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.

P90X: Complete.

Actually I finished P90X a couple of weeks back. After my eye surgery in mid-June I had to postpone the program for a while, but picked it back up as soon as I was cleared to do so. It was amazing how hard I had to work to get back to my level of fitness pre-surgery after just a few (relatively speaking) days off. But I'm done!!

And it was a good journey. I don't really have any criticisms about the regimen; it will definitely get you in shape fast if you stick with it. I suppose that's the most important aspect of the program: You have to "keep pushing play" (one of P90X's mantras) in order to see results. And obviously, as with all fitness programs, it won't do any good if you show up but only put forth a sub-par effort. Admittedly I worked harder on some days than others (I mean, let's be realistic here), but I can stand up and say that I did try to push myself. Especially on Ab Ripper X. That shit hurts. But it's a gooood pain.

One thing worth noting is that P90X is regarded as a program that will increase your level of general physical preparedness -- a combination of various strength-building and cardiovascular exercises designed to elevate your heart rate and oxygen consumption, and promote some muscle growth. Something like this, actually. P90X will not, however, give you a bulky, muscular body. You'll become leaner (and definitely fitter) after completing the program, but you'll need to hit the gym if you're looking to gain some serious mass.

With my modified diet, I did meet my overall goals with P90X: Get a sleeker physique, reduce body fat percentage and increase cardiovascular endurance. It wasn't without a lot of effort and discipline, but I'm really glad I decided to do the program. I've talked to other people who've finished, and they've mostly advised to start the program over. I would like to continue certain aspects of P90X, but this is something that will more realistic after I move in few short weeks (doing plyometrics in a smallish bedroom doesn't really work too well). So I've switched my workout around a bit in the interim.

Since finishing, I've been concentrating a lot more on cutting weight. I do mostly cardio exercises (kenpo, yoga, stretching) with some body-weightlifting moves from the program sprinkled in. If you're a regular reader of Perpetual Mixtape, you're familiar with my running routine. I've been running a 5K route around my neighborhood 4-5 times a week which has done wonders for my stamina and lung capacity (not to mention all the freaking water weight I lose).

Crossfit Pyramid

So I guess the question remains: What is my next step? Insanity seems to be a popular option; I know a couple of people who are currently doing this workout with great results. I'm looking to join a gym though, because I do miss lifting actual weights, but will need to tailor it to my own specific fitness goals. Crossfit looks promising and fun as hell! We shall see.

Who wants to work out?

Acceleration.

Another motivational passage I gleaned from a fitness discussion board. I love reading these things; they make me want to go kick some ass (or at least, run harder for longer). It's a little long, but the read is well worth it.

I don't know you. I don't know a thing about you. I don't know where you come from, where you're going, or why you do what you do. I don't know if we'd get along if we met. But there is one thing that I do know: You are capable of much more than you have been led to believe.

As I am writing this, there are 6.7 billion people walking and breathing on our humble rock. The overwhelming, vast majority of them will pass through their 720,000 hours like a match struck in the wind. Hardly noticed, scarcely remembered.

Tomorrow, as you go about your day, take your time to look around. Are there a lot of people around? What do you see? You see mediocrity. You see average. You see everything about yourself that you hate, that you fear, but that you have been conditioned to believe is acceptable. Fine. Enough. A good job.

I'm here to tell you that you will NOT settle for what is fine. You will NOT settle for a good job. Fine is for the loser. Fine is for the guy who skipped the last set of his workout because he just didn't feel like it. Fine is for the guy who cheated on his diet because he just couldn't do it anymore. Fine is for the guy who took a nap instead of sprinting around town in a torrential downpour. Fine is for the guy who got the job, but not the one he wanted. That guy made second place. He has never embraced pain, personal sacrifice, or thrown himself into the fires of dedication. Most importantly, and starting today, this guy is NOT YOU.

You are not this person. You are destined for greatness. You have it inside of you, and you know it. You have always known it, you have felt it as a faint thumping in your gut. It is clawing, scratching, struggling to be set free. It needs your help. As long as you hold yourself to the standard of "average," that is all you will ever be. In your dreams you aren't average, so why the FUCK are you settling for it now? What are you not doing right now?

The time to act is now. You will burn. You will suffer. Your demons will not be defeated easily. Every step of the way they will whisper in your ear that you aren't good enough. That you aren't meant to succeed. "Just give up," they will mutter, "you'll never be the best." "NO," you will reply. You will embrace suffering. You will finish that last repetition. You will claw through the agonizing pain, you will destroy the mediocre pussy in your head, you will break boundaries. You will rise above the rest. You will realize your potential.

You are no average man. Now go do what you were destined to do. End of fucking story.

SHAZAAAAAM!! Or as my mentor Courage Wolf says:

SEIZE THE DAY ... BY THE THROAT

I've been seeing some awesome (to me, anyway haha) physical changes over the six or so months that I've started taking my health/fitness seriously. Granted, almost none of it was without sacrificing something I loved -- usually some type of food -- but looking back it's completely worth it. The potential had always been there; I just never tapped into it. Now that I know I'm strong enough to overcome my old cravings/habits, I can only accelerate forward.

On Reddit, there are a few good discussion forums that I subscribe to; r/running, r/fitness and r/90days are a great start. If you need motivation or just need to talk to other people about fitness and health, there are some valuable resources to be utilized.

Okay. I'm off to crush some miles.

Stay tuned -- tomorrow I'll be posting about the 5K I ran this past Sunday!

Let's Do This!

For those needing a shot of motivation about improving their level of physical fitness, here's a very relevant quote I gleaned from a discussion board I participate in:

If things went all medieval and you had to fight a fit guy like me over your girl, I'd ravage your ass and take her. You okay with that?

When your girl is out with her friends, she's checkin' me out because I've worked to improve my appearance and it shows. You okay with that?

You think you're safe out here in this world? You think it's okay to be this unfit, lazy little monger? You know you're not safe in your job, I'm sure. Every day you go above and beyond to make sure that the cutthroat guillotine of labor supply doesn't mutilate you into an unrecognizable, unemployed piece of shit. Why do you think it's different with your fitness?

How'd you get to where you are? People look at you and laugh. People use you as a benchmark to change their own habits. You okay with that?

Let's get it poppin', kid. No relapses. It's kill or be killed out here; it always has been. Sure, we changed the rules a little and added out own little trifling sense of justice and morality. But nothing's really changed.

Don't be one of these assholes making pathetic reoccurring attempts to change their lifestyle. Don't whine about it. You've got self-discipline and nothing else in this life. You've got one try; to fail once is to fail every time. In six months, you're either going to be a pathetic, guilt-ridden failure, or a fucking tribute to human will. Your bitch of a mother-in-law will make comments like "I can't believe it ..." Your girl will get nervous about how much you can accomplish just by setting your mind to it and start asking you to tell her she's good enough for you. Assholes who taunted you will have nothing -- nothing -- to say. You did something they either simply couldn't even begin, or tried to do and failed miserably.

And then when my girl is out with her friends, she'll be checking you out, motherfucker. Let's do this.

Boom.

I'm extremely motivated to get fitter -- food-wise, I've been reading diet/lifestyle articles, paying lots of attention to nutritional data, recording and tracking calories, and most importantly, regulating what I actually eat. Amazingly, I look forward to the daily pain that is P90X and I'm pretty excited about the changes I'm seeing. Since I'm on my final four weeks, I've started to plan my next workout regimen.

I have goals, dammit.

Obviously, so much of this motivation comes down to mindset. I've found the following phrase helpful:

my motivational poster

Because sometimes it just needs to be said. No more excuses. See you at the top.

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.

Throwback Week Part 03: Weightlifting With BB Mak.

In the interest of posting up old entries this week that have at least some connection to my current life, here's one I found from 21 February 2003. I'm starting my workout regimen back up this week and the topic definitely still resonates. I've upgraded to an iPod, though.

Listening to rap instrumentals at my desk. Marnie's down at our Tacoma office interviewing CSR candidates so I'm bumpin' the hip-hop tracks while I can (she barely knows who Eminem is, you see). This CD is actually the same one I use when at the gym. I find lyrics to be somewhat distracting as I tend to concentrate on those more than the actual lift -- a generally bad idea when one is laying underneath considerable poundage. So instrumentals are the way to go.

I used to go work out without the aid of a Discman and thus subjected myself to the whims of whoever was manning the front desk at 24 Hour Fitness. Usually the in-house piped-in music is decent (your basic Top 40 R&B/hip-hop, trance or alternative) but for some insane reason there will be periods where they'll play slow pop songs. What gives? Pipe that shit into the sauna or tanning rooms, not into the weight rooms. Nothing ruins the rhythm of pushing up presses like BB Mak crooning into your ears. I'd tried zoning the music out to no avail. I couldn't focus. (Picture me wearing a big frown and looking up at the ceiling in the middle of the weight room.) One night I'd had enough -- I bought a sturdy pair or headphones and some rechargeable batteries the next day and haven't looked back.

I know many people probably don't mind listening to ballads blaring overhead while they work out, and I bet a couple even bump Barbara Streisand on the elliptical trainer. But please -- don't share. Personally I don't want anyone singing sweet nothings while I push weight. It just doesn't vibe with why I'm at the gym in the first place.

Play some workout music, not make-out music.

BMR.

Okay so at work a couple of days ago, talk turned inevitably to food (as it usually does) and somehow, in between exclamations of "I need CHOCOLATE¹" and "Eggs smell NASTY²," the topic of metabolism and calories turned up. I've been blessed with a pretty high metabolism -- although I can sense it slowing down as I get older -- so I'd never really counted calories before nor really knew what my basal metabolic rate (BMR) was. Simply put, your BMR is the base amount of calories you burn if you stay sedentary all day. The formula to calculate this, though, is kinda complex:

Men:

BMR = 66 + (6.23 x weight in pounds) + (12.7 x height in inches) - (6.76 x age in years)

Women:

BMR = 655 + (4.35 x weight in pounds) + (4.7 x height in inches) - (4.7 x age in years)

Since I'm lazy, Google got me a BMR calculator. I plugged in my info and voilà, my BMR popped up at 1595.85. Then I had to multiply that by 1.55 according to the Harris Benedict Equation, which factors in my activity level (moderate exercise 3-5 days/week), and I got 2473.56, which is the number of calories I can consume to maintain my current weight. I guess I eat food adding up to slightly more calories than that, then burn off the excess during my runs, because I've weighed the same for about a year now.

My go-to fast food sandwich of choice, a BK Whopper with no cheese, has 678 calories so clearly that means I can indulge and inhale three of them every day and not gain any weight!! Fantastic. Oh wait, I need fries and a giant Coke with that.

Never mind. Back to salads for me.

¹ I work with mostly women.
² Picky, picky women.

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 :)