Athletic Feats Of Strength!

I've been stuck not being able to run for most of the year thanks to my ITB. But i've had my ITB release Surgery and should finish up my rehab in 3 weeks or so. At which point i can start running again. Huzzah!

In the mean time, as part of the rehab. Much Gym. Big Lifts.

Been stuck with the stationary bike for cardio. Can hover at around 115 - 120 RPM for 30 minutes again. Just need to continue building the muscle in my leg back up so i can get that back up to the same resistance.

Downside to not running is that i'm not dropping as much weight as i'd have hoped.

I did a half marathon in less than 2hrs last year (1hr 55mins I think). Will never do it again, not because the run is hard but the training wore me down mentally.

Have a 14.5km run on Sunday. Did a 10km hilly run in June in around 54mins. I'm at a point where my legs are there regardless of the distance, it's just how much I can push myself.

Once this is over I'm going back to hot yoga, which is awesome. Normal yoga bores me, but hot yoga (room heated to 37c/~101F) makes you sweat like a fountain and really loosens you up. Definitely would recommend it.

I shall use this topic as an inspiration. Working a minimum of 10 hours/day then coming home and being piled on by the wife and kids...IDK where I can find the time.

When I worked second shift instead of first, I didn't have to deal with the fam, and I could just work out after dropping the kids off at school. Man, I loved second shift. Felt like being single with all the perks of being a family man.

Lost the 15 or so pounds I put on last fall/winter by playing basketball pretty religiously, lifting, and staying away from white food whenever possible. Sitting at about 210 now (6'4). My goal is to get to 195-200 in the next few months. It's pretty crazy how much easier it is to move around on defense when you don't have that extra weight fucking with your body's kinetic motion.

...might have to cut out beer... :(

:(

Getting back into a fairly rigorous workout routine after months of laziness.

I'm running (3 miles-ish) on M-W-F mornings, along with lifting on those evenings and a couple other home workouts to fill out the week (primarily P90X Core Synergistics and various Insanity Month 1 workouts)

It's taking its toll on me, but the nice thing about going full bore is it forces you to go to bed earlier, eat better, etc.

It's definitely hard to balance a full-time job, a family, a house, and also find time to work out. But it's definitely good for my physical and mental well-being.

I'm also really trying to watch what I eat. @lawlohwhat, I hear you on the beer thing. It's my vice too.

Getting back into a fairly rigorous workout routine after months of laziness.

I'm running (3 miles-ish) on M-W-F mornings, along with lifting on those evenings and a couple other home workouts to fill out the week (primarily P90X Core Synergistics and various Insanity Month 1 workouts)

It's taking its toll on me, but the nice thing about going full bore is it forces you to go to bed earlier, eat better, etc.

It's definitely hard to balance a full-time job, a family, a house, and also find time to work out. But it's definitely good for my physical and mental well-being.

I'm also really trying to watch what I eat. @lawlohwhat, I hear you on the beer thing. It's my vice too.

Sounds like I need to give up video games. And by video games, I really mean DotA 2. IDK if the wife will be happier about me quitting DotA 2 or getting back in shape.

I see ppl doing 5ks and stuff and I'm like WTF. I've never ran more than 1.5 without stopping in my life. Last year, I got back in shape doing the South Beach diet along with a couch-to-5k program. I never ran for more than 30 min tho, but I still got down to 200 lbs from 220.

Maybe I should get back on that. But I laugh at the notion of going sub-200. I'm 5'7 and have not been 190 lbs since I was a freshman. I'm too...stout/muscular. I have thighs like Jamal Anderson from back in the Dirty Bird Atlanta Falcons era.

Sounds like I need to give up video games. And by video games, I really mean DotA 2. IDK if the wife will be happier about me quitting DotA 2 or getting back in shape.

I see ppl doing 5ks and stuff and I'm like WTF. I've never ran more than 1.5 without stopping in my life. Last year, I got back in shape doing the South Beach diet along with a couch-to-5k program. I never ran for more than 30 min tho, but I still got down to 200 lbs from 220.

Maybe I should get back on that. But I laugh at the notion of going sub-200. I'm 5'7 and have not been 190 lbs since I was a freshman. I'm too…stout/muscular. I have thighs like Jamal Anderson from back in the Dirty Bird Atlanta Falcons era.

Running isn't for everyone, and even if you "like" it you still hate it passionately sometimes.

I find that it's much easier to tolerate running after the first couple of weeks. That's also when you'll start to see real results if you've been persistent and eaten (somewhat) well.

Sounds like I need to give up video games. And by video games, I really mean DotA 2. IDK if the wife will be happier about me quitting DotA 2 or getting back in shape.

I see ppl doing 5ks and stuff and I'm like WTF. I've never ran more than 1.5 without stopping in my life. Last year, I got back in shape doing the South Beach diet along with a couch-to-5k program. I never ran for more than 30 min tho, but I still got down to 200 lbs from 220.

Maybe I should get back on that. But I laugh at the notion of going sub-200. I'm 5'7 and have not been 190 lbs since I was a freshman. I'm too…stout/muscular. I have thighs like Jamal Anderson from back in the Dirty Bird Atlanta Falcons era.

Running isn't for everyone, and even if you "like" it you still hate it passionately sometimes.

I find that it's much easier to tolerate running after the first couple of weeks. That's also when you'll start to see real results if you've been persistent and eaten (somewhat) well.

No Kidding. I almost stopped halfway during training once just cuz I couldn't take it.

I got into running last year. After some injuries, quitting b-ball for a while, and general over apathy I got fed up with the weight I put on (I am 5'11 and was over 190lb for the first time ever) and decided to just run. The first couple weeks were brutal. I had never ran before. I had always played sports (without training) and have great stamina for it, but it's a different type of exercise since you're constantly stopping and going whereas running is nonstop.

My original goal was just 5k and just do it continuously. Then I met my girlfriend who has does tris and half marathons and she pushed me to do more so we did that 10k hill thing in February and now this 15k hill in San Diego on Sunday (damn her!). For a while it actually got fun but then I got plantar fasciitis (or something like it) this summer and between that family stuff it's been a real mental and physical grind on me. I know I'll finish this race and I don't care about my time this time. I also know I'm going to walk at times. I just need to take a long break after before running again. Sometimes your mind needs to replenish, as well. It can be a grind I've learned.


But definitely stick with it if you can, AZ. Don't try to increase too fast if it's too much. Pilnov first got me into running hills and he was right, flat becomes much easier afterwards but don't overdo them. And also use good running shoes. It makes a huge difference.

I second the shoe advice. Find a good local running store (mine even has a treadmill with a camera set up to analyze your gait) to make sure you get the right pair for you.

Don't be afraid to spend $100 or more on a nice pair. It'll make running more pleasant and save your body some wear and tear.

I'll third the "get some good shoes" remark. My first serious pair were some nice Brooks that I had professionally fitted after running in some generic New Balance's. I like Mamba I'd never run long distances before, just sport and general training. Those Brooks were just phenomenal, no more foot or knee pain. I needed something with good stability, and once I got it, it made the world of difference.

When I went to the US last year I picked up a pair of Free Runs just to do some light running and training in. After a week of using them I had knee & foot pain again. So now I have a pair of Structure's for the gym & treadmil (high stability) and Lunarglide 5's for outdoor running. The Lungarglide's are fucking god tier shit, they're so light yet have moderate stability, and one piece of material with no seams which means no blisters for me.

I also used to suffer from shin splints, so when I run (especially outside on the street) I always wear calf compression sleeves like these: http://www.amazon.com/CEP-Compression-Allsport-Sleeve-12-5-15-Inch/dp/B003AKDAMW/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1407507782&sr=8-4&keywords=calf+compression+sleeve+cep

Not sure if they help for sure, but I haven't had any shin splints while wearing them yet so I guess that's something.

On a related note, my run this morning was *tough*. Legs were burning and exhausted, but I powered through with a couple of walking intervals and made it through. I expect things to improve after another week of training.

Told my wife last night that we need to make a Red Robin run before I GET SERIOUS.

Yeah, I'm def gonna have to get some new shoes. The ones I had from last year I've worn casually and the cushions no longer exist.

Oh my god. That race was the most physically brutal thing I've ever done. I didn't realize how awful the big hill was going to be. It was nothing like I trained for. I ran hills but the worst of them was a steep quarter mile or a 1 mile incline which I thought was tough but now seems tame.

This fucking hill was like over a mile long and the last third of it was so steep I don't even know if it was runnable. I had trouble walking up this thing and I saw no one run it (granted, there were people in front of me who probably did and I didn't see them). It was insanely brutal.

My first 2 miles I ran at a 9 minute pace (including a hill). My next 2 miles, including that hill mostly, was a 15 minute pace. I walked most of the hill.

And then the stairs. Oh god the stairs. You're so tired when you reach them. They're actually not runnable. They're too big and sometimes there's almost no pathway other than going on rocks. I doubt anyone ran them and fucking hell they were brutal.

Then, of course, there was the downhill. Going down on the same hill I went up earlier. Yeah, I was scared I was going to fall. Again, I had to walk for some of it (the steepest part) because I would have fallen had I not. I saw someone fall, that sucked.

Also, it was hot. Originally the weather report said it would be cooler, but last minute update said no longer. It was nearly 80 when I finished. Ugh.

I went into this race thinking 1:45 was worst case, 1:35 was doable if I pushed it. I finished around 2:10...lol. But the fastest time was like 1:25, so I don't feel bad. My girl finished in 10 minutes slower than her slowest half marathon and 20 than her fastest if that's any indication (the half is 4 miles longer) of how bad this thing was (she also said it was harder than the triathlons she's done). I bet a half-marathon would feel like nothing to me, now.

I'm still sore. My feet got destroyed and my shoulders were too tense on the downhills I think. Still though, I feel like I accomplished something I never thought I'd have done. A lot of people actually quit. I won't ever do a race like that again, though. Fuck that shit. My half marathon is going to be mostly flat and in 65 degree weather.


edit: I almost forgot about the rocks. Rocks fucking everywhere. Couple times I nearly turned my ankle going downhill on them. They really hurt your feet, man.

Congrats on finishing!

I get where you're coming from though. I'm not sure why seemingly every fitness endeavor these days has to be "the hardest-core, most badass thing you've ever done!"

There's a time and place for that, but I also enjoy the zenlike experience of a long, moderate run or a yoga session. Doing brutal workouts all the time is physically and mentally exhausting.