Vacation Travel - Should I Exercise?

Someone asked me the other day if I did any exercise while on vacation. Without a second of thought I replied YES……but then I had to think about it. I always want to say yes but it isn't always that easy. I started thinking about all of my travels, from vacations to marathon races to business trips……do I exercise on all of these? Really? Do I?

Well on trips where we do the marathons that would be the first area you could say of course not! You are about to run twenty six point freakin two miles. But actually I do. The day before I spend an inordinate amount of time stretching, short running, resting in thought and doing various exercises. I wouldn't say they are heavy exercises but they certainly are training tips.

After the race I'll repeat the same routine as the day before. Sometimes run even a little further…..certainly do more stretches.

So let's throw that scenario out.  How about a business trip? Absolutely yes! First of all I don't consider it any different than any other day at the office…..I've just added travel to my agenda. I have two typical kinds of travel for work. Long distance where I fly someplace. And then my normal overnight travels to my second office in Richmond.

For Richmond, this is like my normal routine. I travel there most often once a week. If I forego a workout, I'll really going to screw up my exercise routine. I can't have this. I am more of a runner than I am a gym rat. I don't like the treadmill especially not other cardio machines. It's just plain running for me. I always pack my running shoes, shorts and t-shirt when I go. My travel bag has all the "race goodies" that I might ever need so they are handy at all times. You know the stuff: gels, band aids, rubbing cream, etc. It's like a cosmetic bag for exercising or running.

Because I've been there so often, I know of a few running routes where I stay. I get up at the same time (regardless of my late night meetings) and do my coffee and plan for a run. It isn't as easy for the longer runs but I can do short work outs so I get my satisfying  need for cardio and complete my task of exercise so I don't get out of sync. Exercise in the morning starts everything off in the right frame of mind.

How about long distance travel? Whether it is a vacation or a business trip I treat them the same. Honestly I get up every morning at 5AM thanks to the Miracle Morning  routine established by Hal Elrod. I've modified mine a little different and call it the MARVELous Morning….after all I am a super hero!

Getting up at a regular time…..again, NO MATTER HOW OR WHAT YOU DID THE EVENING BEFORE keeps you on track and in sync with your physical and mental schedule you have established. Once I get up and run in a new town or a new country I've really energized my day…..all day!

If time restricts, I will head to the hotel gym and do a quick workout. Treadmill some and some free weights. But obviously the drug of choice is hitting the pavement. I set my Runkeeper and take off. Maybe the clerk at the front desk is a fitness guru too and will know of a trail or park close by…..if not…..I explore.

I have maps from all over where the Runkeeper logs my routes. Sometimes I have to go back and forth like in Milwaukee. There were canals that made me run some circles. Or Vegas when I had to do a bit of stopping at traffic lights. All of it is fun when you see different sites that you wouldn't typically if you walked or drove a car. Crabtree Falls required some steep hills and trail running. Vacation in Disney required some running in and around the resorts. Those things are huge, plenty of running room. Plus they probably have a gym if you really wanted to workout before traversing the day in the park with Mickey.

Best one ever was a trip to Punta Cana in Dominican Republic with a bunch of buddies. Yes, late nights made it difficult to get up early but I still did it. Nothing better than lacing up your shoes and heading out to the path right there on the beach. Try doing a sand run! I pretty much had the entire beach to myself with the exception of a few other ladies who apparently had the same running addiction that I did. Best way to make new friends!

The key here is not letting go of your scheduled workouts even during the travels of vacation or work. It's important for your body and for you. Treat it that way and as a reward rather than a torture.

I have a series of simple stretches/exercises I do in my hotel room that I'd be glad to share. Write us and we can even work up a simple plan fit specifically for you regarding a workout or running.

So here is the biggest thing you can do for exercising while on vacation....PLANNING!
We have spent all your time planning you flight, hotel and things you are going to do....don't forget to plan for your exercise. So as an example, I'm flying out with a bunch of buddies to Vegas......yes same set of buggies as Dominican Republic.....and yes I'm in trouble....LOL.

I will be preparing to rebound off of my Achilles fiasco and don't want to miss my training opportunities. Also, I don't want to miss the sites. Can we do both? Sure! Here are some of my ideas that I easily searched to figure out serval options during my trip. Not all of them will work but if time permits id surely like to get several of these bucket runs accomplished.

Here's what I found for VEGAS....given these have mostly incorporated running:
(click the link and find all the wonderful deals on Vegas.com)

Located about 20 miles west of the Strip, RED ROCK CANYON NATIONAL CONSERVATION AREA redrockcanyonlv.org offers more than 30 miles of trails, most of which are suitable for running including a semi-technical 12 mile loop through the interior of the park. The 200,000 acre park has stunning mountain vistas, an array of cacti (don't step on any!) and desert wild flowers....Oh and the wildlife! Bighorn sheep, coyotes to rattlesnake....(There's a snake in by boots....errrr running shoes!)

Another option is the 32 mile RIVER MOUNTAIN LOOP TRAIL southwest of Las Vegas, which includes the 7-mile HISTORIC RAILROAD TUNNEL TRAIL, a rail that snakes (no more snakes!) through 5 tunnels as it meanders from Lake Mead National Recreation Area entrance to Hoover Dam.




For a shorter urban run from a hotel, it's easy to create a 4-6 mile loop that incorporates the sights and sounds of Sin City, including the iconic WELCOME TO LAS VEGAS SIGN and the fountains at the BELLAGIO hotel-casino. You got to do this....and take a picture and send it to me!

 
 
Read more at Hidden Running in Vegas

Other options include a few of the following that I found interesting.

Sunset Park

Just south of McCarran airport is Sunset Park. Not easily accessible by foot from downtown Las Vegas or the Strip, but it’s the closest ‘green space’ to the city. There’s a small pond with a perimeter path and it’s easy to put together 2–3 miles on the trails within the park. Some paved, some not paved.

Mt. Charleston

35 miles northwest of Las Vegas. Numerous trail options. 

A significant mountain, rising from 3,000 to 12,000 feet. 52 miles of trails featuring trees like juniper, mountain mahogany, Aspen and Ponderosa pine. In summer, it is significantly cooler than Las Vegas. In winter, there can be snow…and skiing. Many of the hiking trails are run-able. For experienced, endurance trail runners, there are the North Loop and South Loop trails.


Valley of Fire State Park
6 miles from Lake Meade and 55 miles northeast of Las Vegas. 

This is another opportunity to access some desert/red rock trail running. It’s 6 miles from Lake Meade and 55 miles northeast of Las Vegas. A great destination if you’re near Lake Meade or on your way to Zion National Park. Note: bring water. No facilities whatsoever.

Please let me know of any other locations that YOU found interesting. Id love to try them out too!

RunEugeneRun.com

Eugene Thompson

Founder + Marathon Runner

 

So What Is The Point?

So what is the point? There are times when I feel that everything I do is somewhat pointless. It is kind of like mowing the lawn. I spend countless hours mowing and trimming and weeding and planting.....and all that happens is having to do it all over again. What do I gain? Or is it just pointless?

There never seems to be an end to the house repairs. Once you get one appliance fixed or item patched or repaired, here comes another. Ownership isn't all that its cracked up to be. By the time you pay taxes, do the repairs and maintenance there isn't any time or money for upgrades. My home is my castle.....yeah right. So what is the point?

Exercise, this tired old body just cannot keep up. I have been trying to lose weight and run to stay fit. Setting some goals for myself. It just seems like every time I turn around I have more injuries preventing me from running or exercising. High ambitions but not enough steam in my engine anymore. My body keeps breaking down. Money on exercise gear, shoes, doctor appointments, race entry fees....s what is the point?

So we are supposed to go to church every Sunday and we do. I even teach morning class. But it seems that nobody else is very committed. Time and preparation for the class for only a few to hear what I have to say....or what the bible has to say. Makes it quite discouraging when there isn't others that care. Makes one question about the relevance of it all. So what is the point?

Work is such a time consuming necessary task in our lives. I spend so much effort in creating a business, building a business, maintaining a business, running a business.....it seems it runs me mostly. Why do I want to grow bigger? Taking on more work means hiring more people. Hiring more people means acquiring more equipment and software. More desks means I will run out of room and will need to rent more space. Of course that space needs to be renovated. Of course now I have more people, more overhead, more deadlines....I need more projects to pay for it. Sort of a never ending cycle. So what is the point?

All the "stuff" we do seems to build up like water in a dam and you just hope that it holds back the floods. If it ever breaks....."Sally bar the door!" Really, all this activity keeps us moving so much that we don't have time for each other. We don't have time for anything but finally crashing in bed at the end of a long day tied together with the string of things needed to get accomplished. Collapsed.

So what is the point! Do you ever find yourself asking these questions? Do you ever wonder why you end of doing the things you do? Or taking responsibility for more stuff? What if you made different decisions in your life, where would you be now? Maybe I live in an apartment, no grass to mow, no repairs to manage. Maybe I shouldn't worry about exercise. Since nobody cares at church, they probably wouldn't even notice if I wasn't there. Think of what I could accomplish with the extra time. Just find a job that paid my bills. No need to worry about all the business headaches. Leave that to others. Wouldn't life be so much easier! So what is the point?

For me I guess it is the in borne trait of always bearing the responsibility. I seem to have to "care". I don't look the other way, I go and help. I was given strong shoulders to carry some of the weight of burden.....regardless of how tired I become. Along side that trait of responsibility is the trait of competitiveness. Something deep inside makes me want to do more, do better, achieve more, accomplish more. I feel sometimes these traits are more like curses than blessings. Life could be simpler if my DNA was different. Different, but probably boring too. Uneventful. Bland. Lackey excitement.

So what is the point? I am still not sure......but I keep on doing it.

Have a great day my friends......find the point!

ET this I beleive

RUN FOREST RUN



10K WICKED - OCT '12

 Another installment of my running progress.  I haven't written about it in sometime.  There actually hasn't been much to tell.  Once I got down to the weight I wanted, I was able to focus a bit more on the exercise part. DROPPING 40 POUNDS HELPS A WHOLE LOT!

CHKD 8K - JUNE '12

Shortly after I started running, I was having problems with my knees. After an exhaustive search on what possibly could be the matter from, do I need new shoes again?, Are the ones I just bought causing me problems?, Maybe I should switch back to my older shoes? Am I running crooked on the edge of the street? Am I running straight?, Am I running crooked? Do I need a knee band?

WEW FARMHOUSE 6K - SEPT '12

After all that, I noticed my hip was hurting too. A little in my back as well. A bit of diagnostics and advise from my favorite chiropractor, we determined it was my "rubberband".  ???? I forgot was the official name was....ER band? anyway, it is the muscle, ligament.....stringy rubber band thing that attaches to my lower knee, runs up to my hip and basically I needed to stretch better. After all...I am more brittle these days instead of rubber. All better now.

RACE FOR A CURE 5K - OCT '12

My wife and I ran the Race for the Cure, a 5K at the beach. In the last few weeks I have been able to kick it in gear. Thursday I ran 8.5 miles and Saturday I ran 10. The longest run in years. Today was the 10K Wicked.  Fun run hosted by our friends at J&A Racing. My first time running it and this year we were facing the hurricane getting ready to hit our area. At first, I was a little disappointed because there were so many non-runners that prevented me from running a good stride.  Then I finally just took it "in good stride" and enjoyed the run. Not easy trying to get around superman trying to get out of a phone booth running down the boardwalk. Or how about the gerbil in his wheel? There was a shark eating a man (feet and legs sticking out of the shark's mouth), witch, zombies, fairies, Abraham Lincoln Vampire Killer, M&Ms, all sorts of superheros, all sorts of video game characters, nurses (not the real kind), doctors (not the real kind), patients (they needed a doctor of some sort), prisoners, policemen and women, army men, beer bottles (yes I said it, people dressed as beer bottles not to mention those dressed up as kegs), a disturbing banana man and his "high school" girlfriend, football players, baseball players and ever so more. 9,000 runners in all....okay again not all were runners...lol. A very fun event that we both enjoyed. I did a fair time considering the obstacles with around a hour for the completion. I am waiting for the official posted time.

Running does get a bit addictive but very fun a exciting.  I will never be a super fast runner but I enjoy it none the less.  We are looking forward to the next ones.  Turkey Trot around Thanksgiving and then of course the Surfing Santa by J&A Racing.

Get out there and run my friends.  Enjoy yourselves!

17 Day Diet

I really needed to start this much sooner but that the way this crazy life goes sometimes.  Right after the Shamrock race, I started the 17 day diet. My wife had picked it up while we were out in Colorado and it looked like a great plan to help reduce blood sugars. Anyway, I was game to do whatever as it was really getting frustrating dealing with the insulin and still not losing any weight.  I had pretty exercising pretty regular but even that didn't help. It seemed that no what what I did (watching what I ate) or (running) I couldn't seem to drop any weight and keep the blood sugars down. I floated between 233 - 236 most of the time.

So after running the Shamrock, which I probably wasn't really ready to run but pushed myself anyways, I ran it in an average 16 min/mile. Not the greatest but at least I can say I did it right? I finished it and that is success, right? Come on....really? I am tired of coming up with false rewards. It is like your kids playing a sport and they get a trophy even if they loose all their games....we don't want them to be disappointed! I never got that as a kid....if you won first place, you got a trophy...anything less and you go home.  I got tired of it and knew that a faster pace was inside me...maybe not record breaking but at least something that was respectable.

So the diet began.  Let me first tell you that I wouldn't have done well on this if I didn't have the support of my wife.  And by support I mean she did it all for me....and I mean ALL. She read the plan, bought the groceries, cooked the food and even brought it to me.  The one thing she asked was that I not complain and whine about the diet because that wasn't very motivational for her. I agreed.  I just did it.  The weird thing about the diet is it starts off everyday with a hot cup of lemon water. I guess it purifies everything....Oh, let me tell you if you are reading this to get the details of how to do the diet...forget it.....I just know what I ate...not really why.....you will have to read the book.

I think with any diet or actually any goal you have to have a reason why you are doing it.  You have to see yourself accomplishing it and what (other than the goal itself) you are going to gain from this.  My reasons were pretty simple.  1) I was tired of the diabetes kicking my butt. It was winning and I knew that was unacceptable. 2) In order to live a long life, I needed to get the diabetes under control. Diet was the first step. 3) I wanted to run...being fat make that very hard. I have never been a big runner but I thought it would be fun joining races all over the place and running for health. 4) I was tired all the time. 5) I was fat and didn't like looking at my belly.  Those are some pretty good reasons.

Anyway, we started and I began eating the grass.  That was the only thing I would say...not complain...just say.  All I eat is grass.  Grass of different shapes and colors but it is still GRASS! Sometimes with grilled chicken on it sometimes with tuna on it. Cucumbers, peas, carrots, spinach, peppers, celery...still GRASS. That is fine, I can do that.  Don't always like it cause I feel a bit like a cow in the field...or maybe a bit like Nebecanezzar....read the Bible to figure that one out!

Fruit was limited but it was always fresh. I wasn't allowed to eat any after 2 PM in the afternoon. I stayed strictly to the plan. No cheating! Drink lots of water and tea with every meal. Staying busy during the day with work always kept my mind off of food. However evenings (which are my weakness) was more difficult. We didn't have any snacks in the house so I didn't have to worry about those temptations.

Here is the real kicker. I take 10 units of insulin in the morning and another 10 units in the evening wit dinner. The first evening after I went to bed.....my blood sugar dropped really low.  I had to get up and eat something. That has happen to me a few times recently but not consistent enough to really track.  I had to use my glucometer a lot to watch everything very close. I began cutting back my evening insulin and finally quit it all together (that was the first week of the diet). Before too long I was cutting back my morning insulin as well since my lunch time numbers were getting low also.

We got good at buying nice fish...something we never really did before.  Nice thick tuna steaks and salmon. Even eating out I was able to watch pretty close what I was doing. Tired of always cold salads, we went out for my wife's birthday and I had fajitas. No tortillas, little cheese, no sour cream....just eat the grilled meat and peppers and onion off the plate. It works.  Yep, no beer, no wine, no sodas, no this, no that.....just do it and make it work.

Today I have completed 4 weeks (28 days) and have reduced my blood sugar to being within the normal range most all the time. From 20 units of insulin a day to 5. I have dropped from 233 pounds to 217 pounds.  Pants are falling off of me but I am not buying any new ones until I drop another 15-20 pounds. I feel better about myself, I feel more energy and people are noticing that I am getting skinnier even in the face. The other day I ran on the treadmill.....remember the 16 min pace? I ran 3 miles at a 10:30 min pace! and even finish off the run with a quarter mile sprint at a 8 min pace.....I was beat, but again that was the reward....(by the way that was after the 3 week mark)

Hope this was some motivation for some of you.  I will try to post more about what I am doing and feeling....until then....Have a great day my friends!

Home Alone

Well it is just me and Mavrick this weekend, Home Alone. The girls headed off to Tennessee for the annual Winterfest Youth Rally in Gaitlinburg. So pup and I have just been hanging out.  Not really accomplishing much at all either.  I have been working on a few rendering and a few new models for potential projects. Other than that, I have just been roaming the house looking for snack food.....there is none! My wife did a good job of keeping the fatty foods away from me.

Truly bored though. There is only so much old television, rendering, and wandering a person can do. Funny, the house used to be a thriving bustle of noise but now the noise of kids just comes from the neighborhood kids playing out in the evening on probably one of the last warm days before the snow hits.

So Mavrick and I watch some TV, eat some.....so called food and SLEEP.  Mavrick sleeps alot....and takes up too much room on the bed.  He sprawls out everywhere.  I rolled over on my side last night on the edge of the bed and he rolled up right against me.  I could even roll back.  He was dead. I had to drag him by his paws to move him over.  Funny dog.  The rest of the time he stole my wife's spot.  I guess he misses her too.

Sleeping in Mom's spot

This is one of those weekends where I really could have got some things accomplished but I already knew I was going to be swamped with work next week.  I have four jobsites that I need to field measure and one of them is in Raleigh. I will be wiped out I am sure.  So, I am taking my rest time now. I could have played a little bit of XBox Kinects but wasn't really into it.  I could have played a bit of Sim City....I did...just a bit. I love that game. I could have exercised.....really? I know I should.  I will run today...I promise! Other than that, I plan on being lazy.

Taking a nap on the fancy pillow

The girls will be home tonight so I will need to make sure I clean up a few things.  I didn't make much of a mess or dirty any dishes...... (Mavrick cleaned the dishes for me)....Maybe I can make a nice treat for them when they get back as a surprise. A snack treat or something since I am not sure when they will get in exactly.......I guess that means I will have to go to the dreaded grocery store otherwise the only thing I could probably make is a dry sandwich or salsa favored popcorn.  By the way, why do we have so much salsa in this house but nothing to put it on? Take care my friends.  I believe I should be rescued from this solitude and saved from having to survive on Triskets and Laughing Cow Cheese. Don't worry, I wont let the girls know we missed them.....we will play it up like it was the best guy's weekend ever! Take care my friends....Stay lonely....NOT!

Running Man

I really didn't want to get up this morning and run but knew I needed to because I haven't ran in four days! It was tough waking up and even more difficult getting myself motivated. I couldn't look at the gage on the treadmill for fear I would watch it too closely.  I ended following the music on the headset and letting it guide me on my time....you know 4 songs should be about one mile.....sort of.  Anyway the goal was 2.3 miles today but I ended up listening to the last song that kept me running until 2.5...YEAH! The song was this...."Calling All Angels".......the words that kept me running?  I wont give up if you don't give up....I wont give up if you don't give up.....I wont give up if you don't give up........OKAY OKAY Already......run I did!

RUN TO THIS!

The Battlefield: Right Flank

Part 3 of this series is about another struggle I face when it comes to health.  My first struggle is posted, http://etsthisibelieve.blogspot.com/2012/01/battlefield-first-front.html here. The second is here, http://etsthisibelieve.blogspot.com/2012/01/battlefield-left-flank.html

Really, why is it so difficult to be HEALTHY. Remember when you were young you could eat whatever you wanted, sleep as little as you wanted, there never was really a time that you had to exercise....everything you did was exercise! Now we have to get a gym membership, schedule a time to work out, count calories, buy certain foods from a club, and on and on.  The industry is really making a killing on our inability to BE HEALTHY.  Or should I say our guilt and desire to be healthy.

Don't get me wrong, I would love to be the poster boy for fitness and health.  Unfortunately for me I am no longer a boy...but a middle age man with no hair (on my head at least ....sorry TMI), potbelly, creaky knees and back, and yes out of shape as well as being a diabetic. So, what do we have challenges with....okay what do I, me personally have struggles with? Lots of things.  Today though the second battlefield is diet. Yes, diet! Have you seen the number of different diet plans that are out there?  I just read an article on MSN.com that ranked the top 12 diet plans......REALLY? Come on now, that is way too many.

Again, remember when we were kids and nothing mattered. These days we need to watch what we eat.....or we blow up like a balloon.  Really? What is the deal.....how come when we were younger a piece of cherry pie maybe added a pound or two.....Now, when we eat it...suddenly we gain 10 pounds...Not fair! And I love cherry pie! (Do not associate that statement with the song by Warrant).

Here is my problem.....I like food.  I like bread...with lots of butter....sure I like sweets but I can stay away from most of them. I like to eat, it is a simple as that. For breakfast I eat (almost everyday) a breakfast bar and a banana. And for lunch, one of the freezer meals....if anything at all because I am working all the time and forget (like yesterday).  So yes, dinner is modest and yes a few snacks.  If you eat like that all the time you would imagine that the weight would fall off.....forget about the need for exercise.  NOPE! The scales in the bathroom stay the same.....okay down a few pounds up a few pounds down a few pounds and then back up a few pounds.

Honestly, just give me the toothpaste tube full of pork chops and call it a day......
Enjoy your breakfast my friends....I am eating a granola bar!

The Battlefield: Left Flank

So what is attacking us on the left side?.....or should I say what is attacking ME from the left side? Well, once I actually wake up....like I was describing in the first piece, http://etsthisibelieve.blogspot.com/2012/01/battlefield-first-front.html here. Then I have the struggle (or have in the past) with what exercise to do.  How many exercises are there? Don't ask that question.....too many! But what is right for you.

Have you seen all those crazy info mercials about the equipment they sell? Sliders, gliders, pullers, runners, weight machines, stretch machines, tension machines, tummy tighteners, thigh strengtheners, butt squeezers....(okay maybe not that one)....But come on....why so many?  Why? Because we are gullible enough to think that just because we buy it, first we will actually use it and second that it will actually work.  (like the miracle cure they are describing on television).  Have you read the fine print at the bottom? Yes, Not all results shown here are typical......Really? Come on!

Well I have been lucky enough in my earlier years to really learn alot about exercise and what works and what doesn't.  The biggest challenge really is just getting up off your butt and doing something. Do it all the time, consistently and do it often and do it with VIGOR. I used to love lifting weights.  I recently posted this picture of me back in the day when I powerlifted.  Fun, probably not right for me today.  I would more than likely leave my arms on the floor if I deadlifted that much today.  If I squatted that much, I would be a squashed piece of meat on the floor resting under all the weight...(PETA please don't protest me for saying MEAT!).  My goal these days is to have energy and get slim.

Cardio is the answer.  Create a workout that allows me to sweat a bit and get my heart rate up.  I hated running like I have mentioned but it is somewhat rewarding and provides a bit of challenge against a few others if not just against myself as I continually try to better my last time or distance. I hate the treadmill but I can run inside when it is cold (absolutely hate the cold), and I can track my time/distance with great precision. Little goals and increases are fine.

Here is another...a bit crazy.....I asked for XBOX Kinects for Christmas.  So now I can exercise and play a game or two.  I haven't mastered it all yet nor set up a routine but I am working on it.  I have played a few sports events, like football, baseball, track is good.  Even some of the FUN games are very good for creating a work out.  One of the specific exercise ones has me running through the streets of New York City and gives me history lessons of some the architecture that I run past.  Sort like running through a sketch up model!

So my recommendation? Well, not like you might care but whatever you do, just get your heart rate up and doing it regularly.  Do somethin you enjoy so you will stick to it. Heard on TV the other day about a 67 year old man that runs 4 marathons a week.......really? Okay......I have a long way to go.  My friends....stay healthy!

The Battlefield: First Front

My battlefield begins every morning.  Lately I have had such a struggle getting up that it is a bit ridiculous! I have never been a big fan of early morning work outs but that is really the only time I have within my schedule due to everything else that fills up my life.  So, it has always been the best time to get my exercise accomplished.  However it is the hardest time for me to get motivated.

For a while, I was waking up at the crazy hour of 5:30 or so automatically.  Without alarm clock without the help of my wife, just plain waking up.  That gave me a perfect opportunity to begin my morning routine.  However lately, it has been simply painful.  I have tired going to bed early but nothing really helps.

It takes a bit for me to get movement going.  Does anyone else have this problem? How do you overcome it? I keep plugging away, but fight it every minute until I am wide eyed. The argument is the same early morning...do I really want to exercise? Come on, maybe tomorrow, I deserve a break today or I have a meeting pretty early so I probably don't have time now.

Frustrating......lets see who wins today's battle, my strong side or my weak side.  Until then my friends....Have another cup of coffee and WAKE UP!

IT HAS ALREADY STARTED!

Okay, so now it is the new year and we are supposed to have all these New Year's Resolutions and stuff which typically always gets busted during the first week of the new year.....wow what a positive way to start off a new blog reading.....lol.....of the new year..(note to self, be more positive this new year). But come on, isn't it true?  Everyone is writing about them, everyone is talking about them.  You have to feel like, "If I don't make up a new resolutions and follow them ...well....I will be behind."

Guess what my friends?....I am behind and we are only into the first week of the new year.  I was supposed to start running again....BEHIND.  I was supposed to start working on the house....BEHIND.  I was supposed to read the bible daily with my wife...BEHIND! That is the story of my life.  My big BEHIND always gets in the way.....wait that wasn't what I was really trying to say. Never mind....if I edit this then I will behind on my new posting resolution....ahhhhh!

When it really comes down to it WHY? I did put together a plan....yea an aggressive plan...to do all this stuff I needed to accomplish this year. Dates, times, lists.....that is my middle name.  (not really but just go with me on this one).  At 46 years old, why must I accomplish all things things?  I am not trying to prove something.  Why do I HAVE to finish the renovations of the bedroom, bathroom kitchen and garage....(doesn't leave much else does it?) Can I just do a little at a time? When I feel like it? Oh yeah, I never really feel like it! My neighbor yesterday made me feel bad because they mowed the lawn again...On January 7th!!!!! And it was the wife doing it not the husband!

So that was it...I couldn't take the procrastination or humiliation by the neighborhood.  I BEGAN......I was going to paint the front door. I had already bought the paint...months ago but never continued the task....DON'T SAY IT! I also had a few other things I was going to do.  I planned on putting up the crown moulding in my daughters bedroom. Fix the towel bar in the bathroom and hang a mirror. I got ready and was all set...then I remembered...why I didn't paint the door....I forgot to buy a paint brush when I bought the paint.  So off to the Home Depot.

My wife went with me and we looked at the trim to buy for the crown moulding, we looked at the nail guns....after all I planned on doing a lot of work around the house. After all that looking, I was already tired and I hadn't even BOUGHT the stuff yet.  Okay, smaller bites.....I bought the paint brushes and some anchors for the towel bar.  We decided to buy the materials I needed on a Thursday night, on a Friday night to make sure I had everything I needed and all set up to work, so.....On Saturday morning I could get up and make some progress without loosing any steam or energy...(which are basically the same thing but it sounds good so I am going to be redundant.....hey, this is MY blog).

Okay good plan, dang it...the neighbor is mulching too!  Paint , Paint, Paint! So
I did.....Door looks pretty good..  I did two nice coats, I need to do another......A bit concerned that the lipstick color will not actually turn out CRANBERRY....(read my Ionic blog for color of the year!). Visitors BEWARE, you are not entering an Amsterdam brothel. (music playing in the background...Sting singing, "ROOOOXXXXANNE...Turn on the red light.......Rooooooxxxxxannne.)

Today, do the other coat of paint, hang the mirror and fix the towel bar......the rest of the day.......WATCH FOOTBALL.  My friends.....their are priorities.  Enjoy the day....don't forget about that!

Just so you know that the list posted at the beginning of this blog is for dramatic effect only and is not really my list.  However the list does apply with the exception of #4.  I dont smoke!

Old Age and all that entails

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_age

Ok well, just passed a milestone of 46 years of age.  Not sure where on the scale that puts me but I do feel and bit OLD many times. Kids are mostly gone now and living their lives away from us. No hair on head, all grey in goatee.  Too many medicines, chiropractor and too difficult to exercise.  Over weight, hard of hearing, cannot see with my glasses on or off. (constantly taking my glasses off to read my iPhone and then putting them back on to see further than 12 inches away from my face....what is the deal with that.) Achy in the morning, achy in the afternoon and most certainly if I wasn't so tired in the evening I would recognize that I am also achy before bed.

I understand (and relate) too much of the commercials on television about 'going and going and going' or Happy Bob (sorry too much information), blood pressure medicine, depression medicine.....and even medicine for medicine. My exercise exists in watching other people exercise on TV (and that makes me tired watching too). A treadmill sets in my front living room to remind me everyday of what I need to be doing. (An early birthday gift from my wife...at my request). Chores around the house are so exhausting, for that matter walking is exhausting!

This morning my knee started to hurt.....one spot that usually doesn't hurt surprisingly with all my knee injuries from football, baseball and powerlifting.  My theory is that it is telling me it is about to rain or the weather is going to change.  Yes, I know, it could be that it is 33 degrees this morning. Just one more thing that aches.

Thursday was my birthday.  Cannot really do anything during the mid week due to work schedules etc. Supposed to have a birthday dinner on Saturday evening. Excitment really doent exist somewhere after the 35th birthday. Anyway, nothing special planned on the day, except having to go to the dentist the first thing in the morning.....oh yeah, add that to the list above of things falling apart or OUT. My mom called me at 6:45 my time, 5:45 her time, while I was still in bed....awake always by 6:00 or earlier...this morning was 4:30, to wish me a happy birthday.  A text from my son going to work real early in Colorado and a mountain of Facebook posts from everyone....one of the best features of Facebook. A few meetings, a card from my employees and then out of the office a bit early.  Thought about going to a movie with my wife....oh, wait this is only Thursday, new movies don't come out until Friday....scratch that idea....ok just dinner out.  Oh of the same 'ol places and same 'ol selections off the menu (don't need to look at the menu I always get one of two things there). And then home!

Here is the clue that tells me I must be OLD.....I fell asleep at 7:30 on my birthday! Yep.....oh how exciting is that?....all I want for my birthday is to fall asleep! And I did.  My clock is all screwed up. my calendar is all screwed up...I am only 46! That shouldn't be old! Wake up body! Get moving!......okay maybe later after I have another cup of coffee, go pee and take a nap.......oh brother!  I see it now...just a few years away......in bed early by 7:00PM, with my walker by my bed, bottle thick glasses on the nightstand right beside the teeth in the water glass (that is just gross) and out like a light ready to snore the plaster off the ceiling (ceiling is falling in but not because of snoring) due to my fat little tummy....(by the way I hate it when my wife wakes me up when I am snoring only to tell me to go back to sleep...her gentle touches are probably more ignoring than just one huge shove!)..........oh brother! Maybe I will go back to sleep and wake up 20 years younger......yeah right, Dream On!

Stay young my friends!

Running Progress

Well, not much progress to report here.  I haven't been able to run lately due to a cold.  It is kind of hard to breathe with a stuffed up nose and coughing all the time.  Hopefully I am over that and can get back to training.  This morning I started slow again.....I hate starting over! But movement is always a great idea...even if I have to keep beginning again and again. I short 1.2 miles at a pretty brisk pace so that was nice. 

I found out this last week while I was walking in Richmond from my hotel to the convention center that I was WAY out of shape.  Walking up hill (in dress shoes and sports jacket) was a major hurdle.  It didn't help that I kept walking the wrong direction.....plugged in the address to my iPhone and then took off.  When I looked at it again, I had gone 6 blocks in the wrong direction....walking in dress shoes is not comfortable....especially after walking all day throughout the convention center.

Anyway....we will see what the can do this week by staying committed to the running. Oh by the way, indoor treadmill running right now.

Stay in touch my friends.  Let me know your hurdles you are fighting with diabetes, running or just exercise in general......Take care.

Ups and Downs

Let's see if I can get this right.  Trying to post under the one of the page categories. Just call me a novice blogger....still trying to master the whole thing.

The blood sugar is always on the ups and downs.  Typically my morning have always been high....around 180 or so. This drives me crazy.....I will just keep plugging away and hope that number eventually goes down. 

Here is how yesterday went....I woke up and decided to get back to running.  I had been back up to 1.5 miles....yes terrible, pathetic, shameful....I have already used all these to describe myself.  i know I should be too hard on myself but it was only 3 years or so ago that I ran a half marathon....then I had the bright idea of taking a break for a week to rest.......this has been the longest ONE WEEK break in history.......so back to running.  Wife bought me a treadmill for my birthday and off and running......okay.....not OFF and running......RUNNING in place.  I hate treadmills, but it will get me over the hump.....whatever it takes.  Anyway, I got up yesterday and jumped on the treadmill (while my wife was running 6 miles outside (did I already use the word shameful to describe myself....i think so), but I ran a good 2 miles.....so excited.  Felt good...not too sore.....except for feet......I also had the bright idea to run barefoot......toes are sore......yes......did I also use the word brainless to describe myself.....what was I thinking!

One of the hurdles I have had with diabetes is the weight control.  I cannot seem to keep off the weight when I am on the medicine.  Out of frustration in the past, i have sopped all the meds and dropped over 20 pounds....however my blood sugar (A1C) went crazy high.....back to the meds.....20 pounds back right back on.  The doctor gave me a new med when I recently went on UL500, it is called Vitosin and it basically makes you sick to your stomach....kind of like the feeling you get when you just get off of a roller coaster......except that is most of the time.  BLAH......they say you don't eat as much because you feel sick.....yeah, well I can always eat....love to eat.....still maintained weight.......so running it is!

Ups and Downs?  Blood Sugar is all over the place as you begin different "studies".....running yesterday made my Blood Sugar last night at midnight drop to 55.....and going down.  I run to the kitchen to get something and oops....This is Thursday evening...Friday is grocery day...no juice....no snacks......what can I eat or drink that might help...QUICKLY!  Red Bull?  I hate Red Bull, they are my daughter's.....what happens when you drink a red bull at 1:00 in the morning........BOING! Yep...cant stay asleep.....okay it wasn't too bad.....but I was up at 5:30!

Ups and Downs my friends....Ups and Downs!

Winter Mornings

I do not like Winter Mornings says Sam I am.  I do not like them in a coat, I do not like them with big boots.  I do not like cold mornings with feety pajamas, nor with a scarf and hat. I do not like cold mornings and that is that. Okay it isn't really winter yet...but I am in anticipation of them getting here.  My morning routine lately has been to wake up and my lovely wife brings me a cup of coffee in bed while I read the internet news, emails, facebook, linked in, blogger....etc.  You get the idea.  However, due to certain circumstances, I have been leaving the sacred confines of my warm cozy bed with the nice cover for coldy nights blankets all wrapped around my lap and have headed off to the living room.  Let me just say that it is less than appreciated in the morning.

FIRST REASON IT IS GOOD TO GET UP: Okay, I know that I will have to start getting up soon anyway so I can begin my running routine on the treadmill. Being cold weather, I will never again run outside until the sun yet brightens the day beyond 80 degrees in the early morning.....can you tell I don't like cold weather?....How did I ever survive those years in Pennsylvania? I need to do my exercise at 6:00 AM so I need to get up....I also cannot let my wife get too far ahead of me in training.  She is already running 5 miles a day.....Cold weather doesn't affect her.  She is invincible to the Mr. Frostbite...okay it is only 46 degrees right now....no frostbite but I believe my kryptonite is cold.....therefore I must stay far away.

SECOND REASON IT IS GOOD TO GET UP: Okay, yes I know that the day has only so many hours in it and I can get so much accomplished if I would only get my butt out of bed....evcn if I have professing that the the time spent on the internet reading and writing should be considered "marketing".....well it could be! Lately, by the time I get moving around and cleaned up it is tough to make it to the office in time for the start of the day.....the others are mostly already there.....I am the boss....true....I don't have to be there at the start (thank you to a bunch of great office staff), but still there is a lot to do running the business.  I can also get my work done....which truthfully never does "get done"...marketing always goes on, meetings, social networking...on and on....but it would allow me to get out of the office sooner if I got there quicker....think what I could accomplish.

THIRD REASON IT IS GOOD TO GET UP: Hmmmm, I cannot think of a third reason....there isn't a third reason....none what so ever.  Exercise, and work are the only reasons.....why am I writing this then? Oh my goodness, I have just proved to myself that I should be in bed....typing this blog.....waiting for my wife to bring me the second cup of coffee. Even the dog, after waking me up has now fell back asleep in bed. Okay, I have convinced myself.....back to bed.....wait, it is 7:30 now....NOW I do HAVE to get up.....being a responsible person isn't really what it is cracked up to be.... HAVE A GREAT DAY FRIENDS, even if you are still in bed reading this blog....!

Alright my friends, I need you to write me if there are any other reasons I should get up and MOVE....let me hear it! Post it here in the blog comments.