Merry Christmas!!!

It is Christmas day today!! We had a great time opening gifts and spending time with family! I could go on about my weight being the highest it has been in a year, but I wont. I will bask in the enjoyment of the day and worry about that tomorrow.

Merry Christmas to everyone!

Snow is Here

Well we finally have some snow that has stayed on the ground. Personally, I am not a big fan but there are certainly others that love the feel of snow over the Christmas season. I think it looks good for a quick picture but then it is also nice to see it melt right after the photograph is taken.

Brittany is finished her last exam as of last night. She was really stressed las week, in fact I made it a point to drop in on her mid week just to give her a pep talk. She is a bright girl but she was getting overwhelmed with all of the other kids thinking it was the end of the world. Kids that age seem to be overdramatic. Now all we can do is wait for the final marks to come in.

I completed my Music degree this week as well. I am also waiting on my final marks to see how I have done. I have no doubt that I passed but I would like to get an A! I have begun to work on some other songs now, ones that I have had lined up for some time. I hope over Christmas to do a few of them start to finish.

On the fitness front, well let's not talk about that this week......

Sickness Sucks

So yes, I got sick this week. Not just your typical sick either, I mean I was sicker for a 24 hour period than I have ever been in my life. I could have just setup camp in the bathroom, but I didn't. Although I haven't been physically ill in a few days now I still feel blah, lifeless, etc. I am hoping at some point soon I get my energy back.

It has clearly forced me to miss a number of workouts this week. I think the last time I worked out was on Wednesday morning (a good swim by the way). Tomorrow I am scheduled for a swim and a run, but we will see how I feel in the morning. I will have to do something to stop myself from feeling like a slug.

Brandon had a big day today. We attended an awards ceremony where he got three awards for academic achievement! Very cool stuff indeed. Good thing he takes after his Dad huh? :)

I also got some Christmas shopping done this week. I think I am finally done. I do have some wrapping left to complete but heck, there is still two more weeks to go right?

That's all for this week......

Christmas Shopping

So is everyone done? Truth be told I like to do a little shopping for Christmas, I like to give other people things that make them happy. I just don't like getting things as much. It is always awkward as lets face it, we don't always like what we get. I am done most of my shopping for Jackie. I think she is going to have a good year. Lots of neat little surprises in store for her. Brittany is also an easy one to buy for, although I leave that task to Jackie. Brandon on the other hand is very difficult. Teenage boys just don't show a lot of emotion in general so it is hard to know what would excite him. We did manage to find a couple "unique" things that might make him smile, just a bit.

So do you prefer online shopping or the real thing? For me it would definitely be online. It is easy, no crowds, no parking, etc. It is the waiting that is the hard part. And then of course making sure that the wrong person doesn't accept the parcel and figure out what the gift really is!!!

Back to a health update, nothing much good going on there. My eating still sucks. I do workout often, I am following a triathlon plan right now. I just feel like I have lost the edge that I had a few months back. My weight is slowly climbing and that must stop. Any suggestions?

Strange Week

It was a different kind of week for me. At work, due to the US Thanksgiving, things were slow. I had plans to get a lot done but it didn't happen. It was more like a bit of downtime. At home though things were stressful. There was holiday decorations to tend to and I am nearing the end of my University music course, which has stressed me out. And it all started with a bad week on the scales. I did have improved eating habits this week so I am hoping that tomorrow's weigh in is better than last week. I guess I will find out in the morning!!!

Stay safe everyone.

Planning Cycle is Over

Well I think the busy period at work may finally be over. I know there will still be some work to be done but the bulk of it is completed. My fitness this week has been awful. I have skipped many of my scheduled workouts, which will show on the scale. As well, my eating has been horrible this week. I ate out a few times and for some reason every time I turned around there were brownies on the counter at home. I wish these temptations weren't even in the house but they are so I have to deal with them.

Christmas is only a few weeks away now so I will have to start thinking about that. I would prefer to just go away somewhere and skip it all together but the others in the family don't feel that way. I guess it will be Christmas as usual.

Short and sweet this week for my blog post!

Weddings

I went to a wedding this week for the first time in many years. It was done very well. The service was at a greenhouse chapel and I found that to be a good thing. It was very intimate yet informal. Some of the church services I have been at are just to formal for me. It was good to see most of the family as we don't get together very often. All of the kids that were once young are all grown up! I guess mine are in the same boat!

It made me think that it will not be too many years in the future when I will be attending one of my children's weddings. Scary thought, but true.

It was a bad week for eating. Mostly stress eating from work, but the wedding didn't help as well. My date with the scale will not be pretty in the morning.

Crazy Week!

It has just been a crazy week for me. A project I am leading at work is overdue and the pressure is amped up just a touch, lol. I have been working long hours, including weekends, and it is wearing me out. I need a vacation.

I did have a good birthday earlier this week though. I was taken out to dinner by the family and we had a good time. We also celebrated my daughter's birthday with a visit to her University and another dinner out. As you can imagine my eating has been erratic with the eating out schedule and the long work hours. Monday on the scale will not be a pretty sight.

I will have to refocus for next week. Look forward, not back right?

Working for a living?

Why do we get up each morning and head off to do something that we don't enjoy? I mean, it is crazy right? We spend so much of our lives doing this thing called "work", and for most of us we don't even enjoy it. Can you imagine how much better you would feel if you were doing something that that you were really passionate about? There is surely a way to make that a reality, you just haven't figured it out yet, and either have I.

I have recently began looking for something new at all the popular job search sites. The problem is that I look at the things I am experienced at, which in turn are the things I am doing today, which I am not happy with!!

It will take a lot of guts to jump jobs, and change the field I am currently working in as well, but I am slowly convincing myself that it is necessary.

Business as usual...

Not much exciting going on this week. I have begun to lose weight again after a summer of overindulgence. I need to really begin to track my food intake much better. I did pick my next training program from training peaks . Com. It is a 20 week plan towards an Olympic distance triathlon. I began some swimming again this week as well, and did really well.

Next week will be a busy one at work, it will likely affect my ability to work out this week. I will need to find a way to get a few high intensity workouts in!

What is new in your world?

Post Race Recovery

Well, I don't have much to report this week. I attempted to run a few times this week but really couldn't do much. My knee would begin to hurt pretty quick in each run. I think I will need a few weeks recovery from running. I will keep attempting a short run here and there but I think I will have to depend on the biking and swimming for the majority of my exercise.

It is difficult for me to stay focused when I don't have a goal set. I have no races booked, no specific weight goal to hit, etc. Without that motivation I struggle with staying active. I will have to think over the next week and decide what I plan on conquering next.

On another note, I looked through some older pictures of Belarus trips. I had visited there once before on and aid trip with a local organization. I think I would like to get back involved in the organization, it was a good feeling then, and I think it would be good for me now as well. I will plan to look into the logistics of getting back involved once again.

Well that is it for this week, not much else of importance to share this week.

1/2 Marathoner

Well, I did it!! Earlier today I completed my first 1/2 marathon. It was an awesome experience. My knee was sore throughout the run but it held up long enough for me to get to the finish line. I watched the Kona Ironman on TV yesterday and that provided some needed motivation, they are truly awesome athletes!

I struggled both mentally and physically at about mile 7. I thought I might have to walk but I pushed through. My final time was 2:19:33!! That was an awesome time from my perspective for my first attempt at the Marathon, much better than I had expected.

I am already struggling to walk on my knee right now, but I think it just needs a day or two of rest.

So, what should my next goal be??? :)

Short and not sweet

Ok, my half Marathon dreams have been shattered. The pain I feel when running my longer training runs leads me to believe I have to drop out of the race. Very depressing, but I will get over it. No point in crying over spilt milk.

Noooooo, not an injury!

Ok, this is the moment I feared. I am having trouble running more than 5k now without significant knee pain. I tried to do a 10k run on Saturday and I had to stop. Walking is fine, but as soon as I run the pain comes on. I think it is IT band syndrome but it is hard to say.

I didn't need this so close to my 1/2 Marathon race. It is already inside my head now. I thought I was ready from a cardio perspective, but if my body lets me down what can I do. If I take a week off I will have almost no time remaining to prepare for the race. If I push it, I could really hurt myself and then be out for weeks. Oh, I have dealing with injuries so much!

Help!!!!!!!!!!!

Uneventful

Well, another week has gone by and I don't have much to share. I finished my University course this week, which was a relief. The next one starts the week of Spetember 21st. Brittany had a tough start to her academic career. She struggled with some of the first assignments but seems to be settling in a little bit better now. Jackie and I went for a visit on Thursday night and took her and Courtney out to dinner. I think that may have settled her down a little bit.

My training has been going well. I continue to struggle with my long runs. I get to about mile #7 and then get some knee pain. I was hoping a new pair of shoes would help with that but unfortunately it just provided blisters. I guess the 1/2 marathon will be all about pain management for me. I know my cardio is good enough to get me to the finish line, it is my muscles that will hold me back. Only about three weeks to go, yikes!

Stay safe everyone!

The fall is here!!!

Well the fall has arrived and the weather has begun to turn a bit colder. It is a depressing time of the year for me as I really enjoy the nice weather that summer brings. The good news is that many of the good tv shows begin again next week, and of course football season! I am hopeful that my team will have an excellent year this year, time will tell.

My training has been going well this week. I had a bit of a pain in one of my calves mid week but is went away by the next morning. There was some tense moments there for a bit. I don't want a nagging injury this close to my race. I had a good swim yesterday as well as I had not swam in about a week. We will be closing our pool soon so I will be back at the Y after that for my swim training.

Brittany has been at school for about a week now and she is loving it! Of course, it is just frosh week so there are no classes, just fun and games. At least she is having a good time. We will find out in a few days how she handles the workload of classes, I think she will do great!!

It has been busy at work as well, but that is typical. The fall is always really busy for me at work.

Have a great week everyone!

University dropoff

Well the day has finally come when our first child is off to University. We spend the better part of the summer preparing for this day in one way or another and it finally arrived this morning. We woke up really early hoping to beat the rush to Queen's University. We had to wait in a line of cars when we arrived but it really wasn't too bad. We secured a parking spot behind her res and began to carry all of the dorm room items up to the 6th floor.

The first trip we were lucky enough to get an elevator which was good as we have a fridge and a number of other larger items. The subsequent trips we were relegated to the stairs due to the crowds in line at the elevators. Things went relatively smoothly, a few glitches with the computer setup and Internet access but nothing that a quick phone call couldn't resolve.

We all went to one on the dining halls for lunch. It was impressive. There was plenty of selection and the food was very tasty. I wonder if that was due to all the parents being there today or if it is the norm. We will have to wait and hear what it is like mid semester.

So Brittany's classes don't start for another week so it is all fun and games for the first week. Her schedule is booked solid with social events all week, mostly aimed at building school spirit. I figure she will love the first week and I have my fingers crossed about the second week when she will actually have to learn something!

Switching gears, my training continues to go well for the 1/2. I ran a 5k at race pace yesterday that got me across the line in 26:56, a reasonable time. Today I ran 5 miles as per the plan. Tomorrow is an off day. I still can't imagine making it through a 1/2 marathon distance in a little over a month.

Stay Safe!

Concert News

This week was the rehearsal and performance for Brandon's concert. He was in a showcase with a number of other students and they choose him to be the headliner of the show. I know I am his father, but he is an awesome musician. He plays both guitar and piano at a very high level. The final show was last night at he was a real hit. In fact, he was the star of the show!!! He should really pursue music as a career but as a parent that is scary as you immediately think about the "starving musician" image.

My marathon training has been going well. Later today is my long run (I do those on Sundays) but a little storm called Irene might change my plans. I don't want to do my long run on a treadmill but I may be forced to do just that. I still have not registered for the actual race yet, I guess I am hedging my bets a bit.

I have no idea how my weight is, well I do know, it will be bad. My eating has been poor. We will see tomorrow morning when I jump on the scale for my weekly check.

Stay safe everyone!

Busy Bee

It has been a busy week. I have tons of stuff going on at work, there has been very little time to sit back and relax. I need a vacation, but I don't see one coming anytime soon. I found a half marathon plan online and began to follow it last week. It has me running on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday. The long runs are on Sundays! So far it has worked out well. It will end the same week as a local marathon in my area. I have not committed to signing up for that particular race yet, but at this point it is the target race on my calendar.

There are only two weeks remaining until Brittany heads off to Queen's University. It should be an interesting time in her life. She will need to become much more independent, which will be a good life lesson. The house will certainly be quieter without her around! Hopefully she doesn't come home every weekend with her dirty laundry!

I have also been very busy with my University course. There are only 4 weeks left in this one, looking forward to it being completed.

Stay Safe!

Completed Triathlon

Well I did it, I finished the race! I was really nervous about the swim portion, and rightfully so. There were so many people and the swim segement was so short that is was very congested. I don't think I took a full stroke for the entire swim. I was kicked, swum over, bumped, etc. On the second half of the swim I had a bit of a panic attack. I was GLAD to get out of the water. My transition from swim to bike was slow, I needed to get my composure back. The bike and the run both went ok. I was a little slower on the run than I would have liked, but overall things went ok. I did not get on the podium this time, but that was ok, there was some tough competition.

So now I have no events scheduled right now! I am looking at a 1/2 marathon in October. I still feel a little whipped from yesterday's Tri so my energy level to sign up for a 1/2 is not high right now!!!

One Week to Go

So I am in my final week of preparations for my next triathlon. This will be my first "open water" swim so it is a new experience for me. At one point I was a little nervous about the swim but I have since lost that nervousness. I have been training in the river and I am enjoying it now. The only unknown factor will be the other competitors in the race. I am not accustomed to having large numbers of people swimming along side me. I hope that does not freak me out too much.

I will have a large group of supporters cheering me on as there will be many family and friends alongside the road. I have not set any time goals for this event, I just want to complete it standing upright! Ha ha, that will not be a big problem as long as the injury bug doesn't bite me.

I have no idea what is going wrong with my eating though, I just can't stop! Hopefully I get that straightened away soon enough or I will have to hit "Lose It" hard once again.

Stay safe everyone.

Lake Placid Ironman!

This past weekend we travelled to Lake Placid, NY to watch the annual Ironman race. It was so inspiring!!! We arrived as most of the athletes were on the bike so we positioned ourselves at the beginning of the run. It was cool to see the elite athletes transition from bike to run and head out on the marathon course.

We heard many inspiring stories from the spectators who were there to support family members and friends. Many of the runners would stop to hug and kiss their loved ones as they past by them on the run course. There were lots of signs and personalized t-shirts everywhere! It was an amazing atmosphere!

We spent some time and money in the Ironman store, a few t-shirts and mugs, etc. The prices were reasonable.

We stayed to watch the first two finishers and then decided it was time to jump in the car for the long drive home. I will definitely come back for next year, and who knows, maybe even compete some day!

Be safe!

Hot Hot Hot!

Wow, it has been a hot week in my neck of the woods. Of course, I am not complaining, I have been waiting for this weather all year. I particularly like to do my training in the hot and humid weather. There is nothing like sweating BEFORE you even start your run or bike! My Triathlon program is beginning to really ramp up now. Most days are multiple workouts, or bricks, as they like to call them. It is like doing mini events all in one day. It is good as you get to practice the transitions. Let me tell ya, getting a wetsuit off is no peice of cake. I laugh at myself everytime I get stuck in the damn thing. I envision being in a race and having to withdraw when I can't get my legs out of the suit to prepare to mount the bike!!! I am sure I will have nightmares of that in the upcoming weeks leading up to my race.

My weight seems to have found its equilibruium. I don't gain or lose anything to speak of on a regular basis. I sit between 172-173. I guess my goal of 165 was just a little to agressive. As long as I don't slowly pick up some more weight I will be happy with where I am.

Stay safe everyone!

Open Water Swimming

Ok, so I am not a "natural" swimmer. I have been training in the pool over the past few months to build up my confidence a bit. I felt like it was time to venture out into the open water. Talk about scary! I mean if I get anxious there is no side of the pool to grab. I started by investing in a wetsuit. After some investigation I decided on a BlueSeventy Axis wetsuit. These wetsuits are made for people who are poor swimmers, so they are not fast, but they are buoyant!

So yesterday I headed out to the St. Lawrence river with Jackie as my spotter. It was not the best entrance point that I picked as it was very rocky, in fact I cut my foot getting in. Once I started swimming everything was AWESOME! I had no issues and swam anxiety free for about 20 minutes. I could really feel the extra buoyancy that the wetsuit provided.

So, time for some serious training in preparation for another triathlon, this one in open water, in mid August.

Be safe everyone!

Reading

I have never really mentioned that I read lots of books. I used to be a fiction only guy but recently I have gotten into business books and other like that. I think it is important to continually learn about things that interest you and fiction just does not do that. Don't get me wrong, I still read some fiction, just not exclusively. So I have read about 20 books this year, most of them business related.

The book I just finished was called the Organic Manifesto by Maria Rodale. This was not a typical book I would read but Jillian Michaels recommended it so I figured I would read it. It was a very interesting book about all of the chemicals that are in our food today. It also touches on the politics involved by big business to continually push chemicals and GMOs. The final two chapters really hit me on how bad our situation really is, there are chemicals entering our bodies everyday via our food and water. I would recommend that others read this book as well, just to understand the risk. You may choose not to take action but at least you will increase your awareness. Oh, btw, those chemicals can limit your weight loss!!!

Be safe everyone.

Triathlete?

Well, I did it! I competed in my first triathlon a few weeks back! And check this out, I came in third in my age group. I was really nervous about the swim as I am a weak swimmer but it was fine. I wan't the first out of the water but I also was not the last. The bike and run went relatively easy! I have not signed up for any new events but I have been training religiously in all three disciplines. I may sign up for something in August if I stay injury free (fingers crossed).

I have had lots of travel for work recently. I was in Philadelphia and Wichita recently. It was my first time to Wichita and I enjoyed the city. Too bad it seems to be isolated from anything else....

My weight has been going up and down with all this travel. I am generally between 170 - 174. That is not where I want to be but I seem to have found my ideal weight in that range. I had hoped to get to 165 at one point but I don't know if I could maintain that weight for any long period of time. It seems like the low 170s is my destiny.

The kids are finished school. We just got through exams and grad parties! Everything went well. Did I mention that both my children are geniuses?

Well that's it for now.....stay safe everyone!

Has It Been A Month?

It has been a long time since I updated my blog. The blogger gods are mad at me. Things have been very busy and it got neglected, not a big deal right? Work has been very busy with a rather large project I am in charge of. On top of that I started a University course a few weeks back (Music related) and that has consumed plenty of my time as well. It has been busy!

So I did some training over the past month, eased back into it after my injury. Yesterday I completed my first Duathlon of the year. I had competed in this same event last year (it was my first at that time) so my goal was to beat my time of last year. It turned out to be a very windy day so the bike was very difficult.  To keep things short, I finished third in my age group and beat my last year’s time by 7 minutes!!! It was an awesome accomplishment for me. It validated that all of my hard work is paying off. Can you believe I had a podium finish? I still can’t believe it myself.

I am also training for a triathlon now! I joined a website called Rock Star Triathlete and I am currently following one of their programs to get me to my first Tri. So here is the thing, I suck at swimming. I have been going to the local Y to train but it has been tough. I am certainly getting better though so that is motivating. Jackie has been swimming with me as well and she is a great coach (I think she could have a second career in the making)! She is the sole reason I have gotten so much better. So I signed up for a Super Spint Tri on May 21^st. It is a shorter distance, kind of like getting your feet wet in the Tri circuit. We will see how it goes. Wish me luck!!!

I guess it is time for a weight loss update. I left this to last for a reason, there has been no loss. In fact, there has been a gain! I am up about 5 lbs from my lowest point. That puts me about 7 lbs from my original goal weight. I think at this point I may never get there. I have really tried but I have to say that my eating has gone to the crapper. I have been making lots of poor choices and it shows on the scale.  I need help people! I have lost my edge!

The other huge news is that Brittany has accepted and Queen’s University in Kingston! She is very excited and so are we. It is nice that she will be close to home making weekend visits possible. Now we just have to come up with the money!! All donations are graciously accepted.

Well that is all for now.

I hope everyone reads a book to improve their personal growth, you deserve it!

Back from Vacation.....

We had a wonderful family vacation in LA last week! Firstly, the weather was awesome! We didn’t see a cloud in the sky all week. We toured the Kodak Theatre, walked Hollywood Blvd, and looked at the stars on the sidewalk. The tour of the theatre was very interesting and it was a lot smaller than it looks when you see it on TV. Jackie and Brittany did lots of shopping as well. They walked Rodeo Drive but things were a touch pricey there! Most of the shopping was done at the Grove. The Grove was an outdoor mall that was really nice. It was a good place to look for celebrities. The TV show “Extra” shoots there most days and we were able to get ourselves on TV! That was a very exciting event for the kids. Brittany bought her grad dress for the end of this school year, it was a big deal for her. Brandon, well he picked up a new electric guitar at the Guitar Center in Hollywood. What about the food you might ask? OMG, all we did it eat. There were lots of high calorie desserts consumed as well. The only saving grace was that we did lots of hiking in the Hollywood hills. I was amazed at the quality of the trails, and we tried every one of them! It was a lot of fun.


We did a side trip to Vegas as well to see a Criss Angel show. It was entertaining but I would have to say not worth the money we paid for the tickets. We stayed at the Bellagio hotel which was wonderful. It was a step up from the hotel we had in LA and we didn’t want to leave!

From a health and fitness perspective I have gone a couple weeks without the leg pain I spoke of earlier. I have begun to run again (short distances) and ride the bike again as well. This is great news as it has been weeks since I was able to get a really good calorie burn in. I also bought some boxing gloves and have been experimenting with that at our local gym. I am toast after 10 minutes of hitting the heavy bag, it is a tough workout. Very high intensity, but short.

I gained some weight while on vacation, a couple pounds. I am still within 5lbs of hitting my goal but I am beginning to think I may never get there. It has been three months with no change in my weight. My current weight just might be the right weight for me. I will keep trying to get those final few pounds regardless as I am goal oriented and I want to say I did it.

That’s all for this week, be happy everyone.

Ramping up for Vacation!

Well spring break in my neck of the woods is fast approaching. This year we are taking the kids to Los Angeles for the week. All of us are really looking forward to the trip as we have not been there before. We will make a quick detour to tour a University as well in preparation for Brittany's decision for next month. She doesn't have much time left at home, next fall she will be gone.

From a fitness perspective last night I have my first "real" workout in a month. I did a 1 hour bike ride and burned 595 calories. It felt really good to sweat again. I am still struggling with health issues but managed to get through the workout. It felt good, very good. Today will definitely be a rest day to see how my body responds. I am down to 166.8 lbs now, only 1.8 lbs to go!!!! The last five pounds have been impossible. I have been working on them for three months now. Big party when I get there and you are all invited!!!

Jackie has also had awesome progress with weight loss as well, I am very proud of her. She is biking more than I did when I was in "training mode"!!!

Well time to get packing for the trip, I will update you all, with pictures of course, when I return!!!

A Month of Ups and Downs

It has been over a month since I blogged, crazy how time flies. It has been a very eventful month at that with some high points and some definite low points. Lets start with the good!

Jackie and I had a wonderful time in Hilton Head, NC for a little mini vacation. The initial plan was for me to run a 10k there but more on that later. We stayed at the Sea Pines Resort which was beautiful! In fact, we stayed right at the Inn at Harbor Town, the crown jewel of the property. Our room over looked the first tee at the golf course, another bonus. I did manage to play the course once during my stay and played reasonably well considering I had not played in many months. We also tried out a number of awesome restaurants, it is hard to pick the best one. Lots of walking at the resort as well as biking!!! This is definitely a location that we would like to return to at some point. Maybe same time next year.

I also spent the better part of a week in Las Vegas on business. It was my first time in Vegas and as I figured I loved it. There is so much to do there, so much more than just gambling. I didn't get a chance to see any of the shows unfortunately but I could tell that if I was to go there with time on my hands it would not be boring. The conference I was at had some motivational speakers for the keynote addresses. One guy in particular talked about motivational books and it really connected with me. I began a list of books that I want to read (already through two of them) so that was a good thing. I think I am in the wrong line of work. I would love to be a motivational speaker, affecting other people's loves. Unfortunately I am not charismatic enough.

So on to the down side of the last month. I have health issues. I have not been able to run or bike for over a month now. It is killing me. To go from being very fit to being a slug is majorly depressing. I have been going to various specialists and taking lots of tests to try and figure this thing out. No success to date. I guess the silver lining is that my weight is staying constant without the exercise. I think I am losing muscle mass though so that likely accounts for the steady weight. I am currently at 167.4 lbs. I still can't seem to make it to my goal of 165 lbs, so close yet so far away....

So I have a couple of stressful weeks of work and then I am off for a week on vacation with the family. We are going to LA!! We have never been there so it should be a neat experience for us. We plan on doing the usual Hollywood stuff, shopping, sightseeing, etc.

I also signed up for a University course that starts the first week in April, I am excited about that as well!!!

Busy busy time, if I could only get this heath thing fixed up I would be in a better state of mind.

That's all for now, stay healthy.

P.S. Jackie has been working out like crazy and doing a great job losing weight, I am very proud of her!

We Don't Carry That Size!

How many times have I heard that before? Shopping for clothes has always been a mini nightmare. Nothing really fits right, nothing looks good on me, etc. So today I went out with the family to shop for a number of items, one of which was clothes for me. I was primarily looking for summer clothing, shorts and golf shirts, as I am heading south in a few weeks for a little getaway. I went to a local golf specialty store in my area and began to try on some stuff. The shorts I grabbed off the rack were a size 32, a guy can dream right? The pair I really liked were too big! Can you believe that? So the guy helping me says, "Well you are not going to get them any smaller than that, sorry."

Well, that is something I have never heard before!! I guess I am smaller than I think. I still turn sideways to get through tight spaces, only to find that I didn't need to turn. I still have a perception of myself that is much larger than I really am. It will take some time to change that I guess. So wild!

On the exercise front I am finished week #2 of the 10k program. I also signed up for my first 10k race. It is in Hilton Head, South Carolina. Jackie and I are going there for a mini vacation and there just happened to be a race that weekend. Everything aligned well so I am now signed up!! The big date is February 12th. I will be certain to let everyone know how it goes. I have no finishing time expectations yet, but I will likely set a goal prior to the race.

Be healthy everyone.....

New Year - New goals

Happy New Year everyone! With the start of each new year it is always a good time to reflect on the previous year and set some goals for this upcoming year.

Last year was very good from a health and fitness perspective. That is what this blog has been all about! I lost 76 lbs in 2010. Wow, still hard to believe. It took lots of hard work but it has been worth it. I am proud. So what do I do now to make 2011 another fabulous year?

Weight goal - I still have 2.8 lbs to go to hit my goal. The last 10 has been rough so the final 2.8 is not a given. My first goal is to get rid of those final 2.8 lbs by the end of January.

Fitness Goals - Now this is the fun part! I will compete in two Duathons this year. I will also run my first 10k, and my first 1/2 Marathon. Obviously the 1/2 is a huge goal. Ginormous! Lots of training will be required for all of it, but I can do it. I have come this far, why stop now?

Btw, I have had four runs in a row now without knee pain!!! Yippeeee, let's hope it hangs on for all of 2011. Injuries and rehabilitation was a real downer in late 2010, I don't want to repeat that!!!

Be healthy everyone!!