4 Days before my first race!

Hello all,

Well, I am counting down to my first race in over 20 years.  5k.  And do I have the butterflies!

I keep thinking, "Am I ready?"  "Should I train harder?"  "What else could I have done?"  "Maybe I should get another workout in?"

Along with all the other drama that is happening in my life, running this race is adding worry and concern.  I know I shouldn't do anymore right now.  I shouldn't change anything.  And even if I do more, it isn't going to make any difference.  In fact, the more I read, the I think that if I work too hard I might actually fatigue or hurt myself and then not be able to even run the race.

Each time I get up off the couch or move to go do something, I do a push-up or sit-up to curb my need to do something.

I am probably going to work out tomorrow, and run on Tuesday, but take off completely on Wednesday.

Well....this will probably be my last blog until after the 5k.  Wish me well and a finish!

Today's 5.5 mile run is brought to you by.....RAGE!

You ever have someone or multiple someones really piss you off, and make you wonder if natural selection is merely a theory?  If so, run the crap out of it! 5.5 miles today out of anger and frustration.  Thinking about going out again to try to get the rest of it out.

So in the words of Forrest Gump "That's about all I have to say about that."

About 6 weeks of training, things are changing. Plus a funny story

Hello all,

About 6 weeks ago I began on the journey to change from an over-weight IT geek with the typical IT Geek lifestyle, into a trim, fit man, training to run a tough mudder in early September.

I am still going strong.  I'm at 185 lbs now, which is about 35 lbs less.  I went from barely being able to walk .7 miles to running nearly 5 miles.  I began just running, but now I have added protein to my juice diet (www.rebootwithjoe.com) and begin strength training, with push-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups, and other exercises.

I am realizing that September is a LONG way away to wait to actually do something.  So, I signed up for the Campbellsport 5k Walk/Run on July 4th.  I am debating IF I want to run, or can even complete the Wausau YMCA short Triathalon, which is 1/4 mile swimming, 17 miles biking, and 5k running.  This one I am going to need A LOT of convincing and encouragement.  I really really really don't want to do something that I am not going to finish or may end up hurting myself so I can't run the tough mudder.  I can swim the 1/4 mile.  I and bike the 17 miles, and I can run the 5k, but I don't know if I can do them back to back.

Now the story.

Today I learned another very important lesson.  Know the watering holes!

You may have noticed two pauses in my run today.  The first pause was for doing a #1.  The second pause was for answering the questions from the police officer.  It went something like this.

Officer:  "What were you doing over there?"
Me:  "Taking a leak......(sheepishly)"
Officer:  "Give me one good reason that I shouldn't give you a ticket for public urination."
Me:  "Okay!  I'll give you two.  First, unless someone has control over the Hubble Telescope with an infrared filter trained on me, there is no way that anyone would have known I was in there.  Second, I was so far into that bush that even I couldn't see what I was grabbing."
Officer: (Grin)(Snicker/laugh, brief moment for him to gather his words)  Move along!  Next time fine a watering hole.
Me:  "Yes sir.  Thank you officer."

I pretty much giggled the entire rest of my run.

On another note, a group that I am a part of is thinking about putting together an IT Geek pin-up calendar.  The more I think about it, I say...WHY NOT...  There are all kinds of strange fetishes out there, why not an IT Geek one.

So, my question to you, if I were selected to be in the calendar....what should be my story or caption?

Tom

4 weeks and still training

Hello all,

Today I reached the 3 mile mark in a run.  Actually, once I get past the first mile to mile and 1/2, running seems to get easier.  And to think, I was only running .7 of a mile and was completely worn out just 4 weeks ago.

I am just about 192 lbs, which will be down from 218 when I first started.  26 lbs.

I keep going.  I love the little motivational things that have come into my life.

Last weekend I was pumping gas at Fleet Farm.  There was a man there too, pumping gas.  He was a slow moving man using two canes.  While we were in line waiting to pay, we began to chit chat.  We had to wait because there was a cash register being switched.  We both paid and we were going out the door.  As you can imagine, with two cains, he was very slow.  I opened the door for him.  He said "I guess I won't be running any marathons...or even running again"  I smiled and said, "Yes, probably not".  Then he said "I sure wish I would have."

To him I tribute today's run.  I got to 3 miles for the guy at Fleet Farm, because he never did, and probably never will.