embarrassed by my body. Yeah, that's the ticket.

Week 38: 179 pounds

I finished my weekly run regimen last night for Week 2. I get today off, and start Week 3 tomorrow. I'm actually excited about it, because although my legs would disagree, I really believe I can do this! Now, saying "I get today off" makes it sound like a vacation from something bad. To be honest, it IS bad. I get tired, sweaty, sore... all the rest. But the payoff is worth it, so I keep plugging away. Also, I have gone fairly public with this effort, posting it on my Facebook page as well as the CoolRunnings site and their Facebook page. Imagine my embarrassment if I don't follow through. It's gotta be worse than the embarrassment I feel when I look at myself in the mirror after a shower. And that's pretty embarrassing!!

Week 37: 180 pounds

I am a teacher. I am now back to work for the year. I took the summer off. I had plans of working my weight-loss plan HARD over the summer, and returning a lean, mean, fighting machine! However, I took the summer off of that plan too. (sigh!). So, here I go again. For anyone reading this also struggling with weight loss and going nowhere, I'm the mascot!

But I started a running program called "Couch To 5K". The info is here: http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml
So, in 9 weeks, I'll be running a 5K! How the heck is it possible for me to NOT lose weight while training for this?

And I know, it is a chuckle for those runners out there, hearing someone say "I'm in training for a 5K". Really? Well in fact, yes. The program is called "COUCH To 5K" for a reason. I got the "couch" part down. I just need to work on the rest.

So I have successfully completed week one. It's not that bad. I think I can do this!