Lost Dog 5K Race Results

Today I ran the Lost Dog 5K put on by the White Rock Racing Group.  This was the first time I have run in colder weather and it was downright chilly!  At race time it was 46 degrees and the long compression pants and long sleeve compression shirt helped out tremendously!

The course itself for those of us running the 5K was straight and simple enough.  Down one street for a little over 1.6 miles and back for a total of 3.1 miles while those running the 20K race kept going.

I had two goals again for this race: the first was to again finish without stopping to walk at anytime.  The second was to keep at least a pace of at least 11:00 minutes per mile. I am happy to say I accomplished both of my goals!

Here is the map of the event with my split times:

So This is taken from my MapMyFitness Page.

So how did I do?  Well, I won my age division, my weight division and placed 5 in the Masters division.  (And to be honest, it was a smaller race, but I am not trying to downplay my results; just being forthright with the facts.)

I am ranked 5th in this image.

I have to admit that I was really happy with my time in this race.  I actually bested my time from the Plano Balloon Festival 5K by a full one minute and twenty-three (1:23) seconds!  Yes, a new personal best!

So overall it was a great race for my second 5K race ever.  A new personal best time, a first place finish and a fifth place in the masters division, and even a trophy!

It's a small trophy, but still, not bad for my second 5K!

I'm not sure what my next race will be, but as soon as I know, I'll post it on here.  Until then, have a great rest of the day!

Revisiting My Fitness Goals

Yesterday I started playing catch-up with my blog and let you know how I have done on my weight loss since I last posted (which was simply way too long).  Today I wanted to catch you up on how I am doing with my fitness goals.

When I posted back in July, I had not yet started a fitness program to speak of; I was simply riding my bike on the local trails and at times walking those same trails as well as the roads in and around my neighborhood.  Now granted, I was doing fairly well, averaging about five to six miles per bike ride, and between three and five miles on my walks.  However, I wanted more, as I show below (taken from my goals back on July 31, 2012).  Because I had so many goals, I am going to break them down individually at first.

• To start and finish the Couch to 5K program and run my first 5K race.

 When I first wrote down this goal, I hated running, but I knew I needed to do it.  I have never been a runner in my life and when I was forced to do it, I ran, but did not like it.  Fast forward to today and I am passionate about running!  I really like it!  Not only did I start the Couch to 5K training program, I am four daily sessions from finishing it!  I am currently on week seven day three and will start the final week, week eight on Monday.

Apart from starting the C25K training program and about to finish it, I actually ran my first 5K race back on September 23, 2012!  My stats from the race is shown below:

Results from my very first 5K - 9/23/2012

Crossing the finish line in my very first 5K!

The next goal I had listed was to run a 5K race with my family, specifically the Turkey Trot in November.  That goal is still on, but we'll have to see how it goes.  I'm hoping to at least be able to run it with my wife.  Not sure if the kids will be able to or not.

• To run a 5K race with my family.
• Turkey Trot is the first one I want to do. 

The goal after that I have actually met.  I am now running on average 5 times a week at 4 to 4.5 miles with a pace of 11:20 per mile.  That's 5.2 miles per hour.  Some days I am faster, some I am slower, but I enjoy it!

• To be able to jog a minimum of 3.5 miles 4 times a week.

 The rest of the goals below still remain future goals that I will work on.  I realize that this journey I am on is a slow one, and as Rome wasn't built in a day, neither will my healthy life be built quickly.  These goals will be met though.  Just six months ago who would have thought that I would be running on an almost daily basis, and drop over a hundred pounds?  If I can do that, anything is possible.

• To be able to bike a minimum of 10 miles 3 times a week.
• To be able to swim a minimum of 1 mile 3 times a week.
• After achieving this goal I want to start increasing that distance every month until I can swim 2 to 3 miles at a time.
•  To be able to start training for my first Sprint Triathlon.
• To compete in my first Triathlon.
• Sprint first
• Olympic second
• Ironman eventually

So that's it so far for fitness.  I have another race to prepare for and I will post more on that tomorrow!

Until then, have a great rest of the day!

Catching Up Is SO Hard To Do! Weight Loss Goals Revisited

I have a really bad habit of forgetting to blog, as you can no doubt tell from the date of my last blog entry!  I have to admit that I am very embarrassed about this, but things happen, and you move on.  I thought with this current post, I would play a little catch up and let you know how I have done on my goals so far.

When I posted back in July, I wrote down the following goals:

Weight Loss Goals:

• To lose enough weight to be at or under 300 pounds.
• I have achieved this goal already!
• To lose 100 pounds and become a member of the Century Club.
• To lose enough weight to be at or under 250 pounds.
• To lose enough weight to be at or under 200 pounds
• To achieve my goal weight of 180 pounds.

So here is how I have done so far with my weight loss:

1. I met my first goal of being at or under 300 pounds when I wrote my last post back in July..
2. I achieved my goal of losing 100 pounds and joining the Century Club!  I accomplished this on September 13, 2012. 

                   

100 Pounds Gone!

My next big goal is to be at or under 250 pounds.  Currently I am at 262, so I have a few pounds to get rid of.  I am hoping to achieve this goal sometime around December 15th of this year.  To be honest, I was hoping to actually be at this goal, but the weight loss has slowed down so I am being patient.

For anyone who is interested, I am eating anywhere between 950 to 1200 calories a day, depending on how active I am that day.  My break down for nutritional goals per day is as follows:

• Protein: 107 grams per day
• Carbohydrates: 83 grams per day
• Fat: 21 grams per day

I am also doing my best to keep my Sodium to at or below 2500 milligrams per day.
I am using MyFitnessPal.com to keep track of all of my nutrition. 

For my next post, I'll catch you up to date on how my fitness goals are coming along.  Until then, have a great rest of the day!

My Health Goals

Everyone should have goals in life.  Whatever the category of life you set your goals in, you need to have goals.  Having goals gives you a sense of direction, a sense of purpose, a target to shoot for and I am no different.

I have set and am setting in this post my goals for weight loss and personal fitness. This is not your usual run of the mill goal setting mind you; nor is this the typical New Year's Day resolution type of goal setting.  No, these goals are ones that are now written down, set in (virtual) stone and are goals that I will attain.  Here are the goals I have set for myself.

Weight Loss Goals:

• To lose enough weight to be at or under 300 pounds.
• I have achieved this goal already!

• To lose 100 pounds and become a member of the Century Club.
• I have a few pounds to go on this one.

• To lose enough weight to be at or under 250 pounds.
• To lose enough weight to be at or under 200 pounds
• To achieve my goal weight of 180 pounds.

Fitness Goals:

• To start and finish the Couch to 5K program and run my first 5K race.
• To run a 5K race with my family.
• Turkey Trot is the first one I want to do.
• To be able to jog a minimum of 3.5 miles 4 times a week.
• To be able to bike a minimum of 10 miles 3 times a week.
• To be able to swim a minimum of 1 mile 3 times a week.
• After achieving this goal I want to start increasing that distance every month until I can swim 2 to 3 miles at a time.
•  To be able to start training for my first Sprint Triathlon.
• To compete in my first Triathlon.
• Sprint first
• Olympic second
• Ironman eventually

Now I know that these are somewhat lofty goals, but I know they are achievable.  I'll start keeping progress on where I am with them here in my blog.  I hope you follow along.

I'll leave you with this:  What are Your goals?  I would love to hear them!

Have a great rest of the day!
Eric

Listening to Your Body After Being Sleeved

I have several things I "love" to do in life and fishing is one of those, so when I had the chance to go fishing July 4th and then again yesterday, I jumped at the chance.  Having my daughters and Father-in-Law going made the days even better.

Now normally I can fish all day long, in the heat or cold, in rain or sun, but that was when I had a complete stomach and not a sleeve.  I am learning that this is making a huge difference now and is a difference I need to pay attention to and quickly!

July 4th this year in Texas was hot, humid and for those not in the shade, downright miserable.  But for the four of us walking the mile from the truck to the creek bank, climbing down the rocky bank, wading an additional miles up and down the creek bank, it was heaven.  The water is crystal clear and you can see down to the bottom, and the fish are always eager to respond to a well placed lure or worm.  

My Daughters trying to catch a monster white Koi

My Father-in-Law readying a hook

We were all having a great time and then my body decided it was time to start speaking to me.

Speaking to me came in the form of occasionally becoming light headed, becoming very fatigued, and to be very honest I wasn't sure if I would make it back to the truck or not.

After we all got to our respective homes, I decided to weigh myself before I showered and found out I lost over two pounds since my weigh in that morning!

Now, fast forward to yesterday, which was Sunday, July 8th.  Once again, we were out in the heat and humidity, this time with very limited shade, but with a nice breeze and occasional cloudiness.  The other Godsend I had with me was my wife, who does recognize the signals coming from my body better than I do.

We fished out at Lake Texoma for a little over five hours yesterday and at several times I felt worse than drained.  I was to the point that several times I had to sit down as I was light headed, I was fatigued and simply drained.  My wife was the one who bought me the apple juice and Gatorade to help replace the sugars and electrolytes I was losing and then made me sit and eat.  It took a long while after we got home for me to recover.

Once again I weighed when I got home and once again, I had dropped weight.  This time I had dropped almost three pounds!  All of it, I believe, to be water weight.

So right now the moral of the story, and the lesson learned is that I cannot take in what my body is loosing during these times and I am going to have to plan more accordingly. 

My advice to you is to do the same.

Have a great rest of the day!

Eric

The Biggest Non Scale Victory So Far

Yesterday marked my first day back at the office since I left for my surgery back on June 18th and I have to say it was very pleasant.  Several co-workers said I looked great and couldn't believe the transformation that had occurred so far with me.  That in itself feels like a NSV (which stands for Non Sleeve Victory) for me, but what followed was the best NSV for me so far!

There were two people who actually did not recognize me!  One I can understand as I worked with her for a while before she moved to another department, but the other person is the CTO and I work with him or see him and speak with him on a daily basis.  He came up to me yesterday adn informed me that he had seen me speaking with a co-worker but didn't know who I was.  It took him three separate times as he looked at me that he finally realized who I was!  He had actually thought I was a new hire, or a consultant.

This very much made my day.

Hope everyone has a great remainder of the day!

Eric

Checking in: Day 10 Post Operation

Yesterday marked 10 days since my Gastric Sleeve Operation and it has been a pretty easy ride so far.
 
I was able to work from home the Friday after surgery and continued all last week working from home.  Being a software engineer with a very understanding company and manager helps. 

As far as weight loss, well, the pounds seem to be melting off the body.  I am currently down almost 58 pounds and have dropped a full pants size and almost two shirt sizes!  It has been an interesting ride so far and can't wait to see how things progress.

I leave you with my picture of before surgery and one week after surgery.   Have a great week!

Front View.  Before on the Left, After on the Right.  One week after surgery.

Side View. Before on the Left and After on the Right.  One Week after surgery.