A Departure from “Training”

So it wasn’t a run. Not that “running” is the current state of my workouts. It’s more like “wogging” – half walk, half jog. Anyways, to get back on track, my youngest son is investigating options for school next academic year. We spent the afternoon touring the beautiful grounds of Loyola Marymount University in Westchester (Los Angeles, not New York):

 

Bottom line is we spent the better part of an hour and half walking through this beautiful campus in West L.A. Two miles easy!

That really created an appetite, so we headed off to an institution in Playa Del Rey – The Shack:

This was a regular stop on my lunch circuit when I worked in the area – back in 1982-1986!!! I guess good things have a way of standing the test of time. Good things like a Shack Burger!

That’s a burger, with a slice of cheese, and a Louisiana Hot Link on top. And no – I didn’t have one. My son did though. Sigh. What it would be like to be young again.

Calorie goal:

• Budget: 1780 calories
• Consumed: 2113 calories
• Exercise: 257 calories
• Too few/(too many): (76)

When the Rain Starts Falling…..

I go on vacation. I guess without a goal on a calendar, my motivation goes out the door (or window – whatever is most convenient).

Last I posted, we were in for a rainy weekend. And it happened. So guess what happened to my two day streak? And calorie logging? I guess the good news is I’m feeling guilty about it. A year ago I wouldn’t. I’ll get back on the horse this week, a little bruised (i.e., up a couple pounds), but still able to ride.

Plan:

• Monday: Scheduled rest
• Tuesday: 2 miles
• Wednesday: 3 miles
• Thursday: Scheduled rest
• Friday: 2 miles
• Saturday: 3 miles
• Sunday: 2 miles
• Total planned: 12 miles

It’s really disgusting to think that I used to average 3 times that per week….

Another Streak Started

I'm up to 2 days in a row! Three short miles today.

Calorie goal:

• Budget: 1780
• Food: 2181
• Exercise: 438
• Too few/(too many): 37

Whew. Just under the wire. Today is scheduled rest, which is fine because it's raining. Winter has settled in on Southern California:

 

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Let's Get the Show on the Road

It's interesting how comfortable one can get by being lazy. I made it off the couch one day last week, and then settled back into the comfy chair, where I got real good at thumb workouts.

Here's the torture of my workouts lately:

 

But, all good things must eventually come to an end. I made it out today and got a couple miles in. Based on my calorie budget, I needed a couple more?

Calorie budget:

• Budget: 1780
• Food: 2226
• Exercise: 293
• Too few/(too many): (153)

Sigh. I've got a long road ahead....

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Oh What a Slippery Slope

So it all started last Friday as those of us in Southern California were spending our day complaining of the “deep freeze”. To be honest, we did see some ice at night. But “deep freeze” during the day equates to temperatures in the low 50’s. For me, those temps mean bundling up in sleeves and stuff. Since I’m not training for anything specific at the moment, my immediate response is “then why do it?” So, it was pretty easy to slack off and wait for the warmth to return. Long story short, the next thing I know, it’s Wednesday of this week, and I haven’t set foot out the door! Yikes!

So yesterday, I wandered out finally, and slogged through 3 miles….

Starting today – back on the calorie count wagon…..

Been Missing

Sorry! Took a short break. I’ll be back tomorrow.

In the meantime, please feel sorry for us in Southern California. It’s been FREEZING!!!!!

Still Cranking Away

Another night on the treadmill downstairs…..

• Calorie Budget: 1780
• Food: 2133*
• Exercise: 439
• Too few/(too many): 86

I had a large spaghetti dinner tonight. This is my best guesstimate of my intake today….

Tomorrow is fly day. Catch you all on Friday.

I Think I Ended a Bit Too Short Today

Two miles on the treadmill, a roasted vegetarian sandwich, a light macadamia nut encrusted Chilean sea bass filet, and no snack tonight has left me a little short of where I like to comfortably be:

Calorie count:

• Budget: 1780
• Food: 1396
• Exercise: 263
• Too few/(too many): 647

Way too few calories for a day. I mean, I want to lose, but starvation diet is not the way to go. I think I’ll get up early and grab some breakfast….

It’s Time for Family Guy

And since today was a fly day, I’m going to make this quick.

Calorie budget:

• Budget: 1780
• Food: 1461
• Exercise: 0
• Too few/(too many): 319

Now for bed and Cartoon Network….

Finishing Out The Week

It was a breezy, blustery day here in Southern California (temps never got above 60), so I put in my final two miles of the week in Buck Gully where I could get out of the wind. It rained overnight, so the going was slow – more of a gingerly traipse around standing water and mud on the trail. But, it got done. Chalk up week 1.

• Plan for the week: 11 miles
• Actual for the week: 11.9 miles

I made a trip to the local Japanese market today (whipped up some home made ramen for dinner). Unfortunately, there was fresh daifuku. As a result:

• Calorie budget: 1780
• Food: 2350
• Exercise: 235
• Too few/(too many): (238)

Sigh. I sure hope they bring good luck for the hit my calorie budget took!

For the coming week:

• Monday: Fly day
• Tuesday: 2 miles
• Wednesday: 3 miles
• Thursday: Fly day
• Friday: 2 miles
• Saturday: 3.5 miles
• Sunday: 2 miles
• Total planned: 12.5 miles

The Hills of the OC

I got out to the hills in Laguna Coast Wilderness yesterday. It was a gorgeous day:

That’s snow on them thar hills!

And when I turn around, there’s the ocean!

Down down down.

Time to take the headphones off so I don’t get run over by a cyclist

Down down down means up up up!

I took a little detour off the beaten path a couple miles in. I have run into evidence of Native American life in the hills of OC before. You’ll often find these spots on flat rocky outcroppings. Spying one of these and knowing that cold blooded rattlesnakes are hibernating, I bushwhacked a little…

Who brought the acorns?

The view while grinding. Must be something about OC women.

Even somewhere to get out of the rain.

From the calorie front – I overshot quite a bit yesterday. Blame a good dinner!

• Budget: 1780
• Food: 2568
• Exercise: 565
• Too few/(too many): (223)

Oh well. Guess I’ll have to run on Sunday after all.

Still on Track, I think

Yeah! It's four days into the New Year, and I think I'm still on track.

Thursday was an scheduled day off, so no exercise.

Calorie goal:

• Budget: 1780
• Food: 1733
• Exercise: 0
• Too few/(too many): 47

Friday was a scheduled two miler. My pace is picking up, although I wouldn't classify what I'm doing as running. Yet.

• Budget: 1780
• Food: 2211
• Exercise: 372
• Too few/(too many): (59) (Damn midnight snack after coming home from the casino late. Sigh).

Onward!

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Taking Off on the Right Foot

Or actually, both feet. The plan was for 3 miles. Instead I got in 3.8. It’s a long story, but I get to blame my daughter. On her exit from Southern California to Boston, we opted to rid ourselves of a car. Now that she’s home for the holidays, well, we’re one car short. Since I’m working out of my home office this week, I gave my keys to my son (he’s a responsible driver) so he could go to work (he’s currently working in an Engineering lab at UC Irvine doing research on something to do with fracking).

I forgot one thing before giving my keys away. I have a problem that a lot of men my age would like to have – a full head of coarse hair. Which means that it has to be sheared back every so often. Yesterday was the day. But without a car, I was going to have to use foot power to get myself to the barbershop. Yikes! I thought that was only the fodder of stories that we told our grandkids! I waited for the snow to arrive, but it never did, so I laced up my shoes and hit the road. The trip there was 2.4 miles. I decided to cheat and cut through a golf course to trim the trip home to 1.4 miles. Fore!

“You know kiddos, when I was young, I had to *walk* to the barber shop. And it wasn’t just that, I had to dodge the tee box at the 12th hole on my way home!”

Calorie budget:

• Goal: 1780
• Food: 2207
• Exercise: 536
• Too few/(too many): 106

Let’s Get the Show on the Road

So now that the goal is in place, it’s time to start working. My top priority at this point is to get into cardio shape to attack higher elevations. Since there is snow (and even more dangerously, ice*) until mid May-ish, I have from now until then to get into shape. To do that, I’d like to build myself up to somewhere around 30-35 miles a week, with as many trail miles as possible.

For this week:

• Wednesday: 3 miles
• Friday: 2 miles
• Saturday: 4 miles
• Sunday: 2 miles
• Total planned: 11 miles

Now that the Holidays are over, I’ll also be refocusing on my calorie goals. If I can only remember that it’s okay to be hungry some of the time…..

2013 Here I Come

To say 2012 was a big busto would be an understatement. I’m not even really sure what happened other than my passion for exercise went down the tubes. It wasn’t a running thing as much as it was a work out thing. The proof is in the numbers:

I basically found things that were easier to do than staying in shape. I’m sure it was Gold Rush and Duck Dynasty……

Seriously though, the issue was that I got lazy and complacent. Being uncomfortable (running in the wet and cold for example) just didn’t seem to be worth it. The reality is I’m never going to be a world class runner, and to be honest, I really really dislike running! I don’t run because I love the physical activity, I run because it’s easy. Basically, you buy a decent pair of shoes and head out the door (I’m starting to sense a pattern).

So, what was missing? Well, back in 2009 when blogging (and mileage) peaked, I was running for a reason. Not for PRs or marathons or love of running. Instead it was for a bucket list item. Once I scratched that off the list, I kind of lost my motivation. Yeah, in 2010 I found trail running to be fun, but to run just for the sake of running was still not enough to keep me motivated.

The bottom line is that if I’m going to be motivated to seriously work out, there better be something in it outside of running for the sake of running. That being said – here are my 2013 goals:

1. There are 24 mountain peaks in Southern California over 10,000 feet in altitude. In 2013 I’m going to climb at least 4 of them.

That’s right. Kind of boring really. Until you’re standing on a summit….