Run Rob, Run!!!

I better sleep deep tonight. 

It has been a rather exhausting and active day, more so than any day in the recent past. I have been awake since seven this morning. Over an hour later, I went for a three-mile run and actually remembered to stretch afterwards for once (I always remember to beforehand). Was pretty tired afterwards but felt okay. I usually recover quickly.

I had planned on doing something else later: riding my bike to my polling station to vote in the Virginia primary which was being held today (at least for the Democrats, the Republicans stupidly had a convention last month and came up with some very extreme candidates). However, the new state ID that I was supposed to have a few weeks ago hasn't gotten here yet and the one I have now is expired. Thanks a lot DMV. So I was thinking that I didn't have the proper stuff to go vote. Thinking this, I decided to instead go on another run, just 1.5 miles this time just after three in the afternoon. However, I ran it harder than I usually do. Instead of going on an endurance run, I went on a speed run. Before I went on run #2, I posted on my Facebook page about my voting ID issue. When a got back from the run - which didn't go nearly as bad as I thought it might - a friend got back to my Facebook post about some alternate ID options and another friend joined in. They gave me some things I may be able to use, which led me to thrash about my place looking for something to use. I ended up finding my newest voter registration card from last year which I did after moving. Side note, apparently I had my old registration card on me when I voted last November, so it's a good thing I didn't need it then. Anyway, I threw that in my wallet, hopped on my bike, and went to my precinct. The trouble was that I still only have an expired state ID. Luckily, they poll workers didn't look at that. The address on it however was not where I live now, which is where the new voter registration card came into play. It all ended up working out and I got to vote, which made my day so much better. Then I made the trek back home.

So, I ended up running three mile, then another 1.5 miles, then biking another 1.5-2 miles less than an hour after that. Hopefully, I'll be able to use my legs tomorrow.

Two-A-Days

In my seemingly never-ending quest to be happier with my body, I have taken a few steps of late. The last couple of days I have been exercising twice a day. Once when I woke up right before I eat breakfast. That is ab time, usually while watching the previous night's "The Daily Show" or "The Colbert Report." I found an ab  routine that is pretty rough, but doesn't take a very long time. Then I go running in the afternoon sometime between two and three. I average out at three miles, but it is not running the whole time...more like 90ish percent. Clearly I need to get back into the cardio shape that I had back when I could knock out six miles in a day. Those were the days.

I'm in the process of getting used to this routine as I've only been doing this for a few days. I'm pretty sure I've said this before, but when these waves of motivation arrive, I ride them and ride them hard (get your minds out of the gutter). I do have to say that while I feel myself getting a bit stronger, it's a bit wearing. My abs have been in a pretty constant state of soreness, though it is ebbing over time. One of the ab exercises takes its toll on my lower back which, when combined with my upright running posture (necessary for proper breathing so I can't really change it) is pretty stressful. There is also my almost constant fatigue. Before running today, I was lying on my bed for about 40 minutes half asleep most of the time. Pretty much the same thing happened the day before, except it was post run. Of course part of that is not getting enough sleep at night. Have I ever mentioned how I hate napping during the day? I've never liked it. It makes me feel like I'm wasting sunlight which, given my quasi-S.A.D., is a very bad feeling. I'm thinking it would be good if I took a day off for my body to recover and come back stronger after. Like I said though, these periods of drive can be fleeting and I want them to take me as far as possible for as long as possible.

My motivation right now is two-fold. One, the big 3-0 is around the corner and I remember saying that I would have a six-pack by then. Things haven't gone as planned (like having two pints of Ben & Jerry's in three days this past weekend at over 1000 calories a pop), but I believe the goal is still within reach. The second motivator is the warm weather. I think the cold has finally broken for the season and there are lots of fit shirtless lads about (if that sentence sounds weird, it's because I've been watching lots of British tele of late). Sometimes I see a guy and think "wow, he's hot" and "I need to go running" simultaneously. Where I live, there is a lot of that. Hopefully enough to keep me going for at least a few more weeks.

A lot of the advice I have been taken when it comes to exercise and diet has come from Insane Home Fat Loss which you can find on FaceBook HERE and you can find them on YouTube HERE. And now it's time for me to head to the grocery store and find something to eat. I'm starving.

One Week Left...

It's one week before Mardi Gras, which means that it's almost time to start giving stuff up. Usually I give up certain foods to which I'm particular susceptible, which I'll be doing again this year. Here's the rub. Lent starts February 13th this year, i.e. the day before Valentines. I also have a tradition of eating ice cream on Valentines if I'm single...which I am, but ice cream (read: sweets) are also going on the chopping block for 40 days and 40 nights. DILEMMA!!! First world problems...

So here is what will happen. I'll probably suspend my Lent rules for this one particular instance. I know, technically it's cheating, but I'll find some way to assuage my conscience (i.e. with said ice cream).

Besides which, I have some lbs to lose. I'm going to a concert in two months and I'll be seeing a bunch of people I haven't seen in a while. Gotta look good for that. And with the big three Zero bearing down on me, I'm bound and determined to have an actual 6-pack before the end of May. This should all be sufficient motivation to eat right. Now if the damned weather would cooperate so I could run outside without freezing my kiester off...

P.S. Am I the only one who took forever to realize that fat Tuesday is the literal translation of Mardi Gras? Oh well, I don't speak French, so there's that.

Mid January Check-Up

I've don a pretty good job with running, eating right, blah blah blah. Bike 2 miles to work, biked the 2 miles back home, then went for a 3-mile run. It was a beautiful day that seemed more like late Spring (mid 70's) then mid-Winter and I wanted to take advantage. Of course the false Spring didn't last and it's been raining all day today. Between that and the fatigue of Sunday, I decided to give my quads a break. No running today. I thought the rain would clear up tomorrow and I would be able to pull another 7 miles on Tuesday. No dice. It's going to be cold which I knew, but it's also going to be raining. I think I'm just going to suck it up and go running in the morning anyway so I can at least get 3 miles on the day. I'm feeling highly motivated of late and I have a 25 mil goal to hit this week.

I have been talking to a few people in southern California over the past few days. Apparently it has been warmer here in Virginia than it has been there. So much for global climate change being a hoax...

End of March Review

March is almost over so let's have a little catch-up session.

I don't really care about March Madness or basketball in general, but No. 2 Duke losing to a  No. 15 Lehigh (or whatever it's called) was the best thing ever. Suck it Dookies :P

The fitness thing has been up and down. On the down side, I have had a few dietary setbacks. I think the Lent concessions that I made compensated for that for the most part. I'm going to retool my eating habits. More fish/poultry, less carbs. I'm so close to seeing an actual 6-pack. I know, totally vain. On the up side, exercising has been going very well and I've taken a lot of steps forward. Last week I almost ran a total of 20 miles, including a day where a ran a total of 6 miles (3 in the morning, 3 in the afternoon). This past week (as of right now), my running tally is at 22.5 miles, including 2 days when I ran 6 miles each. This is partially a function of my work schedule, otherwise I just wouldn't have the time/energy combination to do this. I think there will be a commemorative 5K here in town (for 4/16/07) that I'll try to do. I was going to last year, but the weather didn't cooperate.

We're in the home-stretch of Lent. One more week, and then I'm pigging out (relatively) guilt-free. That's part of why this week, I'm trying to eat even better and get all that exercise: to make up for what will be taking place on Easter Sunday. Everything I've denied myself for the prior 40 days is going to be shoveled down my gullet and it will be GLORIOUS!!!

Early in the month, I made the goal of finishing A Feast for Crows (volume 4 of A Song of Ice & Fire) by months end. I'm in the home stretch, even though earlier in the week (i.e. Tuesday) I though I would miss this goal. I haven't made up my mind when I'll start reading volume 5, A Dance With Dragons. I really need to start reading some other types of books, primarily political ones. It is, after all an election year and I am, after all, a political nerd. Too many books, too little time.

As for my other blog, things are going pretty well. I don't remember off-hand whether it was this month or February that I started a Facebook page for it. There still aren't too many fans on it as yet, but I'm working on it. I'm still getting better at promoting it. Yesterday, I hit the 4,000 pageview (for the month) mark which was pretty surprising. I'm still working on the original content thing. I have a bunch of half-written pieces that need to be completed. I really need to get better at time management and focus. I'm also getting some positive feedback from readers which is awesome. I wish I was getting more posts on the comments, but at least I'm not getting negative comments (silver lining I suppose).

Well, I guess that's it until next time folks.

40 Days & 40 Nights: 2012

Today is the first day of Lent. This means it's time to give something up until after Easter. While I'm not Catholic, I still do this every year. It's an idea that I was introduced to during high school when a friend of mine (who IS Catholic) mentioned it. I thought it was a cool idea. This year I'm giving up pretty much the same stuff that I gave up last year which also serves the function of helping me lose the weight I've gained in the last week or two:

-Pizza

-Sweets

-Fried foods

-Various other knick-knacks

These may seem like easy "sacrifices," but I'm constantly surrounded by temptation. Last year was successful so hopefully this year will be as well. I WILL get my abs back DAMMIT!!!

Run Ragged

This is pretty much what I managed to do to myself this week: run myself ragged. From Monday through Wednesday I ended up running 12 miles, which is kind of a lot for me. I even managed to do all of that with a relatively small amount of pain. Today, however, the miles are starting to catch  up with me. My left foot hurts a fair amount, I feel like I have strained something in my left leg, and some muscle just south of my right hip is giving me problems. I was hoping to get a bit more running in today, but between that and the weather (possibility of rain), it may not happen, or at least the 3 miles I'm used to doing in one go. After having been out of work for an hour right now, I'm feeling a little better and the weather hasn't gotten to bad yet, so maybe. We'll see. I guess I'm going so hard now because when it gets cold out for good (or at least until Spring), running will be incredibly rare for me. Trying to burn as many calories as I can before the cold really settles in. As the Starks of Winterfell say, "Winter is coming!"

Anti-Aging Superfoods

Every once-in-a-while, I go onto a fitness website to learn some new stuff. I was just on Men's Fitness where I found an article about 5 anti-aging superfoods. Here is what it had to say:

Broccoli
Or other cruciferous veggies like cabbage, cauliflower, bok choy, kale, and Brussels sprouts. They’re great because they have chemicals in them that help detoxify the body and prevent cancer.

Eggs

A powerful source of protein, they cost just pennies each. Many people think eating eggs increases blood cholesterol. Not true. Eggs contain choline, a B vitamin shown to reduce inflammation in the brain, which may lesson the chance of developing Alzheimer’s. And these protein powerhouses protect your bones and fight frailty, too. Antioxidants and other nutrients in egg yolks help prevent macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness, and protect the retina from UV sun damage.

Beets
You know to eat your greens, but you have to eat your reds, too. Beets help dilate blood vessels, which improves blood flow throughout the body. They’re also packed with iron, which helps deliver oxygen throughout the body and ward off anemia.

Blueberries
A recent study out of the City of Hope Hospital found that blueberries might have the power to combat tumor growth. Its antioxidants can help fight the free radicals that cause cancer. Other purple-colored foods—such as purple potatoes, blood oranges, and eggplant—provide a similar anthocyanin benefit.

Tomatoes
They’re packed with lycopene, a redcarotene that’s extremely protective against colon, lung, skin, and prostate cancers. It’s also been shown to lower the risk of heart disease, cataracts, and macular degeneration.

Add these five superfoods to your grocery list to reverse aging.

I'm particularly happy to see eggs on this list because A) I eat about 18 eggs a week (I LOVE eggs) and B) my grandmother had Alzheimer's so it may run in my family. However, that's the only of these 5 that are regularly in my diet. I guess I'll start putting some blueberries in my oatmeal and shoving some tomatoes down my throat. Beets and broccoli probably just aren't going to happen.