Weigh In 1

First weigh in today and after bringing back the running I’ve managed to drop a whole two pounds, bringing me back once again under the 200lbs mark to 198.8lbs.

Some thoughts on this…

I wasn’t expecting a massive drop off. When I started the first phase back in January I had managed to five or six pounds in the first two weeks so while two isn’t exactly five or six, it’s still two. It’s two without the weights, it’s two without running and exercising every day (at most every second day over two weeks). It’s also two without the total change of food plan.

So for me, it’s a very good two. Of course, it’s two over the course of two weeks. I need to step that up to two per week, minimum or at least average.

This will come with the weights, this will come with the increased exercise, upping the running distance and running time, managing the food properly now that I’m into November. Still, I’m happy to be under 200, even if it’s just barely.

Road Run 2

Skipping the park this morning as I found myself the far side of town so decided to make a handy 15-minute route from the College Road, down New Street, Friary Street, High Street, Patrick Street, Ormonde Road and back onto the College Road again.

Weather is getting colder but it was good to get out. Tip for the winter - bring a hoody!

	#	Stage Length	Stage Time	Avg. Speed	Distance	Time
	1	0.000 km	0s	-	0.000 km	0s
	2	1.044 km	6m 22s	9.84 km/h	1.044 km	6m 22s
	3	0.969 km	5m 56s	9.80 km/h	2.013 km	12m 18s
	4	0.643 km	2m 58s	13.00 km/h	2.655 km	15m 16s
Summary		2.655 km	15m 16s	10.44 km/h	2.655 km	15m 16s

By the way - if you’re reading this via RSS, stop by MyRunningRoute.com for the maps!

A Cold Tuesday Morning Off

I took this morning off, having dragged myself out of the bed yesterday to brave the cold. Good thing too - it’s even colder.

The van is giving out about coolant, I’m wearing a jacket in work and it’s bloody freezing. The sun is out but too cold for the legs and the rest of it. Back to the park tomorrow morning.

I’m also prepping a food plan to roll out from next Monday (November 3rd) which would mark two weeks into the whole get-fit-lose-weight process, but more on that later. From next week onwards I’ve to re-introduce weights and daily exercise routines (instead of every second-day-ish).

For this week again (week two), it’s simply running three times a week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and watching the food intake. Next week, it’s a whole new ball game.

Park Run 3

It’s a Bank Holiday Monday here and despite having celebrated the weekend with a gig Thursday, a gig Friday (with wine), a theatre show and long drive on Saturday, a film screening last night (with more wine), I’ve hit the park for my scheduled run.

Good day for the park too, plenty of people about. I broke the 2.5k run with a pause close to the 2k mark for 3 minutes of stretching, which doesn’t (and likely won’t from now on) show up on the maps below.

	#	Stage Length	Stage Time	Avg. Speed	Distance	Time
	1	0.000 km	0s	-	0.000 km	0s
	2	1.016 km	5m 49s	10.48 km/h	1.016 km	5m 49s
	3	0.985 km	5m 31s	10.71 km/h	2.001 km	11m 20s
	4	0.731 km	3m 46s	11.64 km/h	2.732 km	15m 06s
Summary		2.732 km	15m 06s	10.85 km/h	2.732 km	15m 06s

Road Run 1

Rather than run on Friday, I broke my routine and took in an evening run today in between work and prepping for a gig later tonight. Here’s the lowdown…

	#	Stage Length	Stage Time	Avg. Speed	Distance	Time
	1	0.000 km	0s	-	0.000 km	0s
	2	1.024 km	5m 00s	12.29 km/h	1.024 km	5m 00s
	3	1.000 km	6m 03s	9.91 km/h	2.024 km	11m 03s
	4	0.012 km	3s	14.29 km/h	2.036 km	11m 06s
Summary		2.036 km	11m 06s	11.01 km/h	2.036 km	11m 06s

When My Legs Are Sore…

When my legs are sore (if my legs are sore) or stiff in the day after running I turn to the weights bench and curl 10kg nice and easy. Something I’ve also learned to reduce the stiffness after a run is not to sit down so soon after running.

Working from home it’s very easy to come in from a run, not bother changing for a while, camp out at the desk and answer emails, phone calls, make blog posts, whatever happens. Next thing you know, you’ve been sitting still for 2-3 hours and when you go to stand up your legs are quite stiff.

Given past experience though I’m well aware the stiffness doesn’t last forever, thankfully. It’s only been two trips to the park to ease back into things so there’s a while to go yet.

Still, the weights bench does help.

Park Run 2

	#	Stage Length	Stage Time	Avg. Speed	Distance	Time
	1	0.000 km	0s	-	0.000 km	0s
	2	1.001 km	5m 50s	10.29 km/h	1.001 km	5m 50s
	3	1.056 km	6m 23s	9.93 km/h	2.057 km	12m 13s
	4	0.170 km	59s	10.39 km/h	2.227 km	13m 12s
Summary		2.227 km	13m 12s	10.12 km/h	2.227 km	13m 12s

Back In The Running Game

Getting back on the road / park was tricky though one reminder of how much things have been let slide since August (and admittedly over the course of the summer) was enough to put me back running yesterday.

I’m easing back into things, no marathon stretches here. If I can go 2.5K average a day this week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday), I’ll be happy. Just something small to start out with. Ideally I’d like to be able to knock out a 5k run in 30 minutes though I’m a while off that yet while I let the levels of fitness build back up.

Hence, starting another blog. I figure the older one, Weight Nation, can serve me as a reminder to the work that was done between January and April. Given the changes over the summer, in one sense it feels like I’m starting all over again. So new blog, new habits, new beginnings and new targets.

At the start of the year I managed to get from 220lbs to a more respectible 185.2lbs, a loss of almost 30lbs. My original target was 170lbs, that target doesn’t change.

What changes is that now I’m starting from 200.8lbs having gained 15lbs over the summer / early Autumn. Realising first hand that it (the weight) goes on a lot easier than it comes off, I’m intending on hitting the 170lbs mark. If I can do it at a rate of 2lbs per week, it would take me a total of 15 weeks, give or take.

Included in that time is a 10-day foreign holiday and quite possibly Christmas. That time-line would take me up to the end of January, something that ties in with my usual no-drinking regime.

I’m starting this blog to get myself moving, get myself interested, and hopefully catch up with others in the same boat. If you’ve any comments or questions, just give me a shout.

Park Run 1

	#	Stage Length	Stage Time	Avg. Speed	Distance	Time
	1	0.000 km	0s	-	0.000 km	0s
	2	1.001 km	5m 26s	11.06 km/h	1.001 km	5m 26s
	3	1.015 km	8m 16s	7.37 km/h	2.017 km	13m 42s
	4	0.534 km	4m 04s	7.88 km/h	2.550 km	17m 46s
Summary		2.550 km	17m 46s	8.61 km/h	2.550 km	17m 46s