Cycling
Since the last time I blogged here I've lost over 40 lbs. It's not because of running, either. In fact, I'm sad to say that I really haven't run very much at all since the summer. Here and there, sure, but I've done a pretty poor job at excersising consistantly since the summer. Many things factor into why, but I guess the main reason is simply that I was losing weight by other means and I didn't feel like getting out there and busting my butt.
In August I started doing Weight Watchers. It had worked for me a couple of years ago when I was trying to lose weight for a trip to Hawaii, but soon after the trip I abandoned the plan and gain it all back and then some. When I started last time I topped out at 238. In August, when I started WW I was a hefty 247. I was almost 250 lbs. and had probably reached that, at some point but had lost some due to the fact that I was running, after all. Once I did finally get around to trying my running out after I'd lost some weight, I was amazed at how easy it was. Imagine carrying around a 35 lb vest and then taking it off. That's basically what it was like. In December Amanda and I got bikes. (By the way, Amanda has been running her tail off and completed a 10K run in Ft. Worth last month. Her time was 1:05, faster than my 5K time of 0:33.) I rode some in January, when I got a chance, but then last week, while we were on spring break I broke out the bike practically every day. I've decided that cycling is definitely my thing, not running. I'm still going to run some, infact I did 2 miles yesterday.
Anybody want to ride?
Labels: Cycling, running, weight
Swimming
There was no one out at the pool so I decided to do laps. Kind of weird when it never gets deeper than 5 ft. and as shallow as 3 ft. But, I loved it.
Setting7/31/2006, 4 pm, The Apartment.
WeatherNice. Hot. But not too hot. It rained this morning so there was some breeze, and the water wasn't bathtub hot, like it can get.
DistanceI'm not sure, but I did 5 laps which is crossing the pool 10 times. The pool seems to be about 50 ft. in length, so that would mean I swam roughly 500 ft. (152 meters. I wanted to use my new conversion widget). I don't know if that's a lot. I'm sure it's not, but for someone who doesn't swim (I get in the pool, float a lot, and I might swim a total of 10 feet at any given pool venture) it felt like a lot.
How Am I FeelingI felt really good after all was said and done, but it was tough during. I felt like I just sprint about half a mile. Really glad I swam instead, though.
Going Through My HeadWow, this is harder than I though it'd be.
On the iPod iPods don't go swimming.
WeightsBench One set of about 13 at 100 lbs. just to warm up a little.
Incline 3 very quick sets of 10 at 100, 110, and 120 lbs.
Military Press 2 sets of 8 with 70 lbs.
1 set of 8 with 80 lbs.
Chest Pulls 3 sets of 12 starting at 70 lbs. and increasing 10 with each set. I did this pretty quick with little rest in between sets.
Curls I did 25 on each arm with light dumbbells, rapidly.
I don't know what to call them but you put weight in one hand and lean the other way to work love handles 1 set of 10 with 70 lbs
2 sets of 10 with 90 lbs.
On the iPodI did work out with the tunes. They were:
Coldplay
Green EyesRyan Adams
World War 24Badly Drawn Boy
Body RapBeastie Boys
Song For JuniorThe Beatles
Everybody's Got Something to Hide Except Me and My MonkeyThe Beatles
Your Mother Should KnowOld 97s
AdelaideR.E.M.
KohoutekJake Andrews
You've Got to KnowThe Shins
Sphagnum EsplanadeSufjan Stevens
The Man of Metropolis Steals Our Hearts
Here's the Goal
I recently came across this photo while I was looking through some old stuff last night. If anyone is wondering, I'm shooting to look like this again. Or, at least, closer to it. What am I cooking? Something with Rice a Roni, dishsoap, tequilla, and duck tape, it seems. And I think there is some coffee in the bottom of that pot. I would bet that it's been there a week, at minimum. I miss college sometimes.
You might think that because I haven't blogged in a while that I'm not running. You're right and you're wrong. I'm not running but I am excercising. I lifted weights today in a fairly intense workout and then hit the bike for 20 minutes. Running outside is way too hot and I hate treadmills. Biking inside is tolerable simply because bikes decrease the impact on my legs and back and I always feel like I get a better workout on the bike. I may go back to running when the weather cools down, but for now a bike suits me much more.
Setting7/28/2006, 4:45pm, Apartment weightroom.
WeatherNice, hot, but irrelavant this time around.
How Am I FeelingI'm feeling really good. Worked up a good sweat and felt like I was accomplishing something.
Going Through My HeadI'm thinking about a new play about scientists from the 60s who freeze themselves when they all decide that the world has become too greedy and corrupt and that war is destroying everything. They have have a solution for peace and prosperity and set it in motion before they freeze themselves. They expect that the world will be a wonderful place in the year 2006 and arrange to thaw out at that time. When they awake they are amazed to see that things have gotten worse and that none of the plans that were put in motion were ever carried through with. The impending conflicts threaten to tear the group apart.
On the iPod I had the iPod on, but have since lost the Shuffle mode and can't retrieve what was on there.
Morning Run (sort of)
Setting7/11/2006, 10:30 am, The Apartment.
Distance1.1 mile
WeatherBeautiful. I thought the morning would be a little cooler than 4 pm. I probably need to get up earlier to make a difference. It was still pretty hot.
Run Time12 minutes
How Am I FeelingBetter than yesterday thank you very much. I kind of wanted to try 2 miles today but it's just too hard with the heat.
Going Through My HeadWhat I'm going to post today for
Great Blogs of Fire On the iPod The Bens
Just Pretend (two days in a row we start with The Bens. Huh.)
The Flaming Lips
Pompeii AM GotterdammerungThe Shins
Baby BoomerangPaul Simon
That Was Your MotherWeightsSome douche took all of the pins out of the weight room making the weights useless.
South Padre Island
The last week I've been in South Padre Island. Okay, actually I got back on Saturday. Anyway, while I was there I was surrounded by Amanda's uber healthy and active family. I was encouraged by their commitment to physical fitness before and it happened again. Sure enough everyday I participated in some sort of activity. Amanda and I found a place to play tennis, and we also ran a couple of the days. One day I did both. Then there was the day that Amanda's sisters, her dad and Brandon, her brother-in-law and I all went on a bike ride. For the others it was just another day of riding. They'd done it all week, and I'm assuming they ride a lot. I know her dad does. But I don't. It was a lot fun. Very difficult on the way back as it was pretty windy and going against the wind can be outright brutle. Plus the humidity which is considerably worse than Houston/Baytown did make for a difficult time when trying to catch one's breath. It was still a lot better than running. The heat and humidity in SPI made running near impossible after 9 am.
Anyway, that's what I've been doing. Today I'm going to run. Later.*
*Here's the account of today's runSetting7/10/2006, 4 pm, The Apartment.
Distance1.1 mile
WeatherIt's not too bad. It's hot and humid but much better than SPI
Run Time10
How Am I FeelingAt first I felt great but then my legs started getting really sore. I'm wondering if it had something to do with excersises that I did over the week that I wasn't used to. I also wasn't very hydrated. I'm heard that lack of water can give you cramps in your legs.
Going Through My HeadHow hot it is.
On the iPod The Bens
BruisedVoices
MeThe Earlies
Bring it Back AgainBen Folds
Tiny DancerWeightsNo weights today. I need to get back on that. It's been awhile.
Notes
The Summer May Not Be Good For Running
Setting6/22/2006, 10:30 am, Baker Road. I actually left the apartment this time. Down the street to Bush and back to the apartment.
Distance1 mile
WeatherHot, humid, blaaahhh!
Run TimeDoes it matter?
How Am I FeelingThe body felt fine but, my God! So hot! I can really tell the difference in how fast I fatigue when during the summer as opposed to the winter, spring, or fall.
Going Through My HeadHow hot it is.
On the iPod Mark Mothersbaugh's
Life Aquatic music
Genesis,
Stagnation It's like a 9 minute song so it took up most of the run.
Paul McCartney,
Fine LineWeightsBench: 1 set of 10 @100 lb
1 set of 10 @ 110 lb
1 set of 10 @ 120 lb
Bicep Curls: Three sets of 10 at 25 lbs for each arm
Triceps Curls: 1 sets of 15 @ 60 lbs
3 sets of 10 @ 70 lbs
NotesAmanda and I have been playing tennis the last two days, which is a lot of fun, but today we wanted to take a break. I always enjoyed tennis, so maybe this will be something that we like playing together. I think Amanda likes it but she's never played so I'm having to teach her. I also lifted yesterday focusing on what I tend to think of as peripheral muscles. The upper/lower pectorals, shoulders and back.
Humidity
Setting6/19/2006, 12:30 pm, the Apartment Complex
Distance1.1 miles.
Maybe I'm just not a long distance guyWeatherA little cool because of overcast, but unbelievably humid. It's flooding in Houston.
Run Time?:00
I was going slow today, but my iPod cut out before I made the second lap, so I'm going to say 12, maybe How Am I FeelingNot very sore. My right knee has been feeling wobbly lately. I don't know how else to describe it. When I was in New Orleans a couple of weeks ago I seemed to catch some nasty sinus and cold crap that I've been having difficulty shaking off. It's become more difficult to breathe in due to sinus congestion.
Going Through My HeadI haven't done this yet, but I'm planning to write a scathing opinion peice on the War in Iraq. I was thinking about this.
On the iPod Before the batteries went dead (not in this order):
Happiness Runsby Donavan
Uncloudy Day by Jeanne Pruett
Something by Sufjan Stevens that I can't remember because it was all instrumental and wierd
The Seed 2.0 by The Roots
WeightsBench: 1 set of 10 @90 lb
3 sets of 10 @ 100 lb
Bicep Curls: I did what I always heard called a burn out where you start with small amounts of weight doing 10 repititions and increasing weight by 2.5 lbs. in quick succession. When you get up to a point that you can't lift anymore you decrease weight back to the original weight. By the end you are struggling to lift a 5 lb weight.
Triceps Curls: 4 sets of 15 @ 60 lbs
Lunges: Holding two 35 lb weights, 3 sets of 10 (this is the most difficult thing I do, but without a leg press, this is the best alternative, I think
NotesThe humidity, as I mentioned earlier makes it difficult to run much outside. I should probably do all this at like 8 am. That hasn't happened yet. I've also started counting point, Weight Watcher style of what I eat. If I were going to guess I'd say I was probably taking in around 50 points a day or more. I'm trying to get that to about 30.
