Tag: Diet

Getting Real

Posted on by Lucas

It’s really been awhile. Time moves fast, unlike my runs. Jokes aside I have gotten faster but not feeling for this half-marathon I’ve signed up for this weekend. The goal is to break PR of 1:57. Ideally I’ll be happy for anything under 2 hours but I have zero idea of what the course is like. Despite my hopelessness I have been consistently consistent this time around with my runs. We even beat an injury riddled two weeks but things definitely feel tighter. The diet has been starting tomorrow this whole training block. The hype I started with is still there but the grind got to me. If I run first then I don’t want to lift and I feel tired regardless of whatever workout I did so I deserve a treat is how each day ends up. This time around the running came first for once, then lifting, and then my diet in a far third.

I can actually taper this go around but when I think of taper I only think of lowering the mileage to almost zero because it’s an excuse to not run. My mind wants me to take it somewhat easy so I also don’t tweak anything before the big race. These excuses are probably coming from the same conscience that wants to give me treats all the time. Fighting my inner demons on taking the easy way out. The last mile is always the least crowded.

Sticking with It

Posted on by Lucas

Some time has definitely passed since my last update. Same traps I’ve encountered before. My consistency with running has definitely improved while my lifting frequency has declined. I may only lift once a week at most now but I’ve skipped less runs throughout the week. In fact, I ran at 6:30am this morning and it was glorious! I’ve missed that feeling for quite some time. It reminded me of running the Detroit Half-Marathon and realizing I was accomplishing something in my running career.

I’ve had some setbacks already. Life throws curveballs but we get back up and live another day. It’s wild how far I’ve come with my training already. The easy base runs were a chore at the beginning but now we’re finding our stride. I still can’t do VO2 max runs to save my life but I’m happy to live at a threshold pace. As much as the wind tries to blow me into the middle of traffic I enjoy the harsher weather as long as I can’t slip. Send me anything but a truckload of snow and I’ll weather my way through it.

Focus points are still the consistency in other areas. Maybe I tone down lifting a smidge to build the consistency and add stretching after my runs. Diet has been hit or miss but better overall. I need more variety with my tofu and chicken. I could eat my chipotle bowls all week for lunch though. Just need some changes for the sides. Now if anything else could taste like a nature’s snicker bar does to an actual snicker’s bar for a healthier dessert I would sell my soul. Ninja Creami is good but you can tell there’s a difference. Maybe I gotta do all the recipes with the blended cottage cheese.

Slowly getting closer to the place I want to be. Just gotta stay consistent.

Tired and Hungry Pt. 1

Posted on by Lucas

We’ve gotten thru the first week pretty unscathed. Skipped one run but still got my steps in. The hip flexors were sore after the first two runs and some targeted lifts in that area. No shame in that but hopefully I’m getting more acclimated to the routine sooner than later. We’re definitely sore, tired, and hungry already as I’m all of these as I write this.

Stretching is still a struggle I’ll admit. I’ll reference Atomic Habits again and say I have been minimally stretching at least but it feels like I’m devoting a lot of time every day and it’s just not been fully accepted in my mind that this is my new routine. Just wait until my runs are consistently an hour and a half when I start doing marathon training. The training splits are definitely easy mode right now.

Hunger is setting in a bit and I’ve had good days and somewhat bad days so far. Finally understanding I have a snacking habit when I don’t drink water and meal prepping burritos saved me this week. I think I could eat black beans for every meal if I had to. Reminds me of the meals I had in Costa Rica: rice, beans, protein. I think I could do that every day. Ah, simpler times…

Lifting has been somewhat consistent this week as well. As I run more I think I need to tone back some of the lifts and just focus more on my hip and glute lifts. Trying to stay in the game as long as I can before I get my first injury. I think any runner guarantees there will be some injury bug biting you at some point in your training. I’ve seen so many micro influencers tout their stretches and lifts will give you “bulletproof” this or that but I doubt they actually run and train for anything. I think most are you generic fitness influencer that gets paid to lift. Would be nice with my current circumstances but I don’t think there’s many unfit-fit influencers out there.

That’s my update. If I wasted your time, too late. lol

First Run Back, An Update

Posted on by Lucas

It’s been awhile. Just like my other post mentioning this – I need to stay consistent. Things got in the way but I’m looking forward again. The first run of my new training block was today and it was a doozy. Garmin was being difficult for the first mile and not updating my heart rate to then jump and make it overshoot my target HR. Fastest mile was the first one and it only got slower from there. I know running by heart rate does this but it’ll take time to get used to.

I followed up the run with leg day so tomorrow I’ll be regretting this when I wake up. We’ll see how that run will go… Fight thru the pain and maybe I’ll give myself a cookie tomorrow. Stretching is hard even though I’m trying to make it a priority now. Let’s hope it does some magic and hide the worst of it. I’m sure it will save me down the road from future injuries.

Another priority is diet and I’m trying to hold a deficit for real this time. Food is tasty and I love the idea of a good meal to devour. Hard not to think about giving myself a pat on the back and treating myself every day for minute things. Today was a good day though. Protein goals were hit and the meals were filling today. I’m sure as I run more the worst I’ll be so I can’t wait to look back on this. I think focusing on water also helped with that. Focusing on how my body feels has proven I eat when I’m thirsty and bored.

Hopefully, I can stick to the schedule of all this and come out on top. This is truly day 1 now and I have a long road ahead. Let’s enjoy this journey.