Tag: Jogging

Walking

Before the pandemic, I was a regular at the gym (Yeah, we’ll pretend that’s true). When the isolation period began, I had to find another way to exercise. 

I thought about swimming, but I didn’t feel comfortable getting in the same water as other people. I’ve heard what people say about chlorine killing germs and whatever, but I’m still kind of paranoid about that. 

I thought about bike riding, but all we have is a girl’s Cruiser. I could ride it, but I’m embarrassed to ride a granny bike around and I’m too cheap to buy a guy’s bike that I probably won’t ride anyway.

I thought about jogging, but then realized I couldn’t because it’s stupid and I hate it. 

I finally settled on walking. 

I’ve had some experience with walking and hiking over the years. When I was in college, I spent a summer at Devil’s Den State Park in Arkansas, working alongside the naturalists on the guided hikes. Years later, my wife and I even walked the entire Appalachian Trail (well, the width of it). 

Walking has a lot of benefits. I learned a lot from this article by the Arthritis Foundation. It points out that regular walking improves circulation, shores up bones, improves your sleep, and slows down your mental decline (that’s a good one for me).  

Walking also decreases your stress levels, which all of us need nowadays. Brisk walking produces stress busting endorphins, which reduce stress hormones and helps improve your mood and general outlook on life. 

I also found that walking gives me time to talk with God. And since I’m walking between 5 and 6 in the morning, there are a lot less distractions. 

I spoke with God this morning as I walked. It was actually more like I dumped a semi-truck full of worries on Him. I prayed for the victims of Hurricane Laura and Marco and told him about my own feelings of survivor’s remorse. I ranted about my old and new fears, grievances, and burdens. I vented about how hard it is to live today on the 15th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina and still cope with the Covid-19 pandemic, natural disasters, racial tensions, social unrest, political discussions, poverty, hunger, unemployed friends, family relationships, work tensions, and church issues. 

He listened to everything I said. He knew it all anyway. He’s God. 

I think I’ll keep walking.

*Photo courtesy of Michael Descharles

by Categories: UncategorizedTags: , , , , Leave a comment

Healthy Eating’s Evil Cousin

I’ve been writing about healthy eating recently. So much so that I feel I’ve neglected it’s evil cousin….

Exercise.

Before I delve into my real feelings about this plague on the soul of humanity, let’s have a little background. Exercise was invented by Cain, one of the sons of Adam and Eve, who murdered his brother then ran, or jogged, away from the crime scene. I realize that statement is not in the Bible, but people have been running, or “jogging,” ever since.

Exercise, better known as self-inflicted torture, has been prescribed to me time and again by health care professionals, personal trainers, and other bullies. It’s supposed to help reduce my stress, raise my metabolism, and steal my joy.

So, I’ve started exercising again, sort of. I went to the gym until it closed because of Covid-19, but I’ve been walking almost everyday since, unless it rains, is too hot, or I don’t want to. My gym has since opened back up but I’m being cautious about returning because of the virus. Yeah, that’s it. That’s why I haven’t returned. 

One of my “gym friends” keeps telling me I’m “weak and lazy.” He yells at people and wears really tight t-shirts for a living. He calls himself a personal trainer and wants me to hire him to make me miserable. I told him exercise alone does a pretty good job without his help. Then he usually says, “You know, If you start exercising with me, you’re going to get addicted.”

Yeah, I don’t see that happening. 

If exercising is so addictive, then why is it so easy to quit? 

Besides, whenever you hear about someone being addicted to something, they’re usually describing something that’s bad for you like alcoholic beverages, non-prescription drugs, jogging, and weight lifting.

Exercising is not really fun, but I guess it is good for me. I do want to be healthier, I just wish I didn’t have to move so much to make it happen. I guess for now I’ll keep walking. It’s better than jogging. In the words of David Lee Roth, “I used to jog, but the ice cubes kept falling out of my glass.”

P.S. I apologize if I’ve offended any personal trainers. This is all for fun and my apology has nothing to do with the fact that most of you could easily beat me to a pulp.

*Photo courtesy of Lucas Favre and Unsplash

by Categories: UncategorizedTags: , , , , 5 Comments

Born to Run? – Beginning Week #9 of 10k Trainer App

joggerguyrunningwithsun_lklbp

Christopher McDougall, in Born to Run, observed the following:

Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up, it knows it must outrun the fastest lion or it will be killed.  Every morning in Africa, a lion wakes up.  It knows it must run faster than the slowest gazelle, or it will starve.  It doesn’t matter whether you’re the lion or a gazelle – when the sun comes up, you’d better be running.”

I wonder the gazelles or the lions trained to run using the 10k trainer app that I’m using.  I doubt it, because they’re running to survive and not for fitness sake.  Today, as I finished up Week #8 in my program, I was supposed to run for 30 minutes or 3 miles plus 10 minutes of warm up and cool down.  I did it, but I thought I was going to pass out.  I keep hearing that there’s a magical moment when runner’s euphoria comes over you.  I’ve felt some satisfaction in the completion of a run, but the only euphoria I’ve felt is when I get to stop.

I’m supposed to start my 9th week of the program this week.  The workout for the first day lasts 54 minutes.  I’m supposed to have a simple 5 minute warmup, run for 10 minutes, walk for 1 minute, then repeat the last two 3 more times before walking for a 5 minute cool down.  I’m not looking forward to this because of two facts about running:  It stinks and I hate it.

I’ll let you know if my feelings change.

by Categories: Health and Fitness, UncategorizedTags: , , , , Leave a comment

Why I Decided to Try the 10k for Pink Training App

tired_runner3FUNNY-RUNNER5

On Friday morning, I ran my first 5k, practically by accident.  I spent 8 weeks training for it with the C25k (Couch to 5k) App.  I finished it just in time for the New Orleans Crescent City Classic Run, but was not able to participate.  Since the app had several practice sessions included after graduation, I decided to continue to train.  It was raining outside, so I went to my local gym to run on the treadmill.  As my run neared the 35 minute mark, I realized that if I ran for another 10 minutes, I would hit the 3.106 miles or 5k.  So I did it.

Today, I walked out of my home, fully intending to continue the practice sessions.  But when I clicked on the App, it took me back to the first session.  I didn’t want to continue that session, so on the spur of the moment, I clicked on the 10k App ad, which I’ve been wondering about for a couple of weeks.  So, I guess I’m now training for a 10k.

If you see me past out on the side of road, please honk and try to raise me back to consciousness.

Related Posts:

How To Run for 22 Minutes Without Stopping

The Stitch – Why I wanted to quit Couch to 5k

Why I Chose To Try The Couch to 5k App

 

 

by Categories: Health and FitnessTags: , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

How To Run For 22 Minutes (Without Stopping) in 7 Easy Steps

tired-runner1

I’ve been using the App – C25KFree (Couch to 5K Free) for the past six weeks.  Today, I finished the day 3 workout of week 6, which includes 22 minutes of running without stopping.  In case you’re trying to do the same thing, here are 7 easy steps for running 22 minutes without stopping.  Enjoy.

Step #1 – Wake up in the morning, lay very still and listen intently for rain, snow, sleet, hail, a dense fog, mist, strong winds, mild winds, gentle breezes or anything uncontrollable that might keep you from having to get out of bed to exercise.

Step #2 – While still in bed, tell your wife that you are not in denial about not wanting to exercise.

Step #3 – Angrily roll out of bed, stumping the toes of your right foot on the hard wooden furniture that you insisted on buying fifteen years ago.

Step #4 – Have the following conversation with your wife:

You:  Honey, do you think I should just not exercise today?

Wife:  Why?

You:  My toes really hurt.

Wife:  What happened?

You:  I stubbed them on your furniture.

Wife:  My furniture?  You mean the bed?

You:  Yeah.

Wife:  You’re somehow suggesting that you stubbing your toe…

You:  (interrupting)  Toes!

Wife:  Ok.  You’re suggesting that you stubbing your “toes” on the bed is my fault.

You:  Yes.  If you hadn’t suggested this brand then we wouldn’t have all this hard wood in the house.

Wife:  Go exercise, you big baby.

You:  What?

Wife:  Go.

You:  Ok.

Step #5 – Cry

Step #6 – Change your clothes and walk out the door.

Step #7 – Put your headphones in, play some music, warmup for 5 minutes, then run (or jog) for 22 minutes without stopping.

Enjoy your workout!

Related Posts:

The Stitch – Why I wanted to quit Couch to 5k

Why I decided to lose the lose it App

3 Reasons Soft Drinks Hinder A Good Workout

by Categories: Health and FitnessTags: , , , , , , 2 Comments

The Stitch – Why I Wanted To Quit Couch To 5k

10390388-cartoon-of-a-fat-jogger-trying-to-get-fit-sweating-and-not-enjoying-it

Last night, C25k (Couch to 5k) Week 5 Day 3 got the best of me.  It was my first time in the program where I was supposed to jog for 20 minutes without stopping, so I was somewhat apprehensive before beginning my time of exercise.  However, two days earlier, I surpassed the 8 minute mark without stopping, then walked for 5 minutes before running another 8 minutes without stopping, so I believed that I could probably pull it off.

I was wrong.

After 9.5 minutes of running, I felt a terrible stitch in my side so I slowed to a walk.  A stitch is sometimes called a side cramp. It’s an intense stabbing pain under the lower edge of the ribcage that occurs during exercise.  After 4 minutes of walking, I ran for another 8.5 minutes.  I finished the workout, but felt terrible because I didn’t meet my goal of running 20 minutes without stopping.

I wanted to just give up and resign myself to being an out of shape fat guy.  That’s not such a bad thing, is it?

Today, however, I decided not to let it get the best of me, so I googled stitches during exercise.  According to my online friends, here are three causes:

1.  Running too soon after eating.  (Waiting two to three hours after eating is best)

2.  Drinking high sugar beverages right before or during exercise.

3.  Shallow or Irregular breathing during exercise.

I also looked for ways to prevent a stitch during exercise.  Here are three options:

1.  Stop running (or at least slow down)

2.  Raise your right arm over your head.  (The stretching sometimes helps relieve the stitch)

3.  Try to exhale as your left foot is moving forward. (This basically helps to set a pattern for your breathing, extremely important in all exercise)

I started running to Michael Jackson’s Don’t Stop ’til You Get Enough.  Before the song was over, a stitch was already forming in my side.  I started slowing down and considered quitting before I even reached 5 minutes.  However, slowing down helped, so I continued.  Around the 10 minute mark, the stitch returned, so I started watching my breathing, ensuring that I was exhaling as my left leg moved forward.  That seemed to help, so once I continued.  Finally, it returned around the 14 minute mark and I wanted to quit, but since I had already come so far I pressed on.  I slowed my running, focused once again on my breathing, and raised my right arm over my head.  The three items together helped and before I knew it, I had run for 20 minutes without stopping.

As I reached the 20 minute mark, Michael Jackson was singing Bad.  That’s exactly how I felt.

 

by Categories: Health and Fitness, UncategorizedTags: , , , , , , , 5 Comments

3 Reasons Soft Drinks Hinder A Good Workout

Soda_bubbles_macro

Anyone who knows me knows that I am a soft drink junkie, especially when it comes to Coca-Cola.  However, 3 weeks ago, I began using the App, C25Kfree (Couch To 5K free) and I began jogging for the first time in my life.

(I would really recommend the App for anyone with an iPhone who is wanting to get into shape and lose weight.  I can feel the benefits after only 3 weeks.)

After the first couple of runs, I came face to face with the cold hard reality that it was time for me to stop drinking soft drinks.  The main reason is that they were severely hindering my workouts.  Here are the 3 main reasons I found when I did just a little bit of study on the subject:

3 Reasons Soft Drinks Hinder A Good Workout

  1. Proper hydration is critical – Your body needs adequate amounts of water in order to carry nutrients to your muscles and to then remove waste produced during physical activity.  Carbonated drinks do not hydrate your body sufficiently and therefore hinder the maximum impact of your exercise.
  2. Bloating – Carbonated beverages cause bloating.  This is often seen around your waistline, when gas builds up in your stomach.  During exercise, this can result in slight stomach pain.
  3. Shortness of breath – Many carbonated soft drinks contain caffeine, which is a central nervous system stimulant.  It speeds up your heart rate and your breathing.  This is what makes you feel short of breath as you exercise and your rate of inhaling and exhaling increases.

If you’ve experienced similar results, please share your comments with me.  It will really encourage me as I continue towards my running goal.

Related post:

Why I chose to try the couch to 5k free workout app

Week Two of Couch to 5k

by Categories: Health and Fitness, ReviewTags: , , , , , , , , , , , 4 Comments