Running outdoors is harder

Well, I fit in more than one run. That's nice. But I also found out running outdoors is much different than running on a treadmill. Here's the breakdown:

Sunday: None
Monday: None
Tuesday: Shoulders/legs/arms
Wednesday: None
Thursday: Run (2.82 miles in 28:3x)
Friday: Chest/Back
Saturday: Run (2.82 miles in 27:35)

I did pretty well last week. I missed my pullups and pushups; I was in NY celebrating my cousin's birthday. We only had one meal on Saturday, so I didn't gain any weight. I did wind up sleeping in a car, but that's a different story.

One thing I did differently last week was to start running outdoors again in anticipation of my 5K on October 10. Wow...I forgot how different it was. The route I chose had gradual inclines, so that kinda killed me. My pacing was slower than what I had been doing indoors. Then there was the cold air. First run, I actually had to stop. So disappointed in myself. But the second run two days later, I managed to finish without stopping. After these runs, I told myself to run outdoors whenever possible, and if I find myself on a treadmill, then I need to add in the incline to mimic how tough outdoor running can be. I also realized that I probably won't finish under 30 minutes for that 5K. I especially won't be able to get under 27:00.

I'm hoping to fit in three runs this week. I need as much runs as I can get since the race isn't that far away. Hopefully, I can fit in a couple of longer runs and some fast runs. We'll see.


Last weigh-in:
170.0 lb

Ab Ripper X still tough as ever

Again, only one run this week. I guess I can take some consolation in that I improved a bit in time. Here's the breakdown:

Sunday: Pullups/pushups, Ab Ripper X
Monday: None
Tuesday: Shoulders/Legs/Arms
Wednesday: Run (5K in 28:40)
Thursday: None
Friday: Chest/Back
Saturday: None

I changed up my ab routine on Sunday. Instead of 3 sets each of four exercises, I decided to do all my pullups and pushups first. Then I started up Tony Horton's Ab Ripper X from his P90X series. I couldn't do the whole workout without stopping. It was tough. Then for the next two days, my hip flexors and abs were pretty sore. It was rough. I'll try to do this at least once a week and see how it goes.

As for running, I've managed to do a bit better with the 5K. I started at around a 9:30 minute mile and finished at an under 9:00 minute pace. It was nice to finish a bit faster, and I would like get the time down to 27:00. I also signed up for a 5K, so that should be motivation for me not to miss my runs. If I run multiple times a week, I could probably break it up so that I'm running a timed run one day and then a longer distance one another day. If I could fit three runs in, I'll make one a speed session. Let's see how it goes.


Last weigh-in:
171.0 lb

Argh...one run again...

Had another okay week, in that I did horrible in cardio again. However, the one time I did run, I performed well. So, not too shabby, but my caloric burn for the week could've been more. That's all I'm saying. Here it is:

Sunday: Pullups/pushups, ab work
Monday: None
Tuesday: None
Wednesday: Shoulders/legs/arms
Thursday: Run (5K in ~29 min)
Friday: Chest/back
Saturday: None

My weight is creeping up 0.5 - 1.0 lb at a time. Not noticing much in terms of fit of my clothing, so maybe it's muscle? Haha. Who knows? I'm placing more emphasis on my back right now since I noticed I couldn't row as much as I could bench. I think it's 150 lb versus 180 lb. So, I'm more focused on trying to balance that out before I continue on my goal of benching 200 lb. I could do a set of rows at 170 lb, but that's it. It's interesting though, because I can do 15 pullups and I can do pulldowns at 170 lb. Must be a part of my lats that I'm not quite hitting.

Oh, speaking of which, I hit 15 pullups. So my next goal for pullups is 20 pullups, which is on my life list anyway. What other fitness goals are on my life list you might ask? Pretty crazy stuff. I would classify them as long-long term goals:

100 consecutive pushups (highest I went was 55 and that burned)
20 pullups
Benchpress 1.5x bodyweight
10 one-arm pushups
Perform a handstand
Many other things...

Anyway, I'm aiming for a better week this week, so let's see what I can do.


Last weigh-in:
171.0 lb

Workout Motivation

I'm sure we've all felt it before. You had a long day at work and just plopped yourself down on your bed. But it's your weight day or a cardio day or an interval day. Whatever, you need to work out. But you just can't seem to get yourself to do it. Would anything even motivate you?

Usually, when I'm in a workout slump, I try to look up some pictures of fit people. That usually gets me pumped pretty fast. It used to be Brad Pitt from Fight Club. Then I used Hugh Jackman from Wolverine for a bit. Then there was Daniel Craig in the Bond movies and Ryan Reynolds in Blade Trinity. Seeing those guys or reading about their workouts makes me want to...well...workout. Well, today I came across this video. It's Microsoft's live-action ad for their game Halo: ODST. Oh man, I watched that and I instantly want to work out or kick some a$$. I'm thinking this would have the same effect to any guy out there with a pulse. Check it out.

Running Hurts...Stop B*tching

When I was at my cousin's place on the weekend of my friend's wedding, I saw a Pearl Izumi ad that was hanging on his fridge. The headline caught my eye right away: "IF YOU RAN WITHOUT SACRIFICE, CONGRATULATIONS. YOU JUST JOGGED." That really intrigued me and I went over to read the rest of the text:

Running hurts. It always has. Woolly mammoths didn't just roll over onto a plate and serve themselves up to prehistoric man with fries and a shake. They had to be caught - and running down woolly mammoths was a bitch. Guess what? Running is still a bitch. But one with a purpose. It teaches us that good things do not come easy. It teaches us that we are capable of more than we think. It teaches us that hard work will be rewarded and laziness will be punished. Don't expect to learn those life lessons from running's shiftless stepchild, jogging. Next time you suffer on the roads or trails, suffer proudly. It means you run like an animal. ~ Pearl Izumi

Needless to say, I now run with this in my head. Running does hurt. Oh man, does it hurt. Whether you're cramping, getting hotspots, getting a side stitch, getting shin splints, or a combination of those, running is not fun and games. But every since reading this, I now press on through the pain. I used to slow down when I start to get a side stitch. I used to walk when it really starts to hurt. But now I just think of sacrifice.

Last night, I went to the gym to run. It was night time, so I was not going to run in my neighborhood. That's too much of a sacrifice. But anyway, I warmed up for about 6 minutes, then I started my run. Not sure if it was because I didn't wait long enough after dinner or if I didn't have enough water, but I started cramping about 8 minutes in. I had planned for 30 minutes of running, a very long time to go. It was a right side stitch, so I knew controlling my breathing would stop it, but I've never really succeeded in stopping a side stitch without slowing down to a walk. But I thought of sacrifice. So for the next six minutes, I only thought of my breathing. Exhale, 2, 3, 4. Exhale, 2, 3, 4. Always on the left foot. Let me tell you, those six minutes really tested my resolve. I really, really, REALLY wanted to walk. I fought to stay in good posture. I fought to keep my breathing regular. And before I knew it, the cramp was gone, and I was running free.

I did pretty well. Not including my warm up/cool down, I ran 3.1 miles - a 5K. I started at under a 10 minute mile (9.40 min/mile or 6.2 mph) and ended with around a 9.13 min/mi (6.6 mph) pace. That brought my 3.1 mile time to 29 minutes. Not bad. I was pretty pleased. I even forgot about my side stitch episode for a while. And since I got my new Sauconys, I haven't had any issue with blisters or hotspots. Nice. If only I can fix the sweating issue...puddles...

Lost focus

Blegh. Had an okay week last week. I barely squeezed in a run at the end of the week. Good thing was that I ran a route that I did before, only this time I was able to run non-stop. Pretty pysched about that. Last week was also the week where I switched to a 6-rep program for my weights. So far it seems pretty good. Anyway, here's the breakdown:

Sunday: None
Monday: None
Tuesday: Shoulders/Legs/Arms
Wednesday: None
Thursday: Chest/Back
Friday: None
Saturday: Run

I know, the breakdown was soooo mindblowing huh? I had just come back from a long weekend, but the lack of cardio is disappointing. The 4-5 day rest from weights was very well appreciated though. Muscles felt better during last week's workout. I'd like to say I did well with my diet last week, but I didn't. I didn't have time to shop for groceries, so I was out of a lot of food for my snacks and lunch. Big hit was the bread, since I eat at least one PB&J sandwich a day as my mid-afternoon snack (one slice of bread, kinda my natural protein bar). Wound up eating bagels for a couple of days. Was not happy about that.

I'm trying for a better week this week. I'm also hoping to improve on my runs. My 3-mile runs are just under 30 minutes, so that's about a 10 minute mile. Not fast by any means, but I am pleased that I can run 30 minutes straight now. Hoping to improve my speed and endurance. Then, I'll start considering doing some 5K's (~3.1 miles).

As for goals, I'm doing 6-8 reps of 170 - 180lbs at the chest press machine. I know that's not quite the same as doing bench presses, but I think I can safely say I have reached my short-term goal of benching my weight. New short term goals would be to bench 200lbs and get my 5K under 27 minutes. Longer term goal would be to run 10 miles. Men's Health does this Urbanathlon and I'd like to do that next year. This year is too close for me to train for (it's next month).



Last weigh-in:
170.0 lb

So much eating...

Just got back from a weekend of eating and drinking. A friend got married and it was close to my cousin in LI, so naturally I stayed there. That just lead to three days of eating and drinking. Craziness. Here's the breakdown:


Sunday: None
Monday: Chest/back/abs
Tuesday: Run
Wednesday: Pullups, heavy weights, shoulders, biceps/triceps
Thursday: Run
Friday: None
Saturday: Run


I anticipated I would have no time for my workouts, so I improvised a weight workout on Wednesday to incorporate my shoulders and my heavy weights. So I was able to put some attention on most of my body prior to my 4-day binge. I also thought it was a good time to give my muscles some rest from weights, so I didn't really mind the long stretch of no weights too much. I packed some workout clothes in case I ran, and my cousin did drag me out for what I thought would be a quick three mile run. Now, I've never really lasted more than 30 minutes of straight running, and at my average speed, that's about three miles. Well, he wound up pushing me to run 4.6 miles. Insane. But it felt good at the end to have realized I did that.


In addition to reaching a new limit, at the wedding I was placed at the same table as a strength and conditioning specialist (CSCS). We had a good amount of conversation about working out. Coupled with some thoughts from my cousin later, I came home with some insight about my workout program. And since I've been on my current program for a while, it's time to change it up anyway. Anyway, both the CSCS and my cousin think that low weights and high reps aren't really necessary. The CSCS said that most people can benefit fine with heavier weights and low rep ranges (6-10). I mean, if you're a bodybuilder, maybe some even lower reps will help, but 6-10 seem to be sufficient. The CSCS goes on to say, that if you need other specialized workouts, he would put them in as needed (agility drills for athletes, etc). For him personally, the CSCS cycles between power and strength workouts month to month. He does mostly circuits with little rest, so he hasn't done cardio for a while, but he believes cardio has its place.


So with all this new knowledge, I've decided to change my workout. I still like pushups and pullups, so those will stay in. Cardio hurts, but it definitely helps me, so that's staying in. Here's an outline of what my new workout would look like:


Day 1: Pushups, pullups, other body-weight exercises, ab work
Day 2: Cardio
Day 3: Shoulders/Arms
Day 4: Cardio
Day 5: Chest/Back
Day 6: Cardio
Day 7: Rest


I will do legs at least once a week. This looks very similar to my previous workout, but with the exception of my body-weight day, I will aim for higher weights with 6-10 reps. I will superset whenever I can so my workouts will be shorter. We'll see how this goes.




Last weigh-in:
168.0 lb
I actually weighed on Wednesday in my workout clothes and got 166.0 lb. I added 2.0 lb since I normally weigh with all my stuff. I have a feeling the number should be closer to 171.0 - 172.0 lb after all the eating and drinking.