My First Outdoor Run

I was going to the gym Saturday and decided to do my Couch to 5K outside. It was sunny (a little chilly) but I had all my new duds and my new shoes, so I was ready to go!

All I had a goofy ski mask for a stocking cap but I made it work. I had a vest and gloves so I kept pretty warm. I started out with the normal 5 minute warm up walk. The sun felt so good on my face. It felt like early spring. I was a little stiff when I started my run/walk, run/walk, but it got better with each interval. I took in all my surroundings and listened to some great music, which made the time go fast.

When on the treadmill I am forever looking at the time - so just listening for the prompt to "begin running" or "begin walking" made the time seem to go by much faster. I refused to look at the program on my iPhone. The music and scenery helped. My 30 minutes of run/walking, including the 5 minute warm up and 5 minute cool down was just at 2.3 miles. It was was actually a little faster than I do on the treadmill, but I also increased the running time this week, so that probably had something to do with it.

I was on a roll, so I walked another mile - just because. It was a great experience and I plan to put in some outdoor time this week because the forecast looks great. I liked being at the park. It felt like there was a degree of "control", which I liked. 3 times around the park was a little over 3 miles.

My shin hurt when I first started and actually, by the time I finished the pain was gone. I felt GREAT!!! I just had to take the (very unflattering) photo of myself so you could see how elated I was! Goal accomplished.

That's all for now - nothing too clever, funny or exciting. Just the facts.

xxoo

It Takes Twelve Weeks...

I saw this quote on a picture today and thought it was awesome:

"It takes four weeks to notice your body changing. 8 weeks for your friends, and 12 weeks for the rest of the world. Give it 12 weeks. DON'T QUIT"

Mama Got a New Pair of Shoes (and a few incidentals)

I love to go shopping! I even like to shop at the grocery store! I know, I'm weird. So when it was suggested I get a new pair of running shoes for my Couch to 5K thingy, I was all over it! You don't have to tell this girl twice to shop for shoes!

I waited 2 weeks because I wanted to make sure that I was committed and that I bought the right shoe at a running store. I haven't had much time to get out to the west end of town, but yesterday while I was working in Rockford, I noticed that there was a specialty running shoe store about 5 blocks from the location I was working at. How convenient!!!

So after my meeting, I went and began the process of finding just the right shoe. The sales person was very knowledgeable. I told him I was a new runner and that I was doing the couch to 5K thing. I told him about my car accident and the issues I have with my back, knee and shin on the right side. He asked me to walk across the room and he told me that when I walked my feet turned in a bit. Then he brought me 4 pairs of shoes. 1 Nike, 1 New Balance, 1 Sauceny, and 1 Brooks. I tried them on and they all felt pretty much the same. I tried the Brooks on last and they fit like a glove. (I had never heard of Brooks) I tried the New Balance and the Brooks on together (the New Balance was a closeout model and a little cheaper) and felt pretty confident that the Brooks felt best, so I bought the Brooks Adrenaline GTS 12.

I was so excited I just had to do some more shopping! I found a Marshall's and bought ear buds, new socks and 4 pieces of running attire. I was elated!!!

I remembered someone saying to buy your shoes 1/2 size bigger than dress shoes. I hadn't checked the shoe size before my purchase and realized before I started my run this morning that I came home with a size 8. I just assumed the knowledgeable fellow at the shoe store had me try on 8 1/2 because I told him I normally wore a size 8. They felt fine when I ran - but I just keep thinking I should have gotten an 8 1/2. I checked the Brooks website and sure enough - they recommend buying 1/2 to 1 size larger. The shoe store in Rockford didn't open until 11:00 and I was due back at the office at 1:00. I'm feeling pretty stupid bout now.

I called the nice young fellow and asked him about the size. He said he remembered me and felt like when he checked my toe that it felt like it was right. He said he was pretty good at sizing, but I could detect a faint "oops" in his voice. I admit - the shoe feels fine - but there is not a whole lot of "wiggle room".

Any comments or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. This is going to bug the crap out of me!!! Darn! I wish I would have taken the time to check.

PS - Don't tell my husband I bought the new duds. He was fine with the shoes - but I don't want to push it!!!

PSS - What else do I need to buy?????

My Couch to 5K Journey by KCarver

Hi. I'm Kim Carver. I'm not necessarily fat - but I ain't skinny neither. Most of my life I was petite, small framed, and average. I was never athletic; I never played any sports. My brothers were the only ones who played sports. And not "girly" sports" like soccer, as my dad would say. Just good ole fashioned baseball, football and basketball. God forbid, any of us girls would participate in a sport!

First of all, there were no "girl sports" in my day. Second, no one would be there to watch or cheer us on. In my day, girls only took gymnastics or dance, neither of which my family could afford. My parents barely went to my brothers games - it was the era when you rode your bike to the baseball diamond and back home again. Games and practices both. Parents weren't INVOLVED. If you wanted to do something, then you had to initiate it. Out of 4 girls and 2 boys in my family - only the boys played sports. Two of my sisters were cheerleaders. They learned all their cartwheels and such out on the front lawn with neighbors. Not me.

It's not that I didn't WANT to be athletic. I really did. I just wasn't coordinated. At all. I did, however, have an interest in being fit. Vanity, of course. Back in the day, I had the Jane Fonda Workout Book and CD tape, to boot. I joined Silhouette (now Fit Club) and even had a leotard and leg warmers. I breezed in. I breezed out. I did not do any aerobics. I tried; however, I was always going one way while the rest of the class went the other (embarrassing!) I was intimidated. I would do the machines-whatever they were at the time, equivalent to about 15-20 minutes tops! Never broke a sweat. Felt good about "getting in shape". Stayed at about 115lbs.

Had two more children - stayed relatively fit - worked out some - never committed to routine or life style change. NEVER changed my diet. The more I worked out - the more I figured I could eat. So, naturally, I gained weight. But here's the deal. I was like the opposite of an anorexic girl. They look in the mirror and see a distorted image of themselves and say "OMG, I am so FAT!" I looked in the mirror and said "OMG, I look GREAT!" In reality, I was getting bigger and more out of shape than ever!!! Denial, denial, denial.

There is one sport that has always piqued my interest - although my dad would never call it a "sport". Running. I wanted to be a runner. I wanted to wear the shoes and get a "runners high". It is a sport that "they say" anyone can do. This year I decided I was really going to do it. I was challenging myself. Not only to exercise - but to eat right. And run.

I have watched Shane and Tammy over the last few years, along with some other friends, transform themselves through running. They seem happy. They are motivated. They have set goals and you can tell that they feel good when they achieve those goals. They are disciplined - which is a huge factor in any goal setting. I have to say I am impressed. More than that - they make me want to be a runner. They make me believe that I CAN be a runner. They inspire me and give me the incentive to "go for it!"

I have set several goals for myself in the next 90 days, one of which is running a 5K. Or at least being physically able to run a 5K. I downloaded the FREE Couch to 5K app and have been faithful to do it, even the day my shin hurt like crazy. I am doing some strength training and exercises that my physical therapist gave me to strengthen my back. I really WANT this and am willing to do whatever it takes to make it happen.

So, I said all that to say this. I am doing the Couch to 5K and will be "blogging". I am not a great writer - but I am committed. I know that once I "put it out there" I am even more apt to accomplish my goals. I now have accountability. Currently, I am on week 2, day 2, so I will post again and give a synopsis of my first 2 weeks. Today, I just wanted to tell you a little about myself and why I want to be a runner. From here on out I will post regularly to let you know how I'm doing. Why don't you join me? It will be FUN!!!!

Pick up heavy things, put them down...

Hi,

My name is Scott and I'm a fatass. I used to not be a fatass.

Here's an example of non-fatass me -




Here I am today -



First pic I was at about 175lbs. I hit a high of 213 three weeks ago. Unacceptable. I've decided to un-fatass myself.

Most of the other bloggers here are runners. I'm not. Years of flailing around on stage have torn my knees up pretty good. The last time I ran any distance I got 1.5 miles into a 3 mile loop from my house and blew out a knee. That was an unfun limp back home. My fat loss will be achieved by picking up heavy things and putting them down again. I've got a good barbell set-up in my basement and will be doing a program based on Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe. Bench press, squats, deadlifts and pull-ups...rinse, repeat.

I'm not a resolutionist. My foray back into the world of weightlifting just happens to coincide with the beginning of a new year. I do however have resolve.

I have no plans to do any of the following -

• get toned
• get ripped
• get in shape (Hey! Round is a shape!)
• get jacked
• *insert any other handy slogan that the ad execs have invented ad nauseum

I resolve to be a walking, talking jungle gym for my daughter and soon to be born son. It's already a challenge to keep up with my 2 year old. I can't imagine what wrangling another kid at the same time is gonna do to me unless I make a drastic change in my strength and conditioning.

I resolve to be able to play football, basketball or any other sport of their choosing with my kids when they are older. I'm an old dad and I am only going to get older. I'll be in my mid to late 50's when my kids are teenagers. That freaks me the hell out.

I resolve to be a living example of what an active lifestyle looks like for my kids. Every day we hear about America's 'obesity epidemic'. It's a real thing and only going to get worse.

I resolve to be alive and healthy for as long as possible so I can be here for my family.

Rock on and stuff!

Warrior in training...

"Whyyyyy am I doing this??"  This I asked myself while pushing through the last five minute interval of my Couch-to-5K training yesterday.  Quickly enough though, I checked myself "Oh come on, you can do this!!"  I think these internal conversations happen to everyone at some point.  But why am I doing this? Why am I running?  Ultimately, it's about setting a goal and hitting it head on!

Up until now, my goals have been centered around weight loss and eating healthy.  Exercise, working out, running... ugh! A clue about my motivation to workout; I paid a full year's gym membership last year and likely stepped foot in the place ten times (don't tell Dave Ramsey).  My sister asked me to join Abe's Army with her last year, but I had no interest in running.  Friends run, co-workers run, I see posts on Facebook about running, success story after the next, and nothing hit me.

What changed?  Some co-workers started talking about the Warrior Dash and running it together.  If you haven't heard of it, the organizers of the Warrior Dash call it "a mud-crawling, fire-leaping, extreme run from hell."  More specifically, it is a 5K with 12 obstacles throughout including a cargo net climb, a stampede through a scrap yard, repelling down a ravine, crawling through mud under barbed wire and more.  Call me nuts (you wouldn't be the first) but THIS caught my attention.  I mean, how awesome is this?  I am signed up for the June 16, 2012 Warrior Dash in Channahon, Illinois. Fitness goal, check!!!

Couch-to-5K has a great reputation for new runners and I am having great success with it.  Is running easy? My answer is, not yet.  Easier than I had imagined.  I still have much to learn.  Thankfully, I am surrounded by family and friends, some of whom are experienced and knowledgeable runners, to support me in reaching this new goal of mine.

What ever you are doing, what ever goal you have set for yourself... keep it up! You can do this! Surround yourself with awesome people who will support you and push you.  Don't talk yourself out of it, talk yourself up!

Fat in the Brain!

This entry will have no scientific information, no call to action, and no guilt. I promise.

I am simply at a point where i feel like I need to talk. Human to human. Fat person to fat person. Yes, I called myself fat. I just called you fat, too. It never feels good. Especially if you ARE fat.

But I just wanted to get something of my chest that pops up from time to time. Like the state I'm currently, and quite frequently in:

I feel fat. After a year of busting my ass, I'm still a fat guy.

I can't help it. And I know some of you, who have worked really hard, and made great strides to change your lives and your habits, and your bodies, feel it too. I know I am not finished with my weight loss, and I am eager to lose the last 10 or 15 lbs, that I feel like I must lose...but I have hit a wall, and really do need to work a little harder for that last few lbs. But here's the thing...I'm worried about it. It's like having anxiety about waking up, and all that progress will have disappeared. It's looking at the scale and seeing the same number every day, and it feeling the same as it did 50lbs ago. No progress.

When you start and stick to a plan, seeing results is intoxicating. When you level off, at first it's okay...but it's been since before Christmas, and I am still at the same weight. And now I am once again...seeing a fat guy staring at me in the mirror. This is dangerous ground.

It is the point where people... emotional people, like myself, lose control. This is a gut check (pun intended.)

Gone are the exciting revelations: "Hey, look....my collarbone!", or "Wow, I can fit in my high school jersey!". Now, at least for me, it is: "I look dumpy in my fat boy clothes...but I'm afraid to buy new ones, cuz I'm an phony. I'm not really this size...I'm a fat guy...a fraud.".

We all have insecurities, and my friends know, I'm chock full of them. I have always been like this, and I must confess...I hide it pretty well. It doesn't matter how I try to counter it...I have a massive inferiority complex. I'm bad, you're good. I'm good...YOU'RE BETTER. When I was a three sport athlete in high school, and in the best shape of my life, lean and ripped...I still felt fat, comparing myself to the other athletes. As I have gotten older, it has made socializing, working, and performing, tough. Sometimes, it was easier mentally to just be fat.

This is relevant because it happens to a lot of people who lose weight. We keep waiting for someone to jump up and shout: "IMPOSTER!", while pointing at us.

This is the moment when people give up, and go back to being fat, or go overboard, and do damage to themselves, that can have dangerous and deadly results. Beware...(pointing at myself).

I see a lot of you doing so well, and looking so very good. We are none of us perfect. It is in that imperfection, that beauty and individualism flourishes. We do not have to look like magazine models. Curves are okay, good in fact (my personal taste bubbling to the surface...rolls, not so much.) Embrace who you are, not some vision of who you think you should be, or what you believe others want to see. And I'll try to practice what I preach.

So I am writing this note to myself, and to all of you:

Don't stop. Don't give up. You are worth the effort. You are not a fraud. Learn from this doubt. Things are no different...keep making every choice, and day count.

You got this.