#Janathon Day 7 – How can you get faster, without running faster?

Posted on January 7, 2014 by Robinson — 4 Comments

Who doesn’t love speedwork on the Mill?

Day 7… Legs are still tired, but I told them to suck it up. Last year, while training for the Marine Corps Marathon, I did almost no speed work. I was so busy adding miles, that to do so seemed like it would have been increasing the odds of injury! Now that I’m not training for a marathon (well not specifically), I figure its time to get faster.

Its 5 degrees out. With wind chill it is between -5 and -10. I don’t go running in negative temperatures. Just No.

That left me with a speed workout on the treadmill! Now, coming straight from bed to the treadmill, I do believe some walking is in order, before running. My legs version of a cup of coffee I suppose.

.25 Mile Walking Warm up – 5 minutes.

1 minute – 6 mph
1 minute – 6.5 mph Read more ›

Tagged with: running, Speedwork, Speedwork on the treadmill, Treadmill, Treadmill Speedwork
Posted in Janathon, janathon, running, treadmill run

Don’t Supersize Me, Bro

Posted on January 6, 2014 by Robinson — Leave a comment

Another posting worth reading on how MUCH we eat vs what we SHOULD eat!

Find Your "Fit"

Alright you guys…truth time. I know we all have hit up the local McDonalds/Checkers/BurgerKing/Sonic/etc at some point within the past year or two. And, I am sure you’ve noticed that their portions have gotten RIDICULOUSLY out of control. Now, don’t get me wrong…I’m not necessarily surprised. After all, when you take a look at something like this…

You see that the fast food industry is supersizing us – whether we like it or not. In truth, portions have been going way out of whack for quite some time now, but if the general public isn’t paying attention to what’s on our plates and going into our bodies, then our waistlines will just continue to expand to epic proportions. Check THIS out (click image to enlarge):

With the increased portion sizes here in the US…I mean you can do all the running/swimming/crossfitting in the world, but until you control what is…

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#Janathon Day 6 – treadmill run, and a discussion on sleep.

Posted on January 6, 2014 by Robinson — 4 Comments

Day 6. Slept a little rough, with some really, really weird dreams. The sort of dreams that you wake up with your heart pounding and your head full of emotion and confusion. The last of these times I woke up, I got up as people often do in the middle of the night, did what i needed to and went back to bed. Quick time check – 5:25. Alarm goes off in 5 minutes.

I feel robbed. As I had gotten out of bed, I had already been looking forward to going back to sleep (lesson learned: check time BEFORE getting out of bed). Since my heart was so set on being in my warm cozy bed, you can see how THIS conversation went:

Sweet! Woke up before the alarm!! WOO HOO!! Don’t have to worry about it waking the wife up!
But… Sleep.. Cozy Bed… Best Part of the day right here…
Man, you are going to be able to work out first thing! That means you are wide awake and ready to go! Remember? These are the sorts of days where you may not even remember to get coffee until 10 am!
How on earth do you think that is a GOOD thing? Coffee is life. Now go away, the bed is warm. Read more ›

Tagged with: Importance of Sleep, running, self-talk, treadmill run
Posted in Janathon, janathon, running, Sleep, Weight Loss

#Janathon Day 5 – rest day and discussions on watching food.

Posted on January 5, 2014 by Robinson — Leave a comment

Island of Blood Stock photo from Games Workshop

Not a whole lot to say today, a slow mile running. It had a nice 1/2 mile walk before and after to make sure I burned the calories I ate today..

The day at home was mellow – my wife was painting the kids new Warhammer elves and skaven, while they were out playing in the snow. I made breakfast and dinner, and was just mellow on the computer.

Seriously, that sums up the whole day for the family…. So on to something else.

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Read more ›

Tagged with: calorie counting, Healthy Eating, Janathon, MyFitnessPal, rest day, treadmill run
Posted in Healthy Food, Janathon, janathon, recovery, running, treadmill run

#Janathon Day 4 – I forgot….

Posted on January 4, 2014 by Robinson — 1 Comment

The wonderful running conditions… Go ahead and try and set a PR on THIS! I haven’t run on this since winter 2011-2012!

No, no no.. I didn’t forget about Janathon. What I forgot, is that I was back to running after a little over 2 months off. See, in my head a 10 or 15 mile run is nothing. My body? Well, this is my 4th day in a row running (which makes sense when you stop and consider it is the fourth day of Janathon), and I was sick of running on the treadmill. With a smile and a wave (and a half hour of checking Runner’s World to see what to wear, followed by FINDING those things), I was off into 24 degree temperatures planning on somewhere between 6 and 10 miles.

Another thing I forgot (though in my defense, I haven’t done this in two years), running on snow and ice takes a LOT more effort. When running on clear sidewalks, the foot goes out, comes back, hits and you push. With snow and ice? You scan the sidewalk ahead of you, looking for the best place to put our foot (Which could be clear, or it could be a spot with snow on top of the ice, or even the flattest looking ice), which is carefully placed, with moderate and controlled pushes. Even the fact that the legs are controlled so carefully is more tiring.. Read more ›

Tagged with: Janathon, running, running in the ice and snow
Posted in Janathon, janathon, running

A Fresh Look at Portion Control and Portion Distortion

Posted on January 4, 2014 by Robinson — Leave a comment

This is an excellent posting on demonstrating the differences in what you should eat in a meal, vs what they are serving us in restaurants.

Wellness Secrets of a SuperAger

Yesterday I published what I consider to be one of the best examples of portion control that I have seen. As I have mentioned time and again, I am in my fourth year of success at controlling my weight and writing this blog. The major tool in that pursuit was the learning of portion control.

That’s why I thought this wonderful illustration which shows another way to look at portion control – through its distortion – would be helpful to you.

If you check out my Page – How to lose weight – and keep it off you will find further guidelines on protecting yourself for the attack of the calories on your weight and waistline.

Here is a super rundown from the American Diabetes Association on how portions have become distorted over the years.

Good luck in your New Year’s pursuit of weight control. I know you can do…

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#Janathon Day 3 – Snow Day?

Posted on January 3, 2014 by Robinson — 7 Comments

You know, I thought I left this behind when I left NY!

So it wasn’t ACTUALLY a snow-day in the sense that my kids think of them. I still have to go to work today, just two hours late! As I knew there was a couple of inches of snow on the ground, I laid in bed after my alarm went off at 5:30. See, I know that our company policy is that we will know by 6 if there are any weather-related closing or delays. Since I had planned on continuing my streak of 3 mile runs, I knew I had enough time starting at 6, to complete it and be to work on time. If we DID have a delay, then I could lay in my comfy warm bed (my favorite part of the day!) longer, and STILL get my workout in before work!
Read more ›

Tagged with: Janathon, Plantar fascia, running, treadmill run
Posted in Janathon, janathon, Plantar Faciitis, running, treadmill run

#Janathon Day 2 – Quick and Easy Treadmill

Posted on January 2, 2014 by Robinson — 1 Comment

Day 2 of Janathon! I certainly wasn’t going to give up THIS early, so I jumped on the treadmill for a 3 mile run, not a hard pace, around a 9:15/mile. Watched Haven – episode 1, that show has potential.

I love the shows that are supernatural related, that is if they don’t get too hokey. (Except for Buffy, that one was allowed to be hokey.) Might even have to introduce my wife to this one – as she really likes cop-shows. It seems to me that an FBI agent investigating supernatural issues could be a great happy medium!

I had actually planned on getting up this morning and running, but my bed was sooooo cozy and warm. I couldn’t come up with anything that would keep me from running in the evening – so I decided to enjoy it!

That won’t be an option once I get my gym membership!

Tagged with: Haven, Janathon, running, Treadmill
Posted in running

#Janathon Day 1- A Nice run with the boy!

Posted on January 1, 2014 by Robinson — 1 Comment

First day of the New year – means the first day of JANATHON!!!!!! ~~I had decided~~ My son decided that he wanted to run with me more, so this is the year that it is happening! Now any runner that has kids, has no choice but to be excited that their kid wants to “be like them” and go running with them. I am certainly no different on that score ~~when i told my son he wanted to run with me~~ when Bryce said he wanted to run more with me. When he informed me that he wanted to run a 10k with me? AWESOME!!!!

Not only did he voluntarily choose to run with me, he chose to do so, instead of playing Video Games! Any time an 11-year-old chooses to go outside and exercise over playing a video game he has just started – is a win. No other way to put that! Read more ›

Tagged with: Janathon, New Year's Day, Run, running, running with my son
Posted in Janathon, janathon, Kids, running, Weight Loss

Happy New Year!!

Posted on January 1, 2014 by Robinson — Leave a comment

I hope everyone had a fun and safe New Years Eve! I know I have readers that were celebrating wile I was still at work, since New Zealand moved in to the new year quite a bit before the East Coast of New Years, followed by my readers through out the Mid-East and Europe. Where ever you were, I hope it was merry and that 2015 holds bigger and brighter things for you than 2013 did!

We had a small gathering at home, with friends for the kids and ourselves present! Good friends is always a nice way to welcome in the new year! On the blog, we have a new look (with a new header to come!) and a new out-look!

I don’t believe in Resolutions for myself ~~for the very same reason as Calvin doesn’t~~, for the same reason I don’t believe in diets. Both sound like temporary things, where my goals are ~~supposed~~ to be lifestyle changes that are on-going. So what lifestyle changes do I have in store for 2014? Read more ›