May 30, 2011

On Saturday May 28, 2011 I went for a little hop, skip and a jump.  Saturday is choose your own adventure day.  I don't meet up with anyone for a joggeroo, and I usually end up only going for 15 to 20 minutes.  Whenever I run less than 15 minutes I always say "around 15 or 20 minutes."  I didn't feel like going very far so I did mostly interval running.  To me, nothing quite beats running as hard as you can, expending all of your energy and then comfortably lying down on the grass.  I squeak out those extra 5 minutes of "running" while lying on the grass.  I'm still outside, so it is legitimate.

When I got back from my run I actually had energy left.  I decided to do a jumping workout.  I jumped up and down onto a cement retaining wall at my house, which is roughly 18 inches high.  I went fast, like a kangaroo.  I did a rep of 20, then a second strong rep.  I was feeling energized so I thought to myself " I'm going to finish a 3rd rep of 20, and I am going to go hard.  I went hard right to the end of 11, counting is overrated anyways.

On Sunday I did not go for a run.  It is important that I post what I do not do for this blog.  Such as I do not shave everyday, I maybe shave every 3rd or 4th day.  I do not do flips on trampolines, as I almost knocked myself out cold trying one as a teenager.  I do not eat black licorice because I really don't like it.  I do not do roundhouse kicks because I am not Chuck Norris, although maybe after running consecutively I will indeed become Chuck Norris, or Optimus Prime.  I hope it is Optimus Prime as it would save on having a truck payment.

On Monday things got interesting.  We invited two more people to come running with us.  We were trying to avoid the Ambiguously Gay Duo nickname that had been going around.  We were Batman and Robin, not Ace and Gary, but some people didn't see it that way.  I know what you are thinking, " but you said you would not tell anyone where your secret meeting spot is, you know the bat cave."  Don't worry the bat cave location is still intact.  Robin and I made sure that we met up at the bat cave, and then went somewhere else to meet the new guys.  No one tricks Batman or Robin.  Some people trick Alfred, but he is an old man, it happens. 

As Robin and I came around the corner to the fake meeting place, cheers erupted from the new guys.  They had signs that said " Hey you still look fat even though you lost weight," and " You almost run as well as a girl now."  They might actually not have done anything, and we possibly might have just shaken hands upon our arrival.  Chris O Donnell and I decided to show these guys what to do, they are both older than I am so we were feeling pretty good about our chances of prancing around like ballerinas.  Yes when men jog together they actually prance around like ballerinas.  Unbeknownst  to us, they were formidable opponents, just like the Grandma Prime Rib Burger.  Formi doublee, because there were two of them.  I did a little bit of interval running again, which consists of me running as fast as I can, waving my arms out to the side and making jet plane noises.  I did this two times.  The second time I did it, I ended up walking the last little while and everyone ran past me, even those two new guys.  I was tired, not necessarily from the run, but from the poor sleep that I had taken part in the previous night.  My beautiful daughters decided to have troubles going to bed, and I got, at the most 3 hours of sleep. 

As important as it is to get the recommended 11 hours of sleep a night, that is my new recommendation for everyone, it was more important for me to get up and go for a jiggity jog.  Anyways moral of the story go to bed early and wake up early in order to better yourself.  Or you could stay up late, sleep in all the time and eat ice cream for breakfast.  Hmmmmmmmmmmmm  I may be on to something.  It, going to bed early and such, makes a world of difference, and will help you to win gold at the Olympics.  Ya running a normal marathon is for crazy losers with nothing better to do well disciplined people.  It is the Olympics or bust for my running flock.

If these guys become regulars for the flock I will have to give them superhero names, like Speedy Gonzalez, or Peter Cottontail.  I should have given Peter, the Peter Cottontail nickname.  Darn it.

 2020 Olympics here we come.


Captain Awkward Statement:  "Big Gulps huh?, alright see ya later"

May 27, 2011

On Wednesday morning, being the 25th of May, I headed out in the rain.  It was a slight drizzle, but was not too bad at all.  I met up with my sidekick at our secret hideout.  Don't ask where it is, I will not tell you.  Seriously, I will not tell you where it is we meet up, so don't bother asking.  I was a little slow in heading out the door, sometimes it just takes a little longer to put on my eyeliner before my run.  Peter and I headed up Hillside, and then just randomly ran past the Rec Centre, and then went down Alder Street, then Murdoch Street.  We had no real sense of purpose.  We ran nonetheless like desperado's, why didn't we come to our senses?  There were some hills here and there that we had to deal with, but nothing we couldn't handle.  Luckily for me I did not have to carry Peter anywhere.

On Thursday morning, the 26th of May, I lay in bed as my alarm went off.  That is usually how it works, the alarm goes off while you are sleeping, and rudely interrupts the beautiful slumber that has encapsulated you.  I could hear the rain pounding hard and the wind bellowing across the valley.  My first thought was that it was raining to hard to run, but then I got up.......... cue Superman music............  I put on my filthy running clothes that I pretty much wear everyday, put on a baby blue hoody and headed outside.  It actually wasn't raining that bad, but it was windy, very windy.  For those from Lethbridge it was just like any normal day, oh how you should move to the promised land in British Columbia.  Anyways, where was I?  Oh yeah something about wind and how much better B.C. is than Alberta.  I did some light stretching and headed off in the rain towards the "Bat Cave."  Cue the cheesy Batman music and KAPOW! 

I met up with Robin and he let me pick the route to run.  His only request "Since it is windy, let's run close to some houses so we are undercover."  Robin is such a pansy, so I took it upon myself to help him toughen up.  I took us away from all the buildings to get the full brunt of the wind and the rain.  We ran around the high school showing off to all the juvenile delinquents that go to school at 5:45 in the morning.  It was a good run and we knew that the reason people were staring at us was because of our intense workout, and it had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that we were actually dressed up as Batman and Robin.

Thursday evening I had a Slow Pitch game to go to.  I put in a Slow Pitch team this year, because I was slow.  This was our 5th game, we were 1-3 coming in.  But I had been running recently, and there was a noticeable improvement in my speed and jump.  By jump I mean the fact that I could now go 0 to 60 in 4.5 seconds, they started to call me Ferrari.  Honestly though, I felt so much better just playing Slow Pitch, several people actually commented on how quick I was moving.  I must have been really slow previously.  Of course we won with a workout king like myself on the team. 

On Friday we went for a longer run yet again.  We also pushed the pace, which was a nice change.  We are continually running farther and faster everyday, which is wonderful.  On my way home I picked some lilacs for my wife.  Now before you actually think I am a nice guy, it was Peter's idea, he did it for his wife Thursday morning.  This guy is a show off wonderful person, he is pretty much Chris O Donnell in some really awkward outfit.  I am more a Val Kilmer, than a George Clooney.  Friday was also the last day of early morning seminary until September, so next week after my run I will be hitting up the bow flex for a little while.

Obligatory awkward thought:  " I'm Bulimic"  "You can read minds?"

P.S. I am not actually bulimic, neither is it a joke.  Be happy with your body and who you are.

May 24, 2011

It has been almost a week since I have posted about my status.  I am married, I mean I am still running.  I have stuck to getting up at 5:30 am every morning to run before I start my day.  Last week after I posted I was able to pick up a running buddy.  If anyone is wanting to start running regularly, I would highly recommend getting a running partner (I accept cash or cheque).  Last Thursday morning I went running with my good friend Peter.  It was much easier getting up at 5:30 exactly because I had to run and meet up with Peter.  We ran steady that day, somewhere around 4 km's.  Peter didn't stop running, so even though I wanted to stop for a break, I couldn't let him win. 

I know what you are thinking, this Peter guy sounds like a jerk.  Showing off with his steadfast running ability.  He is actually a really good guy.  Anyway, the next day, being last Friday we went for a 5 km run.  It was good, and at the end we pushed hard for a short while at the end.  It was a really short while, Martin St. Louis short.  Google Martin St Louis if you don't understand that reference.  I was definitely feeling the burn after that.  My legs, especially my hamstrings, really felt it the next few days ( I had to walk sideways up the stairs the next few days).

On Friday after work I drove with my family to Westaskiwin Alberta.  It took us 8 hours, you know one of those trips to the local convenience store.  After sleeping on an awesome air mattress at my sister-in-law's, I felt extremely invigorated, so much so that I got up in the morning and went for a run in Westaskiwin.  No, I did not get mugged.  My run Saturday morning was only for 15 or 20 minutes, but it was still a run, because that is how I roll.

I don't run on Sundays, as it is the sabbath / I need one lazy day a week.  On Monday I didn't run either, as we left in the morning on an even more chipper and delightful 9 hour drive home.  All 9 hour drives are chipper and delightful.  Note to self - take a plane next time, or take flying lessons from Superman, it is much cheaper than the alternative.

I started out at 231 pounds.  I am 6'3 or 6'4, somewhere in there and I have already lost about 20 pounds this calendar year, starting in January.  That is when the calendar year starts, in January.  And you thought it started in May when winter left.  Anyways this past week from running I lost roughly 3 pounds from running and not necessarily eating all that healthy.  On the weekend from eating fast food while driving, and then continually eating while I was at my sister-in-law's, I gained more than the 3 pounds I had lost.  Moral of the story: eat healthy or you will end up living in a van, DOWN BY THE RIVER.  I shouldn't have to explain that reference. 

This morning I got up at 5:30 and headed out for a run with Petey Pablo.  It was drizzling rain, like a luke-warm shower after your jerk of a sibling used up all the hot water.  Of course I usually don't run in the shower, but it could be very rewarding, I am sure.  Petey the talking parrot and I headed off over towards good old centennial park.  We were definitely slow today, but we kept it at a steady pace.  Peter, in his new balance shoe, started to get a little lame, so I carried him while I ran and sang the classic hit song " We need a herooooooooo."  Peter felt a little awkward after the gun show that I put on, so I let him run the rest of the way.  At the end we ran up some stairs, scratch that, Peter ran up the stairs, and I gingerly walked up the stairs.  I bet you didn't think that you could walk gingerly.

This post is going on forever, I need to post more than once a week apparently.  Oh and the most important thing that happened today; the Vancouver Canucks just advanced to the Stanley Cup Final.  Kevin Bieksa in double overtime scored the winner.  It was a beautiful overtime to watch. 

I should leave some quote of inspiration:  If you're gonna play in Texas, you've got to have a fiddle in the band.

May 18, 2011

Yesterday after work I went to the local running shoe store.  My birthday is coming up, so as a birthday present I decided to buy some running shoes and drop some of that extra jelly filling I have gathered over the last few years.  I tried on a few different pairs of shoes, some wonderful, some not so much.  I narrowed it down to two pairs, some Asics Gel Cumulus 11, which were really comfortable feeling, and some Nike Air Pegasus 26, which were nice as well.   My decision was made easy, as soon as I realized the Nike shoes were 50% off.  Of course I chose the cheaper shoe. 

I decided that the next morning I would get up at 5:30 a.m. and go for an early morning run.  I set my alarm for 5:30, and got up promptly at 5:55 a.m.  I stepped outside to hear the beautiful singing of birds.  I had my new shoes on, ready to roll.  I started off.......What a stupid birthday present.

Up the hill I ran, like a frisky doe bounding up the mountainside, or a prancing Pepe Lapeau.  I made it all the way up the short hill before stopping to compose myself.  I composed myself for a short time before continuing my exciting journey.  The next section of my excursion including running slowly, slower, and slowest, all intermittently.   I tried to make sure that I was always composed, as composure is key to being a top notch runner. 

After the long run of 15 minutes, I returned and walked down the hill towards my humble abode.  I had made it.  I actually got up somewhat early in the morning to go for a run, I use the term loosely.  I pretty much qualify as a marathon runner.  Maybe I will run one in the near future..................

Or maybe I should wait to see if I get up for my run tomorrow morning before I commit to running a marathon.