JohnathonDoesLife

C25K W3D2 by Johnathon at Garmin Connect - Details

I was not looking forward to this run.  After W3D1 run, which was just AWFUL (During the last 3 minute run I had Don’t Stop! Don’t Stop! Don’t Stop! repeating in my head the entire time).  It was definitely a time of mind over body as my body was NOT wanting to move.  The nasty weather didn’t help.  It was below freezing and there was a misty fog which just added to the misery.

But that was Sunday…let’s move on to today.  First I should say I really didn’t want to run today and I almost didn’t.  After the last run, as miserable as it was, and some pain cropping up in my knees (they’re just not used to my 300lb. frame pounding down on them like this), I figured I could use a little more recovery time.  But thanks to a little inspiration from Ben Davis’ blog (which I’m rereading in it’s entirety, and which got me started on this mad quest convincing me that even I could become a runner), I went out and got it done.

I’m glad I did.  The weather was better.  A few degrees above freezing and the sun was peaking from behind clouds a little bit.  I forced myself to do a nice, easy pace and it paid off.  No where near the struggle my body was giving me last time. My avg. pace turned out the same as last time so I’ll count that as a win.

P.S. Added a little extra exercise time onto the end as I had to walk 20 blocks roundtrip to my Landlord’s Office as my roommate had locked me out!

So yeah, not sure if there’s anyone out there still following me but if you’re reading this, well, thanks for not giving up on me!  If you’re reading this you’ll also know that I haven’t blogged in months…5 months.  Let me catch you up!

So last July I started this blog and started the Couch to 5K training plan. I was just getting into the swing of things when BAM!: sprained my ankle.  Well that definitely put a dampener on things.  It took 2 months for me to be sure that it was healed completely and that hitting the pavement wouldn’t cause further injury.  Unfortunately, at that same time I got a new job.  Now, in and of itself, that doesn’t explain the no running thing, but you see, not only did I get a new job, I also kept my old one.  Now these are both part-time retail jobs, and we’re now heading through October on the timeline. Oh fun, the holiday season approaches! I started getting 50, 60, even 70 hour work weeks, and I knew there’d be no let-up until after the New Year. So I decided to put off my training and officialy begin again in 2012.

So here I am. Training plan is back in place and going.  Actually LOVING the cold weather runs.  Much better than the 4am runs back in July.  Through Facebook it was discovered that unbeknownst to each other my sister, my cousin, and I all started 5K training at roughly the same time so there’s a bit of unexpected, though welcome, support/encouragemet/accountability.

So yeah, looking forward to diving back into the Fitblr community.  I’ll be posting! Just hoping someone out there is still reading! ;)

C25K W2D2 by Johnathon at Garmin Connect - Details

Yep, I’m back!

Okay, I’m gonna be completely honest.  I had every intention of completely skipping this weigh day.  You see, it’s only been a few days now that I’ve felt I’ve gone back to 100% on my ankle.  Which means in the last 15 days since my last weigh-in I haven’t done really any exercising.  Tomorrow I plan to head back outside and hit the pavement again for the first time since the sprain.  Also, my healthy diet that I sustained really well for the first 15 days of my new DoLife routine went COMPLETELY out the window.  I’ve been eating like I did before I started all this so I figured I’d just have to hit the restart button and start again on this journey.  Which in and of itself is somewhat an accomplishment for me as in the past I might not have hit that restart button.  I’d like to add here that a main reason for that is the fact that I still come check my dashboard multiple times a day and seeing all you continue on your own journeys has kept this new lifestyle I’ve chosen to adopt in the forefront of my mind.  It can be so easy to push this kind of thing out of your mind when you’re having a low day feeling like a failure, but you guys sure don’t make it easy.  I’d like to thank you all for that.

So on to the weigh-in:

Starting Weight: 308

Last Weigh-In: 303

Current Weight: 300

I lost another 3 pounds! How the hell did that happen? I was totally expecting to gain back all of the 5lbs that I’d lost if not more.  Doing nothing….I lost 3 pounds! I only weighed myself this morning to confirm to myself just how much damage I had done, so I could wrap my brain around it, deal with it, and move on.  But I lost 3 pounds! I’m still processing but I think I’m gonna take those 3 pounds and run with them (haha, sorry, bad pun).  I’m gonna take those 3 pounds and start running again and revitalize my healthy eating.  I’m gonna take those 3 pounds and multiply them, losing 6lbs, then 9lbs, then 12lbs, et cetera, et cetera, ad infinitum.  Ok, not ad infinitum, only until I reach a healthy weight :)  I’m gonna take those 3 pounds and lock them away in a shiny little treasure chest in my mind.  And on days when I’m feeling like a failure, I’m going to take them out of that chest and remind myself that when I had given up on myself, those 3 pounds were there for my anyway. They sacrificed themselves when they could just have easily invited back some friends that had only just recently left.  Thank you, 3 pounds, whichever 3 pounds you were, you will not be forgotten.

It’s August 1, which means it’s my first official weigh day since I started on July 15.  Now, my 5K training was completely curtailed by my sprained ankle after the first week.  In fact, I’m still nursing it, the damned thing just won’t heal! I as soooo itching to get back out on the road in my running shoes.  But I won’t, not until I KNOW that it wouldn’t just cause more damage.  I did really well with my diet as well, that is, up until this past weekend. It was a bit indulgent.  Definitely not the kind of weekend you want right before a weigh day.  It’s in the past though, time to move forward.

SW: 308

CW: 303

I lost 5lbs. I’ll take it.  I know it would have been a much bigger loss if I could have kept training, but I’m moving in the right direction. That’s the important thing.  Doing Life (starting with baby steps)!

So today was supposed to be W2D1 of the C25K program, but no, still resting my ankle.  It keeps improving though.  I’m almost back to a normal walk.  There isn’t really any pain, it’s just still pretty stiff.  Today will be a good test, I’ve got work which means a good 7 hours up on my feet.  I should probably have the ibuprophen waiting on me for when I get home. ;)

I’m pretty sure I sprained my ankle. :(  After yesterday’s run with it’s accompanying ankle pain, I could barely walk around on it.  Then, I noticed a bit of swelling around the site of the pain.  It’s weird, I never recall twisting or turning my ankle sharply.  I think it’s probably just a ligament stretched a bit too far because of my new running shoes.  It’s a pretty minor sprain.  I’m keeping off of it now, and keeping it elevated.  This morning I’m able to walk around a bit more normally but there’s still pain and a limp.  So there is improvement.  Hopefully this will heal quickly and I can get back to my 5K training.  Anyone know how to tell when you can start back running after an injury like this?

I know it would be easy for me to get discouraged about a setback like this, but it’s actually given me a mental boost.  For one, I can’t belive how frustrated I am about NOT being able to go out and run.  That’s a good sign! Also, I can’t even remember the last sports related injury I sustained.  It goes to show how much little physical activity I’ve done my entire life.  Here I am just one week in and I definitely feel like I’m Doing Life!

Got up at 4 again this morning.  Got some good news and bad news about this run.  The bad news is that I limped through the entire thing.  Yesterday my right ankle hurt just slightly.  Whatever was the problem was only aggravated by my run this morning.  With my new running shoes on, which are cushioned as I underpronate, with each step I could tell that they were helping my ankles to roll inward as they should. Well, my right ankle wasn’t having ANY of that.  Unfortunately, now my ankle definitely hurts when I walk.  Gonna be limping all day for sure.

So what’s the good news? Well for those of you who remember this post, I’ve mapped a 5K around my apartment building.  Each time I do a C25K run I finish this entire loop, starting with the C25K program then walking the rest.  So basically, everytime I get out there, I’m technically finishing a 5K.  Now the first time I did the loop, I strictly walked it and got a time of 58:17. I was happy I was able to do it in under an hour.  My first C25K time dropped it to 52:52.  Well, this morning, even though I limped the entire thing, I got 51:52.  That’s an entire minute less than just 4 days ago, and again, LIMPING! So I’m gonna take this as a win.  Hopefully my ankle gets better soon…I’m just itching to get started on week 2 of the program and see those times drop even further.

Ok, I just have to say right off the bat, I have no explanation for my expression in this photo.  The purpose of this photo was to show myself wearing the smallest shirt in my closet (no, I don’t normally wear shirts that small!)  It’s an XL NordicTrack tshirt.  I believe I bought it during my last weight loss attempt, needing exercise clothing, and buying this as one of those one-day-hopefully-soon-I-can-actually-fit-in-this pieces of weight loss wardrobe.  So I put it on, grabbed my camera, got in front of the bathroom mirror and tooks some shots.  It’s hard to really see the pics on my camera so I figured I’d just upload them all to my computer and pick out the best.  Well, when it came to reviewing this one I totally burst out laughing.  I DO NOT recall making that face! It tickled me to see so I just KNEW it HAD to be the one I post!  So yeah, here it is. Enjoy! I’ll be trying the shirt on again from time to time to check my progress and maybe even come up with some more interesting faces to go along with it!

Look what arrived today (after only ordering yesterday, thank you zappos.com)!  I can honestly/shamefully say this is the first pair of actual running shoes I’ve EVER owned.  Aren’t they both just so shiny and new.  I think I can do something about that! ;)