Week 20 - Things Are Looking Grim...But...

With the 1/2 marathon only three days away, the assessment of my current fitness levels had to be fast and furious. I set out for a short run (that turned into a walk rather quickly), earlier in the week. I couldn't hold a slower pace for more than 3-4 minutes at a time, and my rib had become a little sore after bouncing down the pavement for a short while. I resorted to just walking the remainder, not admitting defeat per se, but knowing that I may not be capable of a 21km event so soon. As much as I wanted to participate, I had to remain realistic with my goals. My wife and I went out for a 10km adventure mid-week, and was again more of a walk than a run on my behalf. Again I struggled to find a pace that would allow me to run for an extended period of time. My cardio had suffered the biggest decline during my recovery, though my legs seemed to be holding up fine. This was to be the second to last test to see if I would be able to participate on Sunday, and things are not looking very positive.

If I was to search for a positive in this situation, it lies in how I will handle the adversity. If I can get back to, and hopefully surpass, my previous form, then I won't view this as a defeat. It would be yet another learning experience that I could place into my mental logbook. In order to pull a positive from this negative, I will have to commit to a consistent training schedule. To help get myself inspired again, I've tendered my entry fee for the "big" 1/2 marathon in June. Another touch of inspiration comes from a reader and a friend who's nearly completed his weight loss journey. He's lost nearly 50% of his starting body weight, a reminder that this truly IS still within my grasp.

Realistically, I shouldn't even be considering doing the run on Sunday, but a part of me still wants to lace them up and give it my best shot...we'll see what the weekend brings.

Week 18 & 19 - Dealing With Setbacks

It's been 7 months since I began this latest effort at getting fit and losing weight. If I had to review my performance to this point, I'd say "inconsistent with a lot of room to improve". The pain from my rib injury has finally subsided enough to resume my training, but the amount of time I've spent idle has set me back at least 3-4 weeks, maybe even longer. It's a frustrating feeling knowing the level I had achieved has waned away, leaving me feeling as though I'm once again starting over. The old me would have just as easily quit and left behind all the progress that I'd worked so hard to achieve. This time, I will have to strive to approach it from a positive point of view. My hard work can not, should not, and will not be overlooked.

I've forced myself to step back and analyze the situation. This stumbling block wasn't a direct result of a lack of initiative or effort on my part. In fact, the injury stemmed from intense physical activity. I was forced to the sidelines for a short while, and my time has now come to re-enter the fray. I've spent months building a solid foundation on which I can now continue to build. Though I may not be able to resume my training at the same pace it once was, the base level I've spent months creating should allow me to attain, and surpass, my previous benchmark. But, there's a caveat.

The 1/2 marathon is exactly 9 days from today. There's no conceivable way that I could be ready for a 21km run in 9 days, but that won't stop me from giving it a shot. If I'm feeling good about my fitness levels by the following weekend, I don't see any reason that I should not attempt the run. On the other hand, if I find myself struggling through 5-10km training runs this week, I may have to bow out of this one and look ahead to the summer's event, which itself is only 8 weeks away.

The only way to find out if I'm still capable of completing this run is to lace up, put my best foot forward, and just get out there and pound some pavement. Wish me luck, I'm going to need it.

Week 15, 16, & 17 - The "Party" Is Over And It's Time To Get Serious

The pain of my fractured rib has finally begun to subside, and I'm going to slowly reintroduce exercise and training back into my daily routine. The past three weeks have been spent undoing nearly all of the good habits I'd painstakingly instilled over the past few months. If I didn't smarten up and put a stop to this, there'd have been a influx of elastic waistbands and sweatpants in my future. Sugary indulgences, late night snacks, and sporadic meal times had all returned with a vengeance, but I've been able to snap out of that frame of mind. Reality had set in, the scale was no longer being very kind to me, and my clothes had once again begun to shrink. I'm up about 7 pounds, and have earned every bit of it. I have yet to officially lace up the running shoes, but my mental state is fully prepared for what awaits. I'm still going to train as though I'll be participating in the half-marathon which is just 23 days away. I haven't given up on that goal quite yet, though after my first good training session this weekend, I may have changed my tune.

As I munch on my morning snack of raw spinach, I yearn for the taste of pastry. Who knew that turning 30 involved so many desserts? The last three weeks have been a perfect example of what NOT to do when you're trying to lose weight. I wouldn't call it a "mistake" as of right now, and I don't carry any regrets, but I have to be smarter about my intake and fitness levels. Spring has definitely sprung, and it's time to start pounding some pavement as summer approaches. Certain activities that don't feel like exercise will help to kick start my desire. Spring cleaning is actually a fairly fun and somewhat strenuous activity, especially for a pack-rat such as myself. I'm also going to be dropping my bike off at the shop for a de-winterizing and tune-up for the warmer months to come.

Plans are great to have, but don't amount to much until they've been put into motion. I used to be much more of a "talker" than a "doer", and have proven that I'm capable of putting my words into action. It's time to once again act on these promises to myself. A lifetime of falling short of my own expectations can soon be put to an end, if only I can stay the course and consistently heed my own advice. And with that, I bid farewell to the weekends filled with salty snacks, sweet treats, and cheesy comestibles. We had a good time, but it's time to push on, toward a greater good. In reality these celebrations of food provide only a moment of happiness, and I'm yearning for a more permanent solution.