No Harm, No Foul...But Plenty of Fowl

Before the holidays (going back to Thanksgiving), I was weighing in at 146 lbs. Yesterday, my first official post-holiday weigh-in, I tipped the scales at...you guessed it! 146 lbs. The only explanation I can give is the increase in running mileage, because it CERTAINLY isn't from being "good", from an eating perspective. This week will be my fourth straight week of 40+ miles of running, which is the first time I've ever managed that modest feat.

Speaking of that, my body is feeling a tad beat up this week. I ran a 10-mile tempo run on Wednesday, which I probably should have run at an easy pace. I'm running a slow 12-miler today, then meeting tomorrow morning at 5:30am for a 1-hour group run. Should total about 44 miles for the week. My mission is to gradually get my weekly mileage up over 50 within the next couple of months. If I can top out at 60 without getting injured, I'll give that a go, too. I want to have as much base as possible going into my marathon in May.

Weigh-In

I haven't posted any of my "weekly weigh-in" stats here in a couple of weeks because, frankly, it's boring. But I thought I'd post a quick update today. Here were this morning's stats:

Weight (lbs): 147.0
Waist (inches): 30.2
Bodyfat %: 9.5
Resting HR: 43

I'm pretty happy with these numbers. Two weeks ago, my weight had dropped to 145.4, which is borderline for where I want to be (between 145 & 150). Last week it bumped up to 145.6. It's been several weeks since I've seen 147. The better news is the bodyfat percentage, which is the lowest ever. My scale probably isn't 100% accurate with that measurement, but I just compare it to itself. Back in January, it said I was 14.3% bodyfat. Currently, I'm carrying 132.9 lbs. of mass and 14.1 lbs. of fat. In the last two weeks, my mass has gone up exactly 2 lbs. while my fat has dropped by .4 lbs. I credit that to doing deadlifts during that time. I used to do them frequently (getting up to 305 lbs. max), but not much this year. I think they'll be a good core exercise, as long as I keep the weight fairly light and don't injure my back. And it looks like it might keep my mass from getting too low.

Today is a rest day before running my 14-mile long run on Friday.

Week 34 Weigh-In

Here are this week's body comp stats, and the changes from last week:

Wt (lbs): 146.0 (-.4)
Waist (inches): 30.3 (+.3)
Bodyfat %: 9.9 (-.1)
Resting HR: 44 (+1)

Glad I'm not a betting man. After several days in Spokane, eating like there's no tomorrow, I was sure that I'd be up a pound or two. Instead, I lost nearly half a pound. My waist is up a bit, probably due to "pizza bloat" after last night's pizza. My resting HR has slowly crept up from 40 to 44 over the last few weeks. Not sure what to make of that. I keep saying this, but I need to get this weight loss issue under control. I think my "race weight window" is probably 145-150, which I'm within. But if I'm still dropping while eating plenty (and not running over 30 miles/week so far), then I'm not sure what to do. I hate to stuff myself or eat when I'm not hungry.

Oh well...I'm taking the day off from running today, then doing my long run tomorrow morning. Happy Friday everyone!

Weekly Weigh-In

Got an unusual schedule this week, so the weigh-in is one day early. Here are the ever-so-fascinating numbers (and changes from last week):

Weight (lbs): 146.4 (+.2 lbs)
Waist (inches): 30 (-.5")
Bodyfat%: 10.0 (+.3%)
Resting HR: 43 (+1)

The good news is that I didn't lose any more weight...and my waist is the smallest it's been since I started keeping track about 18 years ago. The "bad" news is that my foray into a sub-10% bodyfat measurement only lasted one week. That figure isn't exactly accurate, anyway, but my scale is pretty consistent with itself. And it's usually pretty close to my caliper measurements, which I don't often take. So...the carrot cake and ice cream indulgences this past week haven't done too much damage. Still need to focus on getting in some smaller meals in between the 3 main meals, especially with the long runs and mileage increases coming up.

Speaking of long runs, I'll be doing mine tomorrow instead of Saturday. Hopefully yesterday's track work won't detract from it. I've really been looking forward to the long runs!

Weigh-In Day

Once again, it's time to bore folks with my weekly weigh-in stats (and changes from last week). I do this more for my own "journaling" than anything else.

Weight: 146.2 (-1.0)
Waist: 30.5" (-.2")
Bodyfat%: 9.7 (-.4%)
Resting HR: 42 bpm (+2 bpm)

I'm currently at my lowest weight of the year. The blinking red "warning" light hasn't yet come on, but I need to watch it. Don't want to go much (if any) lower. Body fat is the lowest ever. I wanted to get under 10% and finally did it. It might be a challenge to keep my weight up, since I haven't even begun running decent weekly mileage, nor the string of bi-weekly long runs leading up to the half. Don't want to just stuff a bunch of junk down my pie-hole, so remembering to eat mini-meals between regular meals will be important.

I'm heading out a bit later for my first bike ride since the race. This one will be an easy cross-training ride of around 16 miles. It'll be nice to ride easy for a change!

Thursday Weigh-In

When I started this program back in January, my goal was to get in shape for the bike leg of the Whisky Dick triathlon. Along the way, I learned that I can run again. Even though I continued with the cycling training, I got in a good deal of running (not enough, though), and will do a LOT more after this race. Anyway, as part of this journey, I adjusted my diet and set out to get my "endurance body" back. I wasn't in terrible shape or grossly overweight, but I wasn't where I needed to be as an endurance athlete. So, for this morning's weekly weigh-in stats, I thought it would be interesting to post the comparisons to what my stats were when I started, back in January of this year:

• Weight (lbs): Jan 163.8 Now 147.2 (-16.6)
• Waist ": Jan 33.8" Now 30.7" (-3.1")
• Bodyfat % Jan 14.1 Now 10.1 (-4%)
• Lean weight: Jan 140.7 Now 132.3 (-8.4)
• Fat weight: Jan 23.1 Now 14.9 (-8.2)
• Resting HR: Jan 55 Now 40 (-15)

I find these number pretty interesting (yes, I'm probably the only one...) I lost a lot of muscle, along with the fat. I've lifted weights fairly regularly since 1992; sometimes in conjunction with running, sometimes more seriously to build bulk. So the amount I lost this year was probably a lot of upper body muscle. I hate to lose muscle, but if I'm going to run (or cycle) as efficiently as possible, losing some muscle was necessary. I also lost a good amount of fat, which I'm happy about. The waist, bodyfat and resting heart rate changes are all positive, too.
A funny little aside here. Last night, my mother-in-law told me I was too skinny, and my face looked too thin (true), and that she hoped I put weight back on after the triathlon. I told her, "sorry, but I'll be training for a half-marathon, so it's unlikely". Yes, my face gets really gaunt looking when I lose a lot of weight while training. I wish that wasn't the case, because I do get tired of friends and family asking me if I'm "okay". I know it's out of sincere concern, but I think as a culture, we get so used to seeing overweight people (Americans, in particular) that someone lean and fit can look ill by comparison. But that said, I can understand the concern when they may not have seen me for awhile. Maybe I'll just get a little Botox treatment in my cheeks to fill them out a little. ;-)
This is probably my last post until after the race on Sunday. See you then!

Off to the Mountains!

I had tentatively planned on riding this morning, but, for a few reasons, that didn't happen. We're heading to Mt. Rainier this morning for a camping trip. Last night, I felt absolutely exhausted (I also lifted weights yesterday, after my ride). I thought I was pooped from the heat (we're in the midst of the hottest weather we've...maybe ever...had...supposed to break 100 deg F today), but I woke up with a sore throat this morning, still with no energy. So no ride. I'll go out for a tough ride on Saturday morning. If I start feeling better, I'll get in a good hike.

Since I won't be here tomorrow, I did my weigh-in 1 day early. Here are this week's stats (and changes from last week):

Weight: 147.6 lbs (-.2 lbs)
Waist: 30.3" (-.2")
Bodyfat%: 10.2 (-.3%)
Resting HR: 41 bpm (-2 bpm)

My weight was basically the same as last week, which is interesting. I've been relaxing my diet just a bit...which makes my waist and bodyfat measurements even more surprising. That's the lowest either of those has been since I started keeping track about 10 years ago. My goal for bodyfat % is to get under 10%, so it's getting closer.

I better help finish packing, before I get "the business" from the Mrs. Enjoy the rest of your week!

"Could have been the whiskey, might have been the gin..."

"...could have been the three or four six-packs, I don't know, but look at the shape I'm in!"
Was that an old Oak Ridge Boys song? Not being much of a drinker myself (I've had one beer in the last 2 weeks), it was probably the cherry cake, ice cream, zucchini bread and bacon burger with fries. What is the "it" I'm talking about? My weight! My concerned wife told me, in no uncertain terms, that I would start eating more. Last week, I posted how I overshot my goal race weight, losing more than I had planned. Well, I started eating. And eating. And eating. I realized how hungry I was, and how much my body was craving calories. No, I didn't just cram down junk (although there was some of that going on). I managed to bump my weight back up just a bit. Here are today's stats (and the changes from last week):

Wt: 147.8 lbs. (+1.4 lbs.)
Waist: 30.5" (-.3")
Bodyfat %: 10.6% (no change)
Resting HR: 43 bpm (+3 bpm)

No training today, with the exception of some core work and stretching. I'll be back on the bike tomorrow for some sort of ride, depending on how the legs feel. Have a great Thursday!

More of the same

This morning's bike ride was supposed to take place yesterday (Saturday) morning, but I spent FAR too long adjusting my front derailleur. I'm talking, oh, close to two hours! A bike tech I am not. Plus, I was feeling pretty beaten down from a few tough training days in a row, so moving that ride to this morning was probably for the best. It ended up being 25 miles of rolling hills on local roads, and was a bit slower than the last couple of rides. I ended the week with 110 miles of cycling and 4.5 miles of running. I haven't decided on what my training plan is for tomorrow. But one thing I DO know is that I will be eating more. Like I mentioned a few days ago, I overshot my goal racing weight by about 4 lbs. so far. My wife has told me that I WILL eat more. No, I'm not one of those rare men with an eating disorder. I just go into things like this full-bore, damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead and, no surprise, I overdid it a little. I'm not going to use this as a license to eat more junk (although there will be some treats...and beer...consumed), but I'm afraid my low bodyweight and hard training are going to compromise my immune system if I don't make some adjustments.
Time for bed. Have a great week!

Today's bike ride, weigh-in stats, plus great video

I decided against riding the same route as the last two days. I needed a mental break from the traffic and hills, so I returned to my old favorite, the Centennial Trail (out and back from Snohomish, WA to Arlington, WA). I pushed the pace more than I had planned and ended up averaging 17.7 mph for the 35 mile ride, which is the fastest this year. My legs are toast from three straight, tough, riding days, so I'll rest them tomorrow and ride again Saturday morning.

This morning was my weekly weigh-in. Here are this week's stats (along w/the changes from last week):

wt: 146.4 (-2.2)
waist: 30.8" (-.2")
bodyfat %: 10.6 (-.1%)
resting HR: 40 bpm (-1 bpm)

Um...wow. My weight is still dropping. I'm still eating smaller portions and relatively cleanly. I'm obviously burning quite a few more calories than I'm taking in. The bike rides this month are probably going to burn even more than usual. I'm a bit below where I want to be (~150 lbs), so I need to address this. I'm now down 18 lbs since January of this year. As for the other stats, my waist is now as small as it was in high school (we're talking 25 yrs here). My resting HR is as low as it's been in many, many years...ALTHOUGH it was elevated when I woke up (50 bpm). That, coupled with the continued weight loss, could mean I might be overtraining. Looking at my current training levels, I wouldn't think so, but it's something I need to really pay attention to.

One of the podcasts I listen to is from Running Times (the magazine). They're usually short audio files; often interviews by Scott Douglas of pro runners or coaches. The latest is a video, showing Sara Vaughn doing a variety of core exercises. Check these out. They're great! I'll be incorporating several into my routine. Since "part 1" is in the title, I would imagine there will be more coming soon. I'll post more links when they're available.

EDIT: and, as a 42-yr old guy, I like this article!

First run back home

It was refreshing to go on a late morning run today and NOT feel beaten down by the heat and humidity of Central Florida. I enjoyed the visit, but I think I had a bit of a cocky attitude going into my runs down there. I'm not in mind-blowing shape right now, but I'm probably as fit as I've been in, oh, eight years maybe...and feeling pretty good about it. The first couple of runs weren't terribly difficult. The last one, however, wiped me out. So today I ran a fairly slow 7 miles on my hilly trail in 58:11 (8:19 pace). I ended up having stomach cramps the last 2 miles, along with some tightness in my lungs. I haven't felt 100% the last few days, and even thought I thought I was okay, that "under-the-weather" feeling came back near the end of the run. I was called out on Facebook by my friend and Whisky Dick Triathlon teammate Arthur about running today and not cycling like I should be. Okay, he got me. I just felt like running today. I probably should have gone for a ride. I was planning on doing that tomorrow, but I had a crazy rush job come in late today that will keep me busy tomorrow and all weekend, it looks like. If I can fit in a ride, I will.

Amazingly, I lost .6 lbs while on vacation. I say "amazingly" because I didn't have the cleanest of diets (pizza, fish and chips, beer, cake, ice cream, etc), but I'm obviously still burning more calories than I'm taking in. Here are this week's weigh-in stats:

Weight: 148.6
Waist: 31"
Body Fat %: 10.7
Resting HR: 41 bpm

I hadn't seen my "six-pack" for about 17 years...until now. Maybe that's keeping me from eating as much as I should - just the thought of my midsection increasing again. I know - eat fairly clean, but just increase the quantity. If worse comes to worse, I'll start counting calories (which I HATE doing).

All for now. Have a great night!

No ride today; weight issues

I'm self-employed and have ridden this economic roller-coaster the last few months (mostly heading straight down). Thankfully, some work has come in, but it's got me hopping to make deadlines, so I won't be able to get out for today's planned bike ride. Oh well. It looks pretty wet outside (finally) anyway.
Yesterday I checked my weight (which I do once a week) and was kind of surprised. I'm down to what I call my "race weight". I reached it a bit quicker than I expected to. Now I need to hold it there and not let it drop further. Here were the stats:
Wt: 149.8
Waist: 31.5"
Bodyfat%: 10.7
Resting HR: 45
I've now lost 14 lbs since January. I'm 5'11", so yes, I'm thin. In fact, my wife told me yesterday that I'm starting to get too skinny. We've been married 14 years, and she's been with me through a couple of these "running comebacks", in which I easily (sorry) drop weight. This is also the point where friends and family members start asking me in a serious & concerned fashion, "are you okay?" I'm built just like a pro marathoner (if only I could run like one!) In fact, when I ran track and xc in high school, I was 20 lbs lighter than this, and at the same height! I had no muscle (thankfully I do now). Some of my friends called me "Ethiopian Man", and not because of my Scandinavian complexion. Yes, it got to me, so right after I graduated, I tried to gain weight. I started lifting weights a few years later and have "bulked up" off an on (most recently in 2005), but that's really not who I am. Running is in my blood. If I have to be thin & look a bit gaunt, I'm sorry to those who are concerned. I feel healthier and more fit than I have in a long time. That being said, I'll be monitoring my weight pretty closely now that I've reached my goal. If that means I have to lift the ice cream embargo, so be it!