Workout number 3:Accidentally Overachieving

In my last post, I mentioned how I went with some of my kids to see their mile times but my two oldest 13 and 12 years old respectively ran theirs in 9:00 and 9:35 respectively. Not bad for a first run. My son, who had the better time of the two commented it is a record for him by far, at least compared to his school time. I could visualize it in my head. Him plodding along, not last but not first. At first I thought that is what he was doing here -- jogging just behind his sister so in the last lap he could sprint past her and get the better time, all without really exerting himself. I smiled a bit to myself as I saw it, but eventually his impatience won out and he moved past her in the fourth of eleven laps and she never caught up. Their weights were impressive too and well around where I expected. She really didn't push herself as she ran a couple of more laps afterward. Obviously still had some gas in the tank.

Weigh in....
372.8 lbs down .4

Mile time
16:58 down 2:09 from last record;2:13 from last run

Now don't think I am all sunshine and rainbows about my improvement. Remember, I am still brushing the roof of my weight high of 375. I had just eaten a good Chinese food dinner with that weight where before I have just eaten lightly. I was concerned about stress on my joints and am still concerned about shin splints and stress fractures. I am easing into it.

Today's run I was going with the attitude of a constant speed walk -- as fast as I could walk without setting into a jogging rhythm. I was barely breaking a sweat and my heart rate was probably about 140 most of the time. Samuel was timing me with his phone, a process that I had to explain how the lap timer worked. he sort of got it and looked rather bored watching me "walk" around the track. Towards the end he was getting a little impatient and at the tenth and last lap he was kind of waving me to get me to hussle to beat my last time. I picked it up a bit and pushed the walk/jog boundary a little. when I crossed he showed me a time that looked like 18:24 or something thereabouts. he then looked at the screen and asked,"Dad, is this at 11 laps or 12?" I had him scroll down to check the lap/time markings and sure enough, I had done 12 laps not 11. My lap time at 11 was as stated above 16;58. if Samuel didn't look genuinely abashed at his flub, I would of thought he did it on purpose to juice an extra lap out of his old man!

After this run, we came home. it as after 9pm and I still have to go to work tomorrow. I knew I wanted to tell you all about this time around and I have other things to finish before I went to bed so we called it a night and came home.

This is not the first time I have tried running. I have done day or two spurts, and even a time or two gone as far as a week before getting wrapped up in something else and it slowly fades to the background. Regret at failing to continue bothers me a bit and inwardly I resolve to try again. Well this is again and I hope to keep going. I am losing weight, I am shortening my mile time, and one last effect, an effect I noticed before and it is starting to creep in again. I feel good and I hope to continue to do well. The endorphins are flowing and I like them. I am not so sure it will continue to do so as I gently push myself harder and harder. I am trying to find a comfortable ceiling that is still fat burning, even aerobic, but won't sideline me. As long as my family keeps joining in, I hope to continue to succeed?

How much does working out with someone play into any fitness routine you do? Is there things you have to do with someone? Is there things you have to do alone?