Half Way Through

I'm half way through my experiment. I've learned the word for it. It's called periodization. It's where you commit to a routine for a period of weeks or months, employing progressive resistance, then you switch to a different one. For example from heavy weight and low reps, then lower weight, higher reps, and shorter rest periods.

I have been lifting heavy and long (two-plus hours of lifting) with two days of recovery between.

BODY COMPOSITION

Body Weight: 357 >> 352 (-5 lb)
Body Fat: 115 >> 114 (-1 lb )
Lean Body Mass: 242 >> 237 (-4 lb)

The body composition numbers are interesting. My body fat and lean body mass are both going down. I haven't changed my nutrition very much (look, it's never perfect) but my sleep was lousy this week. I had a hard time staying asleep and consequently didn't get up on time. The other thing I noticed about this routine was that only going to the gym three times turned my mood pretty dark. The anti-depressant effect of exercise is something I can't afford to play with. I think that getting the right rest, and being smarter about what and when I eat will make a difference.

My goals for the year are weight 270 and Body Fat 12.5%. That's going to put my lean body mass right about where it is now. I don't know how to manage that change. Obviously excess muscle mass isn't going to be a problem for a while.But I need to manage fat loss without losing lean. I think Cardio is going to be the answer. I want to run, but for now, I need to suck it up and do the boring work on the recumbant bike and the elliptical. It will be a while before I can ride my bike enough to make much difference to my heart. (though my quads are feeling it.)

PERFORMANCE

Bench Press: 155 >> 165 (+ 6%)
Dead Lift: 145 >> 175 (+ 21%)
Squats: 105 >> 175 (+ 67%)
Pushups: 8 >> 10 (+ 25%)

These numbers each tell different stories. The bench press is an exercise I have been pushing on for a while, so I was working close to my max when the week started. The deadlift and squats are fairly new to me and my focus has been on learning proper form without hurting myself. Know I am testing myself more to find my max. I'm close, but not there quite yet. Pushups I just started. I was embarrassed to try because I knew I would suck at them. I just finally decided to start. (no sense waiting until I can bench my own body weight - besides, right now the bigger problem is core strength. My back gives out before my arms.)

SUBJECTIVE IMPRESSIONS

I've already touched on one - I don't like the two days rest. the gym has become an important part of managing my depression. Even if it's just a short trim on the stair climber, I need to be there more often than this.

I am getting stronger in every muscle group. I feel harder and am seeing more muscle.

I miss cardio, emotionally and physically. The big power lifts, squats and deadlifts really test your cardio-pulmonary system. When I finish a set, I am breathless, sometimes dizzy, and yesterday I was slightly queasy for a minute. I recovered soon enough, but eventually cardio is going to be critical to improving those lifts.

The thing I feel good about is that I'm sticking with the plan. I will keep at this for another week before making adjustments. It feels good to stick with my commitment.

And finally my usual whine -- I really miss running.

All in good time.

Peace,
b

Update - the First 3 Day Split

Three fronts, three days. Here's how it's going after the first cycle.

CYCLING
The biking is a good way to commute, but it will be a while before I can make it into much of a workout. For one thing, my ride lasts about 13 minutes. And while I may not have forgotten how to ride a bike, I need to relearn some things about riding well. And there's the mater of getting my big bum used to that little seat again. Bottom line? I like riding the bike to work, but I won't be able to count it as a cardio workout.

LIFTING
I did my exercises in reverse order from Saturday. all the weight was a little heavier. I forgot my mid workout snack, and I missed it about an hour in. The change in order put bench press and pullovers last. I struggled, but I completed my plan. I worked out long and hard. I was tired at the end, but did not run out of gas before I was finished.

WEIGHT
I was a pound heavier at the end of today's workout. I'm not too worked up over that, but I take it seriously. I am going to have to go back to the gym for cardio days. Mrs. P and I went out to dinner a couple times this weekend, so I'm sure I ate more than I ought to have. On the other hand, dining out with my bride is a rare treat that I don't regret. I just have to make up for it now.

Peace,
Pennsy

Knocking Off the Rust

“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving” - Albert Einstein

Took the bike on the streets this evening to see which of us was rustier. It was kind of a draw.

My balance is a little shaky, but riding a bike is like... well... you know. I'll be fine.

I got most of the iron oxide off the bike without resorting to the disturbingly titled condiment pictured, but the bike has some other issues. (So does it actually come from there? is it made from lint? and what is it's relationship to toe jam? and which goes better with chunky Jiff? I've checked Smucker's and Welch's, but no info on this mystery goo or it's origins.)

Right, the bike. The front wheel is a little out of true. I should be able to fix this. It isn't nearly bad enough to need replacing.

The crank has a wiggle in it that makes me think it is a bit bent as well. Again, I can fiddle with the front dérailleur handle enough to compensate.

The brake shoes need to be replaced. The previous owner did mix and matching with the shoes and I want to feel more confident than I do about them. I'll get replacements after payday. All the new cables will have stretched out by then and need adjusting anyway.

I hate the kickstand. It always seems to be in the way and does very little to hold the bike up. I'd really like to ditch it, but I'll leave it on for a week to see if I use it for anything other than cussing at.

I also think that the headset is a little loose. My old ten-speed used to stand true when you held the seat or leaned it against a wall, but this machine, which has straight Mountain-bike style handlebars spins really freely. It may need an overhaul, but I'll do some more research before messing with this. I have no enthusiasm for chasing ball-bearings all over the driveway.

That's pretty much it. I got a very silly looking flag for the back, and received one "Hey Big Sexy" taunt from a carload of beered up boys leaving the ballpark. I'm OK with that. I want motorists to see me. I'm enough of a misanthrope not to care what they think about my personal style. Besides, in a year when I've built my body into 300 pounds of rippling man-meat, I'll just pull hecklers out through the windows of their cars and feed their guts to the neighborhood pit bulls. (Molly's tastes are too refined for such rough types.)

I haven't quite sorted out how I'm going to carry work clothes in the morning. I'll start out with a backpack, but the next financial windfall that comes our way is going for some panniers.

It now takes $50 to fill my little Honda with gas, which I only do twice in a normal month. If I bike to work and back, I'll be saving a lot of money.

That along with all the other altruistic reasons to burn body fat instead of fossile fuel
makes a pretty strong case. Now if I can just convince the boss to install a shower in my office.

Peace,
Pennsy.

An Experiment in Intensity

"LIFE! GIVE THE FAT MAN LIFE!!!!" I have devised an experiment.

You get stronger by making the work harder. "Progressive Resistance" is one of the core doctrines of weight training. There are two ways to do this: lift heavier or lift more intensely. I've just started a two-week experiment in intensity.

One of the problems I have encountered recently is fatigue at the end of my workouts. I get through the first few sets under a full head of steam, but eventually start wearing down and am unable to complete my planned routine. I wind up doing lighter weight or fewer reps than I had planned. This slows my progress and leaves me exhausted, not energized like the guru's promised I would be when I started this fat man's journey. So I have a hypothesis...

One major cause of my fatigue is insufficient recovery time between workouts.

I ran a little test this week. My workout on Tuesday was more of a wash out. I couldn't lift nearly as long or as hard as I wanted to. My muscles just wouldn't respond. So I rested. I read. I napped. I cleaned up the old bike, changed all the cables, and tuned up the brakes and dérailleurs. I took short walks. I read some blogs. Yesterday I wrote a program.

Lift heavy, move quickly, rest completely.

DISCLAIMER
THE FAT MAN IS NOT AN EXPERT. THAT'S WHY HE GOT FAT IN THE FIRST PLACE! What follows is a description of an experiment. Don't take it as a prescription.

OVERVIEW
I'll be doing very heavy compound movements (ones that involve multiple muscle groups), chosen to work my whole body, then taking two days off from lifting. Because
this involves so many different exercises, I'm doing fewer sets and reps, starting with a very light warmup of twenty reps, then twelve reps of heavy weight and eight reps as heavy as I can possibly complete with good form. I'm minimizing rest between sets and moving as quickly as I can from apparatus to apparatus. Here's my program.

WARMUP & STRETCH
Light Resistance Bands, Crunches, Medicine Ball Woodchoppers, Pushups (this classic is going to take a lot of work for me. I'm still a pretty heavy load to heave. )

Once my heart rate is up and I have a good sweat going, I do a complete stretch from ankles to neck.

CHEST
Bench Press, 20/12/8
Dumbell Pullovers 20/12/8

UPPER BACK
Lat Pulldowns, Close, Reverse Grip 20/10
Lat Pulldowns, Medium, 20/10
Lat Pulldowns, Wide, 20/10
The pulldowns are a training regimen until I am strong enough to do chin ups. Arnold S says to do 50. Riiiiight.
Deadlift 20/12/8

SHOULDERS
Arnold Press 20/12/8
Lateral Dumbell Raise 20/12/8

ARMS
Preacher Curls, Reverse Grip, 20/12/8
Triceps Rope Pulldown, 20/12/8

BREAK
Yesterday I was pretty wrung out at this point. I had drunk a half gallon of water and was feeling like having something to eat. I'll probably throw something in my bag to nosh on and take a little walk outside to let the lactic acid clear out a little. Then back in for the really big muscle groups.

LEGS AND LOWER BACK
Squats, 20/12/8
Leg Curls, 20/12/8
Good Mornings, 20/12/8

STRETCH, SAUNA, SHOWER

That's the plan: repeat every three days. (It took me three hours yesterday to get through the whole thing.) Walk or bike on the off days. Stick to this for two weeks, and see what the results look like. Change weights on the heavy sets, but not the number of sets or reps. The first set will always be very light to warm up the specific muscle group and to set my form. In the next few days I'll write about each group of exercises and update my progress.

This is one of those deals where I use my blog to hold myself accountable. I'll report in every day on how the experiment is going with subjective observations and as much data as I can stand.

Let evil experiment begin! Bwa ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!!!



Peace,
Pennsy

Change is Good

I am getting tired.

Last night I intended to take a rest/cross-training night at the gym - an hour of cardio and resistance bands, then home.

I tried a short jog, but the Achilles tendons still hurt me too much to run. I did about 10 minutes on the bike, then tried to find a spot on the walll where I could use the bands. Class room full, back room full - no dice. There wasn't anywhere to clip the band to the wall without standing on top of someone.

I decided to improvise, so I tried to re-create my original workout on the machines. Of course my strength is much greater than it was in January, but there was something else going on too. I was burning out so fast. Lifting heavy weights for sure, but just fatigued after only a few sets. I'm looking at everything, water, sleep, meals, trying to figure out why I'm not getting fuel to the furnace. I need a change.

So last night after spending some time prostrate on the floor, I decided to make a change. I went out to the garage and pulled my bike out from under the pile where it was resting in peace. I took most of the major components apart - pulled the wheels, seat, handle bars. I'm going to clean it up, maybe change out the cables, find some bags to hang on the rack, and start wheeling. That has to help my cardio, and it shouldn't strain my achilles heels like run/walking does.

Plus, it's good for the world. I live really close to work, less than a mile and a half. There's no reason I should ever drive there - it's actually faster to bike at rush hour. Fresh air for the Bluegrass, fresh air and sunshine for me. It's a win/win!

I'm hoping the change will do me some good, too.

Peace,
b

Easing Up the Intensity

After a couple of long breaks for vacation and injury recovery, I'm starting to raise the bar a little. I need to get my cardio training back in motion. I've already had to skip two events that I had planned for the summer. During the "limping time" I have made good progress in the weight room though. I want to keep up the pressure there too. Moving forward -- carefully, but always forward -- that's my goal.

Good news from yesterday's weigh-in. A week of Mother P's cooking did not throw me too far off schedule. My weight is hovering around 360, and my lean muscle mass is up 0.7% so I'm still moving in the right direction. My big quarterly evaluation is in a couple weeks. The weight hasn't moved as much this time, but I expect my measurements will have changed quite a bit.

I got back on the treadmill for the first time in June. The legs felt fine, but I don't want to re-injure them. I just walked a warm up/cool down for about 5 minutes each. I'll work up from there.

The weights went ok, but my lower back is a little tender. I'm going to ask for some coaching on squats and deadlifts. I'm still not pulling a huge amount of weight but I don't want to do myself any harm. I cut a couple of lifts from my workout, and knocked the weight way down on others.

I may be trying to do too much or too many different exercises in a workout. I'm going to look at planning my routine a little farther in advance so I can cover all the muscle groups more efficiently.

Today is going to be a rest day. I have some work to do in the yard, so that can be my cross-training plan. I think it's important to do something practical every now and then to remind myself why I spend so much time in the gym.

Peace,
Pennsy

Power Cage

What a great name for an apparatus. This one is built by Body-Solid. They call it a power rack, but I like "cage". The language is more muscular somehow.

The power cage is the world's greatest spotter. It doesn't help when you don't need it, and it never fails when you do. You can use it to hold up heavy weights or to keep them from crushing you if something goes wrong. You can pull a bench inside or use the top for a pullup bar. It's not just a great tool, it's a place to be.

For me, the power cage is a symbol of my most ambitious strength goals. It's where I do my heaviest lifting. If I ever build a home gym, a bench and a cage will be my first apparatus purchases.

The cage is also where I load the bar for deadlifts. It inspires me somehow. Yesterday, I started there, and after running out of gas after one set the day before, I lifted a new personal best. It was a great start to a great workout that focused on my chest and upper back.

One thing though -- proper form is crucial when you do this lift, and proper form requires you to keep the bar movement as vertical as possible, right up against your shins and thighs. I made the mistake of wearing shorts and no leg wraps and really barked up my shins on the knurled part of the bar. I'll remember to cover them next time.



One of the guys I really admire approached me during my workout yesterday. He complimented me on my progress, then asked what I was eating to lose weight. He's frustrated that he can't drop pounds. This is a guy who lifts close to his body weight on the bench. I've seen him on the stair climber for close to an hour at a time. He is tremendously fit and he's asking ME how I'm losing weight. I told him about smoothies, salads, fish, and an occasional cheese burger. I also said that when I get stuck, I make a change to my workout, never repeating the same routine twice. I didn't want to say too much because A) he doesn't really need my advice and B) I don't really know what I'm talking about anyway. It made me realize that even athletes can be distracted by an idealized body image.

On the other hand, there's a woman at the gym who has always struck me as a natural. She is lean and muscular and works out like a fiend. I have always admired her, not so much as a sexy woman - which she is - but as a role model for the kind of work ethic I want to bring to the gym. The other day, while talking with one of the handsome young men, she mentioned that she weighed over two-hundred pounds when she started at the gym! This woman is built like an olympian!

There's just no way to tell how your body is going to wind up. You can work your butt off, eat clean, and do everything else right, but ultimately your genes set the limits. One of these people looks like a gymnast, the other like a shot putter. Both inspire me and both work as hard as a person can work. They just have different programming. It's a little daunting to know that no matter how hard I go at it in the gym, my genetics and my age are only going to let me go so far. On the other hand, i really want to find out how far that is. Not so I can look like a body builder or a marathoner - but so I can look and feel like the best Pennsy possible.

Peace,
Pennsy

Weak as a Kitten?

For the first time in a very long time, I finished a workout without pain.

Of course I finished about an hour early...

I've been on vacation this week. We visited Mom and the family up in Pennsyl', then drove back to 'Tucky on Tuesday. Yesterday work left me ragged so I came home and went to bed early, intending to try the 5:0o AM workout. Instead, I woke up around 1:30 with an annoying cough that cut my night's rest pretty much in half. No pre-dawn bench press for me.

Work was really good today, and I hit the gym ready to pound some iron. I blew through my warmup with the resistance bands, then did ball squats with heavier dumbells than I'd ever used before. It felt great to be working and sweating. After recovering from my squats, I squeezed out four sets of crunches then settled in to a nice long stretching session. I'm happy to report that the legs and ankles feel great, no pain, no popping, no limping. I felt a little tired, like I had over-done the bands a little, so I took an extra few minutes before starting in the power cage with deadlifts. I ripped out a set of deadlifts with good weight and good form, feeling strong and sound. When I put the barbell down and stood up after the last rep, My head was spinning. I often experience a little head rush after big leg lifts like deadlifts or clean and press, but this was more like that spinning "shall I faint or shall I puke?" kind of feeling. I sat down on the edge of the cage for a few minutes to try to collect myself, then started my second set.

Four reps. That's it. Rack 'em up and go home. I felt not just fatigued, but weak, like when you get the flu. I wandered back to the locker long enough to stuff my street clothes and towel into my bag and then went out to the car. I was fried. Feasting on Grammy's poppyseed cake, sleeping fitfully, and sixteen hours on the road had taken their toll on my conditioning.

Walking across the parking lot was when I noticed... Hey! My legs don't hurt! Nothing hurt. Shoulders? Check. Ankles? Check. Hips, Knees, Back? Check, check, and check. If I thought I could have done it without passing out, I might have gone back in for a spin on the elliptical. Instead I came home feeling weak as a kitten whose legs don't hurt.

When I get a good night's sleep, those dumbells better have their crash helmets on -- the Fat Man is coming back!

Peace,
Pennsy

Disturbing Kitty-cat images are from Epicycle.

So the Good News is...

I managed to walk a mile and a half yesterday. There were two courses. One was 2.5 miles and one was 1 mile. So I split the difference by trying the long course, then bailing at 1.5 when the two converged near the start/finish line.

The bad news is that I could not have walked that last mile. There is something really wrong with my legs. The pain is very specific to one site, about halfway between the bottom of my gastrocnemius and the top of my heel. Bearing any weight hurts and when I lock my knees, I cannot raise up on my toes. Mrs P suggested I ask Brad to recommend a sports medicine doc. In the meantime, I'm going to be a Fat Man Lifting and Stretching for a while. The 10K in four weeks just ain't gonna happen on these legs.

I am resolved to not spend a lot of time fretting over this yet. I'll wait and hear what the doctor has to say.

Oh, I almost forgot, I've been experimenting with smoothies this week. I've found several tasty combinations and one that should warn you about -- be very careful how many prunes you put in a smoothie. 'Nuff said.

After the walk yesterday, I went to the health food store and picked up some sample packets of protein powder. I'm trying to eat less meat to cut down on saturated fats, but I need protein to build muscle mass. The big jugs can be quite an investment, so I'm starting with some single envelopes to see if there are any I hate. If I can't stand it, I won't use it. I got some with whey, some with soy, and one that's whey with hemp. After reading a ton of contradictory literature on which type is better, I am taking the position that they're all about the same for my purposes. I'll keep you posted if I develop huge biceps or breasts or something.

Peace,
Pennsy

Walkin' and Hootin'

With God's help, I walked.

With your help, it mattered.

Peace,
Pennsy

Pride

I talk a lot about how proud I am of myself.

Today, I'm proud of you.

You stepped up and contributed to support the fight against Diabetes with a kind word, a phone call, a financial pledge. You're the bomb.

I'm proud of my nephew.

Cody James is going to put on the robe and mortarboard and receive his High School diploma this evening up in Pennsylvania. He hasn't had the easiest life, but he reached the goal. I'm proud of him and of all the folks on Team Cody who helped him get there. We don't know each other as well as I wish we did. I'm the uncle who lives far away. But if I lived closer, I couldn't love him any more. You've grown into a fine man, Cody. Congratulations.

I'm proud of Mrs P.

Six years ago she decided to leave a career she loved, helping to heal animals. She went to school, earned a Master's Degree with a 4.0 GPA, and now she works in another career she loves, helping to heal children. She works and waits and weeps for them and tries to make a difference in young lives that a lot of people have already given up on. That's her vocation and special gift. I know because she honed it on me.

And I'm proud to be a Pennsyltuckian.

For the longest time, I thought my Brother-in-law (born in the mountains of central PA and married to a KY girl in Lexington) invented the word. Since then I've found out that a lot of people use it as an insult to the state where I was born - as if connecting a place to Kentucky were derogatory. Well, folks who think there's anything wrong with being a Pennsyltuckian don't know jack about either place. Pennsyltuckians work hard, play hard, love hard, and know where we're from. Even when we leave home, we stay connected to deep roots - steel cables through seams of coal. It doesn't matter if we're from Hazard County, KY or the Hill District in Pittsburgh -- many of us love the 'Cats or the Cards or the Pens or the Phillies with pseudo religious fervor, most of us talk funny, and all of us are tied to the rivers and mountains, mines and factories, farms and forests that make our home what it is. Two things you'll never meet: an ex-Steeler fan and a Pennsyltuckian who wants to live anywhere else. I'm proud to come from a place and a people who haven't lost their identity and don't particularly care what anybody else thinks about that.

I'm a proud man today. Proud of my friends. Proud of my family. Proud of my home. I live life trying to be fit to be numbered among them. I wish you such pride and rich blessings today.

Peace,
Pennsy

My Training Partner

Today I walked a mile for the first time in 11 days. But I didn't do it on my own. I finally found a partner I can train with.

Molly is our ancient Golden Retriever. She came to live with us after a perilously long stay at the Lexington Humane Society. We don't know how old she was when Mrs P first saw her, but judging from her teeth, her level of energy, and her increasingly stubborn nature, she is about 83 years old. She goes at her own pace, and if you try to make her go too fast, or in a direction she doesn't like, she will fall down on her side and pretend to be dying. I swear I can hear her giggling under her breath sometimes.

Molly gets a walk after breakfast and dinner every day. Over the years, those walks have grown shorter and shorter as her joints troubled her more and my belly got bigger. This trend has had a pretty negative effect on our conditioning.

So tonight the weather was cool and the sky was clear and Molly and I started off on our walk. She was looking strong and I was feeling cooperative, so we just kept walking. We took a long route that we haven't walked for a long time. By the time we were done, we had gone a mile. We were both limping a little, but we made it home.

Two weeks ago I was worried about my time in a 5K. Last night I was writing about the glories of lifting hundreds of pounds of steel. Today I'm pretty pleased to have toddled around the park with my old dog in under an hour. And I've found a runner I can keep up with. It's good to be alive.

Peace,
Pennsy

One Rep More

My calves are still not up to par, so I've been doing a completely different kind of workout this week.

I warm up with a no-break version of low impact resistance band and body weight exercises (ball squats, crunches, calf raises). By the time I'm done, I'm soaked and well into my cardio training heart rate zone. Then I start working the iron.

Lifting weights is whole different kind of exercise experience. Cardio is about endurance. It's almost hypnotic in its rhythm. Your running feet tap tap tap on the road as you move along. The elliptical pedals turn turn turn. Before long, you can go for half an hour, sixty minutes, ninety. Your mind goes to a quiet place and everything seems to pulse with the easy in-out of your breath.



Female Powerlifter "daniela Sell" From Germany - video powered by Metacafe

Iron work is not about endurance. It's about intensity. Watch Daniela Sell preparing to bench bar-bending weight. Her concentration narrows until it is focused on a single simple object. Move this iron from here to there. From the rack to your chest and back. Until you can't move it another inch. Weight lifters sweat, groan, even shout as one repetition follows another. But repetition is really the wrong word.

When you hit your stride, running feels easy. Your steps feel light and you get the feeling that you could just keep running for as long as you wish. That's repetition.

Weight reps never feel easy. The whole object is to go till you fail, until you can't lift any more -- and then one rep more. When it feels easy, that's good news. You can add more weight. The physiology of weight lifting as I understand it is about breaking down and building up. Lifting until you can do no more does damage - micro-damage to the fibers that make up bundles of muscle tissue. In the following days, that tissue heals and is supplemented by additional fibers. Your body needs to be stronger to do the work, so it grows stronger. It's like watching yourself evolve and adapt to your environment.

The process requires two things. You have to rest to let that healing growth happen. And you have to make each workout, each routine, each rep harder than the last. This "progressive resistance" is what makes iron work so much different than road work. It's as if you started running up a hill that got steeper and steeper until you were finally running up a ladder until your legs wouldn't move anymore.

I like lifting weights. It's easy to track progress and measure improvement. I lifted more today than I did the last time. I like the feeling of going till you can't go any more - then doing another rep. And one rep more.

Aerobic exercise burns fat better than weight lifting. But weight lifting builds muscles, and muscles burn fat all the time. Those big quads and glutes that you build from doing squats and deadlifts are burning fat while you sleep. I haven't run a step in a week and a half, and yesterday at my weigh-in, I had finally broken below the 360 lb plateau I've been stuck on for almost a month. I'm not giving up running. I really want to run. But when I do, it's good to know that I'll be doing it with a body that is even better tuned to burn fat.

Till then, just let me do one rep more.

Peace,

Pennsy

"Sugar" That Isn't So Sweet

In the language of the Bluegrass, people with Diabetes have "got the sugar". We recently learned that Mrs P has joined their ranks. It isn't as sweet as it sounds.

Diabetes is the fifth-deadliest disease in the United States. Since 1987 the death rate due to diabetes has increased by 45 percent, while the death rates due to heart disease, stroke, and cancer have declined...

There are 20.8 million children and adults in the United States, or 7% of the population, who have diabetes. While an estimated 14.6 million have been diagnosed, unfortunately, 6.2 million people (or nearly one-third) are unaware that they have the disease. The Dangerous Toll of Diabetes

You know someone living with diabetes. I do too. You know what this disease costs them and you know what it takes from them.

Based on death certificate data, diabetes contributed to 224,092 deaths in 2002. Studies indicate that diabetes in generally under-reported on death certificates, particularly in the cases of older persons with multiples chronic conditions such as heart disease and hypertension. Because of this, the toll of diabetes is believed to be much higher than officially reported. Dangerous Toll ...

We can do something together that will help. One week from today, on May 31, I will be walking with the folks at Step Out: Walk to Fight Diabetes. That is my goal - slow and steady. Please join me with your feet or with your pledge.

I want to raise $600. Thanks to Team Pennsy sponsors Paul, Debbie, Mark, Cathy, and Bev we're almost halfway there.

Please click the thermometer or the American Diabetes Association logo on this page and add your support to theirs. You can pledge using ADA's secure web site. You'll be doing a good thing AND I'll hoot your name on the next Team Pennsy video from the historic Keeneland race track.

Click. Pledge. Help.

Peace,
Pennsy

Keep a-goin'

It's been a strange week of highs and lows. I started out still glowing from finishing the 5K, even as my left leg became weaker and more painful. When a bruise started to form on the back of my calf, it became clear that this was more than just a charley horse.

I consulted "Dr. Google" and checked off my symptoms.

1. Sudden, painful onset
2. Loss of strength
   
3. Painful to the touch
4. Visible bruising

Yup, I strained my calf. Not badly - but you know- badly enough. I had planned to take Monday and Tuesday off from the gym anyway. As it turned out, I couldn't have gotten from the car to the locker room without help. By Wednesday I was feeling some improvement, so I decided to take one more day of rest. I stayed home from work, walked around with Molly a little, and kept the leg wrapped and elevated.

By Thursday I was jonesing so bad for exercise that my skin was crawling. I was irritable at work, losing my temper at one point and slamming both fists on my desk - very melodramatic. I had had enough of frustration. At quitting time I drove right to Promatx. I did a little time on the bike and a little on the elliptical, but cardio was not what I was aching for. (and to be honest, they both hurt my leg a little.) I hit the weights and worked my legs and lower back as hard as I could stand. I was cautious of the injury, but rather than compensating with other muscles, I concentrated on maintaining good form and taking my time.

When I had finished my workout, I was a little lost. I had done all I intended to do, but I really wasn't ready to leave. I stood by the water fountain and looked out over the machines and the faces and the mirrors. I was so damn glad to be back. After a quick sauna, I checked the scale to see how much damage I had done on that front. As I suspected, I had gained two pounds which the meter confirmed was mostly fat. I don't think missing a couple of workouts did that, but filling the idle time with food did. To be honest, I was glad it wasn't worse.

I've been stuck at this weight and body fat % for weeks now. I keep fiddling around, changing this meal, increasing the intensity of that exercise. I'm going to dig out the blender and start making smoothies this weekend. Maybe that will help me to balance my diet a little better. Now it looks like it's going to be at least another week before I can run again. My plan is to spend that time building lean muscle mass in the weight room and learning about food without eating so much of it. I still want to do the July 4 10K here in Lexington, but it's looking more and more like a walk/run than a run/walk right now.

Tonight I had another great workout. I used the resistance bands to warm up for about fifteen minutes, then hit the weight room. Chest and upper back. I love when I finish an exercise and I can feel the muscles across my chest or between my shoulder blades. It's like something coming to life in there.

Slow and Steady. I've decided to take Aesop's Tortoise as my totem. He'll be up there in the corner of the page for a while. I know I'm not a hare. No amount of work will make me one. But patience, determination, and a tough hide will get me where I'm going just the same.

KEEP A-GOIN’

Author: by Frank L. Stanton (1857-1927)

If you strike a thorn or rose,
Keep a-goin'!
If it hails or if it snows,
Keep a-goin'!
'Taint no use to sit an' whine
When the fish ain't on your line;
Bait your hook an' keep a-tryin'--
Keep a-goin'!

When the weather kills your crop,
Keep a-goin'!
Though 'tis work to reach the top,
Keep a-goin'!
S'pose you're out o' ev'ry dime,
Gittin' broke ain't any crime;
Tell the world you're feelin' prime--
Keep a-goin'!

When it looks like all is up,
Keep a-goin'!
Drain the sweetness from the cup,
Keep a-goin'!
See the wild birds on the wing,
Hear the bells that sweetly ring,
When you feel like singin', sing--
Keep a-goin'!

I have no idea why I remembered this poem just now. Reading it again, I am struck by that last stanza. "Drain the sweetness from the cup," That's good stuff. That's American stuff.

Kind of makes a Fat Man feel like singing.

Peace,
Pennsy

Things I Learned from my First 5K

Ego is the enemy.

I really pressed the last leg of the race I wasn't really thinking about my time. I wanted to pass the two girls in front of me. I not only exceeded my training, I also wound up with a brutal cramp that still has me limping a day later. I now understand what they mean when they say an athlete "plays within herself." My race isn't with young girls, It's with the Fat Man, and he's been winning for a long, long time. I need to be patient. As it turned out, the time I gained by pressing and the time I lost by limping just about canceled each other out.

Water, water everywhere.
I did not drink enough water before the race. Hardly any, actually. The fact is, I just forgot. I was excited. I need to make water a bigger part of my training. That may have been one reason for The Big Cramp

Walk/Run

OK, maybe Jeff Gallaway is right on the run/walk business. There were two LITTLE girls, like 11 or 12 year old girls who pretty much kept pace with me for most of the race. The older of the two kept telling her friend, "It's okay, we need to pace ourselves." They would run like fawns for a while, then stop and walk. I would pass them and they would be chatting away, having a blast. Then they would run some more, passing dozens of adults at a time. The continued this for the whole race. Gradually, I stopped catching them. They just got farther and farther off into the distance (even though I was getting faster and faster.) They pulled away running, walking and laughing. They finished several minutes ahead of me and Mrs P said they crossed the line holding hands. I should have followed their example. I intend to do so in the future.

The most important meal of the day

I had a bowl of oatmeal and a glass of Crystal Light for breakfast. The oatmeal was a good choice, but I should definitely have thrown a banana or two in there. The drink was a bad choice. Icould taste that weird grape flavor for a good part of the run which was just ickey. A more balanced meal would have served me better.

Keep Moving!

I had a reasonably long cool-down, but coming home and crashing probably made the stiffness worse. I could have mowed the yard, walked the dog, or just gimped aimlessly around the neighborhood to flush the lactic acid out. Instead I flumped down and fell asleep. I awoke in a state of near paralysis and made my way to the gym and the recumbent bike. Slow easy spinning helped to clean things out, and long gentle stretching followed by a hot shower left me moving slowly but much more smoothly.

My wife is idiotically in love with me

She got out of bed at 7:00 on a Saturday. She made me a sign and cheered me on. She was the official photographer for Team Pennsy. She cried when I finished. Everyone on Earth should know what it is to be loved the way Mrs P loves me.

With God's help I can be a fighter..

I have quit on an awful lot of things and people in my life. It is easier to walk away that to stay and fight. Yesterday, I did not quit, even when I knew I would not win or even look good finishing. But I by-God finished. I am grateful to God for letting me run. I am proud of myself and eager to discover what I can do next. Pride without arrogance is a new experience for me. I like it. It feels clean.

Next

I'll take a couple days off from working out. I'm going to eat smart, sleep well, and do some heinous chores around the house. Then I'll start training for the Bluegrass 10,000 which is in six weeks!

Peace,
Pennsy

Who Sponsored This Run/Walk?

Chrysalis House is a drug and alcohol treatment facility for women and their children. This carefully structured treatment program addresses the many interrelated problems of a female addict. Chrysalis House heals and strengthens each woman for her return as a fully functioning member of society. When a woman successfully completes program, she typically has been drug and alcohol free, is fully employed, and has permanent housing. Chrysalis House is staffed by a multi-disciplinary team made up of case managers, clinicians, and administrators. Some of the staff are graduates of Chrysalis House. A volunteer board of directors, made up of social service providers, community leaders, members of the twelve-step community, and former program participants, oversees the agency. http://www.chrysalishouse.org/

Maybe your goal is to get fit. Maybe it's to raise your family. Maybe you just want to stay alive.

If any of these things matter to you, then addiction, any addiction, is standing in your way. It doesn't matter if you abuse ice cream, tobacco, alcohol, or crystal meth. It may be gambling, porn, 14 hour work days, or surfing the internet. Addicts give their lives away to their addiction. The only reason to stay an addict is that you don't want to be alive.

Chrysalis House is in the business of helping addicted women and their families to reclaim their own lives. Recovery means doing the hard work of buying your life back from the devil. You can't do it overnight and you can't do it alone. You need to admit what you've done to yourself and the people you love and you need to ask for the help you need.

The people who sponsored this 5K do holy work every day. If you want to escape your own addiction, there are people who have committed themselves to helping you get free. I know these things are true because I have lived them.

If you are an addict and you want to die, then stick with it. You're on the right track. If you want to live, then get help, tell the truth, and you can get well.

The Fat Man isn't running from death - he's running toward life. I invite you to run with him.

Peace,
Pennsy

Video: What Mrs P Saw

That's What You Get...

More tomorrow, but tonight I just want to share a story.

I called Mom to tell her the news.

"I made it. I finished."

"Wonderful. I was thinking about you this morning. How did it go?"

"Well, about 3/4 of a mile into the race, the first pair of walkers passed me - two perky little sorority looking types who zipped by without the least nod of respect for their elders. There were a couple of housewives walking along at my pace too, but the little blonde and her brunette walking buddy really stuck in my craw. For one thing, they were walking. For another thing, they didn't appear to be walking very hard. I tried to keep up, but no chance, so I fell back into pace with the other old ladies.

"After two miles I was feeling stronger, right at the pace where I had trained. I got to the bottom of a long hill and at about 2 1/2 miles I saw the pair ahead. They were slowing down! I felt fresh, my second mile had been faster than my first. I figured if I was going to catch them, it would be on this last climb, then I'd just have to keep it up on the short down hill to the finish line. I kept my stride short, but quickened my pace, just like I had practiced. I was reeling them in! I wondered if they could hear my footsteps. I could hear Jim McKay from ABC sports announcing this remarkable turn of events. 'In the waning moments of this contest, with the battle almost surely lost, the Fat Man is making his move! He is gobbling up ground with each step! The sorority girls eyes are widening with desperation as he closes in like a panther ready to strike!' I looked up ahead. They were within 10 feet of me. We had plenty of hill left - plenty of time to pass and let them watch the Fat Man fade off into the distance. I could see it in my mind, but my lungs were aching. My heart was pounding and my breath was coming much too hard. At this pace, I might catch them before the top, but I would never make it back down without a stretcher. I decided to be smart. I let them go and slowed down to walk a few yards and get my wind back.

"The first walking step that hit the pavement, I caught a cramp. Now I have had cramps. Writers cramp. Stomach cramps from bad Chinese food. The leg cramp that wakes you up in the middle of the night clutching the bedsheets and wondering what the hell happened. This wasn't like that. It wasn't like anything. It was the most sudden, clenching, crippling pain I have ever felt in my calf. I not only lost my stride, I nearly fell over backwards from the jolt of the thing. I managed to hop to a nearby port-a-potty and stretch it out enough to walk up the rest of the hill, then I picked up my feet and hobbled my way to the finish line doing something between a limp and a jog. I probably added about three minutes to my time. It's been about 5 hours and it still really hurts."

Mom paused for a moment to take it all in. "Well," she said wisely. "That's what you get for chasing young girls."

Peace,
Pennsy

A Healing Workout

Molly and I just returned from our walk and much to my surprise, I feel better than I have in days. Wednesday I ran the 5K course we'll be using tomorrow. I managed to twist my knee, not during the run, but when I was pulling my warm-up pants on after I was finished. So the Injury Gremlin has a sense of humor, too.

I wrapped the knee in an ace bandage Mrs P gave me and went to the gym last night. I had planned to lift weights and do some light cardio, but climbing stairs was too much to contemplate (I had to use both handrails like crutches to navigate the ones at work) so I just chucked that whole side of the room and made my way straight to the bench press.

I'm still a little clumsy with the free weights. No one has been hurt, but there have been a few close calls, particularly with the curling bar which is just small enough that not all the spring clips stay in place. when something slides of the end of the bar while you're working, it can be pretty unnerving.

Fortunately, Bo the Promatx Pro seems to always be close by when a mishap occurs. That may be just luck, or he may be my personal lifeguard. In either case, he has come to the rescue a couple of times when I was doing something stupid.

As I get more comfortable in the weight room, I'm starting to move more manly weights, but I'm progressing very carefully. A screw up back there can hurt more than just me.

I'm not sure what went on there last night that helped my lower joints to feel better. I did some dead lifting, but everything else was focused on the chest and lower back. Maybe just wrapping it for a while, moving around, and then coming home to some chicken, fish oil capsules, and an ice pack was enough to do the trick. Rest can mean getting more sleep, but it can also mean backing off on the throttle a little and just letting the motor run for a day. I'm still not firing on all cylinders, but the joints are much better lubed than they have been in a while.

Tonight I plan another short night -- just arms, shoulders, and upper back, then early to bed to prepare for my first organized run.

I'm a little excited about it - even though I fully expect to re-injure every part of me that has hurt for the last two weeks. After this Sunday's weigh in, I am going to take a few days off at the gym. I have a 10K in mind for July 4 and I want to start training strong.

When you hear from me next, I'll have earned my first event t-shirt. Mom says when I get enough of them, she'll make me a quilt. That will take a while. But I do look forward to wrapping up in it.

Peace,
Pennsy