Running Down a Dream 2: It's All About the Swag

[Foxfiregrrl]

Good luck in the Peachtree, Scott!!

I haven't checked in on you in awhile. I had almost forgotten that the Peachtree was this week. How exciting to have an official timed slot!

Your training sounds good! I've gotta figure out how you stay so focused when work and life tries to get in the way!

Keep up the good work!!

 

[ScoJo15]

First of all, thanks for stopping by and the well wishes!

Secondly, I need to address this subject for a second:

I've gotta figure out how you stay so focused when work and life tries to get in the way!

It all comes down to what is important in your life, what you choose to make a priority..what things must absolutely be done every day and what things can take a back seat. Aside from my obligation to my daughter, and my time spent working, my only priority every single day is to complete the workouts that I have planned out in advance. My goal when I leave work is to get that 30 minute XT session in, or knock out that 5 mile run. TV shows can wait, projects around the house can be put off until the weekend when there is more time to accomplish them. By focusing strictly on the workout, I'm able to accomplish what I set out to do 98% of the time. Everyone is different and I'm pretty lucky to not have a ton of other responsibilities, but I think you'll find that if you are really serious, and really want to commit to any type of training or exercise plan, you'll be amazed at how much free time you actually have. (this wasn't targeted right towards you...it can go for anyone)

Of course once that time is scheduled, you have to actually do the exercise.
Please forgive me in advance if I seem too harsh or rude as I'm saying this, but I 've noticed a trend around here in multiple journals. It's becoming increasingly acceptable to venture way off of plan, even completely off, come back again for a few weeks and then jump off of the plan again. Doing this is met with support from everyone..."hang in there"..."you'll get it back"...but rarely met with a level of accountability that is often times needed. Sure, the purpose of this whole deal is to support others on their quests to become healthy, stay healthy or even motivate themselves to simply get started. Maybe I'm different, but if I venture off of plan, I want my butt kicked.

No one can hit every single workout on every single day. People get sick, legitimate issues come into play...those things are fine. What's not fine to me is to feel unmotivated to go work out or run or do a fitness series on tv and think that it's ok to just blow it off. Even when unmotivated, we have to find a way to drag ourselves to our workout and get the thing done. We've taken the time to create journals, and take the time to post in them frequently, shouldn't we make that time worthwhile by actually completing our plans?

Believe me, we all struggle at times. We all get tired, we all get busy. But it's at those times when we need to look at ourselves and see what we are made of. For me, the sense of accomplishment of completing a 30 minute workout on a day when I just did not feel up to it is monstrous. If I let "the day" or "my mood" take over and not complete that workout, I feel even worse the next day.

I'll jump off of my soapbox now and I'm sorry if I offended anyone who reads, writes or lurks here...but sometimes we all need a serious gut check, a look inward and reestablish that commitment to ourselves. I certainly hope I didn't come across the wrong way...there are a lot of awesome people around here and the support is amazing. I don't think I would have lasted more than a month or so if it wasn't for the support of DIS'ers.

ANYWAY....on to what's up with me....

I broke down and bought a road bike yesterday I'm really excited about the prospects of adding a different type of cross training to my routine (can't do the elliptical forever) and I've read that cycling complements runners very well. I will tell you that I realized just how far I've come along when during the initial conversation with the bike shop guy I uttered the words "I'm a competitive runner, just looking to add some cross training benefits to my current routine. But there is the prospect for competitive cycling in the near future."...a competitive runner ...SO COOL to be able to say that

So I mapped out a plan for the month of July that includes the following: 3 runs per week (easy, tempo and long), 3 XT sessions per week (2 bike rides and an elliptical), 3 light weight training days per week and 5 arm/ab routines per week (only 10 min each time). In addition, I will not eat ANY fast food..nor have sweet tea (ugh) or soda products. In order to accomplish the food part, I sat down and figured out what I'm gonna eat every day both lunches and dinners for the month.

Aside from all of that, I'm preparing for the race on Wednesday. I have a goal of either breaking or coming real close to breaking the 50 minute mark. It's gonna be hot and humid, so I'm not sure how that will play into everything...but I do know that I want to push myself to new levels and run the best race that I can.

Sorry this was so long today...thanks for reading...

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday week.

 

[AmyBeth68]

SCOTT...your training plan is incredible. Wow...I think it sounds awesome. Good for you for modifying and trying to continually raise the bar on your training. I'm VERY impressed.

And I agree....making workouts a priority is really the only way to make sure they get done. Because unfortunately, it's soooo easy to push them into the background when life gets in the way. For me it's more like a survival issue....if I don't train properly I'll literally DIE during the Goofy marathon and half LOL. Makes the whole commitment thing easier. Scare the cr@p out of yourself by registering for the impossible....then train like heck to make it possible.

Thanks for your inspiring words. As always I look up to you both as a friend and marathon runner.

Have a GREAT week buddy!!!! Be careful in the Peachtree....and run like the wind!!!!

 

[toystoryduo]

Hi Scott,

I thought a lot about what you said in your post and I think you are right. I know that for me, I have had a problem with follow through lately. I make the plan, but don't follow through with it. It's something I need to work on. I also agree that encouragement is very important, but accountability is as well.

As I was reading through your post, Nike's slogan came to mind... "Just Do It!" For me, I hem and haw about my plans and wear myself out mentally before even getting started.When I was a fifth grade teacher, I had a schedule and I had to stick to it. As a SAHM, I find myself veering off schedule frequently because I am the one I am accountable to... no one else. (Like a boss) If I make a schedule and "just do it" so to speak, I think I will find that I actually have more free time, will have the energy to exercise and make right food choices and that I will feel better about myself when I have accomplished these things. Does that make sense?

A friend of mine and I had a conversation similar to this on Friday. It has been a huge blessing for me to come to your journal and read your thoughts that are unknowingly an extension of what my friend and I talked about. Your post has really made me think. Thanks Scott!

Sorry to have taken over your journal with my post ....

Have a safe and Happy 4th!

P.S. Good Luck at the Peachtree!

 

[AmyBeth68]

HEY SCOTTY!!!!!!


How did you do in the Peachtree???? Inquiring minds want to know. I'm sure you did fantastic! Please give us an update. Hope you had a good July 4th. Keep on training my cycling AND marathon buddy .

 

[ScoJo15]

Thanks for checking in!

Before I get to the Peachtree, let me just say that I LOVE the bike!! I took it out for a ride on Monday (instead of doing the elliptical) and had a blast, plus got a pretty good workout in I was super speedy on the downhills and I have to say the uphills did not kill me. I didn't have the shoes for the clipless pedals yet so I haven't experienced the stress associated with that (but will this weekend). I did over 8 miles on it and averaged right at 15mph, which I think is pretty decent for my first time out...plus I had my HR up in the cardio zone which is what I was really after. It took a bit of adjusting to get the shifting to work properly for me (not used to the shifters being incorporated into the braking system...been a while since I bought a bike ) but I think I have it figured out pretty good now. Plus, the store I purchased it at offers free maintenance classes on the first Saturday of each month...so guess where I'll be at 9am this Saturday? Sorry to ramble on there, but it's exciting to start something new...especially when it's exercise that is enjoyable

I took Tuesday off in preparation for the race yesterday....which was a pretty successful venture although I nearly missed the entire thing when my stupid alarm didn't go off when it was supposed to and I woke up at 5:45 instead of 4:30. (ok, ok, I know...it's a common thing to blame the alarm but I have to remember that it is an inanimate object...it only performs the actions that have been programmed into it...it's not like it thought to itself "oh i need to sleep in today, I guess I won't make that annoying sound at 4:30 and just wait for the antics to begin when the stupid human realizes he overslept and races around like a chicken with it's head cut off trying to pull it together"...instead I have to blame myself, either I did not program the time correctly OR I shut the alarm off in my state of sleepful slumber...stupid alarm) So after a shouting an explicative, getting a super speedy shower, throwing on some racing clothes and grabbing "my stuff" (which was neatly laid out on the kitchen counter, something I NEVER do...fate?...karma? you decide) I pulled out of the driveway at 6:03am.

I cautiously lmao: ) made my way downtown where I had to park and then jump on our public transit system, known as MARTA. Now MARTA stands for "Metro Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority" but this morning I dubbed it "My Alarm Really Totally Aborted" and "Maybe All Runners Totally Agree" Luckily a good percentage of the other 54,999 people must have been running late as well, cause I got a spot on the first train at the station and soon found myself in my starting corral..a cool 15 minutes before the 7:30am start time. Of course, I did not get to do my pre race pee (can I say that?...sorry kids) OR my pre race warm up jog (yes, i JOG and I am a RUNNER...FUPI...more on that later) but I was happy to be so close to the start line that none of it really mattered.

Our corral was not led to the start like the others...instead when the race began, so did we! I could have sprinted up there and showed those Kenyans who is boss, but I didn't want to take away from the guy wearing only a speedo who did just that It was a funny thing to see played back on tv later that day

Ahh...the race. It went pretty good for me. I started off fast (7:29/7:48) but my pace slowed a bit during the hills through miles 3-5. I realized that I was still making a good time, but I was not gonna do anywhere close to breaking 50 minutes so I made sure to take the time to take in the sights and sounds associated with the world's largest road race. After one year of running many different events, I do have to say that this is the best supported of any that I have been involved in. There is not a stretch of the course where there is not support from the crowd. I made a point to slap hands with all of the kids who had lined the route so early in the morning in anticipation of seeing their loved ones or friends run by...might as well make it fun for them (and it was fun for me too )

Anyway, my chip time came in at 52:48 (8:30 mpm)...not a PR for me, but I'm satisfied with that result. Most importantly for me, I only walked thru two water stations, which amounted to about 30 seconds...other than that, I ran the entire race...an accomplishment that I'm proud of It's also cool to see my progress over the course of a year...last years time was 63:34, I was over 11 minutes faster this year

I finished out the day by doing 45 minutes of weight & ab work...a great day of exercise for me when it's all said and done.

Today I had scheduled as an off day, but I may go for a ride when I get home. Tomorrow I have weights/abs and a 4 mile run on tap.

Thanks for checking in as always...I hope everyone has a great day.

 

[goldcupmom]

You continue to Awe & Inspire me, Scott!

Great recap of the Peachtree!

Have a wonderful weekend - & please no bicycle accidents!!

 

[AmyBeth68]

LOVE your Peachtree Report (stupid clock) . Nothing like racing to the race eh? Anyway...glad you made it and of course CONGRATS on an amazing time! You continue to impress me buddy. Great job and love that it was such a well attended race. The support sounds amazing .

You are such a bike-copy-cat . Seriously...glad you got yourself a shiny new bike too!!!! So when are we doing a century ride, a triathlon, a duathlon???? OK...one thing at a time...let's just get you in those clipless pedals and take it from there!!!

Have a great weekend Scotty. Please don't bike too fast down those monster hills.

 

[ScoJo15]

Thanks Amykin

I'm up for a duathlon or a century ride anytime!! Let's find one and get to crackin'. Oh yeah...we've got that stupid Goofy thing to worry about...geesh...some of the ideas you come up with...can't believe you talked me into the Goofy deal

Um...rule out the Triathlons for now 'cause I can't swim. Maybe I should take lessons this fall so we can put the Ironman on our list? Just let me know....

Oh yeah...saw a Muddy Buddy t-shirt while I was at the Peachtree and I'm very intrigued by it...AND...they have one at Disney What do you say? my "muddy" buddy

Ok...for journaling purposes, I did make it to the fitness center today. I was gonna run outside, but the severe storms that went thru my area kind of squashed that idea so I took it indoors. I did 4 miles at a 8:57mpm pace and felt great. My HR monitor was all over the place though...it was reading 240, 111, 167, 84, 199...maybe the battery is shot?? Gonna replace that tonight and then see if that helps...it's either that or my ticker is seriously screwed up and this will be one of my last posts

Hope you all have a great weekend!!

 

[AmyBeth68]

My HR monitor was all over the place though...it was reading 240, 111, 167, 84, 199...maybe the battery is shot?? Gonna replace that tonight and then see if that helps...it's either that or my ticker is seriously screwed up and this will be one of my last posts

Ummm.....NO! Replace that battery. No bad tickers allowed!!!

Have a great weekend Scott.

 

[ScoJo15]

...replacing battery....

 

[kimwim8]

Do you super heros EVER sleep?

GREAT job with the Peachtree, Mr I. You completely rocked it! And I'm glad you didn't miss it b/c of a technical alarm clock issue. (it was completely the clock's fault, btw)

Fill me in...what in the world is a muddy buddy?

 

[toystoryduo]

Great job in the Peachtree, Scott! Glad you were able to make it even though your alarm clock refused to cooperate. Have a great week!

 

[AmyBeth68]

Where are you???

 

[ScoJo15]

Where are you???

I'm here (...thanks for caring...)

The update from my world is a bit repetitive so I won't go into exact details. I've been running and cross training just like normal. The nice thing is that I've replaced some of my elliptical workouts with 8 mile bike rides (15mph..30 minutes). I have even started biking to the FC on treadmill or elliptical days which gives me a 5.2 mile ride on top of working out. I'm excited about biking and hope that I can turn it into a competitive sport for me in the future.

Running....I've been doing the 5-6 easy on tues, 4-5 tempo on thurs and 6-8 long runs on Sundays for the most part. I did do a lovely 6 mile paved trail run this past Saturday that was a welcome change to the regular Sunday routine.

Other than that, it's that stagnant time of year for me when there is nothing to really be training for...just logging the base miles to keep in shape for longer runs in the future. I'm looking at doing a half in the fall and then Goofy in January so everything will ramp up starting in late August. From there, I'm not real sure where things will take me. I guess it will all depend on how the second half of this year shapes up and what challenges I can create for myself during the first part of next year.

My weight has been holding steady in the 192-193 range and that is a very comfortable place for me. I'm sure that all of the long distance training this fall will drop it another 5 lbs or so. I do need to do a better job with ab workouts, weight training and staying on plan with the food intake.

I hope everyone out there is doing ok and is enjoying their summer. Thanks for stopping by.

 

[AmyBeth68]

Hey there Scotty!!!

How do you like the biking? Isn't it a great change of pace!!! If only the weather would cooperate for me this week so I could out there again to cycle. Not as much flexibility with the bike (in terms of weather).

Your running sounds great! Awesome job maintaining that base!!! You are going to be MORE than ready to start Goofy training in August . A half in the fall sounds fun!!! I'm looking to do one as well...it's the perfect time for a nice training run at tempo pace!

Good luck with the core training, weight training and food. Proper nutrition is by far my biggest challenge right now. I simply MUST get myself eating well before Goofy training begins.

Great job Scott...it really seems like you have an excellent plan in place .

 

[ScoJo15]

Biking kicks butt!! I'm with you on the weather though. I'll run in cold, heat, rain, snow, darkness...pretty much everything except lightning....but the biking doesn't work on wet roads or in the dark so gonna have to figure that one out as we hit the shorter days coming up in the fall. I think I'm gonna have to incorporate mornings into the mix somehow....or just win the lottery so I could quit my job LOL!!

Update....I woke early and got in a 5.6 mile run yesterday morning. I had to work a little late and that allowed me to get the run in so that I could do a nice 50 minutes worth of abs/weights last night. Sometimes it's a bit of a challenge to figure out how to get the workouts in, but where there is a will, there is a way and I just can't afford to miss a workout right now.

Today I'll get a good bike ride in after work (weather permitting). If the rain comes as planned (well...kind of planned...40% chance....of course, that means there is a 60% chance of no rain LOL) I'll just get my cardio in on the elliptical at the FC.

Have a good day!

 

[AmyBeth68]

Looks like we're both lurking and posting around these boards today!!!

I have to agree about not being able to miss a workout. The whole Looming Goofy keeps me quite motivated . It's like he's haunting me!!! I feel like last year I wasn't as prepared as I should be when August rolled around. I was away a LOT last summer which really interfered with my training. That is why I was extra crazy dedicated at the beach this year. I think I worked out MORE on vacation than I do normally LOL. But hey....we got ourselves into a SERIOUS commitment with the half and full b2b...so no messing around this year.

I give you so much credit for getting those workouts in before and after work. It's hard enough for me to do it on a MUCH more flex schedule. Should be interesting in the fall when I start teaching pilates classes during the week though...I will lose a tiny bit of my flexibility . Well...I HOPE I'll be teaching anyway . Definitely impressed with your commitment and ability to keep everything going (family, work, crazy exercise schedule LOL). GREAT job.

Anyway...it's true about the biking. Never really thought about it...but I'm sure I'll have to substitute something in for the bike rides once winter hits around here. I just don't know if biking in 20 degree weather sounds fun LOL! Hard enough to run in the frigid temps. And FORGET about doing it in the dark...way too dangerous IMO. I have to admit that I feel a little bit vulnerable on the bike sometimes. I'm sure that is something that I'll get used to over time. But overall it is SOOO much fun and a great refreshing change of pace from running .

 

[kimwim8]

Hey Scott. You're doing great and are a constant inspiration. I'm not sure if I said this already, but congrats on the new bike. I know you've been wanting that for a while.

I don't have to tell you to keep up the great work, because I know you will. So I'll wish you luck with all of your upcoming training and races and rides.

 

[toystoryduo]

You are doing a great job with your training, Scott! Keep up the good work!