Week 25

In Intel Finance, your life revolves around the planning and close cycles.  Right now we're in the mid-year cycle, where we refresh the 2H of the full year plan.  It was really busy for me because of some new scope I recently obtained and two key people that decided it would be a good idea to take their sabbatical during a planning cycle.  Anyway, the point is I didn't get much exercise.

I've kept softball stats because I wanted to see that if I was faster how many extra base hits I'd get.  Well I've gotten at least 1 double each week.  This last week I got a speed double.  The left fielder was positioned a little too deep.  I also noted that the third baseman wasn't playing the line.  So I figured if I could get the ball on the ground right on the line, the third baseman wouldn't be able to do anything and the left fielder would have a long run to the ball ... and I'd have a double.  I did just that.  I painted the line with a hard descending line drive that skipped past third just barely fair.  Out of the box I knew I had two, and with the extra speed AND NOT the extra fat, I was up standing.  That is the third such double I've had this season.  I could get used to this.

Week 25 - June Planning Cycle

Basketball Events: 1
Strength Training: 1
Softball Games: 2 (Game 1: 1-2, Double, 2 Walks; Game 2: 3-4)
Running Events: 1

Best Time:

• Distance: 3.5 miles
• Time: 26:24 
• Minutes per mile: 7:33

Weight: 244 - No Change

Week 24

I got one chance this week to do a time trial.  And I thought I was moving fast.  The whole way out I was thinking, "this is going to destroy the record I set a few weeks ago."  Then at the mid way point I turn around to head back, hit the lap button, check the time, and realize that I didn't even have my best first-half time.  I was totally deflated, so I lumbered my deflated self on sub-par run back.

The silver lining this week is I lost some weight this week.  The kids fell asleep early on Wednesday and I zonked out early too, sleeping without dinner.  Not eating that dinner made quite the difference.   Also of note, I've returned to wearing contacts.  My senior year of high school after the basketball season was done I got rid of my contacts (a necessity for sports) in favor of some glasses.  I've been wearing glasses ever since.  When I returned home from my mission nearly 10 years ago, I thought a pair of horned rimmed glasses would be cool.  So I started wearing horned rimmed glasses.  And that was cool until hipsters started wearing them too, often without the need for prescription lenses.  Way to go hipsters.  You ruined horned rimmed glasses.  So I have to wear contacts now.  Just do me a favor and stay away from baseball.


Week 24 - Back to contacts

Basketball Events: 2
Strength Training: 1
Softball Games: 1 (2-4, Double)
Running Events: 1

Best Time:

• Distance: 3.5 miles
• Time: 26:36 
• Minutes per mile: 7:36

Weight: 244 - *LOST 3 POUNDS*  36 lbs since January 1!

P.S.  We closed on our house and take possession on July 15th!  We should move in around July 20th once the popcorn ceiling has been removed.

Week 23

My goal was to keep a pace better than 8 minutes per mile during my 10k, otherwise I'd have been a failure.  I did much better than my goal.  I finished in the top 7% of participants.  I also learned something very important at the race.  There was a guy there that was an acquaintance of a friend that ran the 10k also.  He was tall, probably 6'4".  Thinner than me.  Every external sign indicated that he was in much better shape.  His pace over the 6.2 miles was a little worse than 10 mins per mile.  Honestly, it was a pace I think I could have matched when I started my comeback back in January.  I think what that tells me is that my weight is different than a lot of other folks' weight.  I was a mildly in shape dude, that used to be an athlete underneath 50 lbs of fat.  That is a much, much different thing than someone who is just 50 lbs overweight and has never been active or even someone who doesn't have a weight problem but isn't in shape.

My point is this ain't a exercise in vanity.  I'm doing this because I want to recapture some former athleticism.  The highlight of the race for me was the last stretch.  I was in a dead sprint for the last 50 yards.  Because 6 people were going to beat me and I wasn't having it.  I cam around the corner closing in like freight train and left them looking at the back of the biggest son of a gun they ever saw run that fast.  Next year I want to get down to 7:15/mile.

Week 23 - My First 10k

Basketball Events: 1
Strength Training: 2
Softball Games: 2 (Game 1: 3-5, Double; Game 2: 1-3; Double)
Running Events: 2
Race Events: 1

Best Time:

• Distance: 3.5 miles
• Time: 26:16 
• Minutes per mile: 7:30 (Second week in a row at 7:30/mile pace)

Race Results:

• 10k or 6.2137 miles
• Mile 1 - 7:25.48
• Mile 2 - 7:25.76
• Mile 3 - 7:45.92
• Mile 4 - 8:01.15
• Mile 5 - 8:02.75
• Mile 6 - 8:07.3
• Last Stretch - 1:18.59
• Finish - 48:06.95  (It is very likely I had the fastest time among those 230lbs and over.)
• Pace - 7:44.61/mile *15 seconds better than my goal of 8min/mile!*

Weight: 247 - No weight lost, but my belt keeps getting tighter!

Week 22

In one week, I'll be doing something I never would have done last year, running in a 10k. Since this is Amurka! and we don't use the metric system, I'll be running a 6.214 mile race. In a little more than half that distance, you've noted that in the past few weeks I've been able to sustain a pace of about 7:40 per mile. Over the greater distance, I expect my pace will be slower, but I plan to do at least 8 minute miles. If I do worse than 8 minute miles, I think that will make me a failure. I'll be spending the coming week training my body to the pace. Wish me good training.

On Saturday I decided to play basketball for 2 hours and then help a friend move. But then I thought it would be cool to run to the move and run home after. No problem. Being in shape is way more awesome than being fat. Also the Red Sox are starting to close the gap in the AL East. Good week.


Week 22 - Good Week

Basketball Events: 1
Strength Training: 1
Softball Games: 2 (Game 1: 2-3; Game 2: 3-4, Double)
Running Events: 3

Best Time:

• Distance: 3.5 miles
• Time: 26:10
• Minutes per mile: 7:29 (closing in on the freak time)

Weight: 247 - No weight lost