The 53 Runner's Commandments, Part 03.

So I had to map another 5K route since moving back to the Seattle area. My sister's neighborhood has some large gentle hills so that gets a thumbs up from me; I'm starting to train again for some upcoming runs. I'm expecting to have to adapt a little bit to the climate; the last time I seriously trained, there was a 20+ degree difference in outdoor temperature and was much more humid.

Also, I'm gonna need new running shoes soon -- I'm wearing through the interior side lining of my current pair! The Nike+ system is tempting.

LunarEclipse+

Here's part three of my thoughts on Joe Kelly's 53 Runner's Commandments [read Parts 01 and 02].

• Look at hills as opportunities to pass people. Haha. This is a good take on hills; I've always approached them with a feeling of dread. But hey it's worked out so far, at least when it came to climbing the hills during my last race.
  
  
• Distance running is like cod liver oil. At first it makes you feel awful, then it makes you feel better. Speaking from experience, I've had headaches magically disappear during runs.
  
  
• Never throw away the instructions to your running watch. I got mine from someone else so I'm probably missing out on half of the functions I could be using.
  
  
• Don’t try to outrun dogs. Luckily I haven't had to try yet. Chalk it up to responsible neighbors.
  
  
• Don’t trust runners who show up at races claiming to be tired, out of share, or not feeling well.
  
  
• Don’t wait for perfect weather. If you do, you won’t run very often. I just moved back to the Northwest; I know what I'm up against. Rain gear is in the closet ready to go.
  
  
• When tempted to stop being a runner, make a list of the reasons you started.
  
  
• Never run alongside very old or very young racers. They get all of the applause.
  
  
• Without goals, training has no purpose. 25:30 5K. I CAN DO IT.
  
  
• During training runs, let the slowest runner in the group set the pace.
  
  
• The first year in a new age group offers the best opportunity for trophies. Not quite up to this point yet, but definitely in the future.
  
  
• Go for broke, but be prepared to be broken. My lungs testify to the truth of this one.
  
  
• Spend more time running on the roads than sitting on the couch. Or in my case, surfing the Web.

The 53 Runner's Commandments, Part 02.

I haven't laced up my cross-trainers in four days and I'm waaay overdue for some punishment, so I quickly created a new course near the house using Map My Run:

Hays 5K route

After some tweaking, the route is almost exactly 5K so I'm good to go. Only thing is, it can get extremely windy here in Hays and the headwinds are no joke. (Neither is the dust blowing in my face, but there's nothing I can do about that.) I figure the extra resistance will make up for the relative flatness of the terrain though.

Anyway here's the second installment of my thoughts on Joe Kelly's 53 Runner's Commandments [read Part 01].

1. A bad day of running still beats a good day at work. Or in my case, getting some exercise beats being mostly sedentary for 8+ hours a day.
   
   
2. Talk like a runner. “Singlets” are worn on warm days. “Tank tops” are worn to the beach. Hmmm, I dunno about this. It's kinda venturing into douchebag territory.
   
   
3. Don’t talk about your running injuries. People don’t want to hear about your sore knee or black toe. Unless they can commiserate. Then we can compare battle wounds.
   
   
4. Don’t always run alone.
   
   
5. Don’t always run with people.
   
   
6. Approach running as if the quality of your life depended on it. Because it does.
   
   
7. No matter how slow you run it is still faster than someone sitting on a couch.
   
   
8. Keep in mind that the harder you run during training, the luckier you’ll get during racing. I hope this includes being able to leap over, confidently pass and dodge around fellow racers.
   
   
9. Races aren’t just for those who can run fast. I can't really say I run "fast" yet. I'm still working on shaving down my 5K time to at least an 8.5-minute mile. So I can certainly respect those like me who enter races simply to run them, and not necessarily to compete. Although that might be in the future for me.
   
   
10. There are no shortcuts to running excellence.
    
    
11. The best runs sometimes come on days when you didn’t feel like running. I can attest to this. I went out on a very hot day last month (90+ degrees F) and didn't think I'd last too long. Surprisingly I ended up with a faster-than-usual time for some reason. I dunno, I must have been extra mindful of my breathing that day due to the heat, but it ended up being very beneficial to my run. I was happy.
    
    
12. Be modest after a race, especially if you have reason to brag. Haha -- no reason to brag just yet.
    
    
13. If you say, “Let’s run this race together,” then you must stay with that person no matter how slow. This would be good if I actually had a running buddy.
    
    
14. Think twice before agreeing to run with someone during a race.
    
    
15. There is nothing boring about running. There are, however, boring people who run. Let's hope I'm not one of them.

The 53 Runner's Commandments, Part 01.

Joe Kelly of the Pine Belt Pacers, a running club in Mississippi, created a list for runners. They're a pretty good set of rules and general tips, some geared for group or competitive running. Here are the first fifteen "commandments" with some personal thoughts.

1. Don’t be a whiner. Nobody likes a whiner, not even other whiners. Easily applied to all other aspects of life wouldn't you say?
   
   
2. Walking out the door is often the toughest part of a run. I know that on some days it's harder to plan for a run given errands or some other time constraints. The commitment to running has been the most difficult part of the whole fitness routine to me. For the most part, I've stuck to it.
   
   
3. Don’t make running your life. Make it part of your life.
   
   
4. During group training runs, don’t let anyone run alone.
   
   
5. Keep promises, especially ones made to yourself. I've committed to running about 20K weekly. Sometimes the weather has prevented me from going out, but hopefully I'll be forgiven for not wanting to get struck by lightning while jogging around the block. *insert generic Midwestern weather complaint here*
   
   
6. When doing group runs, start on time no matter who’s missing. I'm not currently part of a group so this doesn't really apply, but it does help my own schedule greatly when I stick to a scheduled time for running. I block out about an hour for my 5K, This includes warm-up/cool-down, the run, and showering afterward. Staying on schedule is key for me.
   
   
7. The faster you are the less you should talk about your times.
   
   
8. Keep a quarter in your pocket. One day you’ll need to call for a ride. I have no idea where any payphones are in my area! So far a housekey has been sufficient.
   
   
9. Don’t compare yourself to other runners. Right now I'm concentrating on bettering my own times, so I don't have anyone to compare against. I do know that I'd like to get my 5K down in the 24-minute range though.
   
   
10. All runners are equal, some are just faster than others.
    
    
11. Keep in mind that the later in the day it gets, the more likely it is that you won’t run. Especially now that autumn is around the corner. It's steadily been getting darker sooner. I don't have a problem with running in the evening, but it's definitely harder to go outside once the sun goes down.
    
    
12. For a change of pace, get driven out and then run back. Recently I've been running my regular route in reverse. It's like a whole new course; the hills are killing me! But killing me in a good way.
    
    
13. If it was easy, everybody would be a runner. I actually don't wish it were easier. I like the challenge.
    
    
14. When standing in starting lines, remind yourself how fortunate you are to be there.
    
    
15. Getting out of shape is much easier than getting into shape. See #13.

Lace 'Em Up.

After a couple months of focusing solely on a muscle confusion workout, I've decided to supplement it with more cardio. Plyometrics, kenpo and core work are definitely effective in raising my heart rate, but I still feel as though I get winded too easily (although I've made lots of progress over the course of eleven weeks). So after work yesterday, I plotted out a course, waited until an hour before sunset, laced up my cross-trainers and headed out to run a few miles.

3.5 miles of asphalt and hills

It's a decent route along fairly busy streets and residential areas, with the occasional elementary school here and there, a bit of road construction, and even some sort of nature preserve where I saw some deer grazing on an expansive lawn, oblivious to traffic. But the sidewalks were uninterrupted (essential) and yappy dogs were fenced in (even more essential). In all, I made the circuit in a slow 45 minutes due to my being unused to running again. So it was no real surprise that my feet hurt and I was fatigued in a different way from an hour of P90X.

The second reason I began training is that I'll be here in Kansas City to run the Susan G. Komen Race For The Cure in early August. I had a blast last year, so I'm planning on participating again this time around. I really want to improve my performance; the route runs through downtown Kansas City, and there were some hills that I struggled with last year. So I'm glad my "practice" route has some similar inclines. I'm hoping to get some other people to join me, but I think I will still run it solo if need be.

Are you in? Lace 'em up.

P90X: Day 57.

Today marks the beginning of Week 09 (Phase 03) of the program and I'm extremely happy that I've made it this far. Just wrapped up another "recovery" week and I'm ready to hit it hard for the remaining four weeks.

Improvement continues -- I've built more lean muscle and several of my jeans and shorts have really begun to sag. I'm down to using the last hole on my belt! I think I'm officially down to a 30" waist from 32" a couple of years ago. Muscle tone is getting more pronounced; my hip flexors are definitely visible now. I can see some slight striation and significant definition in my deltoids and traps as well as in my oblique abdominal muscles. Still want to decrease my body fat percentage though, so I'll keep doing high/maximum reps. I know I'm not going to get huge with this program, but I have seen an increase in general muscle size due to the sheer number and variety of exercises I've been performing -- so no complaints in that department.

Lung capacity and overall stamina have also gotten much better. Plyometrics and Kenpo still leave me drenched in sweat, but I've vastly improved in keeping up with the video without having to pause and gasp for breath like the first couple of weeks into the regimen. Kenpo and Core Synergistics have turned out to be my favorite sessions. I did mention that I was going to try to get an extra Kenpo session in after some of the regular workouts, but that didn't happen due to finals week, graduation and other stuff that kept me on a tighter time schedule. I definitely could still use the extra cardio so I'll attempt to incorporate it during Phase 03 since my schedule has largely settled down.

Kenpo X: fun as hell

I'm still enjoying the yoga sessions and have improved on being able to flow from one move to another without too much cursing and tumbling :) But I'm still struggling with a couple of the asanas, specifically Standing Split, Half Moon and Twisting Half Moon (even with blocks). The fact that they come later in the session when my legs feel like noodles doesn't really help things, but it's a pretty intense combination of balance, coordination and strength in a positions that I haven't quite mastered yet. Ah well -- I'll keep working at it! At least I can do Crane for about 30 seconds now without falling over, so that's a W for me :)

Diet-wise, I've been pretty consistent. I'm still devouring fish by the pound and spinach is now my best friend. Grapes have become my favorite snack food and I estimate I've cut my carbohydrate and sugar intake down 80% or so. I haven't missed meat since I gave up eating it over three months ago. I do still indulge in dessert but those occasions are few and far between.

I can honestly say that I've never felt (or looked) fitter in my life. I can't wait to finish, and I'll write another update in four weeks!

P90X: Day 22.

So today is the start of Week 04 of my P90X regimen. This being a "recovery" week, the workouts will consist of yoga, kenpo (which is by far the most fun to do), stretching and core work with no weights/resistance. After the completion of the recovery week, Phase 01 will end and it'll be back to a more rounded workout in Phase 02.

I can definitely see improvement so far. I've gotten leaner and a little more chiseled due to the high-intensity interval training that is the foundation of the regimen. My strength has also increased in some respects -- most notably push-ups and pull-ups (the Chest & Back workout does not mess around). I think I'll have to end up buying some actual dumbbells for use in the arm workouts though -- the resistance bands can get somewhat uncomfortable doing some of the bicep exercises and leave red bruises on my forearms. And I almost never bruise. The next time I'm in Columbia or KC I'll have to see what I can do about getting some second-hand weights.

I'm really appreciating the conditioning aspect of the program. Plyometrics damn near destroyed me the first time but it's gotten easier over the weeks (and now I'm kinda looking forward to getting back on it after recovery). I can almost say that it's done more for my stamina and lung capacity than just running a couple of miles after my old gym routines. The abdominal workout is a beast. I definitely have goals in mind while doing that routine, but the first few times I did Ab Ripper X were intensely painful and eye-opening. "I hate it, but I love it" (c) Tony Horton -- I can't say that I "love" Ab Ripper quite yet, but I don't gas out as fast now compared to my initial efforts. So I'm loving that.

I'd read about people simply skipping the yoga workout, and I didn't really understand why they'd want to do that -- until I actually tried it. It's probably obvious to many of you, but yoga is hard! I didn't realize how inflexible I was until I attempted some of the asanas. Needless to say, my face and the yoga mat are best friends. But I'm planning to stick with it because body awareness, flexibility and balance are things I'd like to improve upon. (And dammit I want to be able to do Crane for a full minute without falling on my head!)

I think I'll pass on this pose though

Next week I'm going to try adding a kenpo session after the muscle group workouts in Phase 02 for some additional calorie burning. We'll see how that goes; it's really getting nice outside so I'm tempted to go for some runs and maybe finally get some color on me at the same time. Even though the standalone regimens are designed to (and have succeeded in) putting me in my target heart zone (I've been on the brink of collapse more than a handful of times) I do feel like I need to increase cardio intensity. On the diet side, I've cut down on carbs and increased protein intake significantly -- now I go through cans of tuna and frozen tilapia like nobody's business. Salads are still a major part of my meals, and while I'll partake in dessert or snacks once in a while I'm usually pretty good about it. Although I'm not following the recommended diet plan exactly, I've been encouraged by my results so far so I will probably continue to keep tweaking my diet to get the most out of the program and may switch completely over to their recommendations at some point.

Overall, I feel really good about getting fit, and I'm glad I started this thing!

I'll post another P90X update when I complete Phase 02, or sooner if anything of note happens.

P90X: Day 01.

I finally got my yoga mat and resistance bands in the mail, so today I'm officially starting P90X. You've most likely heard about this (apparently 2 million other people have tried this workout) but if you haven't, Wikipedia's description of the regimen is that it:

stresses the importance of "muscle confusion" (a term for adding variety through cross-training and periodization), so it switches the order of exercises and incorporates new movements during each phase. According to [exercise instructor Tony] Horton, muscle confusion prevents the body from adapting to exercises over time, resulting in continual improvement without plateaus ...

P90X is an intensive 90-day home fitness program that combines a variety of exercise styles, including strength training, cardio, and stretching. The system also stresses overall fitness by including bodyweight exercises such as pull-ups and push-ups, as well as plyometrics (jump training), yoga, and kenpō.

Periodization is "an organized approach to training that involves progressive cycling of various aspects of a training program during a specific period of time." Combine that constant cycling with the high-intensity interval training that defines the pace of the individual workouts, and you can get some impressive results.

Obviously, "your results may vary" as the commercials warn. But I'd been researching P90X for a while, reading fitness discussion boards and asking around. Most everyone I've contacted seems to give it high marks, with the caveat that discipline, willpower and hard work are definitely required.

high-contrast image manipulation
+ overhead lighting = beach bodies!
Oh yeah, working out helps too.

So ... it's a go! I already own and use the pull-up bar and push-up stands so now I have all the basics. I start this afternoon after class. It's gonna be weird not going to the gym anymore, but I'm sure the ass-kicking I'll be receiving will more than make up for it. I'm planning on posting updates every week or so here on PM so stay tuned for those if you want to read about my progress.

Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness.

So last Friday, I finally went back to the gym after over a year. However this isn't to say that I was sedentary for all of 2009 -- I ran quite a bit outside, in part to train for the 5K in downtown Kansas City last August. So while I have a little bit of cardiovascular stamina left over, I estimate I've probably lost a good 5-7 pounds of muscle in the last 12 months or so.

The hardest part about starting to work out again is obviously the pain. I was not used to it. It was ... interesting when my body rebelled after the first set of military presses, like "Um, WTF are you doing? This is heavy." Given that I hadn't lifted weights for such a long time, I took it relatively easy with the poundage and will build back up in a couple of weeks. I finished my shoulder workout, did a couple of miles on the treadmill, went home and awaited the soreness.

It hit me on Sunday when I sat up to get out of bed: a searing, acute pain across my shoulder blades that made me wince every time I rotated my arms or tried to lift them above my head. This is called delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), where the muscles that you tear during a new workout begin to rebuild themselves 24 to 48 hours after the increased activity. The pain stops when the muscles have fully recovered -- completely healed and stronger than before.

I'd forgotten about how absolutely sore I could get! This was actually worse than the pain of exhausting muscles during the workout -- at least that pain subsided in less than a minute. However, it's a good kind of pain, one that lets me know that I'm starting to get back in shape. Plus, subsequent workouts will be less painful as I get used to lifting again. In all, it's a great feeling, even though my arms feel like they're going to fall off. Back to the gym I go.

You probably won't see another post of me moaning about working out for a while ... that is, until I get on that P90X.

Five Thousand Meters.

Figured I needed to post about this before too much time passed by. Earlier this month, I ran the 2009 Susan G. Komen Race For the Cure 5K here in downtown Kansas City. Here's my race number.

This being my first real race, I'd attempted to train for it so that I wouldn't end up eating a faceful of asphalt.  A couple of months ago I'd planned out a circuit in my neighborhood for roughly the same distance.  It actually turned out to be about 3.7 miles, a bit more than five kilometers, so it suited my purposes nicely.  Training wasn't quite as consistent as I would've liked it to be -- there were days when I'd just be too tired or busy to run -- but I think I improved quickly and increased my stamina (plus it didn't feel quite like a Couch Potato To 5K program since I'd been a regular runner in the past).

It felt good to train though, and on the circuit I attempted to run a little more and walk a little less every time.

Early on the morning of the race, I carpooled with My Peoples to secure a decent parking space downtown and parked at the World War I Memorial.  Yes, it's cliched, but the mood down at Union Station was definitely electric.

 

We heard later that the turnout was over 28,000 people!  Most, like us, were part of groups and participating in the non-competitive race-walk.  Some were even decked out in funny T-shirts with a dedication to a loved one and/or clever group name, or other various eye-catching pink costumes and attire like capes, angel wings or boas (the serious, competitive runners had already started their race a few minutes earlier).

Before long we had assembled on Grand waiting for our turn to take off -- since we couldn't all go at once, start times were staggered.  It took four of us, the ones who would be running the distance, a good ten minutes to reach the front of the pack and all of a sudden we were off at a brisk pace, weaving in and out of slower runners and walkers.  I'm not saying we were Speedy Gonzales with it but a lot of people were just walking and enjoying themselves, and dodging them took a bit of strategy.

Every few blocks, volunteers handed out water cups, while live bands of all genres belted out upbeat songs to keep us motivated.  They provided a good adrenaline boost especially on some of the uphill sections of the course.  In retrospect I'm really glad I trained outside and not on a treadmill -- it feels completely different.

Nonetheless, a couple of times I had to stop and walk for a minute or two to catch my breath (my lungs always end up fatiguing long before my legs do).  I was hoping to be able to run the whole thing but it wasn't the case.  I didn't mind though.  I was able to soak in the tremendously fun atmosphere of the event and kicked back into high gear.  The course definitely seemed three miles long as there were times when it admittedly got a bit tough due to my relative newness to the sport, but we crossed the finish line, tired yet very proud, to the loud cheers of hundreds of raucous, smiling people.

The exhilirating experience of running downtown with thousands of other people, combined with the positive energies of all the volunteers and racers, was one of the best things I've done for myself this year.  I'd definitely run again, and now that I know what to expect, train a little more consistently for it so that I won't gas out during the more difficult portions of the course.  It was such a great time though, and thanks to everyone who shared this day with me.

Breaking Free Of The Hamster Wheel.

There's a mini-heatwave rolling through the Kansas City metro area, with highs hovering in the mid-90s. Which in itself isn't so bad, but add the notorious Midwest humidity factor and heat index in there and it's around 105. It should only last until the end of the week (and even resulted in a pretty spectacular thunderstorm a couple of nights ago that had me staring in awe at the sky from my living room window), but it's made me kinda glad I work in the cool confines of a hospital. A brief walk outside earlier today confirmed the temperature; the heat was almost visible steaming up from the asphalt driveway outside the Emergency Department. So ... I won't be going jogging until the sun has at least started to set and I'm sure my cross-trainers aren't gonna melt upon contact with the sidewalk.

I used to hate running outside. I preferred the easy pace and gentle slopes of the gym treadmill; there was almost always something halfway-interesting to watch on the television above, or I could always zone out with whatever was in my iPod. It was enjoyable, and I ran my miles without a second thought alongside my fellow joggers arranged in orderly rows.

But then I started getting bored. Mostly bored of the constant scenery -- I stared at the computer long enough at school and at home; why glue my eyes on yet another monitor during my run? To a lesser extent, I also became tired of the treadmill itself, with the red digits ticking away the minutes and mileage. I found myself glancing down at the display more often than I should have; doing so made the time creep by that much slower and my distance goal that much farther. At times, I almost felt like a hamster. A sweaty, jogging hamster.


The first time I tried running outside I damn near passed out. Being so used to the even, relatively soft surface of treadmill rubber, my feet instantly let me know of their displeasure with concrete and asphalt after a few hundred feet from my house. Ignoring their protests, I soldiered on and began learning to adapt to the new, harsher terrain. It wasn't much longer before I started running out of breath. I just wasn't accustomed to the changing slopes and hills of the neighborhood, and I was unfamiliar with having to constantly adjust my stride to match the path I'd picked out. Needless to say I wore out pretty fast and ended up running considerably less than my usual treadmill mileage. Nooooob!

But it was a start. And it did feel good to have a change of scenery and fresh air. My body adapted fairly quickly to exercising in the new environment, and now I like running outside better than the hamster wheel. I think I get a better workout jogging actual blocks, and counting off actual miles. Obviously when it gets too cold to run outside, I'll retreat to the gym and the treadmill, but for now, hey ... it's too nice out.

I'm starting to train for the Susan G. Komen Race For The Cure 5K here in Kansas City, happening in early August (which was the inspiration for this post). If you're not a runner, there's a non-competitive run/walk event scheduled on the same day -- which is what I'll be entering as part of a team we formed here at the hospital. If you live in KC, come through! Let's go running :)