C25K so far

I just completed week six of my eight week couch to 5k or C25K training. I am so impressed with this program! It hasn’t been easy but the workouts have been do able.

When I first started this program six weeks ago there was absolutely no way I could even go out and run a mile without walking most of it. Now six weeks in and I just ran 2.25 miles with absolutely no walking and was able to keep a pace of 9.06 minutes per mile the whole time!

I will say that for all the good things the C25K app does there is one weakness, that weakness is tracking your actual run and pace. To make up for that weakness I downloaded the Nike Run Club app. The Nike Run Club app tracks your gps, keeps your time, tracks your pace, and notes elevation changes. Below is the first run/walk I ever did with the Nike Run Club app.

Here is the run I just completed.

You can see I’ve made some huge improvements. Still have two weeks to go!

What a Week to be a Geek

This week I can barely focus on fitness. Don’t get me wrong me I accomplished all of my goals and completed all ten workouts for the week. However, my main focus has been on Marvel Endgame and Game of Thrones.

Game of Thrones episode three is going to be a historic night of television. Not only is the episode eighty four minutes long, it also features the longest battle scene of not only any television show but also any movie!

I don’t believe I have ever seen anything even come close to the cultural phenomenon that is Avengers Endgame! The movie is absolutely smashing box office records! The film was absolutely fantastic! The fact that it was the culmination of ten years and twenty two films is a truly astonishing feat! My wife and I are out of town for some conferences. We still preordered tickets for last night April 26th at 10:55. We got back to our hotel around 2:30am and it was totally worth it! #whateverittakes

Month One and Done!

I started my journey to complete a 5k exactly one month ago. One of the things I have learned is that our bodies are capable of so much!

The first three weeks I experienced pain unlike anything else I have ever experienced. It wasn’t necessarily intense pain just different. Being a weightlifter I am plenty use to sprains, pulled muscles, general soreness, and DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness).

I had never experienced pain deep inside my joints. I thought after two weeks of constant joint pain that there was no way I could continue to train. With the support and encouragement of my wife I pushed through! My mind was definitely telling me I could not and should not be doing this. I had to have the mental fortitude to keep going.

After one month of training I feel great! Energy levels are higher, sleep is better, I have the energy and desire to keep up with my kids after a long day instead of crashing on the couch. Most importantly though that deep joint pain is gone and I feel strong. Keep going, keep pushing, you have no idea what your body is capable of. As for me, I’m onto month two of my 5k training.

Zombies, Run

I’m starting to really enjoy my three weekly runs. A running app called Zombies, Run is a huge reason why. I just completed week three of my C25K training. Definitely wish I had found Zombies, Run sooner. I only have three runs under my belt with Zombies, Run. Today I’ll be giving you my first impressions.

I love all things zombies! Movies, TV shows, books, podcasts, whatever I can get I love it all! Which if you have bounced off of The Walking Dead you need to come back! The most recent season featuring the whisperers is amazing!

Zombies, Run is an immersive running app that features you, as runner five. I won’t get to much into the story so as to not spoil anything for you. Basically you play the role of runner five during the aftermath of the zombie apocalypse. The story has different missions where you have to run to certain locations, run from zombies, pick up supplies, and many other missions. The supplies you collect during your run you can use to upgrade your home base.

The story is so immersive that yesterday I was running a distraction mission. I had to run to a virtual gate get the zombies attention and lead them away. While leading them away, at times I had to run with a burst of speed. A few times there was a voice from the towns sniper that came on and would tell me to put my head down so she could shoot a zombie that was getting too close. I found myself ducking in the real world.

One thing I will mention is that you can still play your music. The app will automatically lower your musics volume whenever the narration starts. Now this is fine for music but, does not work well for podcasts. The Zombies, Run app will come on over any external audio. The external audio still plays in the background just at a lower volume that you can select.

I wish that the app would pause the external audio instead of just lowering the volume. Overall though it’s a very entertaining running companion that has made me look forward to my runs even more!

C25K First Impressions

Last week for some unknown reason, I thought it would be a great idea to start training for a 10k. Previously my idea of cardio was just to lift weights faster. I was basically starting from zero with running. I decided a good first step would be to run a 5k. I downloaded the Couch to 5k or C25K app to my phone and got started.

Now I love the program so far. The queues for when to jog and when to walk are great and it’s very easy for a beginner to start running. The first week consisted of three workouts where you would run for a minute followed by walking for a minute and a half for twenty minutes. The second week also had three workouts. They consisted of running for ninety seconds followed by a two minute walk for twenty minutes.

The idea is to alternate running and walking with the walking portion getting shorter while the running portion gets longer until eventually in week eight you’re running a 5k with no walking.

So far so good and I gotta say, I actually kinda enjoy running. Now it’s not going to take the place of my weightlifting sessions but it is a very nice compliment.

I’m Back!!

I’ve had to take a hiatus to work on myself for a while. I will fill everyone in on what’s been going on when the time is right.

As I’ve talked about before I absolutely abhor cardio! It may come as a surprise that this weightlifter has decided to train to run a 5k.

I decided to use the couch to 5k or C25K. I’ve only completed the first two runs, but I can say so far I am very impressed with the program.

My plan is to lift weights five days a week as usual and train the C25K three times a week. Once I get into the program more I plan on giving a full review so stay tuned!

Ain’t nobody got time for that

Mornings around here are pretty crazy. Wake up, get the baby ready, wake up the boys, get them breakfast, make coffee, and head out the door. I forgot breakfast for myself!

That was a pretty common morning in our house and I would often just skip breakfast. Skipping breakfast is just not good for you. Blood sugar can spike, your body will start to store fat instead of burn it, and those donuts at the office look even more delicious on an empty stomach. I discovered that smoothies are a quick and nutritious way to start my day.

My absolute favorite smoothie is pumpkin spice! Here’s how I make it.

In a blender combine:

• 1/2 cup pumpkin purée
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 scoop of vanilla protein powder

Milk to reach desired consistency

That’s it! Blend to combine ingredients and enjoy!

Walk this Way

One of my go to exercises for cardio is to walk on a treadmill with a very steep incline. One of the main reasons I like this is because it builds more muscles in your calves and booty. I’m lacking in both those departments. In fact my wife recently found www.facl.org and suggested I visit it.

This method of cardio is also much easier on joints. If you have had joint pain from running I recommend trying out incline walking. Don’t worry it burns an insane amount of calories. For example, if you weigh 160 pounds and walk at a 4 mph pace with no incline for 30 minutes, you will burn 145 calories. Now bump that incline up to 10 percent and you’ll burn 345 calories in the same amount of time!

Maybe your goal with working out is to burn fat, think running is the only way? Think again! Just walking at a 3 mph pace at a 16 percent incline burns 70 percent more fat than running on a flat surface.

Down here in the south it has been unbearably hot. Which has kept many runners in the house. Luckily treadmills are found in every gym. Inside those gyms it’s always a good temperature and never raining.

If you’re looking for a low impact exercise that builds muscle, burns calories and fat give incline walking a shot. I crank the incline all the way up and walk at a 3 mph pace for 30 minutes and it’s a great workout! Keep at it y’all!

All the Cheesburgers

I am going to enjoy this weekend. Monday marks the end of my bulking phase and the start of my cutting phase. I’m having all the pizzas and all the cheeseburgers!

Back in February I had a big wake up call. I hadn’t been taking care of myself and it showed. I stepped on the scale on February 3rd and weighed 169 pounds. I’m 6 foot 4 so 169 is tiny! I made a commitment then and there to get back in shape after taking six months off. I worked hard in the gym and ate a lot! In fact I ate so much that I got tired of eating. Eating because you have to and not because you want to is no fun. I did have the occasional pizza and burgers however, for the most part I stuck to chicken, turkey, eggs, fruits, and veggies. The only supplement I had during this time was the occasional protein shake.

Fast forward to today and I weigh in at 220! I’ve added over an inch to my arms, two inches to my chest, shoulders have gotten broader, and my wife tells me I have a butt! I’ve done all this while still wearing my 32 inch pants! Granted a bunch of my dress shirts don’t fit anymore but oh well.

Monday starts my cutting phase. My goal is to get down to 205, add definition, but not lose much size. My plan is to eat five smaller meals a day, lift weights five days a week, and do cardio 4 days a week. Stay tuned in for updates and results!

I don’t wanna go

Ever have one of those days where you just really don’t want to do anything? That was today for me. Normally I workout in the mornings five days a week. We’ve had a few things happen in our family recently,, including welcoming our beautiful little girl to world. Sleep and rest has been at a premium and last night was a little rough. Couple that with a busy morning and my A.M. workout didn’t happen.

However I made a commitment to myself and my family to be the best version of myself. Boy oh boy am I glad I went. I have an anxiety disorder and I could tell from all the elevated stress that my anxiety was getting up there. I got to take one hour out my day to just work on me. After about ten minutes at the gym all my stress and anxiety melted away and I zoned in on my workout.

Once I got home I was back at it. My mood had definitely been lightened and I didn’t feel weighed down by anything like I had before. See when you workout your body releases natural endorphins which just make you feel better and elevate your mood.

Remember taking care of yourself and living a healthy lifestyle has to be a priority, even when you don’t wanna go just do it!