Friday, April 15, 2011

5 K Training

Another wet week on the West Coast. frog strangling rain everyday this week. Couldn't do anything outside unless you were a duck or a frog.

Gym training continues with the exception of yesterday. Traveled yesterday so I guess a rest day is good.

More to follow.

Monday, April 11, 2011

5K Training

April 11, 2011, Yesterday was a bit long winded, I got kind of excited by the progress being made by Blacknat and his Texas bike ride. Today will be shorter I promise.

Yesterday afternoon it rained, so not much chance for outdoor activity. As luck might have it however, the gym was dry!! So off I went for about an hour and a half of fun in fitness. About 45 minutes of cardio on the elliptical and 45 minutes split between abs and weights. Not very exciting I know, but the feel good part a half hour after finishing up is always worth the boring part. I'm starting to learn a lot about nutrition on this adventure. The foot problem I had a week or so ago was probably going to be a gout flare up and I thought it was from running or walking. You may remember my pig out weekend a few weeks ago. Unfortunately for me I moderated my poor eating habits but I still was sneaking potato chips and burgers at every opportunity. When I had the foot thing pop up I went back to my lean, low fat, lots of blue berry's diet and as if by magic, my energy levels started to go up and my foot problem went away. This nutrition thing may be under rated!!

I'll post Monday work out results tomorrow

TTFN

Sunday, April 10, 2011

5K Training Continued

Comment today on Comments. Blacknat gave me an update today on his progress on his training program. The guy ain't doing so bad. I think he is an older guy around 54 (me too actually) and in one of his comments early on he admitted, to some degree anyway, that he had been a bit of a couch potato for the last several years but was going to make an effort to spring off the couch and change his look and life style. Today he he said he was tired of the gym (me too here lately) and had given it up for a while to just bike ride a bit. He did 62 miles through a State Park in Texas averaging 15 miles an hour. I'm telling you this guy should never change careers! If he quits everything like he quit the gym he would be running Chevron in a couple weeks after the career change. GREAT JOB on quitting!!!! Keep that kind of attitude and you'll be doing the speaking circuit with Lance Armstrong in a few months.

He also commented on the fact that I had been whining about the less than favorable weather here in Western Oregon and that all of the personal comments he had heard over the years from folks that lived here was how the sky's are bluer, the mountains taller and the wildlife plentiful and very diverse, outdoor Mecca. That is in fact true with some clarification on what the tourist brochure prints. The sky's in Western Oregon are incredible when Mother Nature has finished depositing 60-80 inches of rain for the year. The mountains are in fact taller than most places in the U.S. and pristine from almost any vantage point, when the clouds have parted that is. Wildlife in Western Oregon, yep lots of it, if you can find it between rain storms.
 
This is all kind of tongue and cheek. Oregon is a wonderfully diverse State with nearly every climate zone known to man in one part of the State or another. The Oregon coast is one of the best maintained and diverse coastal zones in the World, Temperate rain forest just to the East of that making its way into the Temperate Agriculture belt of the Willamette Valley, on to the sub alpine and Alpine regions of Central Oregon and then the high desert of South Eastern Oregon going down towards Nevada. And don't forget the glaciers, We have more than one in North Eastern Oregon. Not bad all and all. I just get tired of long periods of rain. I grew up on the East side of the state where we would get 350 days of 100% sunshine every year!! Even after 20 years on the West side of the State I miss the sun!!!!!!!!!! 

Training??? Yeah still doing it. Off to the gym in a few hours. I'm re energized by Blacknat!!!! I get to go to the gym because it is raining and I get to go to the gym because I am healthy and getting healthier, I get to go to the gym so one day I can try a 62 mile bike ride in Texas.

Until next time!!!!!!!!!!!

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

5K Training

Well Tuesday was a tough day at the gym. Foot feeling better but you would have to be a duck to run outside right now. I think Spring is close, we are down too about a half inch of rain a day.

Didn't really feel much like knocking myself out at the gym yesterday. Went in with a ho hum attitude. Got on the elliptical and started off to do 30 minutes of hills. Got about 10 minutes into the ever exciting elliptical training when this guy gets on the machine next to me. No big deal for a minute or two but then the smell hit me!! This guy, mid 20's, smelled like he hadn't seen a shower in a long time. Maybe he is holding off until the rain stops?? So at 11.5 minutes I moved to another part of the gym. Personal hygiene has to be mentioned in "How to Win Friends and Impress People" somewhere. So note to self, shower at least once a day and make new friends.

After the bad cardio program, moved to abs and light weights. Still got an hour in so I guess that's not so bad. More determination today!!!

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

5K Training

Again, a laps between posts:(
Luckily my training has not been as sporadic. The only small little issue with training is a tiny little foot problem. Doesn't seem to be anything serious just a little sprain. Funny how as we get a little older body parts need more tender loving care than just a few years ago.

Still hitting the gym 6 days a week. Have increased the difficulty on the elliptical to hopefully mimic the real running thing while the old foot heals up. The weight I gained over my pig out weekend has gone away and then some so I'm feeling pretty good about the ongoing results. Well off for now I'll try and check back tomorrow with more in the exciting saga of training over 50!!!

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

5K Training

So on Saturday I mentioned that I was probably going to turn the day into a day of total pig out. No regard for what I was eating. The only criteria that had to be met was that what ever it was, had to taste really good. Mission accomplished!!! The last thing I wrote was, " What Could It Hurt". Read on:>

Sunday morning, raining pitch forks and hammer handles. So instead of the 3 mile run, suit up in heavy ran gear and walk the 3 miles. Not as good as the run, but still out there burning calories and getting the old heart rate up.

Sunday afternoon, off to the gym 30 minutes on the treadmill, 20 minutes of abs and 30 minutes in the weight room doing circuit training. Off to a dinner out, nice salad with a bit of lean chicken olive oil dressing. Not bad considering the menu 24 hours earlier.

Lean Monday, yogurt and blueberry's for breakfast, salad with black beans for lunch, 1/2 a protein bar mid afternoon and off to the gym. At the gym, 35 minutes on the elliptical doing hills, 20 minutes of abs, 30 minutes in the weight room, 10 more minutes on the treadmill at a fast walk, stretching and done. Not bad for an old guy right?? But remember, I said on Saturday " What Could It Hurt". Guess what..... Gained 3 1/2 pounds Friday to Monday post work out!!!!!!!!!!!! What the heck do they put in junk food that will do that to a person???? Fat? Sodium? Carbs for filler? sugar perhaps??? I didn't even have the popcorn at the theater, everyone knows that stuff will kill you.

I think I now understand why they say DIET and Exercise!! Ignore one or the other and some bad stuff is headed your way! Well more on the over 50 adventure to prepare for the dreaded 5K run tomorrow and remember, Biscuits and Gravy are not our friends!!!!!!!!!!!!

Saturday, March 26, 2011

5K Training

Sat. 3/26/11 P.M. Post

Looks like a total day of decadence, yes I did do the sausage gravy on all parts of the breakfast including the bacon (YES BACON THE OTHER WHITE MEAT). Off to a movie and a beer or two and back to training tomorrow. 3 mile run in the morning and the gym later in the day. One Pig Out Day, What can it hurt?????

More tomorrow!!!!

5K Training

A message from Blackknat this morning made me realize I have once again be neglecting my blog!! Blackknat is absolutely right in that nature can only take back what we allow to go away!!! You are doing a great job on your training dude.

Update in general and then I will be sure to keep up on the daily blog. Training for an old guy is going well. I have not run the 5K race as yet. My daughter that I have the challenge with, lives in Eastern Germany and asked that we put the race off until May. Hard to believe but I was all over that idea. I thought our weather on the West Coast was generally crappy but we have it good compared to her weather in Germany, it still snows there on a fairly regular basis.

I have been able to start running outside 3-4 days a week. No times as yet, I am trying to hold an 80 pace run for 2-3 miles and calling it good. Still hitting the gym on a daily basis and have varied routines depending on whether I have run that day or not. The really interesting thing about the addition of the outdoor running is that my weight has only dropped a few pounds but I have dropped another waist size on my jeans as if by magic. And yes, the youngsters look at the gray haired guy and the little bubble over their head says, "what the heck is wrong with gramps, must have a screw loose!!!"

Well better move on until next time (which will be next week I promise) my wife and I are going out to breakfast. The other odd physiological aspect of all this training is that I am starved if I don't eat about every three hours and occasionally I have cravings for really fatty foods. I'm learning to eat often and when the fat craving hits, satisfy it!! So biscuits and gravy for the first time in a lot of months about to happen!!!!!!!!

Until next time:):)   

Monday, March 7, 2011

5K Training Continued

Thought I would post an e-mail sent to me by my daughter this morning. I think this says it all, male or female!! Enjoy, more on actual training tomorrow!!


     Dear Diary, For my birthday this year, I purchased a week of personal  training at the local health club. Although I am still in great shape since  being a high school football cheerleader 43 years ago, I decided it would be a  good idea to go ahead and give it a try.
I called the club and made my reservations with a personal  trainer named Christo, who identified himself as a 26-year-old aerobics  instructor and model for athletic clothing and swim  wear.
Friends seemed pleased with my enthusiasm to get started! The  club encouraged me to keep a diary to chart my progress.
________________________________
MONDAY:
Started my day at 6:00 am. Tough to get out of bed, but found  it was well worth it when I arrived at the health club to find Christo waiting  for me.
He is something of a Greek god-- with blond hair, dancing eyes, and a dazzling white smile. Woo Hoo!!
Christo gave me a tour and showed me the machines. I enjoyed  watching the skillful way in which he conducted his aerobics class after my  workout today. Very inspiring!
Christo was encouraging as I did my sit-ups, although my gut  was already aching from holding it in the whole time he was  around.
This is going to be a FANTASTIC week!!
________________________________
TUESDAY:
I drank a whole pot of coffee, but I finally made it out the  door. Christo made me lie on my back and push a heavy iron bar into the air  then he put weights on it! My legs were a little wobbly on the treadmill, but  I made the full mile. His rewarding smile made it all worthwhile. I feel  GREAT!
It's
a whole new life for me.
_______________________________
WEDNESDAY:
The only way I can brush my teeth is by laying the toothbrush  on the counter and moving my mouth back and forth over it. I believe I have a hernia in both pectorals. Driving was OK as long as I didn't try to steer or  stop. I parked on top of a GEO in the club parking lot.
Christo was impatient with me, insisting that my screams  bothered other club members. His voice is a little too perky for that early in  the morning and when he scolds, he gets this nasally whine that is VERY  annoying.
My chest hurt when I got on the treadmill, so Christo put me  on the stair monster. Why the hell would anyone invent a machine to simulate  an activity rendered obsolete by elevators? Christo told me it would help me  get in shape and enjoy life. He said some other shit  too.
_______________________________
THURSDAY:
Asshole was waiting for me with his vampire-like teeth  exposed as his thin, cruel lips were pulled back in a full snarl. I couldn't  help being a half an hour late-- it took me that long to tie my shoes.
He took me to work out with dumbbells. When he was not  looking, I ran and hid in the restroom. He sent some skinny bitch to find me.
Then, as punishment, he put me on the rowing machine-- which  I sank.
_________________________________
FRIDAY:
I hate that bastard Christo more than any human being has  ever hated any other human being in the history of the world. Stupid, skinny,  anemic, anorexic, little aerobics instructor. If there was a part of my body I could move without unbearable pain, I would beat him with it.
Christo wanted me to work on my triceps. I don't have any  triceps! And if you don't want dents in the floor, don't hand me the damn  barbells or anything that weighs more than a sandwich.
The treadmill flung me off and I landed on a health and  nutrition teacher.
Why couldn't it have been someone softer, like the drama  coach or the choir director?
________________________________
SATURDAY:
Satan left a message on my answering machine in his grating,  shrilly voice wondering why I did not show up today. Just hearing his voice  made me want to smash the machine with my planner; however, I lacked the  strength to even use the TV remote and ended up catching eleven straight hours  of the Weather Channel..
________________________________
SUNDAY:
I'm having the Church van pick me up for services today so I  can go and thank GOD that this week is over. I will also pray that next year  my husband will choose a gift for me that is fun-- like a root canal or a hysterectomy. I still say if God had wanted me to bend over, he would have sprinkled the floor with diamonds!!!

Friday, March 4, 2011

5K Training

Again, I have not posted in a while and must be more diligent. Part of the reason I have been remiss is the fact, in my mind at least, that my training and updates were boring. They are in fact boring!! So after today I will spice the posts up a bit.

A response from one of two readers today made me realize that an expanded training program might in fact be a good thing at several levels. Level one would be the running thing. As you may have noticed most of my training is happening indoors. Running in the cold Western Oregon rain doesn't really turn me on that much. Obviously if one is going to participate in their first run since Junior High School (running to the bathroom after way too many beers doesn't really count as a legitimate race), running might be a good thing to try out on a semi regular basis. Level two of changes too consider might be the group activity suggested by today's reader. Running with other novices would be good especially for the encouragement. Perhaps the reason my training seems boring is that I tend to have only myself to have discussions with. I kind of talk about the same things every day and I don't seem to be getting any better responses?? Until tomorrow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

5K Training Continued

So I was asked yesterday if I had picked the 5K race I was going to run in, after some considerable consideration, I am leaning towards a race in Kansas. Kansas appears to be very flat, no real hills to deal with. The wind seems to blow always, thus giving some added boost on at least half of the run. I believe I could actual have some expectation of winning a race in Kansas. It appears to me that the ambition level in Kansas is very low, giving me a slight edge. After having spent a little time there I'm pretty sure if the ambition level was very high, people there would have moved on. I mean they were in the middle of the dust bowl and people stayed???? So probably late spring in Kansas.

Feb. 07. 2011, 30 minutes on the elliptical, 20 minutes of abs, 3 sets of arms and chest with heavy weight. Diet sucked for preceding 3 days. Back on protein shakes, nuts and salad as of today, Tuesday 2/08

More tomorrow

Monday, February 7, 2011

5K Training Continued

Pre workout posting. Super Bowl consumed about 8,000 calories as near as I can calculate. Business lunch today that involved country fried steak, hash browns and lots of gravy!!!! Today's work out may be ugly!!! Look for tomorrows posting to see if the Country Fried Steak is the winner in the battle of the Bulge!! I weigh today and this may be a bad thing:<:<

Sunday, February 6, 2011

5K Training Continued

Have been very lax in my postings the last 10 days. One might suppose that I had not been training! And if you did you would be WRONG!! The pain and agony continue, just a slacker in keeping up my records. So here is a brief recap of the last 10 days of training and I will be more dillagent in my posting going forward.

1-28-11, Friday routine, 30 minutes on the elliptical and 25 minutes of abs with two sets of light weight arm excesises.
1-29-11, Rest Day
1-30-11, Sunday routine, 45 minutes on the cross trainer and 45 minutes of upper body weights, medium weight.
1-31-11, 20 minutes on the elliptical, 20 minutes of abs, 20 minutes of shoulders and upper back, light weights.
2-01-11, 5 minut warm up on the elliptical, 20 minutes of abs, 30 minutes or chest and lowere baqck.
2-02-11, 30 minutes on the cross trainer, 20 minutes of abs, 25 minutes of arms and chest heavy weight.
2-03-11, 15 minutes of elliptical, 20 minutes abs, 15 minutes of light circut training.
2-04-11, 45 minutes on the cross trainer, 30 minutes of abs, 15 minutes medium weight circut training.
2-05-11, Rest Day
2-06-11, Another Rest Day for the Super Bowl!!!!! Back on track tomorrow.

So there is the missing 10 days. noticable stiff muscles in the back. Will probably give the back a rest for a few days. Focus on cardio and see if my energy level improves. Been fighting a cold for the last 3 days and I think that may be the motivation and back issue in a nut shell. Or I could be getting old and parts are starting to rear out??? Naw probably the cold.

The weather is actually been pretty good and the ground has been drying out nicely, I may actually try running on the bark track at the park next week, we'll see??

Thursday, January 27, 2011

5K Training Continued

Wow, haven't posted in a while. So one might wonder if the training regiment continues. Sadly it does. Had a ham string problem that sort of killed the cardio portion of the training but light weights and abs have continued. As we age, apparently some parts of our bodies become less flexible and more prone to injury. Back on track as of last night.

January 26, 30 minutes of cross training, 20 minutes of abs and upper body light weights 20 minutes.

More tomorrow!!

Thursday, January 20, 2011

5K Training Continued

January 19, 30 minutes cross training
20 minutes abs
25 minutes weights, shoulders and arms

Taking The 20th off. Body beat severally over the last 2 weeks. Need a rest day.

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

5K Training Continued

Another day consciously being healthy. This is starting to be a drag in a lot of ways and kind of exhilarating in others.   The drag part is that you actually have to give a bit of thought to what you do with and too your body all day, everyday. Chicken or beef, fruits and vegetables or potato chips and cookies.  Take a nap or go for a walk. You see, not just business as usual. You actually have to think about yourself as you go through the day, that's the drag part.  The exhilarating part is buying the first pair of jeans since High School with a 32 inch waist, realizing all the sizes of clothing have gone smaller except your hat size and shoe size, being full of calm energy at the end of the day, etc. That's all pretty cool. Especially for an old guy like me!!!

January 18, Walked 1 mile at lunch. Later at the gym, 18 minutes on the elliptical, 20 minutes of Abs and 30 minutes of light weights working on the shoulders and back.

More to follow.

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

5K Training Continued

January 17, for what I thought was a ho hum training session, I sure woke up stiff this morning. Nothing really new, just mixed it up a bit on the weight training. A friend of mine gave me a set of work out videos with this guy on the front of the package that looked like something from a steroid commercial on the front. So I watched the first one, about 12 minutes and thought well, why not follow part of his advice and mix up the exercises that I have been doing. You know Mondays cardio, with part of Mondays weight program and part of Tuesdays program finishing off with rousing round of Abs exercises. Nothing new, just a different order. Wow, the old saying that getting out of your rut can be painful is absolutely true!!

30 minutes of cross training
30 minutes of mixed weights
15 minutes abs

No beer when I got home. Maybe that is the problem with the stiffness, nothing to lubricate the muscles????

Monday, January 17, 2011

5K Training Continued

So the adventure continues. With the end to day 16 of the adventure to get in good enough shape to run in and finish a 5K race, my resolve is beginning to wane. I can't even imagine how crazy it would be to train for a marathon or the Hood to Coast run. This is starting to give some support to the theory that mental illness is more widespread than Doctors have lead us to believe.

January 15, no training. Could have been considered a rest day except for the fact that it really turned into a house cleaning day which is just one step away from forced labor on a road crew in rural Alabama. Birthday Party later in the day, which explains the house cleaning thing. Good times had by all.

January 16, Birthday Party a success as judged by the magnitude of my hang over. Nothing a half gallon of orange juice and chicken fried steak with country gravy poured over the top of the eggs and potatoes won't cure. Short nap and ready for the days work out. 30 minutes on the elliptical, 30 minutes light weight training. Should have probably opted for a Bloody Mary instead of the Orange Juice!!!! We'll see if I have the fortitude to train today:>:>

Friday, January 14, 2011

5Ktraining

January 13, well I did in fact pay for the eating and drinking binge of Wednesday. Interesting that one day of minor back sliding can have such a profound effect on how the aging male body reacts to training. Massive amounts of sweat, screaming muscles during the work out etc. If I remember my High School Physics lessons correctly, there was something about a body at rest will remain so unless a massive amount of energy is expended to get the tub of lard moving again. Pretty close I think.

So I pounded the cross training elliptical machine for 25 minutes. Up hills, down hills, all around the hills. My thought here was to blow the grease from Wednesday's hamburger out of my system. I'm pretty sure that worked, I had plenty of liquid coming out by the time I was done and I'm pretty sure some of it was hamburger grease. Knowing full well that the second place a hamburger goes in someone of my advanced years is the belly, I decided that the balance of my work out should focus on my Abs. So crunches it was. 500 crunches of different form and a hundred different types of push ups later I lay exhausted (still lots of liquid pouring out, this is good?) in a corner of the gym where the older ladies do stretches, 70+ types. Thank God one of the more buff ladies realized that I might be close to death and helped me hobble to the locker room.  No beer last night Gateraid and water. Feel GREAT this morning, can't wait to get back to the gym today!!!!!

Thursday, January 13, 2011

50Training Continued

Training January 12, 2011. Well complete lack of training would actually be the truth. No walk, no cross training, no weights, nothing. As a matter of fact it gets worse, out for lunch with business associates, ate the biggest fattest hamburger known to man. Juice dripping down my arms, onions, pickles, the works!!! And oh yes, the FRIES, salty deep fried fries with fry sauce!!!! All of that followed by a couple of micro brews at the Pub with a friend, yeah you know the really tasty, high calorie, high alcohol, $3.50 beer that you probably should limit in order to keep your pant size in the normal range. Oh yeas it gets worse... but that's enough wallowing in yesterday. Today double workout planned. I'll see how that works out :):) 

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

5K Training Continued

Got a little behind posting my training so time to catch up.

January 7, non training day. Went to a memorial service for a former business associate in Eastern Oregon. No he did not die at the end of a 5K run.

 January 8, non training day unless you want to consider driving 6 hours in snow, sleet and rain training for something.


January 9, payback day for not training the two previous days. 1/2 hour on the elliptical and 1/2 hour of heavy lifting. not the brightest thing in the world since I was still pretty stiff from driving the two preceding days. Noticeable pain in all muscles, I mean ALL MUSCLES.

January 10, still being paid back for doing nothing those two days. Well I didn't do nothing I guess. I was able to consume a fair bit of good beer on Friday. Perhaps there is some minor correlation between the beer, inactivity and muscle pain??? I will give that some thought. 25 minutes of cross training and 30 minutes of ab work with another 25 minutes of light weights. Almost to tired to have a few beers and watch the National Championship football game on TV. Almost is the operative word.

There caught up, more to follow tomorrow.

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Over 50 and Training for a 5K Race Continued

So yesterday was day 5 of 72. After a 1 mile jog/walk, had to do some walking because of the appearant thin air here at 300 feet above sea level, I went to the gym for some cross training and weights. Upon seeing the always pleasant Michelle, the gym manager, I explained that I would be needing to buy one of the gym tee shirts to wear in the upcomming race. She obviously mis understood my comment because she began to laugh out loud. She obviously thought I was telling a joke and being the customer service person that she is, she laughed along with the joke even though she did not hear the punch line. After repeating myself, she regained her composure and explained they were out of shirts because the guy that made them for them had died recently. She had that look on her face like he might have died doing a 5K race. I let it drop and moved on with my workout.

So, 1 mile jog/walk followed by 25 minutes interval training and light weights for about 30 minutes. A bit sore in the evening but gaining on it. I had some issues sleeping, am having a dream over and over of the tee shirt guy clutching his heart 10 meters before the finish line.

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Over 50 & Training for a 5K Race??

So, I'm over 50 and was sucked into a challenge by my 23 year old daughter over the holidays to run a 5K race in the Spring of 2011. Now remember it was the Holiday season and I do have a propensity to drink a little more beer than I should at this time of year, so it seemed like a pretty good idea at the time. I'm not in real bad shape, I go to the gym 6 days a week, have lost over 40 pounds over the last 2 years, walk regularly and watch my diet (except the beer thing, referred to above).

 So New Years Day, we put the above mentioned daughter on a plane at 0530 in the morning for her return to Germany where she works as a teacher. Returned home and promptly went back to sleep for 5 or 6 hours. Getting up refreshed and rested, it occurred to me that the race I had picked was only 72 days away and I had probably at least go for a mile walk to start my training. Better than nothing, right.

Day 2, off to the gym for an hour and a half of crazed cross training and weights.
Day 3, more of the same.

Day 4, Crash, I was sore in places I didn't know had muscles, dizzy from depleted electrolytes,  Generally dazed and confused. Well after a short trip to the Doctor, nice fellow only laughed at me for a minute or so, I had replenished the electrolytes and was ready for day 4 training. 5 minutes on the cross trainer and gave up on the weights after about 20 minutes or so. Sort of ran out of gas!!! Home for a beer and dinner and off to bed before 9:30.

Today is day 5 of what appears to be a hellish 72 day adventure to run a 5K race. Muscles seem to have recovered somewhat this morning, not dazed or confused and believe I can actually continue my training this afternoon. I've decided the race may be the easy part of this adventure, the training could be fatal however. 

Will advise tomorrow of the progress in training and give some additional thoughts on why men over 50 do stupid stuff. Not all the stupid stuff, just this kind of stupid stuff. I'm thinking it may have something to do with reduced testosterone levels???