Milestone #1 Met!!!!!!!

"The person who starts the race is not the same person who finishes the race"

On June 4th of this year I set a major goal of completing an Ironman distance triathlon before I am 50 years old in my bid to become a healthier husband and dad.  I also developed a plan with lots of intermediate goals to get there.  Yesterday I met my first Goal on the list!!! I completed the Tulsa Run 5K.

Crossing the finish line with my little sis!  Thanks for pushing me!

My plan going into the race was to jog the first 15 minutes then walk 2 mins and run 5 mins to the last kilometer then jog the rest of the way in, finishing in less than 50 minutes.  

I ran the first 16 minutes then maintained the 2/5 pattern, but the long hill at the end got me and we followed a  2/3 pattern from 3.5 kilometers to 4.5 kilometers.  We did pick it up the last 3 blocks finishing with and official time of 49:56.  My Runkeeper app had us finishing in 49:38 and we stopped for 20 or 30 seconds to take a rock out of my shoe.  When I finished I could stop smiling!  I was changed.  I am ready to train harder for the next 5k and see how much I can improve.  This race was the first time I finished in a sub 16 min/mi pace.  I will attempt to break 15 minute/mi pace in my next race.  

This weekend was a great ending to a great busy week.  I got a lot of swimming in as well despite the busy schedule.  I failed to weigh in this week, but I feel great.  

I will be adding the quote above and the following to my truck window this week!

Here is my week:

Perks & Weekly Check In October 20

I teach! Therefore, I don't make a lot of money, but there are a lot of perk that come along with the job.  This was brought home by the events of last night. This journey I'm now on has a few perks as well!!!!!!!

Teaching Perk #1 - I get to hang out with 12 year olds everyday.  This truly keeps me young at heart!

FFFM Perk # 1 - A truly healthier Heart!

Teaching Perk # 2 - I get to influence the lives of said 12 year olds  (this may scare some of you that truly know me) and seeing them develop into mature, productive members of our society! Truth be told many times I learn as much from them as they learn from me!

FFFM Perk #2 - I get to motivate people with my successes and gain their support when I falter.  I also have more energy to keep up with said 12 year olds.

Teaching Perk # 3 - Getting to experience the monumental life moments of those students you have come to call your own: graduations, weddings, new jobs, Kids of their own.  The joy that comes from seeing their joy is endless.

FFFM Perk # 3 -  Knowing that I will have a better chance of being around to see these events in my very own children's live and their children's lives makes the hard work worth it!

Teaching Perk # 4 - Time- having the experience I have and the schedule I have allows me time to be a Future Former Fat Man. 

FFFM Perk # 4 - Time - Spending time becoming a Future Former Fat Man allows my students and my own girls to see me set and achieve goals, becoming an example they can hopefully follow.

This list could go on and on and on and on - especially if I included being married to a well known blogger/author, but I will stop here. But I do pose a question to you.  What are your perks?  Let me know. I would love to hear!

Here's my week:  6 days till the Tulsa Run!

 

Randomness and Weekly Checkin

I am not feeling inspired with any truly mindblowning wisdom this week.  I am full of random thoughts however.

First, Malala Yousafzai:  I have fallen in love with this young lady.  I even showed her interview with Jon Stewart this week to my students.  Probably the one and only time Jon kept it clean enough to use in a 7th grade class. Which is a shame because so many of his guest are so thought provoking.  In her interview she speaks passionately and eloquently on education for girls worldwide and passive resistance against the Taliban.  Hopefully, at least a few of my students are inspired as much as I am to speak up for what they believe in and are passionate about. I am very disappointed Malala did not win the Nobel Peace Prize.

Second, Diet Dr. Pepper: Over the passed several months I have read several articles on how Diet Soda is soooooo bad for you in sooooo many ways.  Well I love Diet Dr. Pepper, but finally gave it up last week.  I am 8 day Diet Dr. Pepper free as of this writing.  The first three day were very, very, very, very rough.  It is still not easy, but I am hoping if I hold out until race day (it takes 20 days to form a new habit, right) the new no DDP habit will be ingrained.

Third, Fall Softball:  I love fall softball.  Cooler temps, laid back attitude of "let's just learn the game" and every coach working with every kid.  It's what youth sports should be.

Fourth, My Week:  I had a great week.  Tied my swim week record and swam more than 1 and 1/2 miles on Saturday.  Need to kick up my running a little on the elliptical, but am feeling so great.  With a renewed focus on the food this week I lost 4 pounds.  I gotta keep going strong.  Thanks for all of you with your words of encouragement!  I really helps keep me going.

20 Days to Race Day

It's 20 days to race day, my 1st goal on The List!  I will be participating in the Tulsa Run 5K.  I would like to say running the Tulsa Run 5K, but I refuse to say running until I am doing sub 13 minute miles.  My goal is a sub 50 minute time for the race.  This will be pushing it for me, especially since, like I said last week, the last mile is mostly up hill.  I am excited and nervous.

It's Official. I'm registered!

To help make it easier to get up that hill I am going to really clean up my diet for the next 20 days.  So if you have stock in Sonic Drive In or QT you might want to sell now.  I will be developing a menu of 5 to 10 meals for Breakfast and Lunch making sure they are 300 to 500 calories each and snacks that are between 200 and 300 calories.  Along with whatever the Davis dinner will be.  I will also give up all soda.  Below is a pic of my last one.  This is one aspect of the cleaner diet that I hope I can continue after the 20 days.  If I follow this plan I should drop between 10 and 20 pounds if I keep up my activity level as well.

The Last DDP for a while!

This week illness, softball and poor planning keep me out of the gym and some poor food choices late in the week had the scale going the wrong directions this week, but I will turn this around.  The focus on the Tulsa Run is just what I needed.

I would like to thank everyone for the kind words and support I received this week on Facebook, The blog and in person. Your words of encouragement mean a great deal to me and motivate me to continue this journey to a healthier me and to the Ironman.

Here's my week: