Non-Fiction Fitness

Bad Weekend

Tim — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 19:41:27 +0000

Last weekend turned out to be a bad weekend when it pertains to working out. As a whole the weekend was great. We headed up to the Alpine Slides for the day. Our last trip down on the slides I ended up taking a spill and getting some decent sized road rash on my leg and arm. At the time I seemed ok but by the next day it was pretty painful. I did try and run my 5 miler on Sunday but only got as far as 3.2. It seems that sweat dripping down into road rast can be pretty uncomfortable. For the rest of the week I took it easy. The only problem with that is I signed up to do a 10k this upcoming Sunday (tomorrow). I am no way ready for a 10k yet, especially after not running this whole week, but I paid $30 so I will be there. The run is called Pints to Pasta and there will be beer at the end so that alone is reason enough for going. ;) The only other down side is I also caught a cold at some point too this past week.

Dropped a gym day

Tim — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 14:51:36 +0000

Decided to bail on the gym this morning. Today was already moved from Thursday morning but after running 4 miles late last night and then having to get up early for the gym, It just was not going to happen. To keep on pace with the Marathon training I need to fit in a 3mi run and a 5mi run in the next 3 days and make up that gym day. I am hoping things will get better once I get my running legs back and I am not so beat after every run.

Warm-up week is over

Tim — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 15:43:26 +0000

Last week I took as a warm up week to try and get myself up to 5k shape. Not sure if I am 100% there yet but its time to start with the actual training. I Decided to use the book that is listed off to the right under the Amazon links called “The Non-Runner’s Marathon Trainer” as my guide. I can’t really tell you how the book is so far mainly cause I am only on chapter one. I decided to read just one chapter per week. Chapter one in the book is week one in training. Chapter 2 is week 2, and so on. I am subscribing by the slow and steady one day at a time philosophy. Last thing I need to see right now is that I will have to be running X amount of miles in week _____(fill in the blank).

It was suggested I post my workout routine for others to see. The gym routine is from Stronglifts. I pretty much follow that to a T. As for my running I decided to create a Google Calendar that I will update with what I have done and/or will do for the week. Nothing special just a quick blurb. If you are interested check out the link at the top of the page called “Workout Calendar“

Make up day

Tim — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 15:32:10 +0000

Headed to the gym this morning to make up for skipping yesterday and heading out for breakfast. I did manage to get in a 3 miler when I got home from work so any guilt I have for bailing on the gym is gone.

I decided to start doing a food journal. Mind you I am not trying to loose weight, I’m just trying to be mindful of what I am putting in my body. I recently got an iPhone and in the Apple app store they have a program just for this. Down side is its $14.99. I have have only been using it for 3 days now but I it seem really nice. If you are interested the app is called “Absolute fitness”

Need some rest

Tim — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 15:10:29 +0000

I got up early this morning to meet my brother at the gym, but both of us were WAY tired. We were shoveling gravel in the heat this past weekend so I don’t feel too guilty that we bailed on they gym and went and grabbed a bite to eat and some coffee. Plus we are going to the gym tomorrow to make up for it.

I am still running tonight.

And the training starts.

Tim — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 16:37:25 +0000

January 18th is the day. I will be running in Arizona Rock-N-Roll Marathon and 1/2 Marathon. Being that today is August 17th I have basically 5 months to get marathon ready. From the articles, websites, and books that I have read, most say you need to run about 4 days a week. The remaining 3 days you need to rest and/or do some cross training. This presents me with a problem. I already go to the gym 3 days a week. If I maintain doing that it would leave no days for rest. Not sure how I am going to work this but I know there is a solution. Most likely I will have to just run on gym days also. In the early weeks when the training runs are short it should be fine. But when the runs get up to 10 miles plus this could cause problems.

Marathon commitment

Tim — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 05:05:36 +0000

Today I committed to run in the Arizona Rock-n-Roll Marathon on January 18th. Let the training begin

Testing the hand

Tim — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 05:03:14 +0000

Was back at the gym this morning and decided to try the hand out a bit and do more of the stronglifts routine. After adding 20 lbs and doing squats I moved over to Bench. Starting out with 135 lbs I pressed only 3 before I had to rack it. The Pain was way too great and I was all I could to to maintain a grip on the bar. The last physical therapy appointment I had for my hand included a strength test. Turns out I have lost over 50% in that hand. I moved on to Bent over Rows. My grip was still an issue but I had far less pain than what I had on the bench. I completed 5×5 with 115 lbs. Afterwards I stepped up the jogging to 20min and bookended it with a 5 min warmup and cooldown.

Getting back to the swing of things.

Tim — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 15:39:51 +0000

Since January I had been doing the Stronglifts 5×5 program and I feel was making major progress in my general health and in building strength and muscle. I was up to 295 for squats, 140 for overhead press, 220 for dead-lifts, 205 for bench, and 165 for bent-over rows. I say “was” due to I’ve been off the program for over 7 weeks now. I took a week break from the program to go to Outdoor School with my Kids 5th grade classes and ended up on the night of the last day getting my hand munged up so bad that it required surgury and 4 pins to fix the damage.

After 4 weeks with a cast, it was removed and the pins were taken out. And with 2 physical therapy appointments so far, I have almost full movement back in my fingers but with a SERIOUS lack of strength in the hand. I headed back to the gym last week but for just cardio only. Today I decided to step back into the weights and at least do squats. Starting slow I did 5×5 with 135 lbs. Wednesday I will bump it up a 10 lbs plate on both sides and keep doing that until I am back up to par and then from there shoot for that 300 mark once again. The rest of the stronglifts program I will start next Monday if my grip strength will allow it. Wish me luck

Keeping the vampires away

Tim — Wed, 14 May 2008 04:12:53 +0000

Garlic has some obvious cooking benefits and quite a few health benefits but sad to say has one major drawback. The Breath. Diethack posted 5 health benefits of garlic that I suggest reading. Make note of the last point in the post about what type of garlic is needed. Fresh chopped . Bring on the bad breath.