Lost Focus

Somehow I have lost my focus on loosing the weight and have only been looking at the exercise portion. Looking forward into 2013 I am looking at the http://www.umtr.net/trail-series/umtr-ultra-series/ and see how well I do, which looking at this makes me think wow I need to loose some weight and now. I am at 256 that is up 3 lbs form 2 weeks ago... the culprit is booze which then leads to junk food. I am ready to empty the house of junk food and get back to lowering my fat level.

I would also like to if financially and physically plus if it works with My wife's schedule after all none of this is possible with out the loving support of my wife.  Go up to crew Sawtooth this year and somehow work at Arrowhead in some capacity to get an idea.

Others that could be added, would be one of the distances at Birkiebiner this winter and possibly a dances with dirt 1/2 Marathon or 50K next year, that one could depend on how I am recovered from Afton.
Once again all of these as training runs not racing except Sawtooth.

UMTR Ultra Series

The UMTR Ultra Series is a series of ultra trail races throughout the upper Midwest.

These are 2012 dates and I have erased all but the ones I would like to do not as a race but use them as a series of training runs.

Race	Location	Date
Zumbro 100 Mile / 50 Mile	Zumbro Falls, MN	04/13/2012   50 Mile
Chippewa 50K	New Auburn,         WI	04/28/2012
Superior Trail 50K	Lutsen, MN	05/19/2012
Kettle Moraine 100K / 100 Mile	Eagle, WI	06/02/2012  100K
Afton 50K	Afton, MN	07/07/2012
Voyageur 50 Mile	Carlton, MN	07/28/2012
Marquette 50K / 50 Mile	Marquette, MI	08/18/2012 Not sure could use as last long run prior to Sawtooth and Taper in.
Sawtooth 100 Mile	Lutsen, MN	09/07/2012  (GOAL RACE) goal being sub 30
Arrowhead 135 Run		2/??/2013  (GOAL RACE) goal being Finish in time allowed

Weight loss 6-24-12

SW: 270 (6-3-12)
GW: 195 9-6-13
LW: 253
CW: 255
+ 2 lbs

had a good week of running, every run was tough in effort but I toughed out every run. a little too much celebrating with my wife on Friday and Saturday Night.

Rethinking my plans for running this next month. I dont think I am camping at Devils Lake, Renee wants to come watch me run which is really cool. So I think I will just show up. Not sure of distance either thinking maybe about the 1/2 I am also contemplating the 25K the week prior at Afton.

Fantastic 6 mile run this morning

Went out to Hixon and ran the Hickory to Bliss road and back route just a shy bit over 6.2 miles... and averages 12 min miles. I am extremely pleased with that time today, I really thought it would be closer to the 15 minute mark with the hills but I was able to run them all but 1 and a half of them and honestly I think I could of ran the 1/2 hill as well but was hoping to keep some fuel in the tank for the remainder of the run. Pleased to say the least.

Building up

I need to focus on the build up in time on the trails starting now not wait until I am in better shape next spring.

So my thoughts are like this.

I currently just completed 10.5 miles in 3:13. So what I think I will do is slowing start building off of that base every other weekend and the weekend in between start to build some speed on the trails in the form of a 1 - 1 1/2 hour run  and during the week add 2-3 short walks a day with cooper 9which I have been doing already) and adding in 2-3 1 hour runs in as well. until I have that long day built up to 8-10 hours and then by then I can focus a bit more on sharpening the saw all next summer and continue to build strength and cardio through out the winter in and on the snow packed trails and deeper trails in the woods.

2 days out

I am two days out this morning from my long run/ hike and I am up 3 lbs, I think I remember being up in weight for a week or so when ever I would do a longer than usual run. I sure hope this is it and it is just some general inflammation that my body has to dump. I have been almost 30-40 ounces of water to the plus side of my 64 ounce a day goal. and had a very tiny amount of cheating while with my dad only one beer and none the day before at my wifes cousins wedding shower I passed on all junk food and booze. I am acceptable of a stagnant for awhile as long as it is not a long term trend. I really, really, really want to get to 240 sooner rather than later, once I break that I know I drop a pant size and am only 15 away from 225 and so on and so on. but going from 253 to 256 really bummed me out.

Weightloss 6-17-12

SW: 270 (6-3-12)
GW: 195 9-6-13
LW: 257
CW: 253
WL: -4 lbs solid week of dieting, if anything too much fruit and an over abundance of water. I did not cheat once that I can think of when it come to foods and I only had one beer but that was after 6 plus ours of yard works and my sister was here, I could have gone without. Yesterday I was a at wedding shower and did not have any booze, no desserts  I think maybe I should of had a bit more of the protein than I did. but I was amazingly strong as I was even making drinks for a few. Those captain and cokes were calling my name in a loud voice... passed!

Goals for this week

3 1 hour run our hikes and a 2-3 hour again in Hixon again with all of the hills TNT, PP, Brighton, Aspen Huff,  and then take the back side around. They are CLEARLY not my strength right now and I have always thought that you should work more on your weaknesses than your strengths. and then continue to build on to your strengths.

trail time with friends

What a great way to start out my Saturday. I met Wayne and Brian at 8 AM today and started on what was supposed to be a 10 mile hike. I am happy to report that it turned into a 10 1/2 mile trail run/hike. still walked all the up hills and struggled on many of the steep ones. But most of the nice easy flats and downs were ran with a smile. I was definitely tired at the end but with that being said if It would have been 3 miles longer I could have made it as well, however I had run out of my 64 ounces of water in my hydration pack at the end.
The vitals:
253lbs
70 plus degrees
constant rain
three stops for photos of the views.
10.5 miles
3:13:28
18:26 avg pace
1590 calories burned
 These are from Garmin so a bit higher than actual but, but probably only by 500 each side.
Total ascent: 3604
Total descent: 3664

Used to do this loop in about 2:00- 2:10

Morning weight

Was pleased to see 257 on the scale again this morning, well as pleased as one should be with 257 on the scale. I was not sure since I treated myself to a decent size skillet Breakfast yesterday including a bloody mary as well as the Tacos with cheese on them last night.

Weekly goals:

lose 2-3 lbs
Hike 5 hours this week
Continue to fly right on my diet
Mix in a bit of balance in the rest of my life as well

Weight Loss Thread

SW: 270 (6-3-12)
GW: 195 9-6-13
CW: 257
WL: -13 lbs

That was a lot of poison that had to have left me.

Possible trail run schedule

I say trail run rather than race, because I would not even be in contention walking up to the line, not that I ever was before in a race especially in these distances.. but in the condition I am in now I consider these organized fun trail runs on trails that I have never been on.

June 23^rd William O’ Brien 10 Mile (least likely)

July 14^th Dances with Dirt 10K

July 28^th Winona Trail Scamper 5K                                        

Sept 22^nd In Yan Teopa 10 Mile

Wow Crazy

I must have been loaded with Poison and crap in me. It has not been even a week and I have lost 10lbs, I keep thinking that I will wake up and be back up a few lbs as this all stabilizes, but maybe not.

I have been trying different methods for healing this week. I started drinking tea. I am reading a lot about the health benefits to teas and other things like honey and cinnamon etc.. that offer so much natural relief to common problems even muscle inflammation. So I will continue you onward and upward learning and taking in more knowledge to treat myself. I am only on one pill right now and that is the standard drug for Lupus called plaquenil, I do take a few other meds off and on because of the Cytoxan but those are pills that are keeping me out of infection or helping with nausea.. so I know that once the last dose of Cytoxan leaves my body this go around that I should be down to just plaquenil, hoping to avoid the addition of cellcept and or Benlysta afterwards, so anything I can do for myself to prevent I will do.

Food Journal 5-6-2012

Breakfast: two serving of plain oatmeal I added 1 large teaspoon of Brown Sugar and one of honey
Snack: 1/2 mini bagel with peanut butter and 1/2 of a banana
Lunch: Egg and hummus salad on a white wrap 1 cup of brown rice
Snack: Apple and mini bagel
Dinner: half of a grilled chicken breast and a salad.

64 ounces of water

heart rate and acupuncture

Ever since my acupuncture session on Monday, my resting heart rate has been a steady 20 beats below 100. I need to look at these victories and stay a course. Weighed in this morning and I have lost 6 lbs of poison this week. I say poison because I know that I can not loose 6lbs of fat in like 3 days. My shoulder has seemed to get better as well, not healed but not excruciating sore with every movement. I have forgotten to take my plaquenil the past few days and my body does seem pretty angry, I have to make sure that I am taking those. I also need to lay out a Yoga and PT program for my right hip pretty tender and sore I still think that I have a muscle imbalance and my right leg is turning outward, if I force my right foot t be held in a more forward facing position that is when it really get sore. Time to work on building those muscle sets and stretching and icing them as well.

Todays meals 06-05-12

Breakfast: two servings of plain oatmeal, I added about a table spoon of brown sugar and another of honey.

Snack: mini bagel and a green apple

Lunch: I had a hard boiled egg mixed up with greek olive humus and put on a white tortilla and approx a cup of brown rice.

Snack: chocolate milk, half of a mini bagel with fresh ground peanut butter on it.

Dinner: half of a grilled chicken breast with a greens salad

Accupuncture session

Had my first session yesterday I let her know to focus on my right knee and IT band area, also my heart rate. She had said that my body was really warm (not feverish) but warm. after about an hour of acupuncture my heart rate was down almost by 20 beats and my body cooled down a lot. This morning I woke up checked my HR and it was still down and even more. pretty sore all over right now now I can tell my body is angry inside still but I think this is just a general all over inflammation not sure stress related to past diet and life mistakes or if it is Lupus but either way I am noting it and making the appropriate changes. was down 3 lbs this morning so that much less poison sitting inside me right now.

Doing things properly.

Or as the Medical Oath goes; Do no Harm!


Well I need to set some ground rules for myself if I plan on getting the weight off. I am smart enough to know that when I was peaking at mileage I still did not loose weight. It is more diet than anything.

So My ground Rules:

Oatmeal with some brown sugar and honey for breakfast, maybe piece of toast or egg as well.
Snack: I think I will stick with a chocolate milk and a banana or 1/2 banana
Lunch: a lean Protein source with some raw veggies and dip
Snack: peanut butter or similar on bagel (or close too)
Dinner: mostly veggies and or whole grains small serving of lean protein if any at all.

I need to consume 64 ounces of water, not crystal light but water!!!!

Cocktails to a bare minimum, and limit to a better beer, a better scotch, possibly a bloody ceaser on occasion with the proper breakfast as a reward. I use the term better because I am cheap and that means very little of it will be consumed.

So if nothing else, and Lupus is playing not so nice with me, at least I am not doing Harm.

Penciling in..

I am penciling in Sawtooth 2013 on my calendar right now, which means a few things. Lupus Really needs to leave or go into deep Remission NOW, I need to lose a lot of weight and take this serious, I need to really get into shape and take advantage of all opportunities and last but not least smile the whole time!

Weigh in

Well tomorrow is my official weigh in but since I will not be here to do it, I weighed this morning. My metabolism must really suck or I suck becuase I cheated to much this week, or option 3 which I think is part of the equation I have some inflammation right now from Lupus. I weighed in at 270, that is what I started the week at. I was down to 266 at one point. I will also total 25-30 miles with walking and running combined this week. Next week will be less and the following will be down again because of my chemo on Thursday. I need to get this weight off!!! To much weight for my frame.