Week 2 -- wed night work out

Sarah said she'd kick my butt if I didn't update the blog in the next two days.  It's apparently been a week since my last update.  The lowlights -- I am still around 187 so no big weight loss over the past week.  The good news is that even with her at 95 lbs, I'm still less than 2xDanicas. 

I bought new running shoes this weekend -- the Brooks Defyance.  These are less "supportive," and certainly less clunky.  These are probably should have been using since I got my orthotics.  I ran 8.4, three laps around Greenlake.  Since my Garmin gave up, I used a regular old stopwatch.  I made it 8.4mi in just over 90 min, which I think is just under 11min/mi.  Not fast, but an improvement over last week. 

Tuesday morning, I went for a recovery run, including my usual run up Phinney Ridge.  I think I am getting better at the uphill. 

This evening, Sarah and I did a track workout.  The book we are using says to run 8x400m (1/4mi) at 2:05-2:15, so between 8-9min mile pace.  Sarah ran them all at about 7:15 pace.  At first I felt bad, because she kept beating me.  Then I realized I was following the 4 hour marathon plan, and she isn't.  So I don't feel so bad anymore. 

As for the weight, I've backed off the no-carb diet a little, as I know that as I get towards 10mi long runs, the body will need some carbs.  And as I told Laurie, once you're running 25+ miles/week, it's much easier to lose weight, even if you're not so careful with what's going in.  Although I am still staying away from rice, beer, french fries and other super carby stuff!

Lost some of the extra

I'm back down from 190 to 188, which isn't quite 187, where I was, but closer.  And my body fat was 27.3% which is about as low as it's been.  That's roughly 10% decrease in body fat in 3 months.  Not so bad.  Tonight is speed workouts at the track with Sarah, which replaces mid-week semi-long run.  Sounds like fun.

More weight, less fat (I hope)

So I went for a 5k run on Friday and a 7mi run on Sunday, and then did some cross training on the seated bike machine at the gym yesterday.  So after that, I'd think I'd be thinner.  But from last Friday to today I've gained almost 3.5 lbs.  So, either I've been eating a ton of food to make up for the calories I'm burning or I'm putting on muscle from all this dang ol' exercise.  Hopefully it's the latter.  I'm still fitting into my 34 jeans, so the wheels aren't coming off yet.  We'll see how this week goes...

My friend Danica now weighs 96.2 so it's getting tougher and tougher to get to 1.9 x Danica.  It will take a little while longer, but I will get there!

A little more weight, a little more running,

So yesterday I got up around 6 and found that I was at 187.0 (and 28.5% body fat), 0.2 lbs up from the day before.  I putzed around the house, read my email, watched Dollhouse on the Tivo and used the bathroom.  This took about 90 minutes and I re-weighed after that.  I had dropped 0.4 lbs from using the bathroom and respiring (I guess).  So I had a new 2009 record of 186.6, but the body fat was over 29%.

Don't ever do this!

Why not?  I got up this morning and was at 188.0.  So that's not much more than 187, but it's 1.4 lbs more than 186.6.  So don't give yourself artificial short term wins.  Because they always turn into artifical short term losses the next day or the day after. 

So I had a setback of 1.4 lbs.  What did I do?  Went for my scheduled 7mile Sunday run and then had a low carb lunch.  Had I been still at 186.6, what would I have done?  Went for my scheduled 7mile Sunday run and then had a low carb lunch.  Remember, manage the inputs! 

I do have one problem with the marathon training.  I was working off the Hal Higdon Novice 1 marathon training schedule, and it seemed pretty simple.  Add a little more mileage each week, culminating in a long Sunday run.  Then I found that there was a Novice 2 schedule, which has a little more mileage each week than the Novice 1.  And then my friend Sarah is following a schedule from "How to run a four hour marathon" or some such book.  She sent me the schedule, so I am now trying to rationalize three schedules.  This puts me in split brain mode which I don't like.  Sarah's schedule replaces the semi-long run in the middle of the week with track/speed workouts, but also has two short runs during the week and a long run on the weekend.  But it culminates in a 24 mile run in week 14 rather than the Hal Higdon program where we only ever do 20 until the race.  Arrgghh!  Too many choices suxxors. 

But wait...a new record low this morning

I got on the scale this morning and found out that I had lost another pound, so I'm down to 186.8. That's an even 20 lbs since I went to work for Diego! So what caused it? I was thinking about it while I was running this morning (after the weigh in). Possible causes:

Late aft snack, plus small dinner = less weight in the morn
A glass or two of wine = dehydration (I was about 29.5% body fat rather than my low of 28.5%, which sometimes indicates dehydration)
No running for a week = muscle loss = less weight

Each of these are short term corrections, so I expect that I may pop up a little bit.

In the end it doesn't really matter in the long run. If I keep managing the inputs -- run regularly and cut out the carbs -- good things will happen. That's why it's good to manage the inputs and just keep an eye on the outputs!

Also, I am wearing my new stylish jeans (size 34) to work today so we'll see if anyone notices.

New record low

This morning I hit 188.0 which is my 2009 record low...even after not running this week.  Of course, it may be that the leg muscles I built have just atrophied.  But I like to think that I'm sticking to the diet.  Anyway, it's new ground for this bout of weight loss.  My friend Alissa took me to Nordstrom's today and I got some Lucky jeans.  Apparently I am now hip when I wear them.  I don't understand why my faded jeans from The Gap don't count as hip, but she's an expert.  Also, I get to run again tomorrow morning.  5k is on the cards, and then a long run on Sunday.  Should help re-accelerate the weight loss plan.  Hopefully, I will have to exchange my 34 jeans for 32 pretty soon.
I am now in week 3 of the marathon plan, and let's hope tomorrow and Sunday go well.  I'm gonna do "track work" next Wednesday night with Sarah Burch, so hopefully I don't injure anything. 
My friend Beijing Laurie has evil friends in town from Seattle so I am sending positive vibes out to her to keep the faith and stay away from the carbies!~  Go Laurie!

Unfortunately not much to report this week

I've got a little injury so I'm off the running til Friday.  I lifted some weights yesterday in the office (I think Sarah thought I was crazy).  And did some situps and pushups for "strength training."  Friday I will be able to run again, and I think I go either 5 or 8mi this weekend.  Next week Sarah Burch and I are going to do interval training at the track to do something...build speed or endurance or stamina.  She's in charge of the wed night training plan.  I'll be in charge of a couple short early morning runs, and a long weekend run!