My Wife, the Motivator

So yesterday, Misti ran a 5k obstacle course in Mission Bay that she signed up for in Shape Magazine. The event was called the Diva Dash so as you can imagine it was an all female race full of costumes and goofy running attire. There were a few serious athletes, though, and to my surprise, my wife was one of them...actually not just one of them, she was one of the best of them! I knew she was athletic but I had never seen her really compete so this was an eye opener for me.
The course was extremely tough; imagine running a 5k in wet sand, climbing obstacles, jumping barriers, crawling under ropes and splashing knee deep through the ocean...in a blazing 28 minutes!! I know Marines that can't run a 5k in 28 minutes on flat pavement with the sun shining. She did all of that in 50 degree weather in the rain! I was super proud of her, because I know she wanted to quit or at least walk certain portions, but she kept on running, passing people that started 15 minutes before she did. She says I am her motivation, but the truth is, she motivates me more than she could ever know. Way to go babe, keep up the good work!
Oh and we are running a 5k trail race in a couple weeks...I hope I can keep up!

Less is more??

So I've been fiddling with the idea of cutting my weight lifting sessions in half from 5-6 days per week to 2-3 days per week. So far, by concentrating on compound lifts such as deadlift, bench press, squat, overhead press, and rows, I have had some amazing training sessions and my body has reacted in a way that I haven't felt in a long time....super soreness! So maybe the less is more thing is more my speed and exactly the kind of change my muscles were needing in order to grow. This also allows me to run a little more on days that I'm not lifting, which is perfect for my half marathon training. So if you're stuck in a rut, try cutting back a bit and making your workouts count by increasing your poundage and shortening your reps and pushing your muscles a little harder. The extra rest in between may be just what you need to gain some needed strength.

Happy New Year!!

So I know it's very cliche of me to do this but it's a new year and I have high hopes for my year of fitness that is to be.  2012 is going to be the year I sign up for events...which I've never done in my life.  I'm talking about 5k's, 10k's, Mud Runs, Half-Marathons, Marathons (maybe), and Sprint Triathlons.  There may even be a few strength competitions if I can find them, because I also plan on breaking the 500lb deadlift barrier, which for a 170lb guy is not too shabby.
So to begin my new year I have decided to run a Half Marathon here in San Diego on March 11, thanks to a buddy of mine's perpetual urging, and my amazing wife's act of signing up for her first ever obstacle course 5k.  I was very inspired by both of them and I can't wait to watch my wife run her event in a few weeks.  I started my half training on Dec 31st and have ran at least 2.25 miles each of the 3 days since, all 3 including some trails, and hills which weren't very kind to me...its always tough getting back into the swing of things, especially running.  I was, at one time, a decent runner and so when I run after long layoffs in a not-so-fast-type-of-fashion, its a little disheartening, but I am confident it will come back quickly.
Well, anyways, here's to a tough 10 week half marathon training program for my first ever 13.1 mile trek through the streets of San Diego, and I hope all of you have something they want to attain this year.  I will do my best to pop in every now and then with some running tips and things I learn along the way in order to hopefully motivate someone to hit the pavement, trails, or treadmills for some heavy mileage!  Stay fit, and stay happy!