fieroandrew

10/13 The TrailBlazer Challenge Backcountry Race. My first 13 mile race, and the first race I've done in a couple years. It should be a fun time.

That analogy... is amazing. I've never thought of it like that. Thank you for that. I tried the pictures approach for a while. I stopped for a while because I got discouraged, but I think I'm going to give it another chance and actually compare them every once in a while. Never did that, and that sounds like it could help a good deal.

Argh. I'm so upset with myself for burning all my vacation time from work already. I wanted to do that this year! If you run it, let us know how it was!

Man, for some reason I never knew more people where around here. Silly spam filters on my email... Anyway, sweet! So does anybody here want to go for a hike or something?

My favorite hiking spot is an old quarry out in Knoxville that has been turned into a little slice of nature. Ijams (our guardian of nature) and a mountain biking club worked together to run some trails out. Something about looking at how nature just casually reclaimed all the area is always mind blowing to me, and with all of the different trails and connectors that they have, it's easy to spend more than a few hours out on them. Heck, I even run the trails somedays and I still find it just amazing.

So I've been losing weight and exercising since the begining of the year (Gotta love convient start points). Since that time, I've dropped a fair bit of weight and was doing great. Then, I smashed head long into my oldest opponet and the only one that I could never figure out how to beat. That is my own internal "view" of my body. My family, friends, fiancee, etc. all tell me that I'm looking so much better and they want my secrets, but I just can't see whatever it is they see. To me, I'm still looking like the fluffy man I was before I started. I keep trying to tell myself that I've obviously lost a fair bit of weight and that I should be proud about it and all that, but instead I'm finding myself losing to my body image. It makes it so I lose motivation and just kind of give up for a while. Eventually, I'm able to overcome it enough to get some work outs in and it quiets down for a while, but then it'll rear it's ugly head again and restart the cycle. I'm sure there's not an easy fix for how to deal with it, but does anyone have suggestions/hints to help weaken it? I am willing to try just about anything, but I'm at a loss for how to deal with it.

My stress reducer (when I can get it done) is trail running. Even just a 30 minute run up a gravel/mulch trail can help. Something about having to focus in on the trail alone just helps me sort through and deal with whatever is stressing me out. It's simple enough and gives you a great change of view too.

I run because: I don't want to end up with the weight problems that plague my family. To sleep better. Keep my stress levels low and easily managable. To see the sights! And to get the "crazy" looks when people see me running in the rain.

Day 2 of training for a job! Yay! Anyway, I did 30/60s prompted by Zombies, Run for a grand total of 38 minutes. I started to cramp up pretty good during those, so that just made it all the more interesting. Also, I'm not a fan of running in the evenings. For some reason, I found it far more mentally difficult than when I ran in the mornings. Guess it's just a "whatever you're used to" kind of thing. Calorie-wise, I stayed in diet at 1763 calories. Honestly, MyFitnessPal was starting to freak out because dinner was my big meal (seriously, I NEED groceries right now, what is this "proper breakfast/lunch")and before I had added dinner I was at 573 calories for the day. While I was debating how I could get some more calories in, my roommate stomped into the room and announced that he was hungry and everyone who wanted free Firehouse Subs had to come with him. So, yeah. that was dinner... and my day! So, I suppose it's time to sign off until later!

Good luck on all your goals! I'd be a little concerned with the exercise every single day thing, but that's because I know my body couldn't handle it right now. If you think yours can, by all means, Kill it dead! When I first joined, I was guided to not have a specific number goal for weight (for a 6 week challenge), rather think about the ways you can help it out. For example, mine was to eat 1900 or less calories a day. Those are just my opinions, and remember we're all rooting for you!! EDIT: Also, I've never heard the phrase "rather eat socks" but that's awesome! I'm going to have to start using it!

You can get this done! (I'll actually find your thread and support ya there too, I just don't want to wander away from this without updating first). So yesterday, as predicted, was a complete and total rest day. Well, except for my hour long stroll and nature exploration. Stayed in my diet, but just barely, coming in at 1857 calories. Today, I did an abridged version of the sword/circuit routine I am doing since I had to get to day 1 of training for a new job. Diet went really well, it's hard to overeat when you can't afford food! I had a total of 1250 calories, with 1,000 of those coming from dinner alone. Can't wait to start getting paid so that I can finally afford to get some groceries.

So today was my "optional" interval day (I need 2 a week and this was number 3). To make myself get out there and run, I actually asked my FB friends if I should or not. The overwhelming response was "yes." Of course, looking back, I realized I picked a horrid time, since all of my friends who do marathons/triathalons were all getting online. Anyway, I did 3.3 miles in about 42 minutes, with 30/60s thrown in from the 10 min. mark to the 20 min. mark. While my pace is still pretty slow (12:47/mile), it is faster than it was on Thursday. I'm hoping I can continue to speed up as I get into shape. Diet-wise, it was just another standard day. I had a total of 1,482 calories. So far, the calories have been the easiest goal, probably because I've been unemployed so I can't afford vast amounts of food. Haha. Tomorrow is my official off/rest day, so I probably won't be posting. I'm a little nervous for Monday since I have to go to training for a part-time job about the time I would normally be working out. Eh, I'll get my workouts in somehow!

Today was yet another circuit workout day. I love/hate these days so much. Love the feeling I get afterwords, hate how difficult my body finds it. But regardless, I did a good circuit workout and sword training regiment. I really like doing the two back to back. Diet-wise, I did pretty well, mostly because I was able to make myself stop eating during dinner. I stayed at 1,815 calories. I was kind of worried I wouldn't make it, mostly because I had had minimal food throughout the day, but I managed to find the brakes and just kind of stop. Go me.

Today was another run day. Woo. I've come to realize that I do enjoy running, I do not enjoy the first quarter mile. Did the Zombies, Run 5k training number 3. The best estimate was 3 miles, since Map My Run didn't recognize part of my running course and my GPS successfully decided to stop working. So that was frustrating, but managed to get the intervals in. Diet today turned out kind of odd. Mostly because my meals did not happen during the even semi-normal times. I stayed in my diet very well. 1,259 calories once all was said and done. Wee. Tomorrow brings another circuit/sword workout. Still debating if I want to do my bonus run on Saturday. Can't really decide if I want to push it or not.

After day 2 of intervals/barefoot training, I've blown past the goal. Now I have to find some motivation to do my optional run on Saturday. Still want to keep the training up so I don't feel like I'm starting quite as close to square 1 again next week.