Back To The Pursuit of Fitness and Health

I've moved my novel. If you are interested in continuing to read it let me know and I'll invite you in to the blog where it now resides.

I also have a re-newed committment to health and fitness. Although my weight gain is fairly evenly distributed when compared to the woman shown here, who would be quite trim and svelte were it not for a backside that's gotten away from her a bit--I am concerned about my weight and have an action plan.

Essentially, I spin, row, and do this torture called kettlebells twice a week. That is, I go to two spin classes per week, two kettlebell sessions per week, and row twice per week. This exercise plan, coupled with the always challenging moderation on the intake side, should reverse my lagging fitness trend.

I will let you know how it goes.

A Big Transition

I have a new goal, and I am motivated to achieve it. It’s not a fitness activity but it will have an impact upon my fitness. Here’s the goal: I will complete the first draft of a novel in one year. Here’s what I’ve learned about this goal so far: it takes time and work. Specifically, I need to write about 100,000 words. I have written 7,609 thus far. I have miles to go before I sleep.

I need to write every day, more or less.

In the decade of my twenties I played lacrosse seriously, from thirty to forty I played basketball seriously, from forty to fifty-something I ran seriously. By seriously, I mean I worked at it, kept score, and cared about the results. That doesn’t mean that I was ever much more than a middle-of-the-packer in any of these pursuits. I anticipate much the same with my new pursuit. I’m going to work at it, and I care about it, and I want the result to be the best that I can produce.

If it’s the literary equivalent of a six hour marathon, that’s okay.

So my fitness goal is 30 minutes per day of sweat exercise. No races, no contests, nothing but the minimum requirement for health.

Ongoing Struggles

My foot (plantar fascitis) continues to be a challenge. I've reduced my running to two days per week. I've added cycling and will add swimming to the mix. My weight is up, my fitness down.

I did have a good interval session on the track on Wednesday: 7 X 800m with all but the first one (still warming up) under 3:30. My long run Sunday was a painful process, though, with the foot bothering me throughout.

So I'll continue to find other stuff to do.

Finally, Real Hope

Barack Obama talks about hope but real hope may reside in the person of Sarah Palin, mother of Track, Trig, Willow, Pipeline, and Curling Iron. Why? As TW points out, my intake is a factor in my body weight. And, my body weight is detrimental to my fitness. Ms Palin, who has a great record as a reformer and may be our president soon (given our miserable voting track record and 72 year old John McCain's battles with cancer) has fought long and hard against science in her efforts to bring creationism to schools and to eliminate pesky polar bears from the face of the earth. Can a fight against gravity be far behind? Surely, if we could eliminate gravity bigger runners like me would have a level playing field. She's a runner who has suffered from gravity during her pregnancies. Let's get behind her and rid the world of gravity!

Progress, then Frustration

My weigh in was 238, so a mild improvement over the prior week.

The week was a mixed bag: I ran (walking the uphills) from work on Monday and to work on Tuesday. My back and hamstrings felt fine. By the end of a good track session on Wednesday, however, my periodic plantar fascitis flare up was in full flare. It has become a pain management challenge. I'll replace my shoes and orthodics, add more specific stretches, ice and more ice, and cut back on my already reduced running schedule.

This week I'll run on Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday and try to heal my wounds.

Inspiration

Operation 220 (100kg) Update

The workout this morning was good:

6 X 800m in 3:34; 3:30; 3:31; 3:31; 3:32; and 3:31. The recovery pieces were 2:00, generally, although we stretched it to 4:00 after the third (middle) interval.

The total workout was 5 miles or so. I'm feeling pretty good but after having run for 5 days in a row, I think I'll take tomorrow off.

I'll do my official weigh-in on Saturday morning. It was 240 (109kg) last week. I'm confident of progress.