Fitness Geek

Off and now on

This last week was ridiculously busy again. But I’ve been trying to get my miles in. Saturday was a strong 12 miles and Tuesday I rode the bike. Yesterday I put in an easy two mile run. Tonight I’ll do four miles after work.

The blogging has lagged because I’ve felt like outside of the Lil’ Geek posts I haven’t anything good to say. I can see how some might make the argument that that has been the case for the last year!

So beginning Aug. 1, I’m going to blog everyday for a month. It’ll get me back in the swing of things and help document my push to my first ultra on Nov. 8.

This is the second week of the ultra training, the last before the mileage really begins to pick up. I’m feeling I’ve got a pretty solid base now. Hopefully it won’t collapse under the weight of the miles to come.

As for the beautiful and very pregnant Mrs. Fitness Geek, she’s excited that we’re working on the nursery and she can feel Lil’ Geek kicking.

Tuesday Addictions and Race Announcement

I’ve found my next race. I was originally planning on running a race in October, but the new goal is closer to my house and on a better course.

On November 8 I’ll run the Peachtree City 50K. 31 miles. It’s six loops of golf cart paths around a local park. Not too many hills, but it’s still 31 miles.

I started training about two weeks ago and this is my third week of base mileage. I’ve had a shin splint for more than a week now, but it’s just about gone. I’m excited for this new challenge.

If all goes well, in November I’ll be able to call myself an ultramarathoner.

On to the addictions!

1. The 50K - I’m pretty stoked now. I think I’ve got enough time to properly train and I’m looking forward to a strong finish.

2. Writing - I’ve been trying to write one page a day. So far I’ve done pretty well.

3. Vacation - Last week’s vacation was great. I’ll post more about it tomorrow.

4. Working out - The vacation also showed me how much I need to start working out again.

5. Books - I finished two on vacation. If you’re a zombie/horror fan, you owe it to yourself to read Monster Island.

6. Lil’ Geek - Mrs. Fitness Geek has been feeling her kick and we passed the 20 week mark. We head back to the doctor Thursday. Hopefully we’ll have wonderful photos to post.

Lil’ Geek #12

Your first vacation, Lil Geek. I hope you enjoyed it. Sure, you were already in an ocean of your own, but the trip to Gulf Shores was still a special one.

Your mother felt you kicking and moving regularly for the first time. Where before she was pretty sure, now she’s become your personal punching bag. That’s fine by us, even if it means mom’s trips to the bathrooms increase to 50 a day since you keep using her bladder like a whack-a-mole.

This also marks the halfway point in the pregnancy. So much has changed in 20 weeks, most of it being your mom’s belly.

It’s funny though to look back 20 weeks and remember how excited, nervous, happy and thrilled. A year ago we never thought this possible. Now here we are and you’re tumblin’, kickin’, punchin’ girl in momma’s belly.

Just 20 more weeks. And then we’ll hold you in our arms. What could be better?

Nothing.

Our hearts are yours and you are our everything.

Lil’ Geek #11

Dearest little one, how I love you. I think about you more than you’ll ever know. Yesterday I was having a tough run and all I could think was that I wanted to make you proud. I kept repeating that over and over and over as I pounded along feeling my legs tire and my lungs burn.

You will always be our proudest achievement. No matter how your life turns and twists and changes, your heart and your soul will make us proud to be your parents.

Please don’t ever feel that what you do will not be good enough for us. You are our daughter. And yes, we will push you. At times you won’t understand it. You may not even like it. But it’s for your own good.

What we won’t do is push you to in push you into something you don’t want. You will be your own girl, your own woman. Whatever you do, whatever you become, that will be you.

But I hope I make you proud too, little one. I hope you can look back at your dad and see someone you can look up to and admire. If that’s the case, then mayber after everything I can look back and say I’ve been a good parent.

Stay strong Lil Geek.

Our hearts are yours and you are our everything.

Confession Time

I’ve been lazy. Ridiculously lazy. And now I’m paying for it. Sure, there are excuses. Work, family, didn’t sleep well, etc. But they are just excuses. Plenty of people deal with the same problems and get their runs and workouts in no problem.

So now I’m off to vacation (I’ll be blogging while away) and I’m in as bad a shape as I could be. Yeah I did a few workouts here and there, but for the most part I wasn’t consistent.

I didn’t blog for a week because I couldn’t figure out how to make this post sound remotely positive. Truth is, there’s very little to be positive about when it comes to the past two months.

This morning I did a long run of eight miles. I ran a decent time, but started it two hours later than I wanted because, well, see above.

Hopefully, being on the beach and realizing my failure to do what I should have done will be a wakeup call. Maybe I’ll learn from it. Here’s to hoping.

I’m planning on running at least four days while I’m away. I’d like to workout too. I know it’s too late for this trip, but my 30th birthday is around the corner. I’d love to reach it knowing I had stuck to a plan.

That’s it! We head out tomorrow morning and will be back in a week!

Decisions, decisions

Sometimes during a bad stretch or a dry stretch I don’t think there’s really a reason to blog. Does anyone really want to hear how I didn’t run for a few days or workout or that I didn’t do anything of note? I doubt it. Here comes an update…

I ran on Saturday and didn’t do as much as I should because it was 90 degrees. I ran again yesterday, a good three miles. Couple that with Monday’s strength workout and I felt like I had maybe salvaged my exercise regimen. Maybe.

We go to the beach next week. I had wanted to be in much better shape, but I got lazy and here I am. So now I’m just trying to be healthy. I’ve started thinking about my race calendar for the next year. I’ve got one possibility in October and then my 2010 race will either be in May or March. I’m still going back and forth on this a bit.

As the Dude would say, there are a lot of ins and outs to the case.

For now I’m just building base miles and trying to workout as much as possible.

In Lil Geek news, Mrs. Fitness Geek heads to the doctor today for her 19 week checkup. I usually go with her, but today I had something I couldn’t get out of at work. She promises to bring by photos on her way home. She’d better. I can’t wait to see our little girl!

Hot

One word title today because that pretty much describes the running weather around here. Yesterday it was 97 degrees out when I hit the road for an afternoon run. Hot.

Very hot.

I pushed through five miles at a 10 minute pace that included a water stop in the park where I doused myself in an effort to cool off.

It only sorta worked.

But I finished strong and was just happy to get the run in on a day when it really was too hot to be outside. Plenty of looks from passersby ranged from “Hey, idiot, it’s too hot to run” to “Maybe he has brain damage.”

I may skip my run tonight since I might have to do one of my weekend long runs tomorrow and Sunday instead of Saturday and Sunday.

Mrs. Fitness Geek continues to glow with the pregnancy. As for Lil’ Geek, she’s now just over 8 ounces in weight and the size of a bell pepper. A very cute bell pepper.