Not much to write about

I just couldn't do it.  I couldn't bring myself to write about my own trivial issues in light of what happened yesterday afternoon in Boston.

However, I did write about something close to what I talk about here.

Marathons are exhausting, grueling events.  They’re not for the faint of heart, and that’s when you’re not concerned about a bomb going off and injuring or killing you or those around you.  Now, it’s easy to decide to not to run one of these things.

Me?  I’m going to run the Boston Marathon.

Yes, it's a political website, and you may not share my political views.  That's cool.  This isn't about politics.  It's about how this despicable act has spurred me to publicly announce that I'm going to do something.

Will it require me to get even more fit?  Yes. 

I care nothing about winning.  I want to run it, and finish it, and call it a day.  I may never run a marathon again in my life afterward.  It doesn't matter.

People died yesterday because someone wanted us to be afraid.  I refuse to be scared.

The sets down...and a whole world before me

Image from Flickr, by quinn.anya

I'm beat.  I feel it through out my entire body.  I feel it in new ways, and not just the physical.

My demons almost won, but I made a last ditch check and actually found out that I'm the one who has been winning lately.

Yeah, it's been a hell of a weekend.

Battling the demons

Image from Flickr, by oneselfsacrifice

 

Today was a workout day.  Two more sets down, and might could have banged out a third if I didn't decide to do stiff legged deadlifts instead of squats.  My lower back started twinging.  Stupid, right?

Live and learn.

Still, it was a decent enough workout and I'm pretty proud of it.  The shortening of the length for each exercise seems to be paying off.  All in all, I'm pretty happy about it all.

Yesterday, I wrote about my own past with body image issues, and if I'm completely honest those issues are still here.  Today, while lifting that kettlebell, it was easy to see me slaying the demons.

Me, my body image, and the reality of diet

Image from Flickr, by
Michigan Municipal League (MML)

I like to try and write something here every day, and since I replaced my keyboard on my laptop earlier today (all by myself even!), I really want to break this thing in.  As such, I thought I'd play a little confession time and then talk a bit about my own history with diet.

First, the body image thing.  It gets a lot of press these days, and for very good reason.  Women, who are often presented very unhealthy examples of "beauty", often feel pushed to adopt unhealthy practices to reach this pinnacle of so-called attractiveness.

Well folks, this happens to guys too. 

Don't believe me?

Sometimes, less is more

Image from Flickr, by sierrafit

I said I needed to kick my training into high gear, and as I woke up this morning, I hit on exactly how to do just that.

You see, it's like the old saying goes, "less is more" sometimes.

Let me explain.

I had been doing all my exercises for one minute at a time, then transitioning to the next exercise.  I was becoming flustered because it seemed like I was getting less reps in during that minute.  What I realized was that I was pushing for to long at a time.  My muscles were giving up, and I was probably depleting glycogen stores rather quickly, so I was getting less done.

So, I decided to change things up.

Need to kick it into high gear

Image from Flickr, by cogdogblog

I'm a little late posting today, mostly because it's been "one of those days".  Family drama and whatnot.  It's enough to take you out of the zone you actually want your brain in when you're training.

However, it's also a way to recognize some cold realities about your training that you would miss in most other circumstances.

For me, it was the latter.

The joys of training

Image from Flickr, by buzzthrill

"I'm so exhausted!"

You've heard people say it, right?  You've probably said it.  I know I have. 

The problem is, they're complaining rather than bragging. 

The tired feeling?  You feel it after a training session.  It's not a bad thing.  It's the wages of hard training.  It's the price you pay for getting fit.  Rather than money, which you never get back, it's energy that will return shortly.