Fleet Feet Sports Elvis Is Alive 5k

I'm on my first week of training for my first 5k run. I've decided that I'm going to participate in the Fleet Feet Sports Elvis Is Alive 5k run on August 7. So far my legs are little sore from the first few days of running. This at least gives me some sort of goal to shoot for.

When you decide that your life is a prize

You know what they say - be careful what you wish for you just may get it. I can't really go into it very much on here but I've just been given a *lot* of responsibility at work. This is actually a good thing, considering I've been complaining that I never get to do anything 'cool' at work, this is definitely cool stuff, it's going to be a challenge for sure. More on this later, but just wanted to jot this down and note that things at work are really changing for the better lately. D. is really in my corner, I'll never doubt him again.

Another lifetime

I worry a lot about my career. Sometimes I think I'm doing ok, sometimes I feel like I'm getting nowhere at my current job. The truth is - I work basically 40 hours at my job, no more, no less, every week. If there are outstanding things to be done they generally have to wait til the next business day. I honestly don't know how I'm regarded by my bosses - I feel like I've gotten a lot of stuff done over the past year but I'm not the 'go to' guy on my team. I feel like I want to take on more responsibility and keep growing in terms of my technical knowledge. But the reality of the situation is that I don't work enough to stay competitive with people - my peers, and my competition in the job market - who really take their careers seriously.

I started from behind, I had a solid 3-4 years, maybe 5, where I was extremely motivated and made some huge strides in my career and education. Then there was a period of about 2 years where I was just treading water in terms of my job. The past year I feel like I've been trying really hard, at least when I am at work, but haven't really put in that extra 10-20 hours a week that distinguishes the superstars from the average workers. I have a performance review coming up at work in a couple weeks, we'll see what kind of feedback I get from my bosses.

I've also historically been lousy with money. In the past 2 months I've did a lot of organization with my money situation, in order to achieve the type of financial goals me and my wife talk about I will have to not only stay on top of my money situation, but master my money situation to the point where it is self perpetuating.

Billy Corgan told himself that - from the ages of 20 to 40 - he would work as hard as he could and see where that gets him, he's almost 40 now and look at what he's done.

I've decided today that, from my age right now to when my daughter turns 18 - I'm going to work as hard as I can - that means putting in an extra hour or two a day at work or on work related research, or on my home business, or managing my finances. We'll see where that gets me.

I'd really like to look back on this blog entry in 18 years and say to myself, 'that's when I really started to take my career and financial situation to the next level'. I tell myself that I'm doing it for Nina and K. - my wife and child. What else is there in this world to motivate me? Am I just going to go the rest of my life without ever really trying to be the man I've always wanted to be?

I'm Fat - 10 pounds by my birthday/Running workout

It's time I accept that I'm fat. My current 'weight loss' plan of tracking my points on weight watchers and working out at the gym haphazardly is just not cutting it. I lose a few pounds here and there, but over the past year my weight has remained relatively stable. It also doesn't help that I'm living with a pregnant woman who is eating double the amount of normal calories and is fond of chocolate and ice cream. Some days I just give in and eat whatever my wife is eating, it's certainly a lot more pleasurable.

I gave up for a while - for the past few weeks I haven't been tracking my points and haven't been going to the gym. My intense cardio work outs at the gym at the beginning of the year have also sort of tapered off.

I will probably not be able to lose a lot of weight in time for our wedding party - but that doesn't mean I should be a fat slob for the rest of my life. I have too much self respect to let my physical appearance continue to deteriorate, in the end it will also be better for my career, relationships, etc. as well as my self esteem.

I've decided to get on a running work out, and possibly compete in a 5k by the end of summer, I'll try to run as much as possible outside because I hate the treadmill. I take my inspiration from my friend B. who got a treadmill for Christmas and now is competing in half marathons and looks fierce. I have decided to cut down on the weight training, it just makes me look bulky, makes it difficult for me to lose weight, and it was never my goal to look like a body builder anyways. I like a slim build with some muscle tone. My plan is to use 2 resources online: running.about.com for training info and mapmyrun.com to log my training.

Here's my training schedule for the next 8 weeks.

5K Advanced Beginner Training Schedule

Week Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
1 Rest 1.5 m run CT 1.5 m run (race pace) Rest 2 m run 30 min EZ
2 Rest 2 m run CT 1 m run (race pace) Rest 2.5 m run 30 min EZ
3 Rest 2 mi run CT 1.5 m run (race pace) Rest 2.5 m run 30 min EZ
4 Rest 2.5 m run CT 1.5 m run (race pace) Rest 3 m run 35-40 min EZ
5 Rest 3 m run CT 1.5 m run (race pace) Rest 3.5 m run 35-40 min EZ
6 Rest 3.5 m run CT 1.5 m run (race pace) Rest 4 m run 35-40 min EZ
7 Rest 3 m run CT 1.5 m run (race pace) Rest 4 m run 40 min EZ
8 Rest 3 m run CT or Rest 2 m run Rest Rest 5K Race!

Quote

It is a paradoxical but profoundly true and important principle of life that the most likely way to reach a goal is to be aiming not at that goal itself but at some more ambitious goal beyond it.
- Arnold Toynbee

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"And now after two rambling years comes the final and greatest adventure. The climactic battle to kill the false being within and victoriously conclude the spiritual revolution." - Christopher McCandles

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Never put off until tomorrow what you can do the day after tomorrow. ~Mark Twain

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When you forgive, you love. And when you love, God's light shines on you.