Saturday, July 31, 2010

Mind over Matter

It always feels good to complete an intimidating task.  Personal achievements always mean more to us when they involve a risk or effort that pushes us beyond what we believe to be possible for ourselves.  It makes sense that these moments are logged in our memories because they redefine our perception of our capabilities.  Once finished, we can no longer say to ourselves "I can't do that."

I must admit I haven't attempted very many projects that were all that intimidating.  As I mentioned in my first post, I tend to look for ways to cut corners or find a host to parasite off of (lol).  I felt that way about college while I was in it.  I've never liked to study or do homework, and my tests scores often reflected my efforts (or lack of efforts).  But when it came to walking across that stage and receiving my diploma, that day will forever be stamped in my mind.  College is over.  I have my degree, and I don't have to go back.  But if I ever do (please no.  NO!), I know I can finish it.  But I don't want to.  I don't even want to talk about it.  =D

Ten miles is a big deal for me.  Before I started training for this marathon, the furthest I had ever run was six miles, and that was forced on me during a soccer practice.  I've walked up to twenty (due to my irrational distaste for buses) in San Francisco...and that was crazy.  I wouldn't do that again.  Completing double-digit miles for running serves as a huge confidence boost for me.  I know it's still not even half of the race in October, but I now know for sure that even when I'm tired or I lose motivation, I have the capability to know that a lot of running this race is mind over matter.  Of course it is important to listen to one's body, but there shouldn't be a problem if adequately prepared through training.

It was a great run today!  Low 70's, cloudy.  No mosquitoes!  Things were fine until about the last mile and a half.  I really started to fade running up the hill between Fuller and Observatory.  I probably could have finished a minute or two earlier had it not been for waiting at all of the stoplights.  Running in the city is fun, but the times don't really portray actual running time.

Three mile runs are over.  My "short runs" are now at four miles, and my mediums are at five.  I progress to eleven miles next Saturday.

Thursday, July 29, 2010

If you love it so much, why don't you marry it?



First off, I want to say thank you to those of you who are reading and commenting!  It's great to know that people are reading, and that this isn't just for me.  This is an exciting time in my life, and I'm glad that I can share it with you!  So here goes...

In my quest towards healthy eating, I have tried a lot of bad recipes and gross new "health foods," which have done everything to my body except for make me want to ever eat them again.  I also somehow managed to resist the yuppie Ann Arbor culture and have stayed out of both Whole Foods and Trader Joe's.  Meijer all the way, peeps.  It doesn't get any better.  Shut up haters.

I've basically always despised vegetables, and I feel like I'm chewing on a tree when I eat a salad.  To me, there's really no difference between the leaves on the maple tree outside my apartment and the leaf of lettuce that comes out of your refrigerator.  In my mouth, they taste the same.  And I'm pretty sure if you gave a rabbit one of each, it would eat them both.

But one health food that I have (surprisingly) come to LOVE is grilled asparagus.  I go through asparagus the same way that Chris Farley goes through those fries (I love this video...one of the best skits ever).  Asparagus goes well with chicken, pork, salmon...any of the meats that I cook out on the grill.


Asparagus is good for the heart and is high in vitamin K and Folate, which is beneficial for blood and bones.  Lately I've been cooking on Mondays and eating leftovers for the rest of the week.  Although the vegetables aren't the best re-heated, when mixed into a sort of stir-fry the mushiness can be hidden by the texture of the meat.   My usual has been to create a packet out of foil, and put 10-12 asparagus inside with chopped up zucchini and summer squash.  I usually crush a couple of garlic cloves and mix that in with a little bit of olive oil and spread all over the veggies.  Then just throw the foil packet on the grill next to the fillets of (insert meat here), and take off a little before the meat.  It works great and tastes SO good!

My 3-mile run went well tonight.  One of my faster times, and no dogs!  I do like dogs--just not ones that try to eat me.  I'm resting up tomorrow for the big 10-mile on Saturday.  I'm sure I'll have a pretty detailed report of how it goes. ;-)

Invisible Fences are not cool

I have a beef with invisible fences.  And evil German Shepherds.  I may or may not have mentioned the numerous demon-possessed dogs on my route in the blog so far...there are a lot of them.  And the invisible fence, while convenient for the dog owner, brings no comfort at all to the random passer-by.  Seriously!  Dogs sprint off the porch, barking their faces off, straight up to the edge of the road inches from my legs.  I thought I left rabid dogs behind when I left the Philippines, but I guess not. :-\

On the bright side, I really enjoyed my 5-mile run this evening.  We had thunderstorms earlier today, so the air was cooler, somewhat damp, but a clear night so you could see the stars.  I finished planning my 10-mile route today...that's definitely going to take some effort to finish, but I think if I can cover it at a decent pace it will boost my confidence when it comes to the longer runs.


Saturday, July 24, 2010

Hydration

I don't claim to know the science or physiology behind our bodies and what happens to them when we exercise.  My specialty is in plants, which work a little bit differently than mobile organisms.  But one thing I do know is that it is extremely important to be well-hydrated for a run--especially an 8-mile run.

I have to admit even though I know it's important, I often shrug it off.  I completed my 8-mile run this evening (which is further than I've ever done at once), and I was definitely feeling it.  I planned to run this morning, but due to the rain I postponed it to later in the day.  So, naturally, I allowed myself to drink two cups of coffee this morning.  Not smart.  I knew that the 12oz bottle of Gatorade wouldn't be enough, and I was definitely correct.  I've found that I don't have a problem when running after work, where I drink over 32oz of water in an 8-hour period.  

The run tonight was rough.  It was too hot and humid, an evil German Shepherd tried to attack me (I have no faith in those invisible fences), and I didn't really enjoy the route I took.  I need to make sure I'm more prepared for my 10-mile run next Saturday!

Friday, July 23, 2010

Product Integration

I thought I'd use my off day to do a little shameless plug for my new favorite product.


The Blender Bottle is a simple, yet genius invention.  As a person who loves smoothies but hates doing dishes, there aren't too many better options out there.  Seriously, are there any dishes more irrtating and difficult to clean than blenders?  As one of those crazy freaks who has to wash all the leftover food off of the dish in the sink before placing it in the dishwasher, it has always been my #1 concern that I would one day slice my finger in half on one of the blades.  Or I just don't know how to clean my blender, but anyway...

Basically a Blender Bottle is just a dishwasher-safe plastic bottle with a screw on cap (that is NOT annoyingly attached to the bottle like on Nalgenes), with a wire ball inside resembling a whisk.  Just throw in your components and shake.  It's that easy.  AND, it doesn't leave backwash--you know those last few milileters of liquid that are impossible to get from the bottom due to the flat cylindrical top of a Nalgene?  That = DEATH (or at least a wet t-shirt) in a car if you're trying to drive and finish off a beverage at the same time.  Nalgenes are so stupid.  >:o(

Blender Bottles are great for things like yogurt smoothies (unfortunately the ball doesn't puree fruit), protein shakes, and even for batters like pancake mix or eggs.  I have two of them--one at work and one at home--and I primarily use them for breakfasts and an after-run protein shake to aide in muscle recovery.

For a pretty good breakfast at just 200 calories, try a yogurt smoothie:
- 6oz of your favorite light seedless yogurt = 100 calories
-1/2 cup fat-free milk = 45 calories
-1/2 cup fruit juice = 5 calories (I prefer diet V8 Splash tropical blend.  It's only 10 calories/cup).
-1 serving of vanilla protein powder = 50 calories (I use Biggest Loser Protein by Designer Whey.  The other brands often contain 100 calories/serving.  It's only slightly more expensive.)
-Just throw all of the ingredients in the bottle, shake, and drink on your way to work.

If I eat dinner early and run later, I typically like to drink a shake after I get back from the run.  I have a major sweet tooth, and sometimes it's hard to say no to dessert.  Just straight up chocolate protein powder and water do it for me, but sometimes I'll add 1 tablespoon of peanut butter, which adds a bit more protein and thickness to the shake.

More recipes are available on the recipe page of the Blender Bottle website.  The bottles typically run for about $8.99 at GNC stores, but I bought one of mine online from Amazon.com for $4.99+shipping (so it was about the same price).  It's totally worth it and if you're into counting calories or you want an easy breakfast, I definitely suggest you purchase one of these.

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Lets talk Discipline

"Bryce...Bryce doesn't like to practice.  Bryce doesn't like to run, or do push-ups..." 

All I could do was laugh.  In front of all of my teammates and their parents (and even worse, MY parents) at the end of the year dinner for my soccer team, the only thing my coach had to say about me was that I griped a lot about physical activity.  Story of my life.

I am the youngest of three, with two older sisters.  You could say I was the prime definition of the "little brother."  If there was a short-cut to take, I had it mastered.  If there was a way to dump work on someone else or could mooch off of a classmate, there I was--leaching off of lab partner after lab partner.  By the way, thanks Alex.  I owe you my diploma.  The bottom line is that my #1 battle in life is laziness.  Given the option to lay around all day, I would...If I could somehow get paid for it.  TV Critic would have been my best career option.

Developing a plan of action is difficult for anyone, even those with "unbridled enthusiasm" or tons of ambition.  Planning takes commitment, dedication, and most of all--Discipline.

Over the past 5 weeks, I have kept to my running schedule of four days a week.  I have a sixteen-week calendar I am following (courtesy of marathonrookie.com), and so far have not allowed myself to stray from it.  But keeping up with the running is the easy part.  All this training is not only for a race, it's a change in lifestyle, a realignment of priorities.  Multiple aspects of daily life need to change: diet, sleeping habits, cross-training, hydration....the list goes on and on. 

I had McDonalds today.  I had Wendy's on Tuesday.  Tonight, I had waffles, cinnamon french toast, and bacon for dinner.  Not exactly what I should be going for, right?  I also skipped my strength-training I had scheduled on my calendar...twice this week.

A change in lifestyle takes both time and effort, and I'm learning that I have to be gracious with myself.  Working out and running take a good two-hour chunk out of my day that I used to have for other activities...which I'm now having a hard time finding a place for in my schedule.  There needs to be a balance to everything, including working out and diet.  I don't know if I can bear the though of never eating another Jet's 8-corner pizza ever again.  *sigh*

Tomorrow I get a rest from running, and Saturday it's a full 8 miles.  It's time to think about getting some new shoes...

The Beginning

About five weeks ago, some friends and I were eating dinner at a bar downtown Ann Arbor.  $1 burgers and $3 drafts are hard to pass up after a rough day of work.  Conversation took it's usual course--the odd happenings of our respective jobs, obsessive quoting of 30 Rock, counting down to the weekend... the usual.  Then someone had to change the subject to something that would change my life, my beloved and cherished routine, for the next 16 weeks and most likely longer.  "We should run the Detroit half-marathon."  WHAT.

At this point I was walking the 2.5 miles to work each morning, and running home.  That is, whenever I could drag myself out of bed forty minutes earlier than I needed to if I were driving.  The running days were slowly becoming a thing of the past.  And this was nothing unusual for me.  I have a long history of saying I'm going to accomplish something, only to give up a week or two later and justify it by listing off a series of super-lame excuses.  "I'm going to write a book.  I'm going to learn how to play the guitar.  I'm going to run a marathon."

RECORD SCREECH.

That evening, while wolfing down my $1 burger, it all clicked.  I was finally going to run a marathon.  Now my friends... they, of course, know my history.  All three of them looked at me with that typical "whatever you say Bryce" look.  Not only was I committing myself to 13.1 miles--I was committing to twice that distance. 

I immediately began telling everyone I knew that I was going to complete this journey to running 26.2 miles on October 17, 2010 as a way of holding myself accountable.  Over the past five weeks of training, I must say that I am impressed with my discipline and commitment to following through with what I've said.

This blog is going to chronicle my quest for fitness.  I plan on including recipes, strategies, schedules, as well as my own internal thoughts and observations--never without my sarcasm, I'm sure.  I hope this makes for an interesting read, and maybe I can perhaps inspire someone else to do what I did and leave their life of greasy potato chips and sugar-saturated snacks behind them.  This isn't about just running a race, it's about choosing a healthy lifestyle.