Race #2

FREEZE YOUR BUNS 5K, NASHUA NH 1-24-10

What a difference 24 days makes. I got up on race day and went to weigh myself. I made a promise to myself that I would only weigh myself on race days. I have done the whole weigh myself every other day and I have went through many of scales that way, not because they were cheap and broke, instead I just have a killer downwards kick. I dreaded getting on the scale, but I was a very happy once I did. I lost 16 pounds bringing me down to 177 (about 20 pounds away from running a marathon weight) I checked the scale 10 times then rushed into the bedroom and informed my sleeping wife of this accomplishment. What a great way to start the day, but it was only going to get better. I showed up for the race about an hour early, went through my stretches and warm ups as my wife ate french fries and coffee from the snack bar. Are you getting the theme of my support team? First race Teresa ate the free soup and now she is eating french fries, don't know how she stays skinny. The Race starts and I am in the middle of the pack, about 1 mile into the race I meet up with a lady who is running a nice pace for me. I get behind her and follow her until the 2.5 mile mark. I felt very strong, much stronger then race one. My plan going into this race was to run a comfortable pace until 2.5 then see if I had another gear to finish....and boy did I. I passed the girl I was following and 6 other runners then crossed the finish line in 27:16. That was 7 minutes faster then race number one, however race number one was half up hill and this race was mostly flat, but I know I was in better shape for this one. My last race I stopped 5 times to catch my wind, this race I never stopped.

My training is going great. I ran 8 miles last week, plus did weights and cardio boxing and other cross training. I am starting to see a lot of improvement in my health, sleeping habits and over all confidence, which may be a bad thing seeing how I have been labeled "cocky" by certain friends. Me cocky? Just because I can back up what I say and look great doing it? LOL. My Next race is in two weeks (5k) and I have my half marathon in March. That race is what I am training for now. The 5k races I am doing along the way are a training and learning tool for me. God knows I need both!!!!!

7 Days until my next Race

Week 2 and I am showing signs of getting stronger. I have decreased my pace by over 30 seconds and on my 2 mile plus runs I have no desire to stop and take a rest. Due to the frigid weather I have yet to do any road running, but I do run on a 2% incline on the treadmill which is suppose to simulate running on the road. With my race coming up in 7 days, I will start to lower my miles this week with my last run on Thursday. My goal is to run this up coming race in 30:30. It's mostly flat (unlike my first race) and barring any set backs I think it's a reasonable goal. Although I have yet to jump on the scale and won't do so until race morning, I know I have lost weight. Besides feeling and looking thinner, I can now fit into my skinny jeans.....yes ladies, men have skinny jeans too..So with my training, my motivation and my weight loss I think I'm heading in the right direction







TRAINING THIS WEEK



Monday: ran 2 miles, 5 miles bike, 15 minutes steps, 15 minutes glider

Tuesday: weight lifting, cardio kick boxing

Wednesday: run 1 mile, bike 5 miles, 15 minute steps, 15 elliptical

Thursday: 0ff

Friday: run 2.5 miles

Sat: run 2 miles, 35 minutes of weight training

Sun: 1 hour on stair climber, 284 floors, 5.6 miles


My Dad called me Thursday to inform me that my mother has a tumor on her lung and is going in for more testing to see if it's cancerous or not. My entire family is stressing and are thinking about nothing else. She is so scared and my Dad doesn't look like he has slept in years...I hate seeing them like this. Being helpless is not something I am use to. I am always in control in my life. I'm the guy who helps others close to me when they need it. All I can do now is just be there for her when she needs me, but it doesn't seem like enough. With this recent news, I now more then ever have to get in running shape and get my butt to Boston...how do I do that? ...Looks like I am running the Manchester NH marathon in November. If I finish in under 3 hours and 15 minutes I will qualify for the 2011 Marathon. Failure is not an option.

Week One

Well I've completed my first week of training. I've run 7.1 Miles this week all on the treadmill at Gold's gym. I plan on getting some road work in this week. I'm not a big fan of cold weather and I'm dreading getting out there. I am also working hard on getting my weight down. I need to drop about 40 pounds in order to even have a shot at completing Boston in 2011. I've been alcohol free for 10 days (which is kinda hard when watching playoff football) and I'm eating about 1,200 calories a day. So I know in time I'll get there. Right now I am just focused on getting my pace down. (currently at 11:18 a mile) Goal is 10 minute miles (5k run) by end of February. I have a race on the 24th of January. This course is mostly flat so I'm thinking I'll beat my previous race time. I would love to run it in 31:00 minutes. We'll see!

Peanut Butter Chip 5k Race 1/01/10

So it's the first day of 2010 and more importantly it's the first day in my attempt to get in shape enough to run the 2011 Boston Marathon. I have 16 months to do it. Please keep in mind I have never ran a race, and have ran on the road less then six times life time. So why now? Well I want to dedicate this marathon (my first) to my mother. A women who gave me so much love and attention my entire childhood. I think for the first 12 years of my life my mom was surgically attached to me. I would wake up to my mom yelling for me to get up. She would drive to the bus stop and wait with me, and yup be there to pick me up when I got off the bus. Over protective you ask? well I couldn't ride my bike in the road until I was 23, but we won't get into that :). I love my mom who as of late is not healthy, so I don't know who much time we have left together. I want to do this for her..and yes me too.

Ok so race day, 168 people at the starting line, I'm near the back taking it all in. The whistle goes off and I'm off. The first mile and a half is completely uphill. Let me say that again, completely uphill. I feel good with my pace for about a mile, then it hits me, "hey doopy, you're not a runner, you're going to hurt somebody" I push through to the 1.5 point. This is where I slow my pace down and oh looky, I just got passed by 3 house moms power walking....and what's this passing me? A man with a gut bigger that a pregnant women carrying twins. Ok, time to pick the pace up. I run/walk to the 2 mile marker and now I am starting to get my 2nd (5th?) wind. I push on, but I am getting passed a lot. I think one lady talked trashed to me as she passed me, but jokes on her, she had a nice bum and it helped me run for the next quarter mile until I tired again. The last part of the race (1/4 MILE) is again uphill. I almost died when I saw it. I finally got up the thing and crossed the finsih line in 35 minutes even. Good news was I finshed right behind a guy wearing a jacket that said 2009 Boston marathon runner. Bad news was he was 78. I wish I was joking. I really enjoyed this race. People say it was a tough one and to be proud of that time seeing how it's a tough course and I've never ran before. So I will.

After the race I hugged Teresa and Niome and I felt very happy to have them there for me. I hope they continue to come and support me. I drove home while Teresa ate 2 bowls of free soup. I do all the running and she gets all the free food. Oh well, I need to shed a few pounds!