My Nasty Little Head Cold...

Holy crap!  I have one heck of a head cold killing me right now.  I swear I'm acting like a zombie going through the motions the last couple of days.  I have a feeling that today won't be any different.  I know when it's bad because I have to take NyQuil to go to sleep.  I got my run in this morning.  I put in 5.32 miles and my chest was burning by the time I made it back to the house.  The cold air really takes a toll on me.  I took it easy though.  I don't want to make it worse BUT I don't want to skip a workout either.  Anyways, here's to hoping that the cold starts to go away today!  GET HEALTHY!!!  Until next time...

P.S.- I signed up for a Nike+ challenge starting on 1 Jan 2012 and goes until 31 Dec 2012.  The challenge is to run 1,500 miles this year.  I like running with my Nike+ because it tracks my miles for me and I can do interesting little challenges like this.  There is 1,900 people from around the world signed up for this particular challenge so it should be interesting to see how I'll do.  Fun, fun...

Last Week of 2011...

Well coming into the last week of 2011 it's hard not to reflect on what has happened this past year.  It has been a very fast year.  I will steer clear of the I should have or I could have thoughts because we can't do anything about the past.  No, this week I will focus on the future and what this coming year will bring.  I will literally hit the ground running and look to improve myself all around this year.  I have fitness goals, educational goals, and some life goals I want to work on through out the year.  First thing is first and that is getting through this week.  I got in 5.21 miles this morning and it was around 50° here.  That is cold for Okinawa.  I think I'm in for a major shock next winter in Korea.  Anyways, I'm looking forward to next year and improving myself.  JUST RUN!!

A Late Night Run...

With my work schedule I don't get to run in the evenings very much.  Heather had a girl date tonight with her buddies so when she got home and got settled in I took to the streets and got my run in.  It was a little rainy and a little chilly out tonight but it made for a cool run.  The only bad thing is dinner hadn't settled all the way when I went to run so I fought that the whole time.  The important thing is I didn't skip my run.  One more to go for the week and I will have finished all 6 runs this week.  I got in 5.46 miles tonight.  JUST RUN!

Running in a Typhoon! Well Almost...

OK well maybe it's not a typhoon but it sure felt like it this morning when I was out running.  When I stepped out the door it was misting.  I like running in the rain for the most part and it was a nice mist and it didn't seem really windy.  That was until I hit around the 2 mile mark and then all hell broke loose.  I mean it started raining side ways and the wind was trying to knock me down.  It felt like I was being hit in the face by tiny little darts!  Well that maybe be a little far fetched but I think you get my point.  By the time I got back to the house I was pretty numb and worn out.  So it was a good run?  Like I've said before, this type of run is better than no run at all.  I got in 5.36 "wet" miles.  Stay Dry...

PS- Last day of Work!!!

Sluggish this Morning...

Well my run this morning can only be described by the word sluggish.  That is how I felt the whole time.  Every time I tried to pick of my pace or kick it in another gear it felt like I was towing a car behind me.  Oh well, these types of runs happen.  The way to overcome them is endure it while they are torturing you!   I made the mistake of eating too much chicken fried rice last night and I really paid the price my entire run.  One of these days I will learn to eat healthier.  Anyways, I got in 5.27 miles this morning and I only have two more days of work then a 4 day break.  I have to say I love the extra time off during this time of year.  Exercise, exercise, exercise...

A Bit Chilly this Morning...

I wasn't that awake when I got up to go run this morning.  That was until I stepped out the door and the cool air hit me in the face!  Instantly I was awake and wondering where my running jacket is.  Then I remembered I don't have a running jacket because this is Okinawa and it doesn't get cold here.  Anyways by the end of my first half mile (which is all up hill) the last thing I am thinking about it being cold.  It was a pretty good run this morning.  I decided not to do FIP until the first of the year.  Since I haven't ran for about two weeks, I will need the next two weeks to get my body back to where it was not too long ago.  Then starting in January I will start doing FIP for my lunch hour.  I think I finally got Heather on board with meal planning for me.  I need help with the food part.  I want to plan to eat 2000-2200 cals a day.  And I know me, I will need to plan out every one of those calories to stay on track.  That means the night before packing my meal for the next day so I take all the guess work out of what I am eating.  That is the ONLY way I am going to conquer my eating problems.  Anyways I got in 5.3 miles this morning.  I want to push past this holiday season so I can focus on the headache that will be my next 18 months.  MENTALLY STRONG...

Ok, Let's Try This Again...

Alrighty, I've finished up my leave and now it's time to get back to work.  This is my home stretch and it's time to keep my eyes focused on this coming April and my PT test.  I have 104 days left until the 1st of April and I will be eligible to test.  In that time I want to be under 250 lbs.  I am currently sitting at 276.8 lbs.  It is time to get to work and do what I know I should be doing all along.  I found a nifty little spreadsheet that I am going to track everything on which I hope will be a pretty awesome little tool.  We will see how it goes.  I got in 5.28 miles this morning which was a nice little run.  I was a little winded but what do you expect when I've only ran one other time this month.  I'm looking to hit up FIP class for lunch today.  That should be fun all by itself.  GO BRONCOS!!!!  Just Run...

Back at it again...

I had to take some time off from running because the Sciatica has been killing me.  I seem to be all healed up now and will proceed with more caution this time.  I have to remember that there is nothing wrong with walking.  I think I push myself too much sometimes because I think that walking isn't quite the workout I want to get.  Anyways, it's time to hit the pavement once again and see how many miles I can knock out for the second half of December.  I got in 5.32 miles this morning.  Stay MENTALLY strong...

End of November...

Well November is finally in the books.  This mornings run will be my last for November because I can't go to FIP because I have training during that time.  I got in 5.24 miles this morning for a total of 104.28 miles for November.  It was a pretty good month I'd have to say.  I am looking to beat that in December and keep gettting stronger and more fit.  I went to FIP yesterday and worked out with my "buddy".  My "buddy" was a 13.2 lb medicine ball that I got to haul around the track doing various cross training exercises with.  Nothing like running around the track with a 13.2 lb medicine held above your head.  The FIP instructor Blake is no joke, but his workouts are hands down more challenging that anyone else's.  I'm looking forward to having a good December.  JUST RUN!

Still Humid in Okinawa...

Well I stepped out the door this morning and the humidity smacked me in the face.  Yep, it is still humid here in Okinawa.  Nevertheless, I headed out into the night for my morning run.  I got in 5.27 miles this morning which is always good.  I hit FIP class yesterday expecting a kick butt workout but it was raining cats and dogs outside and the instructor didn't plan for that SO we ended up staying inside the gym and playing volleyball.  I've never played volleyball for a FIP class before.  Anyways it was better than sitting behind my desk doing nothing or worse eating.  I was up and I was active.  I plan on transitioning FIP into my regular daily workouts this month until it becomes second nature.  Then next month I would like to add a little weight training after work.  Yes, I know that's 3 workouts a day but I will be smart about it and not over do it.  I think that is the key.  If I don't go crazy and be smart about it I should be able to maintain it until I leave Kadena.  I think building up to it will be key also.  All I did this past month was run.  This month I will add in FIP class and then next month I will add in weights.  Until next time...

A New Week...

Well it's the beginning of a new week and I am ready to start December.  I want 2012 to get here so we can focus on this move and get it out of the way.  There will be a lot of change come 2012 and I want everything to go smoothly during what will most likely be one of the longest years of my life when I'm in Korea.  I will need to find a way to make it fly by.  I started off the week weighing in at 275.4 lbs.  Yep, another week of no weight loss but no weight gain either.  I am going to throw in some FIP classes this week and see if the extra workouts will jump start my fat loss (work allowing, of course).  Heather and I need to figure out our diet thing which is pretty non-existent right now.  I got in 5.32 miles this morning in the rain which was nice.  I hope that if I lose some of this weight my sciatic problem will go away.  That's the dream anyways. 

We had a nice family weekend.  Friday we went down to Naha and went to the fish store which is always one of my favorite things to do.  Plus the girls get to look at all the puppies they have at Pet Box.  Saturday, the girls and I hung around the house while Heather went with her friend Danielle to Naha to take pictures over at Shuri castle.  When I found out where they went I was pretty jealous.  I love going to that place!  Sunday we played hooky from church and went to the zoo which is one of the girls favorite places to visit.  They got to ride the horse, hang out in the kangaroo cage, feed the dinosaur carp, and play at the kids science museum.  We all had a really good time. 

Until next time...

Happy Thanksgiving...

Well Thanksgiving is coming to a close here in Okinawa and it's been a pretty good day.  I started the day off with a run this morning.  It was pretty cold and really windy which made for a not so pleasant run.  Anyhow I knocked out 5.31 miles and they were rough.  This afternoon we headed over to our friends house Mark and Danielle McIlroy's house for Thanksgiving dinner.  Danielle made a wonderful dinner and we had a good time.  They have girls around Bella and Evie's age so everyone was happy.  We are another day closer to coming home which is always a good thing.  I hope everyone has a terrific Thanksgiving.  Until next time...

Last Day of Work this Week...

I am totally stoked that today is the last day of work this week.  Man oh man I love 4 day weekends.  I think every week should be a 3 day work week but I should get paid the same money though.  Anyways there was an epic struggle to get out the door this morning.  I have to thank Evie for hiding my iPhone so I couldn't set the alarm and take a nap on the couch and skip my run.  I was a little sluggish during my run today so I took it back a notch and took my time this morning.  I was in no rush but I did get in 5.31 miles this morning.  It just took me a little longer than normal.  I have to remember that it's not a race and this is all about consistency and getting my fat butt out that door and doing something.  Until next time...

Go, go, go...

Boy oh boy, some mornings are tougher than others.  Not the running part, but the getting dressed and heading out the door part.  I didn't sleep all that great last night so it took every ounce of self will to get up and get out that door.  When I finally did I actually had a pretty decent run.  I mean the sciatica was still there but it was a better run than I've had in a while.  I got in 5.24 miles and look to keep it going tomorrow.  Until next time...

Holiday Week...

Well Thanksgiving week is upon us and I am ready for the 4 day break from work.  Only three early morning runs (4AM) this week and then three later morning runs (8AM) this week.  I should be close to the century mark if I stay on track.  The goal is to break 100 miles for the month and I'm sitting at 70.56 miles right now.  I got in 5.3 miles this morning which was a little chilly outside.  Well chilly for Okinawa.  I weighed in at 275.6 lbs yesterday.  Not close to where I want to be but hopefully I can make some strides this week.  Heather said she wants to do a weight loss challenge with me.  She wants to be below 110 lbs by her birthday.  And I said I will be below 240 lbs before we leave here in May.  We give ourselves $200 allowance a paycheck on the 1st and the 15th of each month.  The bet is if she doesn't get below 110 lbs by her birthday I get her allowance for that pay period but if she makes it then she gets my allowance.  The same goes for the 1st of May.  So I stand to gain $400 or lose $400.  I guess I better get to work!  Until next time...

Kinda of a Day Off...

I didn't get my run in this morning because I was feeling a little under the weather.  So I decided to wait until the afternoon to see if I would feel better.  Well I was feeling better by the time I made it back home but when I finally got home there was a note on my door saying I need to mow my lawn and they would re-inspect my house tomorrow.  I have a beast of a lawn compared to any of my neighbors and it's been a few weeks since I last mowed it.  So I decided that I would throw on the Nike+ and see just how far I could get mowing my lawn.  I got in 1.84 miles while mowing my lawn.  I was pretty impressed that I got in that much.  Anyways, I appeased the Kadena housing gods for now.  Until next time...

Onward and Upward...

I had a good run this morning. I felt kinda bad though, I scared the crap out of this guy during my run. He was trudging up the hill that I was running down and he wasn't paying attention and when I got right by him he let out a scream and kinda went into the fetal position while running. I don't know how else to describe it. After I made sure he was fine I continued on my way with a little laugh. I guess having someone who is 6'3" & 275 lbs appear out of nowhere can be pretty scary in the dark at 0430 in the morning. I got in 5.21 miles this morning and it was a better run than Monday that's for sure.  Happy Running Everyone!!

Back at it...

Well another week has started and I'm still not back to my starting weight for November.  Man I suck at watching what I eat.  I weighed in at 276.4 lbs this morning and I guess it's better than last week by 2 lbs.  I just need to keep running and work on my eating.  I think I eat way to much bread.  I need to eat more protein and try to moderate my carbs since I am not running over 6 miles at a time.  I got in my run this morning of 5.29 miles and it was a hard run.  The good thing is I got it in and I need to keep pushing forward with my workouts.  I want to start FIP again at the first of the year.  I need to stay focused.  It was a pretty good weekend.  Saturday we went to the aquarium which is always a good time and then Sunday we headed out to the beach and the girls played in the water.  Which is always nice since it is the middle of November.  I got in a total of 31.51 miles last week and I am happy about that.  Now to keep it going.  Until next time...

Happy Saturday...

Well the weeks almost over and my running is complete for the week.  I will get in a walk tomorrow and total up my numbers then.  For some reason I was awake at 4 AM on a Saturday and couldn't go back to sleep.  So I headed out the door to finish up my weekly miles.  It was a good week.  It was an up and down week as far as motivation went but I got in ALL my runs and I am proud of that.  Now to duplicate it next week and keep it going FOREVER.  It needs to be a lifestyle not just a habit.  Now if I could just get my eating more in line with my running I would be getting somewhere.  I guess one thing at a time.  I got in 5.22 miles this morning and I think we will make a trip to the Aquarium today.  That way I'm not sitting on the couch doing nothing for the rest of the day.  It is a very nice day outside and I'm sure the girls would love to hit the aquarium today.  Until next time...

Happy Veteran's Day!!

Well since I have the day off for Veteran's Day, I slept in a little bit (7AM, I normally get up at 4AM) and then went for a run after everyone else was awake because Genavieve has to get up when I do.  She thinks she might miss something and I don't dare leave that little monster by herself while everyone else is sleeping.  So I got out the door around 0930.  The run was nice but it was windy and humid.  All in all it was a nice run.  I got in 5.19 miles.  One more day to go and that will be six runs for the week.  I haven't accomplished that for a while now.  Today is a day to reflect on my family members who have served our country.  Those closest to me who have served are my brother Bill and my Grandpa Ross.  I am grateful for their service and they truly inspired me to join the military.  I am grateful for the opportunity to serve our country.  Although I may not be the most patriotic person, I know what I am doing is making a difference for the security of our country.  Until next time...

Another rainy run...

The rain today during my morning run makes yesterday's rain look like a sprinkle.  It was raining SO hard during my run this morning which was awesome!!  I was completely soaked by the time I made it back to the house but way better than a hot and very humid run.  Four days down with two more "run" days to go.  I think on Sunday's I will go for a walk so I don't give my legs and hips a chance to forget everything I've done the previous week.  I think we will hit up the aquarium this weekend.  We haven't been up there for awhile.  I forgot to mention that we had a pretty big earthquake hit us the day before yesterday.  The epicenter was a 6.9 but we only got hit we a 3 or 4 magnitude.  But I was out in the yard at work in between all the R-11 refueling units when it happened and they were all dancing around me.  It was pretty amazing.  I didn't even feel it standing on the ground which was odd.  Just another day in Okinawa, Japan.  Anyways, I got in 5.32 miles this morning.  Onward and upward...

Running in the Rain...

Today's run was a pretty good one.  Well as far as could be expected running with sciatica.  As an added little bonus for my run this morning it was raining outside.  It wasn't a torrent just a nice light rain for the majority of my run which was very nice.  My sciatic nerve didn't bother me as bad during my run today.  I hope that it will start to subside once I get consistent with my runs and some weight comes off.  I would like to put in some medium runs (6-10 miles) starting at the beginning of the year.  Plus come the beginning of the year I want to start Fat Boy class again so there is no way I will fail my PT test right before I PCS.  Anyways, I got in 5.23 miles this morning and look to keep it going tomorrow.  Until next time...

Better...

Well today was a better day.  I was happy that I found my stride again and that it didn't feel like I was running for the first time again.  Now if I could get my sciatic nerve to quit hurting I might be able to get somewhere.  I guess that will come once the weight starts to come off AGAIN.  Now if I could figure out how to keep my diet under control I would be getting somewhere.  I got in another 5.28 miles in today.  Two days down and four to go.  Until next time...

New Week...

I'm looking to have a good fitness week this week.  I will focus on taking it one day at a time and doing something everyday.  My run today was tough.  When I walked out the door and started running it felt like I was running for the first time ever.  It just hurt and it felt awkward.  I did quite a bit of walking and running when I could but the positive thing I took away from a very forgettable run was I did it.  I got out there and I got it done.  Tomorrow morning will be the same thing.  I will step foot out that door and MAKE IT HAPPEN.  I got in 5.28 miles this morning and it was worth it.  Until next time...

A Day on the Treadmill...

I spaced posting yesterday because of it seems we were busy up until we went to bed.  The good thing for me is that it's still Friday back in the states so I shouldn't have to mess with the time and date on blogger.  I didn't get my run in in the morning on Friday.  My stomach was giving me fits so I held off until after work to get my run in.  It was very warm so I decided to head over to the gym and do my run on the treadmill.  For some reason I think that I push myself harder on the treadmill.  I got in 5.42 miles and I was pretty worn out after the run.  I had problems uploading my data to Nike + and that pisses me off.  I made a challenge on their website to track my progress of running 500 miles before we leave in May and I hate when I can't upload a 5 mile run.  Oh well, it's still the easiest way to track my runs....  when it's working!!!  Until next time...

Clean up the Diet...

Well I had an epiphany during my run this morning.  Eat good and have a good run.  Eat horrible and have a horrible run.  Bad choices for dinner last night lead to a very sub-par run this morning.  I felt on the verge of throwing up the whole time.  It comes down to making better meal choices.  I got in 5.37 miles this morning and I need to get better.  All the way around...

Hot, Hot, Hot!!!

Well it may be November but it doesn't feel like it outside.  My run this morning was very warm and very humid.  I was a puddle of sweat by the time I made it back to the house.  I am only doing one work out a day this week and possibly next week to acclimate myself to running 5 to 6 days a week.  Then once I feel comfortable doing that I will throw in some weights or TRX.  I would like to start doing the Fitness Improvement Program starting in January but we will see if I can work that in to my already busy schedule.  I am quite happy running in the mornings right now because nothing can screw up my runs that early except my laziness.  I just need to stay focused and stay motivated.  I got in 5.33 miles this morning which I am happy about.  I still have to take walking breaks because my sciatic nerve bugs me BUT I am outside making it happen.  BABY STEPS!!  Until next time...

274.4 lbs...

Well November 1st is here and it's time to start LOSE 10 lbs a month until I leave.  I weighed in at 274.4 lbs this morning and I think I will weigh myself everyday to see where I am at.  I think the key will be what I put in my mouth.  Six months from today we leave Okinawa.  I have a little goal that I want to run 500 miles before we leave in May.  That should keep me busy.  I got in 5.23 miles this morning and that run doesn't count towards my 500 because I made the challenge on Nike+ after I synced my run.  Oh well, at least I got in my run.  Until next time...

Phase II's suck, suck, suck!!!

Well the easy part of the base exercise is over and now it's time for the crappy part.  The dreaded Phase II where we spend hours upon hours in our gas masks and chem suits playing war.  Good times!  I can't wait until Friday when this is over for hopefully another 3-4 months.  I hope that I only have to do one more of these before I leave Kadena.  But then again I am going to Korea where they do these once a month, so we will see how that goes.  Anyways enough complaining and on to better things.  I got in 5.3 miles tonight and I am half way through my exercise week.  My sciatica is bothering me but I just need to work through it.  I need to stay focused on where I want to go and I KNOW what I need to do to get there.  Run, Lift, Nutrition...

Gorillas in the Mist...

I told my buddy Jason Lane tonight that tonight's run was kinda like Gorillas in the mist.  Me being the Gorilla running in the mist.  It wasn't a rainy run but it was a true mist tonight which was awesome to run in.  Now if I could get my sciatica under control (weight loss) I would have enjoyed my run A LOT more.  Consistency, consistency, consistency.  That's the trick!  I got in a total of 5.33 miles tonight.  I am headed in the right direction.  Only 167 days until my Physical Fitness test month is here!  GET BUSY!!

Back to Work...

Well after last weeks activities, things are back to normal and I can get back to "fitness" work.  I have came up with a lofty goal since I won't be able to run the marathon this December, I needed something for me to work towards that will push me physically.  Starting on November 1st I am going to work on losing 10 lbs. a month.  I will weigh myself November 1st and post my weight and my picture which shouldn't look any different then the last one that I posted but it will be a start.  We have a LORE this week which means dressing up in MOPP gear and playing "war".  Good times.  Next week when things are back to normal I am going to start working on out processing or do what I can do right now.  I want to be proactive because Kadena isn't the best when it comes to people leaving this base.  Anyways, I got in 5.24 miles tonight before I head to work at midnight and work til noon.  Man I love Kadena!!!  Until next time...

Double Duty...

Well the morning started off pretty good once I finally got out of bed.  I really wanted to hit the snooze button and go back to sleep.  It would have been way easier to sleep in til 6AM.  But I finally rolled out of bed and rolled out the door to knock out my morning run.  I got in 5.27 miles and I got to do it under a full moon which was awesome.  After I got off work I debated going to the gym but I just hate fighting for equipment so I came home.  I got home to a quite house because Heather and my two sick girls were taking an afternoon nap.  So I decided to lace up the running shoes for a afternoon run.  It was raining off and on again and I love running in the rain.  It seemed like I was chasing the rain my entire run which I never did catch.  It was so humid though, you would have thought I did run in the rain.  It was a pretty good run but I was spent by the time I got home.  I got in 5.24 miles to finish off a pretty good day.

So the new, new plan is that on my PT days which are Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday I will come home and get in a second 5 mile run.  Even if I come home and go for a 5 mile walk it will still be better than fighting through my workout at the gym.  With that said on Tuesday and Fridays I will do TRX over at the gym because all I need is the TRX hook in the gym which no one uses.  And on Saturday I will just go for a run when I wake up.  I figure on holidays I will treat it like a Saturday and fore go doing a two-a-day work out.  Well that is the plan and it sounds pretty good to me.  We will see how it works.  Until next time...

Good Bye Three Day Weekend...

Well another 3 day weekend has come and gone (too quickly) and now we are back at it.  I am looking to build on last weeks numbers which shouldn't be hard to do since I didn't even get in 20 miles.  I got a bug Wednesday night and it really threw my week off track.  I am looking to bounce back and have a solid week.  I started it off this morning with a 5.14 mile run.  My afternoon workout didn't happen because Heather had to take Evie over to the dentist for one of her pre-surgery appointments and I needed to be here when Bella got home from school.  I am looking to get in another morning run and I have to play my afternoon workouts by ear because of Evie's appointments all week leading up to her dental surgery on Monday.  Stress, stress, stress!!!  It really freaks me out to have them put her out but I know it is for the best to get the dental work done that she needs.  I just hate the thought of them using anaesthesia on her being so young.  I pray everything goes EXTREMELY well and there will be no complications.  Until next time...

A Quickie...

Just a quick post.  I got in 5.25 miles this morning but that was it.  I am feeling under the weather so I stayed home this afternoon and took a nap.  I feel a little bit better but my stomach is still bothering me.  I hope that when I get up in the morning that I can get in my morning run.  I guess we will see.  Until next time...

TRX is a Monster!!

I thought I would switch it up this afternoon and do a little TRX instead of free weights.  I think I should of stuck to the free weights.  It's been awhile since I've done TRX and I always forget how killer of a work out it is.  You definitely need a strong core to do most of the exercises associated with TRX, which I DON'T have.  But I guess I need to be consistent with it to get that strong core.  Anyways, it was such a good work out it was giving me back cramps in places I didn't think I had muscles.  Good times.  I got in my morning run and then another 35 minutes on the treadmill this afternoon for a total of 7.48 miles for the day.  I should sleep good tonight.  Until next time...

It is go time!!!

On October 1st, it was officially 6 months until I am eligible to PT test again.  With that being said, It is officially 7 months until we are supposed to leave Okinawa.  Now with THAT being said if I fail my PT test I would be put on Admin hold and lose my orders, therefore lose my follow on and probably get a crappy base or worse get KICKED OUT!!  NOW is the time to focus and get to where I want to be because I don't want to be stuck at this base any longer than I have to.  So, IT IS GO TIME!!!!  In 6 months I hope to transform my body into something I will be proud of.  I have count down schedules all over my office and at the house.  I will start posting days left here to keep me aware and honest to what I want to accomplish.  Today I got in 7.92 total miles.  I did 5.29 miles in the morning before work and 2.63 at the gym after I got off work.  Before my afternoon run I got in 45 minutes of weight lifting.  My sciatic nerve is still bothering me but I think it is because I am heavy.  Well that is about to change!  I was pretty accountable for what I ate today.  I don't think I will keep a journal because I don't have the time.  I will be conscious of what I am eating and plan my meals the night before to take the guess work out of it.  I weighed in at 276.2 lbs this morning.  I didn't post another picture at the beginning of October because there really wasn't a change due to my lack of effort.  I hope to post a "change" picture on 1 November.  Let's do this!!!

The Long Weekend...

Well after a nice, long weekend it was back to work and some physical exercise.  I guess when you sit around all weekend not doing a whole lot wreaks havoc on the body.  All the sitting and not getting the blood circulating in the body really takes a toll on you when you start a new week of running.  Anyways, that is my theory.  Since it was a holiday yesterday, I decided to spend the day with the family instead of hitting the gym.  Today, after work I got in 5.34 miles.  I definitely need to do some more stretching because my sciatic nerve was giving me fits.  I still think that once I get my weight down it won't be much of an issues.  I don't remember having this sort of problem with I was below 250 lbs.  So that is the direction I am headed.  I weighed in at 274.6 lbs.  That number is headed in the right direction this week.  I just need to think about what I am putting in my mouth and stay focused on where I want to go.  Until next time...

Another week in the books...

Well my long run didn't go as planned and I have been thinking that I need to take a step back from my marathon training and just run what I can run from now on.  I am not in the shape that I need to be for this kind of hardcore marathon training.  I just don't have the endurance to run double digit runs at the moment.  So with that said I will continue to put in 6 days of running but more realistic mileage.  With that being said I don't think that Naha will happen.  We will see how I feel when it comes around but I don't think I will have the "base" mileage to complete the marathon in the allotted 6 hours.  I have come to terms with it and I am fine with it.  Maybe some other day but as of right now I want to focus on my weight loss because that is more important to me right now.  So with that being said I look forward to some great training days and looking forward to getting to lower digits on the scale...  JUST LOSE WEIGHT...

Family Day...

I love when the Air Force decides to give us family days.  They don't come around all that often but you can count on them certain holidays through out the year.  I truly enjoy four day weekends especially here at Kadena.  We went to Evie's open house for her new year at All Soul's pre-school.  She was super excited to see her class room and all of her classmates.  I am glad that both Bella and Evie enjoy school so much.  When we got back from all of our running around I decided I had put off my run long enough.  I got in 6.32 miles with my new iPod.  My old one finally died on me after 5 years of constant use.  I hope this one serves me just as good.  Tomorrow is my long run and I hope that it goes as good as today's run.  Until next time...

September 1st...

Well today is the day that I make the eating change. I think I'm doing pretty well with the exercise portion of my life, for the moment. I don't want to jinx myself. So I want to gradually make diet changes that will benefit me with my weight loss. And to do that I want to start posting pictures so maybe if I can see the changes over the months maybe it will help me stay motivated to keep on track with my diet and my exercise. So ready or not here goes nothing. I got in 3.56 miles today. It felt pretty good and I hope to continue for the rest of the week. So first off let me apologize for the following picture...



280 lbs

 It looks like I have a lot of work to do. Let's get to work!!!

End of August totals...

Well the month has come to an end and I feel pretty good about this past month. I put in some tough runs and I still have a long way to go but I think I am headed in the right direction. I just need to stay consistent with my work outs that things should be fine. Maybe throw in a little nutritional discipline and just maybe I will see some weight loss, but that's another story. I got in 6.26 grueling miles today. I was having some stomach issues during my run but I got in the whole 6 miler today. For the month I got in a total of 99.9 logged miles which I consider pretty good since I haven't been close to 100 any other month this year. I hope to blow that total out of the water in September. Let's get it!!!!

Let's begin Week 5...

Well week 5 is upon us and I am looking forward to having a good week. I took yesterday off from cross training because it was a really hectic day. I found out that I am going to Korea for a year in June 2012. I will be at Daegu Air Base which is a Republic of Korea Air Force base. It will be different from the other assignments in Korea because we are a 4 man shop and we will be doing Quality Assurance work on War Reserve Materials. We are there just in case a war breaks out with North Korea. It should be an interesting assignment. Heather and the girls will move back to Manti, Utah so they can be close to family. We are hoping to get Hill Air Force Base as our follow on. My 8 choices will be Hill (UT), Nellis (NV), Travis (CA), McChord (WA), Fairchild (WA), Beale (CA), Luke (AZ), & Mt. Home (ID). We just want to be in the West so we are close to family. I hope that the year will go smoothly and go quickly.

Anyways back to other things, I weighed in at 277.4 lbs this week. I need to figure out my eating because obviously things aren't going in the right direction. I am going to try something new starting September 1st. I will post a "before" picture and continue to do so until I am satisfied with where I am at. It will be embarrassing at first but maybe it will give me the motivation I need to lose this weight. I got in 3.36 miles today. It was a pretty good run. I am looking to improve on my endurance this week. JUST RUN!!!

Week 4 in the Books...

Well today I wrapped up Week 4 and I have to say that it was a pretty decent week. I got in all of my workouts and that is saying something because I always have something come up during the week or I get lazy, but not this week. Today was my long run and I got in 11.08 miles which gave me 30.41 miles for the week. I would like to say that I ran most of it but that would be a lie. I did a lot of walking because the humidity, heat, and Okinawa hills kill me BUT I did get in the whole 11 miles outside which is a moral victory. I will continue to do my weekly runs indoors on the treadmill and my long runs will happen on the road. When it cools down here I will probably switch some of my runs to outdoors. As long as I am getting in my runs is what's important. I need to stick to this schedule and the wind and endurance will come. All in all it was a productive week and I look forward to continuing it into week 5. Until next time...

Slow and Steady...

Slow and steady is what my runs are about right now. I don't really have any speed and my endurance is crap right now. So all I got to rely on is running slow and steady and when I need that break I walk to reach my mileage goals. It is kind of frustrating but at least I am getting my miles in. That is better than sitting on my couch eating my life away even though my love handles wouldn't agree. I know I just need to keep plodding along and eventually I will get back to where I was not too long ago. Anyways I got in 6.32 SLOW miles today. I have my long run tomorrow (11mi.) and I'm sure that will take me quite a while to complete BUT I will get it in. I am also running on the road tomorrow so it will be an early run to beat the heat and humidity. Well at least the heat, it's always humid here. Until next time...

Totals for 25 Aug 2011

Well it was a pretty simple day today which was kinda nice. Work was kind of a beast today so it was nice to only have a 3 miler to do today. It was my last easy run for the week and I took advantage of it by not over doing it. I got in 3.33 miles and I felt pretty good afterwards which is always nice. I am still having a little issue with my sciatic nerve but getting consistent with my runs will loosen it up so it won't bother me anymore. Until next time...

Totals for 24 Aug 2011

Not a lot happened today as far as life goes. I got my car towed over to BC motors to get fixed and the car is still under warranty so that is great!! The mechanic said the coil is bad and I don't have a clue what that is. At least it won't cost me a thing to get it fixed. After all that head ache I headed to the gym to get my run in. It was actually a pretty good run today. I got through it with minimal walking and I felt pretty good afterwards. I definitely could of went longer. I got in 6.31 miles when it was all said and done and I am happy with that. Until next time...

Fun, fun, fun...

Well another week of fun has begun. A good time working and running and trying to stay sane here at Kadena. Yesterday after my run Bella and I was on our way home after picking up some food when off in the distance we saw a funnel cloud dropping out of the sky. It was a pretty amazing water spout that lasted a good 15 to 20 minutes. They are always cool to look at from a distance. Today was a little frustrating because I think the fuel pump went out in my car. Tomorrow I will have to check to see if the warranty is still good so I can get it fixed. Today I got in 3.35 miles and it was an ok run. My lower back is giving me some trouble when I'm running but running will loosen it up! It's the only thing that will work and stretching. I'm not very good at stretching. Well I am done rambling now. Until next time...

Week 4 Starts Now...

Well it's a start of a new week and it's time to get busy! I only dropped 1 pound last week but that is pretty good since I ate like total crap this past week. Maybe if I could clean up my eating I would get some where. So I weighed in at 276.4 lbs. At least I went down a little bit instead of up. Today was cross training day so I spent 30 minutes on the elliptical machine and 30 minutes on the stationary bike. It was a pretty good work out. My running week this week goes 3, 6, 3, 6, 11. It should be a good week until I get to my long run. The double digit run kinda scares me because its been awhile since I've went double digits. I guess we will see how it goes. Until next time...

A Rough Week...

I am soooo glad this week is over with. I just hope I don't have too many more like it. I just had a really rough week running. I mean the energy wasn't there the whole week. I thought I felt pretty good in Hawaii and I was knocking out some pretty good runs. Now that I am back in Okinawa in the heat and humidity I am slowly dying (or at least that is how I feel). I think working outside in the heat and humidity really takes more of a toll on my body than I realize. Then I want to go put in 5+ miles a day and I am totally drained afterwards. But then again I just chalk it up to me not being in shape and being fat. So I will continue to push myself "safely" and knock out my workouts. I won't hurt myself and if I need to taper it back some I will. I just need to build some consistency with my workouts and the heat/ humidity will eventually go away and running will become pleasant once again. Just in time for my long runs outside. I got in 6.29 miles today. This is Saturday so that was my LONG run for this week. I don't know if I could have finished a double digit run this week. I guess we will see how week 4 goes. My totals for the week are 23.09 miles (goal was 22 miles for Week 3). I also got my new shoes in and I laced them up for my run today. Man o' man do I love Pearl Izumi's, best shoes ever...in my humble opinion.


I will probably have to get one more pair of shoes before the marathon in December since most of my mileage will go onto these bad boys. I can't wait to break these in and get running. It's seriously like running on two pillows. Until next time...

The ORI is Over...

Well the ORI is finally over with and now we can move along with life! LoL We can get away from the 12 hour shifts and hopefully stay on 10's for awhile instead of falling back into 12's. I am looking forward to my running week to be over. I need that day off to hurry up and get here. Only one more day of running and week 3 will finally be over with. I have really struggled this week with my running. I just don't have the energy this week. It has been so hot at work that by the time I get on that treadmill I am spent. I still get in my workout but it has been tough. I need to get this weight off once again and the running and energy will get better. At least I believe it will. I got in 5.36 miles today. I felt pretty good at the beginning and the end of the run but the middle really almost did me in. I will keep trudging along and knocking out this marathon training. I know eventually my fitness life will get better. Until next time...

Another day complete...

Well another 12 hour shift in the books. You would think that I would be used to working 12 hour shifts because that's what I have pretty much done the whole time at Kadena but I still hate them. I hope this exercise doesn't go into the weekend but it looks like it will. Oh well, I'm glad that my long run this week is only 6 miles. Today I got in 5.32 miles and it was better than yesterday but still not great. I just don't have the energy yet but I am sure it will come back. I can sure tell the difference between the Precor treadmill in Hawaii and the Life Fitness Treadmills we have on the base. The Life Fitness ones are so much better and accurate. If I could only afford one to put in my house. Anyways, I am spent so it's time to sit on the couch and do nothing... JUST RELAX!!!

A Rough Running Day...

Have you ever had those days where you feel like you can't keep up with the treadmill no matter how slow you run on it? Well today was one of those days. Every time I tried to pick up a little speed (speed for me that is) or get some consistency running I just didn't have it in me. I was just worn out for some reason. I had side aches, nausea, acid reflux, etc. during my run today. Let's just say it was a less than stellar running day. It took me FOREVER to get in 6.11 miles (80 minutes). I just felt like I was never going to get there but I didn't give up because I had to reach that number today and I did. I just hope tomorrow will be a better day or I will be walking 5 miles tomorrow because I WILL get in 5 miles tomorrow (work or sickness pending that is). I will keep my head up and know that consistency will make my life a LOT easier. JUST RUN!!

Back Home in Okinawa...

Well I am back in Oki and things are pretty much back to business here. I was just informed that the Inspector General (IG) Team is here at Kadena for our Operational Readiness Inspection (ORI) which is a big deal. It shows how the base performs to prepare for war and how the base would fight a war. It is a really big deal and they suck, suck, suck!! If you fail, you can look forward to 6 months of exercises every other week until the IG team comes back for a re-look which is a worst case scenario. I hope that everything goes smoothly this week and we do fine. I am happy that it is a low mileage week because I will be working 12 hour shifts probably through Saturday. My week is Circuit Training, 3 mi, 5 mi, 3 mi, 5 mi, 6 mi. It shouldn't be hard to get in my mileage this week. The problem will be staying motivated to get in my runs after 12 hour shifts. I got in my circuit training today. I did 30 minutes on the elliptical machine and 30 minutes on the stationary bike. It was a pretty good work out and my legs were dead by the end of the hour. The saddest part was when I weighed myself this morning and I weighed in at 277.6 lbs. That is disappointing. There is nothing I can do about all that weight gain. I just need to work to get it off once again. So let the journey begin...again!!!

Next to last day in Hawaii...

Well I thought today would be the day that I would venture outside and find my shoes. Well I made it over to The Running Room here in Waikiki which is supposed to be the premiere running store here in Oahu but it wasn't that great. Therefore I didn't get my running shoes or anything else that I was after. Oh well, I guess it's back to the Internet to order my running things I will need. It seems that Hawaii is more of its own country than part of the United States. It is very beautiful here but I am ready to go home. I got in 4.93 miles today. I will reach my 16 mile goal tomorrow after I knock out a 5 miler tomorrow. Then flying Thurs and Fri. Then my long run on Saturday AT HOME and this week will be in the books. It will be nice to get home and be able to make home made meals. I am looking forward to eating at home. There's a first. Until next time...

Happy Birthday Mom!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!! I hope that you have a wonderful day and I wish we were there to spend it with you. Well it's the start of another week and it will kind of be a condensed week since I head back home on Thursday and I won't get into Okinawa until 10PM on Friday. So with that said I have to knock out Thursday and Friday runs early. I split it up over Mon, Tues, and Wed which isn't too bad. I am glad that it is early in the program because those would have been some beastly runs. I have to run a total of 16 miles between Mon, Tues, and Wed. which shouldn't be a problem. Yesterday was my day off from running but I did about 4+ miles of walking all over Waikiki. So my run today was a lot harder than it should have been. I got in 6.3 miles today and I was glad when it was over. After my run I went down to the swimming pool here at the Ohana and soaked/ stretched my legs for a bit. The water was nice and cold and made my legs feel better. We will see how tomorrows run goes. I have a scheduled 5 miler tomorrow. JUST RUN!!!

Week 1 totals...

It was a good start to my marathon training this week. I stayed focused on what I had to do for that day and I did not dwell on the mileage for the week. It seemed to work pretty good but it also helps that I have nothing else to do here in Hawaii unless I want to spend a ton of cash I don't have. Today was my "long" run and I got in 8.25 miles which was a pretty hard run towards the end of it but I got through it. That would give me 25.51 miles for the week and I consider this week a success because I ran everyday I was supposed to. I have 17 more weeks to go until my first marathon. JUST RUN!!

Friday in Hawaii...

Well this should be my last Friday in Hawaii, I know rough life right. Especially when my family is hunkered down, getting pounded by Typhoon Muifa at the moment. Obviously there isn't a lot going on here right now. I will dub today movie Friday and go see a movie or two to pass the day away. I decided for that to happen I had to knock out my run early today which I have already did. I got in 5.36 miles and it was a pretty good run. The fitness room here at the Ohana East hotel is on the 2nd floor over looking the pool and all I can think as I am running is people thinking "Wow that fat guy has been running for a long time." Oh well, so it my life. Long run day tomorrow and week 1 of marathon training will be in the books. Just 17 more to go!! LoL. Until next time...

Totals for 04 Aug 2011

Well today is officially my anniversary in Hawaii and I didn't do a whole lot today. The highlight of my entire day was getting my run in. I am starting to get tired of living in a hotel room. As sad as it is, I want to go back to my ghetto fabulous house in Okinawa. The house may suck but I sure do miss my family. I can't wait until next week. I got in 3.32 miles today. It was a good leisurely run, nothing too strenuous. I got another 5 miler scheduled for tomorrow. Good times...

Happy Anniversary Heather!!!

Ten years ago today I married a wonderful woman who has some how managed to put up with my crap for this long. I think I have a keeper. I love you Heather! Thanks for making my life better. Well I am still "stuck" in Hawaii and I am ready to stop living in a hotel. It was fun for a week but it's time to get back to my family. My overseas listing just came out yesterday and I found out there are 3 bases on that list. Three slots for Daegu, South Korea; one slot for Ramstein AB, Germany; and one slot for Aviano AB, Italy. So we will wait and see if I get picked up for any of those bases in September. If I don't get chosen for another overseas assignment, my stateside listing should be out in mid-January. I love the wait and see approach Incorporated by the military. Anyways, back in Hawaii, I got in 5.29 miles tonight. It was a pretty good run but I have a looooong ways to go still. I hope that Typhoon Muifa goes easy on my family back in Okinawa. They are in my prayers. Dad, I don't know if it's my computer but I still can't post on your blog. I will keep trying but know that I am at least reading your blog. Facebook, Facebook, Facebook. Yes, that was a hint. Love you all!! Until next time...

Naha Marathon Training Begins...

My 18 week Hal Higdon marathon program kicked off officially yesterday. I didn't get in my cross training but I made up for it today. I hope to be ready to run my first marathon on December 4th. I have a long way to go but the journey will be well worth it. The fitness room finally opened back up here at the Ohana Waikiki East hotel so I am happy about that. Today I got in 3.28 miles and I made up for yesterday by doing running/ swimming in the pool for 45 minutes. The cold water in the pool should help my legs not to be so sore. At least that is the plan. We will see tomorrow. I have a 5 miler scheduled for tomorrow. I am hoping to have a good week. I hope and pray that Typhoon Muifa takes it easy on Okinawa and my family while I am away. The marathon training should help to take my mind off of that situation. Until next time...

Hawaii Day 1

Well I have been in Hawaii for a full day now. It is a very nice place and the best thing about it is it isn't super hot like Okinawa. It runs about 80° which is very, very pleasant. I also got my first little surprise being here. The guy I am escorting, SSgt Josh Johnson, found out that we will have to stay here two extra weeks because his doctor wants to monitor his recuperation here. So that means we will probably be here until mid-August. I guess there is worse places to spend 3 weeks. I started running again today because I don't have much else to do. I got in 6.14 miles and my legs are a bit shaky tonight. I want to run on the treadmill for a week before I venture outside because I'm afraid to venture outside right now. I would probably get lost. After a week I should be good with my internal GPS to run outside along the beach. We will see. I am going to try and take a page out of Heather's book and post a picture everyday of my time here in Hawaii. I said I will try!! We will see how that goes. The pictures above are my views outside of my hotel balcony. We are staying at the Ohana Waikiki East which is a pretty nice hotel. So I don't really have any complaints. Until next time...

Yet another typhoon headed our way.

As of today Tropical Storm Ma-on is headed our direction. It looks that it will turn north before it gets to us but will will probably still feel the effects of it because it will be a Cat 3 typhoon when it closest to us. This typhoon season is turning out to be a winner!! That would be 3 typhoons and 2 tropical storms that have passed close to us and it's only July! I guess Mother Nature is making up for the past three years we really haven't had any bad storms roll through here. It was a nasty rainy day today and the rain knocked out a lot of transformers around the base. When I got to work this morning we didn't have power and they were working on it all day. I guess the same thing happened over at the gym because the power was on but the air conditioning wasn't working. It made for a very uncomfortable and hot run. I think by the time I got done I was swimming in sweat instead of running. Oh well at least I got in 3.27 miles today. Another day in the books and I am focusing on tomorrow's run. JUST RUN!!

Man, Oh Man!!

Well if I try to get a little consistency going maybe I wouldn't struggle with my running. Just a thought as I fought through another run today. It wasn't a horrible run but I don't have the energy I would have if I was consistent. I am sure dropping weight, gaining it back, and dropping it again doesn't help. It's a vicious roller coaster ride for me and I must love the punishment I put myself through year in and year out. Maybe one day I will get it. LoL. Anyways along I trudge with my running plan with an eye on the Marathon in December. I got in 5.11 miles today. I will look no farther than tomorrow's run. Until next time...

A Case of the Monday's...

Well I am back at it this week and hopefully it will be a more consistent one. I got in 3 runs this past week and then fell off the wagon. I am hoping to do better this week. I weighed in at 266.4 lbs this week so I am up a pound from last week. I need to figure this out. I got in 3.3 miles today. I hope that it will be a GREAT week!!

Short run today

Today was a nice, quick run. I like the shorter runs because that means I can work on my speed. Well speed for me that is. My speed it most peoples normal running pace. It is nice knowing that I can go a little harder because my run isn't overly long. I got in 3.42 miles today. It was a good running day. I am on pace to hit my 25 mile goal for the week. That will put me on schedule to hit 100 miles by the end of July. JUST RUN.

Back on Track

Well I totally forgot to post yesterday. I try to wait until it is the same day here as it is back in the USA so my posts match up for the day I'm working out. I hope that made sense. LoL. Anyways, I got back to work (fitness wise) on Independence Day yesterday. I got in 3.32 miles and it was a pretty hard run which I totally expected. I weighed in at 265.4 lbs which I totally expected and now I have to get my head on straight and start to focus on August and my Hal Higdon 18 week marathon program. The Naha marathon is the first Sunday in December and my LAST chance to run that race before we leave next May. So I need to get it in gear and get focused. To help me focus I have decided to use July as my tune up month and get in 100 miles before I start the program next month. I am running 3 miles (Mon, Wed, Fri), 5 miles (Tues, Thrus), & starting this Saturday I will start at 6 miles and add a mile every week until I reach 10 miles on the last Saturday in July. I think it should be a good tune up before I start next month. Once I run the Naha marathon I want to get a tattoo on the right side of my chest of the winged shoe with Naha Marathon 2011 underneath it written in Japanese to commemorate my first marathon finish. Well that is the goal anyways.

Well today was actually a way better run and I hope a sign of things to come. I got in 5.11 miles today. I am doing most of my running right now on the treadmill to help my legs get back in shape. Less pounding will help my legs in the long run. Plus my longer runs I will do outside but it won't be until the heat and the humidity breaks which is good. Well it's time to focus and commit FINALLY!! Just Run!!

Happy Birthday Dad!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!!!!!!

I wanted to post this now just in case I don't get to post the next couple of days. We will try to call this weekend and talk to you guys. Fingers crossed that Vonage decides to work!! Today was my "hit the wall" day. I knew it was coming and it came with fury today. I worked my way through it and I told myself that even if I have to walk my whole work out, I AM GOING TO THE GYM!! And I would like to say that it wasn't that bad when I finally got to the gym but I would be lying. It was a blood, sweat, & tears workout today. But the important thing is that I got through it and tomorrow is another day. I do know one thing though, it's time for another pair of shoes. I will order another pair of the ones I have now because I really like them. I got in a total of 5.31 ROUGH miles but it was worth it. At least that is what I keep telling myself. Fat Brandon would disagree! Run Fatboy Run!!!

Volleyball game

Well I didn't get in a run today because of the 12 hour shift and plus a Squadron volleyball game tonight. If I would have thrown a run in there I wouldn't have had much time for the family today. I guess switching it up every now and then helps with the burn out. Plus I really like playing sports when I can get away from work. Still looking to get in my 100 miles for the month. We will see how that goes. It is crazy humid outside right now so most of my running will take place inside for now. Anyways I feel like I run faster when I use the treadmill. I have set a short term goal of being out of the 250's by the end of July. That way when I "officially" start my marathon training on 1 August I can shoot for the 220's by the time I run my race at the beginning of December. Good times!!

Totals for 7 Jun 2011

Well another day is in the books. Two days down and four days to go to string together a week of running. That would be a first in a loooong time. I guess we will see how it goes. I am going to take it one day at a time. Well I think summer has officially arrived here in Okinawa or at least the nasty humidity has arrived. The nice thing is it still isn't overly hot here. Plus we can always take a trip down to the beach to cool off. Life is pretty boring here right now because there isn't much else to do during the week when you are working 12 hour shifts and then running for an hour after that. I do look forward to the weekends though.

Today I got in 5.65 miles and normally the 2nd day is a little tougher than the first but today wasn't the case. I am waiting for the "tired" day to hit any day now.

JUST RUN

Totals for 06 Jun 2011

Well I need to find some motivation right now. It is hard spending over 12 hours each day at work and then try to find the energy to get to the gym for a workout. But this is my life for the next year until we leave Kadena. There have been a lot of people who were supposed to come to Kadena that has been medically disqualified and replacements won't show up until the first of the year. So that means more with less, which seems to be the Air Force's motto lately. Plus we are still getting hit hard with deployments, so come October we will be a skeleton crew working a very high ops tempo which means working more hours. Gotta love Kadena!! I am ready to move on that's for sure. I need a change of scenery. Overseas listing comes out in August and then stateside listing should be out in January. I guess we will see what happens.

I did make it to the gym today though, I got in 5.51 miles. I still plan on running the Naha Marathon in December. I still hope that is in my future and I just need to commit to the training required to run that race regardless of hours spent at work. I start the Hal Higdon training plan 1 August so I need to get in some good base miles in June and July. 100 miles each month should do the trick. If I'm putting in the some serious miles my weight loss should take care of itself like it has in the past. Now I just need to find the time and motivation to get in those miles!!

JUST RUN!!

Totals for 17 May 2011

Well since I am smack dab in the middle of a LORE exercise getting my workouts in requires a little more effort on my part. Since we are working 12+ hour shifts and trying to get enough sleep on top of spending a little time with my family this week. Needless to say it is a little difficult. But with that being said I made a commitment to myself that this would be the trial week for me. If I can knock out a 60+ minute run everyday this week it should boost my commitment once again. At least that is the goal. I want to see the 240's on the scale once again and that is my motivation right now. I don't ever want to see 260 on the scale and I am kinda close to that right now. So it is time to get to work and finally get to where I want to be. I got in 5.46 miles last night. About half way through my run I was feeling pretty nauseous so I slowed it down and walked some to get through the work out. I think the run earlier in the day plus the lack of sleep didn't help. We will see how tonight's run or walk goes. Something is better than nothing this week. STREAK! That's my word for this week. Throw together 6 consecutive workouts this week.

Totals for 16 May 2011

Ok, two weeks of healing for my leg issues, so I should be good to go once again. Even if I am not, I can't wait any longer. Weighed in at 257.8 lbs this morning so I have a little ground to make up if I want to be in the 240's by the end of this month. It can be done with the right motivation and eating. We will see what the second half of the month brings. I got in 6.66 miles this morning, the Devil's run! It was a good start to hopefully a good week. We started our LORE (Local Operational Readiness Exercise) today so I am working 12PM-12AM this whole week. That should be interesting. When I get off at night I will head to the gym and get my runs in. I will save the TRX for next week when things get back to normal, well Kadena normal that is. IT IS TIME!!!!!

Pass PT test.....Check!!

Well it is over and I passed with flying colors. I weighed in at 250lbs with a 38" waist. I did 56 push ups, 54 sit ups, and did my mile and a half in 10:37. I scored a 91.2%. Since I scored over 90% I don't have to do another PT test for a year and I am very stoked about that. Now I can focus on the training that I want to do and start looking towards the Naha Marathon in December. I can also focus on getting under 220 lbs. before I run that race. I got in a total of 7.37 miles today which I am pleased with. I also did about 30 minutes on my TRX. I was pretty spent after those 30 minutes and I want to do more with my TRX but not today. Last week I got in a total of 40.98 miles so it was a good week. I am looking to duplicate those totals this next week and hopefully work through these shin splints that are plaguing me. My fingers are crossed. Until next time...

PT test Eve...

Ok, so the plan was not to run tonight BUT I have the pre- PT test jitters. So I ended up logging a 5.72 mile run. Maybe that will help me sleep better tonight...doubt it!! Anyways I felt good about the run and I am not tired at all after. So in my mind that is a good thing. I had Heather tape me this afternoon and I was at 40" but after I wrap up tonight I should be well within the 39" that I need (fingers crossed). All I need to do is get past this one and I will be well under in 6 months when I test again. That will be in November, a month before my first marathon and I want to be in the 220 or less range. My next PT test, barring no failures tomorrow, I want to shoot for a 90% so I won't have to test for a year instead of 6 months. That's the goal anyways. Anyways I hope to bring good news to my blog and Facebook in the morning after I smoke the PT test tomorrow. Until next time... JUST PASS!!

Ah...the Joys of Treamill Running...

Well I told myself this morning that I wasn't going to do any running this weekend so I got enough rest to destroy my PT test on Monday. Well that lasted until 6PM when I was on my way over to the gym to run. I talked myself out of running outside and told myself to head over to the gym for a little quality time with the treadmill. Most people hate treadmill running but I've done so much of it that I really enjoy it. At the base gym there are 5 TV's with different things on and then I always rock out with my iPod. So plenty of distraction from the running in place. Plus is saves my legs which I need and love!! Needless to say I didn't kill myself tonight but I got in a quality run and that's all that matters. No run scheduled for tomorrow and I will stick to that. I will go for a walk though just to keep my legs loose and to break a sweat. I got in 6 miles tonight according to my Nike+ but the treadmill was a little more. I will stick to my Nike+ number though. JUST RUN!!!

The weekend of rest....sort of

Well today for Fat Boy Class it was free run Friday. Or at least that is what I call it. Some easy cardio to end the week which I enjoy the most. That is to say I would have enjoyed it if I wasn't dealing with some nasty shin splints still. I will take this weekend to recover for my PT test on Monday. That way it gives my shins a couple days to heal and I can go all out on Monday. That is the plan anyways. I think I will still go for a walk each day just to keep my legs loose and from keeping me from getting the jitters. I am already feeling the nervousness of the day ahead. I hate that I feel this way but there is nothing I can do about it. I just need to embrace what it is and do my part. I still got in 3.53 miles this morning even though it was rough. No run tonight though, although it took everything in me to stay at the house. I might go for a light run tomorrow if my legs feel up to it. Only time will tell. Until next time...

Shin Splints suck!!

Well this mornings workout at Fat Boy Class was a pretty good workout. We did track work. We would do 15 burpees, run 1 lap, & repeat 6 times. Then we did some abdominal work. It was a killer workout. I thought tonight would be a nice and easy run. Boy was I wrong! I guess the burpees really aggravated my shin splints and it made it nearly impossible to run. Plus I was exhausted trying to run. I think maybe I have burnt myself out a little bit. I just need to hang in there until Monday and get past this PT test. I got in 6.33 miles total and you would think that I would be happy about that but I am not. I hope that I can pass my PT test and then I can work out how I want too, pain free. I have my fingers crossed that everything turns out fine on Monday. Until next time...

No Running Tonight

I did Fat Boy Class today which was a hectic workout because it was thundering and lightening outside so everyone and their dogs were inside the gym today. I am not going to run tonight because my legs need a break and I don't want to run on the treadmill. I am sure it would be crazy over at the gym tonight also. So a much needed afternoon off. I will get back at it tomorrow. Until next time...

Rainy Day

Well it has been a rainy day for most of the day today. This morning at Fat Boy class we got in our workout before it started raining heavy. We did cardio/ strength training and it was a great workout. I got in 3 tough miles through out the hour long session of ass kicking. Heather and I got to have breakfast & lunch together after we dropped Evie off at school. We went out to the Kurishiki Dam and over to the Chatan Petbox. It is always great to get some alone time with my wife. This afternoons run was a good one. Despite the shin splints I am currently dealing with I had a nice medium run of 6.26 miles in the rain. I have always liked running in the rain. I'm not too fond of my t-shirt sticking to my fat belly but hey, what are you going to do. I guess lose the belly and that would make it better. It was a good day. Until next time...

Running through the mud

Well not literally, but my run tonight felt like I was running through mud or sand. I guess my body doesn't care for the fact that I did a long run yesterday and then turn around today and do a short and a medium run. I guess my body just needs to get on board with what my plan is!! LoL. Got in 4.04 miles at Fat Boy class today. It was sprint day and like always my lower legs are killing me. Nothing like sprints to bring out the shin splints. Oh well, it will pass. Then tonight I got in 6.06 miles for my afternoon run. Not too bad 10.10 miles today. The weight didn't change for this week. I weighed in at 257.6 lbs. and I am happy that I didn't gain any weight. It was a very nice day here in Okinawa today. The weather is starting to come around and get a little warmer. I know I shouldn't complain because it's not Utah weather but for Okinawa it has been unseasonably cool. I will be wishing for this type of weather at the end of next month!! Very excited about where I am headed physically. JUST RUN!!!

Long Run Sunday

Well after the Easter eggs were found and the girls were chowing down on the Easter candy I headed out the door for my "long" run today. After a couple miles I didn't think that it was a good idea but I soldiered through it. I guess doing 6.22 miles the night before and then not eating anything before I left for my run wasn't the best of ideas. Plus for the first time since I've been back it was quite warm today. But in the end I got in 11.43 miles giving me a total of 41.12 miles for the week. I did some running at Fat Boy class on Tuesday but I didn't run with any tracker. Anyways it was a good week for me. One more week until the PT test and I want to shed a few more pounds before next Monday. JUST RUN!!

Slacker

I've been slacking on writing so I will play a little catch up with this post. Friday I got in 4.4 miles during Fat Boy class but decided to take the night off to relax and give my legs a break. Saturday I got in 6.22 miles and I ran later at night just to switch it up a little bit. I could have went further last night but I plan on doing a longer run on Sunday (10+) so I will save the mileage for then. I'm still at 257.2 lbs, so I haven't lost any weight since I've been home BUT I haven't gained any of my weight back either. This next week I will really see what I can do with my eating and dropping a few more lbs. before next Monday when I test. Just one more week and we will see if I have done enough to lose those two inches. Fingers crossed!! JUST RUN!!

Very sore legs today

I know that I've had some good exercise when I need to use the hand rail to go up and down my stairs. Today was no exception and I'm sure tomorrow will follow suit. My FIP class today was a really good workout. We worked in teams of two and it goes a lot smoother when you are working with someone who wants to work out. Tonight's run felt pretty good even with the sore legs. My totals for the day are 9.11 miles. I am happy with that total. I need to keep pushing myself until I get to where I want to be. First step happens May 2nd with my PT test. Until next time...

Back in Oki

Well I got back to Okinawa on Monday afternoon and I am happy to be back. The Philippine trip was quite the adventure and now it is back to real life. TDY's (temporary duty) are always a nice break from your home station base. It's good to be home again. I weighed in Monday night when I got back to the house and I was pleasantly surprised to come in at 257.5 lbs. That means I lost 13 lbs while I was in the Philippines. Now all I have to do is lose at least 7.5 more lbs and hopefully I will be good for my PT test. Obviously more would be better so I will hit it hard until May 2nd when I PT test. Yesterday I attended Fat Boy class and it was a pretty good workout. I didn't run in the afternoon. Today another bout at Fat Boy class and I got in 3.87 miles. Then tonight I went for another run and got in 6.13 miles which gives me 10 miles for the day. From here on out it is time to get serious about my weight loss and finally get to where I want to be. I have the goal of being 220 lbs or less by the time the Naha Marathon rolls around in December. This will happen. I am sick of being fat!! I'm sick of looking for clothes that I can squeeze into. I am sick of being the biggest guy in our fuels flight and making excuses of why I am this big. There is no excuse for my weight. Not genetics, not time, not age, etc. NOTHING!! It's time to rise up off my FAT ASS and get my life back now!! Why you ask?

Because I want to live a long and healthy life, that's why!

Until next time...

Holy Crap it's Hot!!!

So there I am running along and then it hit me.....Holy Crap is it hot today!! I don't mean a little heat and a little humidity. I mean I was literally swimming through the air as I was running. The end of my run could not come quick enough today. BUT I got in 6.1 grueling miles and probably dropped 10 lbs. in the process. I truly hope that I go back to Kadena at least 10 lbs lighter. I guess only time will tell. And for the first time since I arrived here it rained, and rained hard! And after it was finished the sun came out and the humidity was killer! And such is life here in the Philippines. Until next time...

Sunburns

Well it seems that I can't keep enough sunscreen on my face to keep me from getting sunburned. I swear it is sunburn upon sunburn. I need to go to the S&M Mall and buy some of that 100 SPF crap they got over there. I swear that stuff is like Spackle. I got in 6 miles this morning which was a pretty good run although the shin splint thingy is flaring up a little bit. Maybe I need to push through it. I took the day off from the TRX because I needed a recovery day. I will work in a session tomorrow. Everything is moving along good here in the Philippines. On Saturday, we are taking a trip up to Mount. Pinatubo to go hiking up the volcano. That is the one thing I wanted to do while I was here. I am very excited about it. I will take lots of pictures. Until next time...

TRX is a Beast!!

Well another day is behind me and I am glad. I actually had to do a little work today and it was kind of a long day. LoL I guess since Exercise Balikatan "officially" started today I guess I should put in a little work. Got in 6 miles this morning which was pretty good. I decided to cut my guys out after first goes this afternoon and I stayed back to catch the second goes. While I was waiting for the A-10's to come down I decided to knock out a session of TRX all by myself. Come to find out that it's nice working out with other people so I get my rest between sets and exercises. I definitely have muscle fatigue from the past couple of days. It was a very good purchase. Two days down and four to go for the week. Until next time...

The Beginning of TRX

Well yesterday I broke out the TRX for the first time here in the Philippines and ran through one of the workouts in the book I got with the straps. Me and a couple of other POL (fuels) guys knocked it out and I have to say that I am pretty impressed with it. Day number two using TRX was a little tougher than yesterday because I am pretty sore from yesterdays workout. I am really going to enjoy using this thing at the house when I get home. I just need to figure out where I am going to hang it. I got in 5.7 miles this morning also which was a good run. I did close to 4 miles outside and then finished up on the treadmill with some hills. I plan to keep running in the morning and then when we get to work and while we are waiting for the aircraft to land we will work through a session on the TRX. That is my next two weeks mapped out. Plus the heat just adds to the work outs and burns more calories. Until next time...

No Run Today

Taking a day off because of a shin splint in my left shin. I hope the day off will help it out a little bit because we get back at it tomorrow. April needs to be a full month of working out before I have to PT test again on 02 May. I NEED to pass my PT test!!!! Until next time...

Another "warm" day in the Philippines

When I say warm I mean "FREAKIN" hot!!! I seriously think my forehead might fall off. Oh well I just keep applying sunscreen and hope for the best. Got in another run tonight of 5.5 miles. That makes 3 days in a row and if you can imagine how hot it is here in the Philippines, times that by 10 and you might be close! LoL Anyways, I will keep this going, hopefully, or until I kill over from heat exhaustion. JUST RUN!!

Hot and Humid

Hot and humid are the two very best words to describe the Philippines (and dirty). Today on the flight line is was nasty hot. Even with drinking a gallon of water and a gallon of Gatorade I still some how got a little dehydrated and a crazy sunburn regardless of the bucket of sunscreen I put on. But it is what it is. Even though I did not want to run tonight I got in one. I still only did half of my workout outside and the rest on the treadmill. I got in another 5.5 miles. I need to keep it up the whole time I am here and carry my tendencies back to Okinawa with me. Good times. JUST RUN!!

P.S. - I love my new shoes!!

TDY in the Philippines

Well I have arrived safely in the Philippines and hopefully the trip will go quickly. This place reminds me of the Dominican Republic. It is very poor and very dirty but the people are amazingly nice. I got in a very warm run today. I put in 5.5 miles (2.62 miles was outside and the rest was on the treadmill). I will have to build up to the heat and the humidity here. Okinawa is freezing compared to this place. Not a lot going on during Balikatan 2011 because of the relief efforts up in mainland Japan. So there will be plenty of time to work out I am sure. I think my trip will be cut short also. All I know is that we won't be here until the 30th of April. Until next time...

All Ready for Balikatan...

Well we just got back from loading the R-11 refueling trucks on the boat that will be headed to the Philippines for our joint exercise at the end of the month. I am glad that the loading is finally over. Now I have to hope that they make it up to Clark AFB in the Philippines with everything still in tact. Only time will tell.

My FIP class was a pretty good workout today. We did a little track work along with some strength training with the medicine balls. I got in a little under 3 miles during that portion of the workout. After FIP I headed up stairs to the Cardio room and knocked out my 3 miler for the day. It was actually 3.3 miles total so not a bad fitness day today and that was all before 0830 this morning. I am ready for bed.

Good night all.

Just When I Thought my Legs Couldn't Hurt Anymore...

Wow, I am sore today but I found the motivation to get the work outs in. FIP class is mandatory so I knew I would get at least one class in. As for my run in the afternoon, I had to dig deep and go get that one. I even skipped the gym and headed for home and decided my legs hurt too bad. Somehow I turned it around and ran around the house. I got in 5.15 miles in and I am pretty sure I burned some pretty good calories today. My Forerunner was dead once again (I hate that thing), so I guess-timated that I ran a little over 2 miles this morning with some killer hill repeats during the whole work out. That should compliment my leg soreness tomorrow.

I have to head down to the port in Naha tomorrow evening to load the fuel trucks for my vacation to the Philippines. I am happy I don't have to travel by boat. So after my FIP class I will knock out my scheduled 3 mile run. Anyways, happy working out everybody...

Stay Strong! Stay Focused!!

Walking around like a cripple

I sure wish it would stay warm. I don't think that is too much to ask since I live on a tropical island. This morning for FIP (Fitness Improvement Program) we headed over to the dormitories (which are 4 stories tall) to get in our workout. We did super sets for our workout today. We started out running the dorms, up to the top and back down is one set. Did I mention that we took medicine balls over there with us. Well after you get finished running the stairs, you pick up your medicine ball and with both hands you push the ball out in front of you (1), back in and then up above your head (2). You do 40 of those, then you drop the ball and do 40 squats, then drop down and do 40 crunches. After that you do 4 laps around the parking lot and that is one set. First set is 40 reps, Second set is 30 reps, Third is 20 reps, and Fourth is 10 reps and then work back up if you are fast. I got through the 4 sets and was started on the second set of 20 reps when we finished. I SURE HOPE THAT MADE SENSE. LoL!! When my legs finally cooled down after I got to work I was having a hard time walking around which if you've ever had sore quads and hams you know what I'm talking about. You dread inclines or steps of any kind. After work I got in my 3 miles (3.3 miles to be exact) and I know I probably did 2 miles over at the dorms. I will have to start taking my GARMIN with me when it stays charged. Tomorrow morning should be interesting. Until next time...

Starting up again.

Well it's been a hectic couple of weeks and a couple lazy weeks rolled up into a very non-productive month. Looking forward now and starting fresh. Today was a pretty good day and I hope to be able to walk tomorrow. I started out the day with Fat Boy class which we did Intervals and the instructor kicked our butts. It was a good way to start the morning. After work I did a cross training day which consisted of 35 minutes on the Elliptical Machine and 35 minutes on the bike. It takes some getting used to working out on an elliptical machine but I got in 4 miles on it. I also got in a little under 10.5 miles on the bike so all in all it was a good workout day. I guess we will see if I can walk tomorrow. Good thing my run tomorrow is only a 3 miler with Fat Boy class in the morning. I weighed in at 272.8 lbs which is a little disheartening being above 270 again but that will change real fast. I ordered my TRX Force trainer which I am excited and a little nervous about. I have messed around with a friends and they are no joke. But whatever takes the place of the gym for most of my workouts gets me excited.

We had a very positive weekend. We were visited by Elder Yoon H. Choi of the Seventy and his wife Bon Kyung Koo from the LDS Church. He was accompanied by Elder Ishi from mainland Japan and President Bishop from our local Military District. We had a very good time talking with everyone that visited our home. Plus we got to spend some time out at the beach which is always a nice time. I am ready for it to warm up for good. I am gearing up for my trip to the Philippines at the end of the month. It should be an adventure. Well enough writing for one post. Until next time...

Totals for 08 Feb 2011

Well somehow the weekend got away from me and I have been inactive since Friday. It's amazing how taking one day off turns into four!! I guess I need to re-examine my dedication and motivation for working out. I tried to punish myself today for my less than stellar effort over the weekend. I got in 9.66 total miles today and I burned 2,101 calories. At Fat Boy class we did a total body workout plus cardio which kicked my butt after almost 8 miles of running before. I will refocus my efforts and hit it hard. COMMITMENT!!

Totals for 03 Feb 2011

Well I barely broke into the 260's (269.8 lbs.)this morning and I hope to stay there. I guess we will see what happens when I weigh in tomorrow morning. This morning I had to endure the Be Well class which is mandatory for those special individuals who fall short on passing their PT test. The first hour was How to exercise, the second hour revolved around nutrition, and the third and final hour was spent with the base psychologist to figure out why we suck. It was very productive....sigh!! Anyways I am glad it is over with so I can move on. Today's workout was pretty good. I was feeling the effects of Fat Boy class during my run today which took a lot of will power to finish. But I did what I needed to do to finish the work out. Today at Fat Boy class we did Total Body which was pretty good. It always takes a little while to get going again after my run. I did a total of 7.08 miles and I burned a total of 1,649 calories. I hope it pays off on the scale tomorrow. I was pretty good about what I ate today but we will see. Until next time...