After a good night sleep, woke up late but got up none the less to continue my 2 mile in 18 mins quest, did the 300 body weight to warm up, I really think it is a very good challenging warm up before running. Did 300 in 9:07 not my best time, then off to the treadmill,well today's time was 20:23, 18 mins is definitely a lofty goal but I will keep working at it. After getting to the 2 miles continue on with 4 additional miles to make it 6 total. Did 25 mins on the bike to flush out the legs and finish off by doing Mari Winsor Dynamic Sequencing on the Superme Pilates.

The intention this morning was to do Barry's Fat Blaster Lower Body and my 2 miles in but after doing Barry I called my little brother to wish him good luck on his college graduation but ended up talking to him for about 40 mins since in most cases we never get to talk due to everybody else wanting to get a word in.

Then I made an attempt after work but had ticket to a Jazz Concert with Wayne Bergeron and the Cleveland Jazz Orchestra, the Solon High School Jazz Band open the show and their performance of America the Beautiful was incredible, Bergeron played the Flugehorn/Trumpet and Jim Witherspoon played the Soprano Sax. It was an incredible show and a wonderful way to spend friday night with the family.

So will attempt the 2 mile run tomorrow.

Barry Fat Blaster Upper Body + Mission Specialist Abs Advanced

Chin up 2x5
Inverted Row 2x15

Band Attached to door
Chest Flye 2x15
Triceps Pull down 2x15

It was snowing when I woke up at 4:30am and basically haven't stopped since 12 hours later, it looks beautiful outside as long as am looking at it from the comfort of my home. I decided to take a vacation day today instead of going to work and my decision was easily made when they started talking in the news about icy condition in Akron after all the snow the had overnight and people spinning off the road.

300 Workout but forgot to time it
2 miles 21:21, it is really going to be a big challenge to get to 18 mins
55 mins on the spinning bike using IClimb Core Conditioning, stayed on the bike instead of doing the core routine since I did abs last night.
Yogamazing : Yoga for Runners

Was too tired to workout this morning after running around with the kids and staying up late, but Biggest loser started it was enough motivation to get me downstairs to get my workout in. Did

Barry Fat Blaster Upper Body
Barry Mission Specialist Upper Body Beginner
Kathy Smith Ultimate Sculpt Abs and Stretch

Got the teaser notice for the Akron Marathon, I think they are getting rid of the free shoe and marathoners now get Brook jackets, still no race plan.

After getting to 2 miles with week 1 program of the Personal Running Trainer, I started week 2 today, after doing Barry's Lower Body Fat Blaster. I knew week 2 was harder just decided to try the ignorance is bliss concept well it didn't help much, am sticking with the 7mph as my running speed and resting starting from 4mph, so for week 2 the program is now

5 mins warm-up
4 x 90 secs run with 90 secs rest
5 mins cool down

The goal is still 2 miles but unlike the last time while I was trying to get to 2 miles in 20 mins, so the lofty goal for this one is to get to the 2 miles in 18 mins, it took me 23:23 mins to get to 2 miles today. My leg and hip felt fine but running 7mph for 90 secs was a lot more tasking than doing it for 45 secs, I needed the whole 90 secs walking at 4mph just to catch my breath before the next challenge started, I pushed the last challenge to 120 secs but was too winded to do anything with the last 5 mins, definitely have room to grow on this one.

After the run, did 25mins of Spinning using week 1 running program, was actually quite fun then 20 mins on the stepper and then finish off with Candace Grasso Stretch and Relax program.

Took the day off today so I can spend some time with the kids, they had the day off due to teacher in service, so got a lot of things done including applying for my US passport which is one of the things on my goal to do list before the end of January, the FAFSA form for college was also completed.

Woke up this morning with little to no pain from yesterday's 8 miler,minor pain in both knee, outside of the right, inside of the left, also upper left hamstring, will keep monitoring till the end of the month then decide what I want to do race wise.

I noticed today after a visit to Half Price book, while going through the running books on the bottom shelf that I was able to come to standing from a kneeing position without pain, but my brain remembers and was expecting it, this has been going on now for over 1 year.

Before church, did the 300 Body Weight workout and this was my fastest time of 8:53 and Barry Mission Specialist Upper Body Advanced.

In preparation for outdoor running, I went through my gear, well, I can't find my running gloves so need to buy new ones and my Garmin 301 will not connect to my computer, keep getting an error, send email to garmin tech for help.

Yesterday gorgeous day made me long for a long run fix, I called the Dr. who gave the okay as long as I wasn't in any more pain than I have been in the last couple of weeks, but yesterday schedule didn't allow for an outdoor run. So with the busy schedule for today I decided to stick to the treadmill and got in a long run while watching Sex in the City Movie, I was able to get in 8 miles before I called it a day, it felt great and the pain was quite manageable nothing really to stop me from running LSD, I finished off on the spin bike for about 15 mins this always seems to help with the leg pain. I did a thorough stretch and also use the massage stick, so far so good and I will be icing the knees tonight.

I did it

After doing Barry Fat Blaster Lower Body this morning, I got on the treadmill to tackle getting to 2 miles and I got there today and felt great :), no pain in the hip and minimal pain in both knee, boy it felt good. First 2 mins of the warm up was at 4mph and the rest at 5mph or above, after the 5 mins warm I never dropped below 6mph, so the next 15mins was 6mph or above with 3-45 secs at 7mph and 1-60secs @ 7mph. Keeping myself above 6mph was more mental than physical. Getting stuck in a 4 hours meeting at work wasn't a good idea, since my left leg got stiff but I eventually just got up and got in a stretch in the restroom and that helped a lot, now to see if I can maintain it for the next scheduled 4 runs left for the rest of the month.

Frank-Thank you

Picked up a new gateway laptop, since Walmart had one on sale for less than $500 and it was perfect for what I needed.

Monday: Actually woke up early enough to be able to get in Barry Fat Blaster Lower Body I pushed very hard on every exercise since that was all I was doing for the day. I was glad I got the work out in, because it made me alert and focus for my 18 hours at work, driving home at 2am is quite interesting, I think there were more deers than cars on the road.

Tuesday: Took the day off, since I don't get paid for overtime, so spent the day watching the Presidential Inauguration ceremony and working out. Did IClimb Core Conditioning, my 1 mile training got up to my highest of 1.88 miles still working at getting to 2miles but um.. then continued to 3 miles with the incline at 12% and speed at 3 or 4 mph and for a brief 30 secs I dropped the incline to 1% and the speed to 9mph, uncharted territory but felt fine so I may need to challenge myself more and after that a trip to the Chiro Dr.

Today: Did not get up to workout out in the morning since I stayed up later than usual watching the various inaguration balls, but after work did the 300 BW workout (10:43) not the fastest and then Barry Mission Specialist Upper Body Beginners and Advanced.

Yesterday was Kathy Smith Ultimate Matrix Workout, the whole thing, nice sweaty workout.

Today

300 Body Weight Workout -10:24

1.77 miles

Didn't get up early enough to do a morning workout and am just getting done working out now, contemplated taking a rest day but knew there is a chance I may not workout tomorrow due to having to get to work by 6am to start an experimental charge and I have to be there till completing 12+ hours later, so Monday is going to be a very long day.

Well, I have to figure out a way to use the 1 mile training program to get to 2 miles which is my goal for January. Right now I am stuck at 1.84 since my run today took me back to 1.83 miles. There are a lot of rules that goes with this little goal since I am coming back from injury and building base so I am using a program from Personal Running Trainer, I really like the program since the guy doesn't talk too much and the music speeds up at the right time. Program is designed like this

5 mins warm up
45 sec. of running alternated with 2 min. of walking; repeat x4
5 mins cool down

Rules

1. Mandatory 2 mins at 4mph to warm up, next 3 mins based on feel
2. Running at 7mph no higher.
3. Only last run can be extended to 1 min, no longer
4. 5 mins cool down can be up to 6.5mph no higher but 3 mins walking after 20 mins is up.
5. During the 20 mins period if there is any pain in hip or leg, speed comes down 0.5mph until the next change.

Have 7 more chances to see if I can get it in before the end of the month, keeping with the rules, focusing on form and accessing every part of my body for pain sure makes time fly by.

Today Barry's Fat Blaster Lower Body and 1.83 miles .

Woke up with a stiff neck today, probably from curling into a ball due to the cold. It wasn't cold in the room but I knew it was very cold outside. Hmm, was it cold but I was glad the snow stopped so it wasn't a bad drive to work and boy were my kids mad when I made them get out of bed because they were 100% sure school was going to be canceled but it was wide open with buses rolling. I was glad they had school if not so they will have ended up with 5 days off from school with mid term next week. Just got the email announcing school closed for tomorrow.

Due to my stiff neck did Barry's Fat Blaster Upper body but followed the beginner and MS Upper body with the black band. Already getting sick of this but part of my goals is to stick to 4 week rotation and not keep changing in between can't see the benefit if I don't stick with it.

Today's workout was the 300 body weight workout by Alex Poole & Andrew Clark

Do 30 reps of the following:
Power Lunges
Inverted Row
Prisoner's Squat
Forward Lunges
Setups
Jumping Jacks
Pushups
Burpees
Side Lunges
24" Box Jump

time: 12:18

Then got on the treadmill for my run, now up to 1.84 miles :)

Jump out of bed today and noticed that the constant pain of over a year in my left knee/hip was a very dull ache and boy did I grin ear to ear.

Off to my basement I went for my date with Barry, did the fat blaster Upper Body workout and then mission specialist abs and upper body beginner.

I am still using the green band but plan to start testing out the black band next week, still can get the green transfimer (?) to the right size, took the air out again after my workout this morning and will inflate again tomorrow.

After having to sit in meeting all day, my legs was stiff so I did yoga for knees from yogamazing after work just to get things stretched out.

Took yesterday as a rest day and to day did Barry's Fat blaster lower + 1.78 miles using the 1 mile training program and then did the Beginner's Lower Body misioon specialist program from Barry's workout and a thorough stretch.

The one mile training is going great, my goal is to get to 2 miles within that allocated 20 mins, which means adjusting my walking/jogging pace. I am finding out that I realy do not have to drop to 4mph for the whole 2 mins rest neither do I have to run all the warm up and cool down at 4mph, so I have been adjusting the speed doing those times to get to my goal of 2 miles before the end of the month. All runs ate done at a 2% incline which is a first for me.

My legs are responding well to all the strength training, easy run and massaging although there is still more pain than I will like so still no race plan.

1.73 miles using 1 mile training program walk/jog 4-6mph run 7mph+ 20 mins of Icycle

Barry Fat Blaster Upper Body + Code Red + 100 swings (60 - 12kg and 40 - 16kg) stretch

Barry's Fat Blaster Lower Body, it actually went much better today and then I got on the treadmill and did the 20 mins 1 mile training run, now up to 1.71 miles walk/jog 4-6mph run 7mph.
My leg is feeling much better, I am really going out of my way to thoroughly stretch before and after my workouts and also use the foam roller and massage stick through out the day.

Today's workout was the 300 body weight workout by Alex Poole & Andrew Clark from www.thehardcoreworkout.com

Do 30 reps of the following:

Power Lunges
Inverted Row
Prisoner's Squat
Forward Lunges
Setups
Jumping Jacks
Pushups
Burpees
Side Lunges
Box Lunges

Then I added 1 min of jump roping and 5 pullups.


PM: Ab Stretch + stretch on my own.

Barry's Bootcamp Fat blaster UB + 1.63 mile run (20 mins) walk/jog 4.0 - 5.2mph run 7.0mph, thorough stretch.

Day 1 of Barry Bootcamp 2, did Fat Blaster LB and the Code Red workout added additional Yoga and stretch on my own for 15 mins.

Back to work/school today.

January

Today was a 1.6 mile run/walk using the run a mile mp3 from Personal Running Trainer + my own sun salutation A & B yoga sequence, my leg is not really 100% and I need to build back up slowly so the goal for January is simple.

I will be using the run a mile week 1 program for the entire month, basically running at 7mph and walking at 4mph and slowly getting it to 5mph, this serve 2 purpose, am building base back up slowly and also working on getting use to a faster pace slowly. Also this hopefully will prevents me from signing up for any race soon since I am not properly trained except maybe a 5k.
The racing plan for this year is really uncertain, I need to be 100% before I do another marathon so Pittsburgh is out for this year, I just can't properly train for it.

January's Goal

Use the 1 mile (20 mins) running program at least 3x a week
Do Barry Bootcamp 2, 4 weeks rotation
Barbell 500 1x a week
Yoga practice 2x a week
Eliminate white flour (at least try)

Just an easy day today, did the 10 mins solution of Body Bootcamp in its entirety (50 mins total) and then 20 mins on the spin bike.

Working on my 100 goals for the year. for more info go here.

2008 Review

Worked out 337 days out of 366

Starting weight for 2008 - 168.2 pounds
Highest weight for the year - 170.0 pounds on 1/3/08

Ending weight for 2008 - 155.2 pounds
Lowest weight of the year - 148.4 pounds on 11/22/08 using Barry's Bootcamp and Running

13 pounds weight loss, goal weight is 140 pounds.

Dress size went from 7-8 to 3-4, biggest change is in my abs lost over 3 inches.

Starting Body fat from Scale:36.9
Ending Body fat from scale:34.2 2.7% fat loss

Starting body fat from hand held unit;30.1
Ending body fat from hand held unit: 27.5 2.6% fat loss

Running Total 818 miles which isn't bad considering I was injured the whole year.

Completed first 50K and Marathon :)

2008 Resolution Goal:
Run 1st ultra - Completed 1/26/08
Run 1st Marathon completed 5/18/08
Improve 1/2 Marathon time - Did not accomplish since I didn't run any HM in 2008
Lose 10 lbs by 4/08, completed by 3/30/08
Drop 1" across by abs by 4/08- Completed
Log workout and food maintain blog- I did not maintain food blog only use as needed, but did maintain workout and blog.
On 7/11/08 made additional goal to drop additional weight by 10 pounds which was not accomplished since I gained 6.8 pounds during the holiday but in all honestly looking at my body definition over the holidays, I think I gained more muscle due to doing more heavy weight workout which I am happy about. Now to lean out.

Cathe Butts and Guts using 8 lbs dumbbell, 36# barbell and 5# ankle weight, was able to do all the standing and floor exercise with minimal pain. Did some extra stretch on the foam roller.

First Workout of 2009

Well, I joined the 24 hour workout Marathon at videofitness.com which means someone around the world is working every hour of 1/1/09, I ended up with the 3am slot since nobody wanted it, so did a challenging fun workout.

Just finish my hour and decided to knock off one of my New Year Resolution which is to do the 500 barbell Challenge from James Goulden with 36# barbell and not drop down to 22# like the last time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oJDDIYlnKc

Back Squat-50 36#
Barbell push up - 50 36#
Thrusters - 25 36#
Sumo Deadlift high pull - 50 36#
Reverse Crunch and press - 50 36#
Forward Lunges 25 each side - 36#
Bent over row underhand grip - 25 36#
Floor Sweepers - 50 36#
Push Press - 50 36#
Bent over row overhand grip - 50 36#
Roll outs - 25 36#
Hang Clean 50 36#

Time: 27:32

Then got on the treadmill for 20 mins run/walk interval using an mp3 download from Personal Running Trainer and finish off the hour with some stretches and foam rolling. What a way to start the year,now shower and bed.

Happy New Year Everyone, wishing you all the very best in 2009.