My liver!!!

 I am sad to report that my liver has betrayed me. All of my life I thought because I didn't drink and occasionally ate good things that we were friends. But it seems to hate me getting into shape because around 2.5 miles into every run it starts tugging on my diaphragm causing the muscles to spasm and making me feel like somebody stabbed me right below my rib.

 Anyways, that overly dramatic representation is how I feel about my stupid side splits. I did some research online and found out that there are two ligaments that connect your liver to your diaphragm, and when all of the bouncing happens that stress from the weight of the liver causes cramping. According to the internet the best prevention is to learn how to breathe better, by filling the lower lungs and taking full breathes. Hopefully that works because these things are killing me. (Learn more by clicking on my liver picture)

 Other than that my runs have been going pretty well. Saturday I was upset to start my run because I missed my phone's cue telling me to start. I realized that starting a run frustrated really effects my ability to run well. Luckily I cooled off pretty quick and was back in business.

 Speaking of phones, I guess I should give a shout-out for my running app. It is called Runkeeper and it is really good. It uses GPS tracking to tell me how far/fast I have gone and keeps a record of all of my runs.

  So the only other thing that I find worth noting here is that there is this old lady that crosses my path most mornings. I am impressed because by the time I'm in my 80's I don't know if I will have the will to go outside, let alone walk a couple miles at 6 am.

 And that is all I have for this week. I will be registering for the Operation61 10K pretty soon and the invitation still stands for anyone that would like to join my wife and I for that race, they have a half marathon, 10K, & 5K. Just let me know. Hopefully you guys are cranking away at your goals, and loving it as much as I am!

I Need New Shoes!?!?

So this week seems like it has taken a long time to pass. I wonder what it is about some weeks that fly by in an instant and some drag on forever. It seems like some mornings especially I just DO NOT WANT to run. The bed is comfy, the pillow is soft, and everything outside the blanket must be -20 degrees. I have decided though that barring real illness, I can't miss or reschedule a workout. I noticed when I was lifting weights for high school football, that once I made an excuse to miss a workout, it was so much easier the next time. I need to set and keep my standards pretty high as to what is a valid excuse, and when I just need to tell myself to stop being lazy.

I was surprised to see that the running shoes I bought probably over a year ago just started wearing out over the last month. I guess that is what happens when they actually get used. My 10K training schedule already has me running about 12 miles a week, and this is the first week!!! My body is feeling more and more healthy every day, and I don't really crave the fast food like I used to, even though we still eat it sometimes for time reasons. I'm excited to have one week down in preparation for my 10K but will soon be running the longest distances I think I have ever actually run, check it out. (Click on the image to go to the web site where I found the schedule, they also have training schedules for all different distances and abilities)

So today was an exciting day, for the first time I stepped on the scale and was in the 240's!!!! I actually weighed myself twice to make sure it wasn't a glitch before I silently celebrated trying not to wake our son. It feels good to see that my body is enjoying being taken care of.

My runs this week were really good. I pushed myself hard to improve my times on Monday and Wednesday, but today I took it a little easier and that was reflected in my time. It didn't help that there must have been a sewer backup or something because my run STUNK!!!

I have noticed that my back has not been bothering me as much lately. I think it has to do with me warming up my back muscles and getting blood flowing in the mornings. Hills still suck, even minor ones can have my crying for mercy. My breathing is much smoother and calm during my runs, at the end of my runs I'm not so winded that I can't speak.  :)

That is about it for this week. I am going to try to post some sort of update every week on this blog. If it gets too monotonous or boring I will back off, but I really appreciate the feeling of accountability that this blog gives me. Hopefully you guys are cranking away at your goals, and loving it as much as I am!

Day 1! Again

So I have decided that it is easier to think of each race training as it's own individual section instead of focus on the big picture. It is a lot easier to tell myself that I only have 53 more days till my 10 K than it is to tell myself only about 1095 days of training left. So I am starting all over again with my training at Day 1.

Today's run was good, it was three miles and I did it under 30 minutes. Started off slow because within the first 100 yards I realized that there was a rock in my shoe. I honestly debated just dealing with it but in hindsight that would have been absolutely miserable, glad it was taken care of early :).

As a part of training for my 10K, my wife and I have found a smaller 5K early September that we will do as a part of our training. It is called Apple Days and it is a local race to celebrate apple harvest and should be a nice relaxing race. After the race it says that we get to celebrate with apple pie and ice cream, you know... so we can gain back all of those calories real fast. :)

I am really getting excited about the 10K in October. Our first race was an event that was just for fun, but I am really enjoying the idea that my 10K is a race that has a cause. Operation61 is a charitable organization that is involved in trying to end human trafficking, especially of minors. They operate a safe home in San Diego where people who have been rescued can find protection, and they also are trying to do a lot of awareness events to garner public support. Check them out by clicking on the picture because I believe they are a really good cause.

If anybody in the Utah area wants to run the race with me let me know. It is October 5th in Herriman Utah (south side of SLC), and I will be running the 10K and my wife will be running the 5K. It should be a blast and it feels better paying the entry fee knowing that we are helping a good cause.

In good news I have officially lost 20 pounds so far on this journey. That puts me at 252!!!!! Only about 50 more pounds to go before I get to what I think is about my healthy weight. I guess a lot of hard training and eating better actually works, who'd-a-thunk it?

The First Step

Every journey must start with an initial movement, and while this accomplishment might not mean anything to serious runners, I finished my first 5K!!!! Okay, so i ran one in middle school, but I'm not going to count anything before puberty :)

The race itself was a ton of fun. The people who put it together had a bunch of volunteers all along the course with water guns and 5 gallon buckets to keep things cool for this race during the dog days of August. And did it ever work. I almost didn't even notice the distance. And at the end we got to jump off a dock into the lake.

One of the greatest things about running is that I can already tell it is bringing people closer. I got to run this race with my beautiful wife. We ran side by side the whole time and it was a wonderful experience. We also got to run the race with our friends Aaron & Jamie. What wonderful people I have surrounded myself with.

While in the world of endurance sports I am the awkward toddler trying to take their first step, It feels good to know that I have accomplished my first mini-goal. Napoleon Hill said that, "Desire is the starting point of all achievement, not a hope, not a wish, but a keen pulsating desire which transcends everything." I am starting to catch the fire and I am loving it.