I haven't read your blog but I think it's great that you've gone from counting calories and walking a mile to counting miles run.

Thanks, I had some knee trouble that kept me away from running for a few years, but I'm loving it at the moment and excited for the 1/2 marathon in August. Starting to get the bug to maybe try a full sometime in the future, but I need to see how I handle the 1/2 and if I'm still interested down the road when running might no longer be my "flavor of the moment."

As far as the blog, that only lasted for a few months after I started it, but I'm hoping to get back to writing someday.

Anyway, thanks for the kind words, I appreciate it.

199 (same,-2) 114k steps

Running:

Sat - 9 miles
Mon - 5
Thur - 4

Weekly Netflix Movie recs:

The Keeping Room (Drama - 2015), The Hunt (Drama - 2012 - Danish), Team Foxcatcher (Documentary - 2016)

Been reading your blog since you started it, very good stuff in here!

August sounds like a rough month to hold a half marathon....what's the weather usually like in August there? I'm about to start an 18-week marathon training program next Monday, it'll be my first full marathon. I've done 3 HM's now, all of them while still being overweight. I'm lucky that I've never had any knee or joint issues of any kind. Trying do drop the last 30-35 lbs of extra weight I'm carrying.

Do you have a target time in mind for the half?

Thanks, yeah it's near Atlanta so it'll be pretty toasty, but it starts at 7 AM so that should help.

That's awesome you're training for a Full, good luck, that'll be a heck of an accomplishment and I'm sure will help drop some pounds.

I'm slow, my goal is sub 11 minute mile pace.

June Movie Grades

Titles in red are available on Netflix Instant, green are available on Amazon Prime, brown are available on HBO GO/NOW, blue were seen in theater, italics are re-watches.

A
Zootopia (Action/Comedy/Drama – Animated) – 2016
Independence Day (Action/Sci Fi) - 1996

A-
Charade (Action/Comedy/Romance) – 1963
The Conjuring 2 (Horror) - 2016

B+
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (Drama/Comedy) – 2005
Dracula (Horror) - 1931

B
Midnight Special (Action/Sci Fi) – 2016
Get Carter (Action/Drama) – 1971
Nintendo Quest (Documentary) - 2015

B-
X-Men: Apocalypse (Action/Sci Fi) - 2016

C+
Ricochet (Action/Drama) - 1991
The Challenge (Action) - 1970

D+
Listening (Drama/Sci Fi) - 2014

D
Triple 9 (Action/Drama) – 2016
Synchronicity (Drama/Sci Fi) - 2015

198 (-1,-3) 97k steps

Running:

Sat - 10 miles
Mon - 3
Tue - 5
Thur - 2

Weekly Netflix recs:

Charade (Action/Comedy - 1963), Spotlight (Biopic/Drama - 2015), The Big Short (Drama/Biopic) - 2015

196 (-2,-5) 123k steps

Running:

Sat - 11 miles
Mon - 5
Wed - 6
Thur - 3

Weekly Netflix recs:

The Sting (Comedy/Crime Drama - 1973), The Lovely Bones (Drama - 2009), Top Spin (Documentary - 2014)

193 (-3,-8) 127k steps

Running:

Sat - 12 miles
Mon - 5
Wed - 7
Thur - 4

Weekly Netflix recs:

Black Hawk Down (Action/Drama - 2001), Braveheart (Action/Drama - 1995), Double Jeopardy (Drama - 1999

Nice job steadily increasing the mileage! How much longer until your race?

Thanks, 1/2 is Aug 21, but since I'm way ahead on my training I've decided to take the plunge and do a full Sep 24.

Did 14 miles this morning (longest run life-to-date) and struggled, run a new path with basically no shade and planned to run into my work at 1/2 way point and grab a couple water bottles, but they had taken the fridges out of the conference rooms (for cleaning or something I guess), so that really messed me up, had my wife meet me with some water right when I finished, otherwise I was either going up to someone hose on their house or passing out. Definitely won't be doing that again.

Yikes that sounds rough...I've had to start taking at least 4 short water breaks on my long runs. My longest run is also 14 miles but that was back in April. Tough for me to get past 10 now with the awful humidity here...guess I just gotta get my ass up before 6 am lol.

Based on your name I'm assuming you're in FL, can't imagine the humidity there, it's bad enough here that I've been getting up at 5:00ish.


Update - my stomach has been acting up pretty bad recently, having some tests Friday, hopefully they'll rule out all the serious stuff (like they have in the past) and it'll just be my IBS flaring up (possibly related to change in sleeping patterns, increased running, and better diet?) and we can try some new meds. It's setting my training back some though so that's pretty frustrating, but I have about 1 week of leeway so hopefully it'll work out.

185 (-8,-16)

Not "real" weight loss, haven't been eating much due to stomach issues, hopefully that'll change soon, I've felt much better last 2 days and have a Colonoscopy tomorrow morning (that's why I weighed today, I'm sure the prep will drop another 3/4 lbs).

Running:

Sat - 14 miles
Mon - 5
Thur - 5

188 (+3,-13) 123k steps

Stomach's been back to normal this week, it's actually a good thing that I gained 3 lbs after dropping 8 last week, hoping to get down close to 180 by marathon time (9/24).

Running:

Sat - 16 miles
Mon - 5
Wed - 8
Thur - 4

16 miles is a helluva run! How'd you feel the next day? I got my long run up to 13.5 this past Sunday, aiming for 15 this week.

Actually didn't feel bad the day after, and same deal this Sunday after running 18, just some calf soreness, knee's held up well so far (knock on wood), I've been icing it every night.

Nice on 13.5, good luck on the 15!

190 (+2,-11) 134k steps

Running:

Sat - 18 miles
Mon - 5
Tue - 4
Thur - 8

Had a busy weekend so I pushed my long run to Monday...got out a little before 7 and it was in the mid 70s and foggy starting out. The sun broke through a little after 9 and the last three miles were tough but I made it the full 15 in just over 2 hrs 55 min!

Good luck with your HM this week...definitely take it easy this week and crush it!

Congrats! Yeah I try to start earlier and earlier the longer the run gets, and it's still not as hot here as FL.

Thanks, I'll make sure to get on here after the race and post my time, shooting for 2:25 or under.

We're not too far apart...my last 2 HM's I did were a 2:20 last November and a 2:09 in March. I haven't set a goal time yet for the marathon but probably will be shooting for around 4:10.

184 (-6,-17) 148k steps

Running:

Sat - 10 miles
Mon - 5
Wed - 8
Thur - 4

Weight fluctuations continue, doesn't really add up week to week, but if I look at the last 6 weeks all together it makes a little more sense, although I'd expect more like 186/187 at this point.

Sunday's race day!

Unfortunate update:

My wife's cousin was found dead (by his wife of 1 year and young daughter) of an overdose this morning. The visitation/funeral are Mon/Tue, but my wife's not handling it well, so despite my selfish nature I'm taking initiative and doing the right thing and flying back early, so no 1/2 marathon.

I feel so bad for everyone involved, so young and had so much going for him, I don't know the details and we weren't close at all, but I know he'd struggled with drugs, alcohol, and PTSD.

And I feel terrible about myself that part of me is annoyed that I'm missing my race, I just don't think most people would feel that way, at least I know my wife wouldn't. Anyway, glad this is an anonymous blog, I guess that's it for now.

Damn that's a terrible thing that happened. You definitely made the right call skipping the race but I can totally relate to how you're feeling. You've been working your ass off for weeks to train and get prepared for this race, it's only natural to feel that way imo.

That sucks.