Nice. Where do you get your lifting template/program?

7/21/2016 10:16:37 PM

Making some progress with the running. Hit 7 miles tonight for the first time, avg pace 9 minutes 11 seconds.

7/21/2016 10:56:42 PM

Nice man!!!

7/22/2016 12:02:13 AM

Acraw asking me? I've actually cut back to only doing strength 3x a month, but I've upped my training for my iron man significantly. I am working with a training program for the race, so I think with the nutrition plan + race training + still doing strength, it's been a good combo.

7/22/2016 9:21:02 AM

^Yes.


Arctic Zero or Halo Top? I have not tried either, it's too expensive.

7/24/2016 5:31:35 PM

I've only had Arctic Zero, but people on the internet say Halo Top is way better. I found Arctic Zero to be decent but overpriced. The best flavor to me was the salted caramel, but snickerdoodle was also decent. From what I hear, Halo Top tastes a lot more like real ice cream and has a creamier texture. It isn't sold where I shop and I'd rather not drive around looking for it, so I don't know personally. For both of them, you have to take them out of the freezer to melt for ten minutes before eating for best taste.

7/24/2016 9:41:37 PM

chocolate Halo Top is tasty

but it's also available in literally 1 store in my city, and there are only like 6-8 flavors

[Edited on July 24, 2016 at 10:01 PM. Reason : .]

7/24/2016 10:01:02 PM

only have tried arctic zero... not bad if you're looking to hit that "ice cream" craving without the problems associated with dairy and all that jazz

7/25/2016 8:41:38 AM

I'm hooked on Skinny Cow products myself. I think they taste great and are all low calorie. I actually prefer them to regular ice cream these days.

7/25/2016 10:06:07 AM

The So Delicious coconut flavors are great. They still have all the healthy fats of normal ice cream but without the dairy and coconut is super creamy.

7/25/2016 4:32:13 PM

haha when you're trying to track macros and you go to starbucks and ask for extra skim and get extra cream in your iced coffee

no big deal. I have no idea how much cream was added but all I can do is eliminate extra fats where possible the rest of the day

8/6/2016 4:38:38 PM

snacked on some dry roasted edamame earlier. pretty ridiculous protein:carb ratio.

8/6/2016 6:07:20 PM

Saw 185 on the scale today. I'm probably losing around .5lb/week or so and I'm not even really trying. I make good choices overall but the weekends are a free for all basically and I'm not tracking shit. I guess all the years of tracking has paid off because I can pretty much guess if I'm eating too much/not enough. I'll ramp up the aggressiveness of the diet soon to shed those last pounds and get into the 170's for the first time in like 13 years but for now I'm going to keep doing what I'm doing.

8/6/2016 11:21:54 PM

Good job, man.

8/7/2016 1:05:54 AM

Got a new double under rope on the way to go with the recent addition of my medicine ball for wallballs. All I need now is a good kettle bell. Pretty soon I'll be able to charge my neighbors $165/month to come work out with me.

8/7/2016 2:38:12 PM

...but noone ever shits on yoga/pilates for their ridiculous pricing too, 10-20 bucks/class. Up to 185.00/month

8/7/2016 4:10:43 PM

man, I need to open up a crossfit gym or yoga place if that's what they charge.

I thought $70 a month at Triangle Rock Club was bad but a lot of investment went into the facilities there, plus free yoga (not that I use it) and a nice free weights area in the North Raleigh one. It's like having a gym to myself when I work out there, which almost makes the price worth it on its own. State's gym is so overcrowded I only go anymore if I have no other option.

I'm down to 182 from 200 in May. Still not where I need to be bodyfat% wise but I'm also not putting in a huge amount of effort as now I can pretty much gauge what I need to be eating.

I've also been focusing on getting back in shape for running. Have made pretty good progress despite the crazy heat/humidity.

8/7/2016 7:33:28 PM

Picked up some of these https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01GCBCJCW/ and I've been using them on my runs. Seems like it would burn more calories than just running by itself, and it makes you look forward to the stretches of your run where all you're doing is running

8/7/2016 7:47:12 PM

^^ nah. You can quit your job if you start a soulcycle for 40.00/class!!!

8/7/2016 7:51:30 PM

^^lol if you really use those while running, more power to you.

Have y'all ever used compression sleeves for shin splints / do they work? Seems like the only thing keeping me from running more during the week (besides willpower).

^is that what a "spin class" is? I've actually never done any sort of group fitness course as an adult (not counting PE courses at State)

8/7/2016 7:56:21 PM

mhmm, but it's revolutionary cycling that helps you find your SOUL.

8/7/2016 7:59:58 PM

Quote :

"...but noone ever shits on yoga/pilates for their ridiculous pricing too, 10-20 bucks/class. Up to 185.00/month"

I've found decent studios for $99/month but it's still pricey. The best gym I've been a member of is Earth Treks in Golden which was like $70-80/month I think. It was a huge climbing gym with a full gym, yoga classes, spin classes, community keg parties, etc. All included in the membership.

Now that my gf's a yoga teacher I just go to her classes for free.

8/8/2016 9:12:39 AM

Participated in my first Spartan race this past weekend in Black Mountain. Ran with the GF and finished a 10-11 mile course with 26 obstacles in 5.5 hours. I was able to do complete most obstacles, though I had trouble gripping wet/muddy ropes and/or ledges for a few. Ran out of our own water around mile 5, right in the middle of a nearly 3 mile incline up mountain ridges and didn't come across any water stations till around mile 8. Apparently 400 people dropped out during the race due to various reasons (yellow jacket stings, heat exhaustion, cramps, etc.).

8/8/2016 1:41:40 PM

^nice.

I'm thinking of doing this for my first obstacle run ever. It's 5k and 15 obstacles.

http://www.warriorwolf.com/

8/8/2016 3:16:41 PM

I'm a fan of dumbbell punches. Works delts, shoulders, biceps, triceps, forearms, wrists, core, chest. Good way to get a pump

[Edited on August 8, 2016 at 10:30 PM. Reason : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7PyDDNSiHk]

8/8/2016 10:28:36 PM

I've lost almost 10 lbs in the last week

who knew switching your diet to basically meat, vegetables and water, and exercising more would help you trim the fat!

[Edited on August 12, 2016 at 2:24 PM. Reason : .]

8/12/2016 2:24:07 PM

ncsuallday this might be overly long, but for years shin splints got in the way of running, which is the only fitness activity I enjoy. I use Zensah sleeves help with leg/shin pain from running. They help, along with ice. But the biggest thing that made my shin splints go away was taking out my Rx orthotics and going barefoot in the house to strengthen my feet, and forefoot running/no drop shoes. I had flat feet when I started, but have developed a bit of an arch.

I'd also check out either Pose Running or ChiRunning methods for forefoot running. I especially like the latter. Probably the 3 biggest points are: lean forward when you run, make sure your knee never lands in front of your foot (bent knees), and keep everything below the knee loose. You shouldn't push off with your foot.

Went from high school, where I always got shin splints in track and XC, plus several times over the years of having to stop couch to 5k, to 10 k no problem. Working on half marathon now.

8/13/2016 7:28:12 PM

^^ Congrat!

8/13/2016 7:43:44 PM

^^thanks!

I definitely have a flat foot. I wear Birkenstocks as a regular shoe and do go barefoot in the house (on hardwoods). Do you have a good link for ChiRunning's method on forefoot? Everything I've found recommends mid-foot strike.

Are you saying I should run with a more forward lean and also get something to help develop an arch?

I don't have any prescription orthotics but I did have a gait analysis done or whatever it's called and they said that I have a pronated stride(?). I got some Asics Kayano's but honestly I still prefer my old Gel Nimbus 7s.

8/15/2016 9:21:41 AM

^Whoops, sorry Thanks for catching my mistake. Midfoot is right. I started with the Pose method years back and actually injured myself, though I can't be sure it was the method or the fact that I hadn't properly strengthened my feet by walking barefoot or using neutral/0-drop shoes. Pose is more forefoot, whereas ChiRunning is midfoot.

The most important aspects of both though are the forward lean, using your hamstrings for power (or as ChiRunning says, keep everything below the knees limp), and high stride rate.

Your arch may naturally develop a bit if you run while wearing shoes without arch support and proceed slowly. Start with something more cushioned if you're used to those Gel Nimbus/Kayano. Birkenstocks are nice in that I believe they're 0-drop. This was what took me the longest to adjust from (Nikes/Adidas with 1" drops which are like walking in heels). I've worn everything from Hoka/Altra to VFF, and IMHO, drop is more important than cushioning, provided you're using correct technique. But it is a lot easier to learn correct technique with less cushioning. I love Merrell's shoes, and began with the Bare Access and proceeded to Trail Glove (they still have both). Bare Access only has 8 mm of cushioning compared to the 30+ mm (>1") on your Asics, so be careful if you want to try it. I'd start just by running 1/4 mi in them and seeing how your calves feel over the next couple of days. Then go up from there. Buy them at REI so you can return if need be.


I had Rx orthotics and they didn't work, so I wouldn't recommend them. The "pronated stride" they say you have is a consequence of having flat feet and wearing traditional shoes/running with a heel strike. A bit of pronation is good, since it serves as a shock absorber. However, in your case, as your foot goes from heel to toe, your foot leans/rolls too far inward. This puts stress on the inside of your shin, which eventually produces shin splints. The shoe manufacturers recommend "stability" (like the Kayanos) or "motion control" shoes to keep that from happening. However, the excessive rotation is more a by-product of them producing these massively cushioned shoes with big heel-to-toe drops, which together cause you to run heel-to-toe. If you were running midfoot or forefoot, you'd have some inward rotation still (enough for shock absorption) but nowhere near as much as heelstrike, which means no shin splints.

Here are 2 good links with more info:
http://www.runnersworld.com/tag/pronation
https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/running-shoes.html

As far as stride rate, if you can do 180/min starting out, that's great. I'd try to do no less than 150, or preferably 160, and go up by 5 a week. Do as high as you can up to 180 without sacrificing form. Both techniques advocate 180, but if you're running a 10-12 min mile, it's pretty hard to hit 180.

If you have an iPhone, I highly recommend the ChiRunning app, though it is quite expensive ($10). It honestly doesn't do a lot, but there are ~15-20 "focuses" in Chi, and it'll give you an audio reminder every 1 min with another focus to work on. It also has a metronome function for your stride rate; I prefer using Spotify Running though, which matches music to your pace. There is an Android app for only $4, but the reviews for it are bad.

You can also find the book and the DVD online. I skimmed the book, then watched the DVD. I did all the DVD exercises except the ones that said practice in sand . Then just ran and tried to remember the most important focuses. However, it wasn't long before I got the app as I didn't want to carry around a piece of paper to remind me .

I wouldn't recommend skimming the book though, as I missed a part about steep hills changing the technique completely (basically the only time you go on your heels) and injured my knee on the last day of the couch to 10 k. It took me 3 months to recover and I'm only now up to 5 k again. I would disregard the zig-zag technique he advocates though, or the sideways running up hills. When I saw that, I almost closed the book. I'm glad I stuck with it.

Finally, don't forget to stretch, before and after. I use these 2 videos:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJdU4GhdQf0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXlbRhyOGq4

It's been a very long journey for me (since high school off and on), so hopefully that saves you some trial-and- error.

[Edited on August 17, 2016 at 2:34 AM. Reason : ;]

8/17/2016 2:33:30 AM

Soooooo

I just got diagnosed with osteoarthritis under my knee-caps. So long running career.

Now what? Any suggestions for the same kind of intense cardio that running brings? I'm not a great swimmer, don't really have the road around me for biking (besides I really dislike bikers on the road, I feel like they're dangerous).

Ellipticals, yea yea ellipticals - I can't think of anything more boring than ellipticals.

This is a huge blow for me.

8/17/2016 8:19:20 AM

Rowing. Use a Concept 2 rower and go to town!

8/17/2016 8:33:01 AM

^^that really sucks man. honestly, I'd get a pair of roller blades if I were you. I've been thinking about doing it anyway for cross training when my shins hurt too much to run but I still want to get some cardio in.

^^^awesome post, thanks man I'll definitely look into all of that.

Right now I'm where I can run a 5k in good conditions (i.e. not with a 100+ heat index like lately) fairly comfortably and just under 30 minutes. I'd like to get that down to 27 minutes or so and also be able to run a 10k in the fall. I did get some compression sleeves that I use after I run - I haven't tried running in them yet. I'll look into those shoes as well and I do have Spotify so I'll see about that feature. As far as counting strides - do you just use a metronome type app until you get used to just feeling it? I'm worried that when I actually start running races I won't be able to pace myself correctly because I'm so familiar with my current route that I use landmarks and my stop watch to tell what my pace is.

8/17/2016 10:12:35 AM

^^^ Not sure about the impact on your knees but have you tried jump roping? You can pick up a great speed rope at Rogue Fitness for about $25. Put on a podcast and in 10mins you can get a great workout - especially if you mix in some double-unders.

8/17/2016 1:08:55 PM

I'd also add an Airdyne bike (or something similar) in addition to my Concept 2 comment

8/17/2016 3:53:31 PM

this can be you!



is there any kind of surgical option for osteoarthritis?

[Edited on August 17, 2016 at 5:19 PM. Reason : ]

8/17/2016 5:18:17 PM

No

It isn't the kind of arthritis that attacks your joints nor is it progressive. It was brought on by wear and tear. I was a stocker at Food Lion in high school and throughout college (Avent Ferry Food Lion wut wut) and being a stocker can be very hard on your knees. I guess that job is coming back to haunt me.

I'm really bummed. I guess you can chalk it up to a first world problem.

8/17/2016 9:04:49 PM

Just because there are assholes who ride their bikes unsafely in the street doesn't mean you can't get a mountain bike and just ride on the sidewalks, greenways, etc.

8/17/2016 9:05:31 PM

Yea, but in order to get a 500-700 calorie burn (what I was getting during my runs) I'd have to bike some pretty decent distances, and I don't think I could do it in my neighborhood, and I don't have any greenways nearby.

8/17/2016 9:09:33 PM

Google says a 180lb cyclist riding at moderate effort will burn about 650 calories in an hour. Compared to somebody running 6mph (10 minute mile pace) burning 557 calories in an hour.

I just know that I bought my bike recently because my ankle was fucked up from running a bunch, and my heart rate is comparable to when I'm on a long jog. But if you aren't in a good area for biking, I hear ya.

[Edited on August 17, 2016 at 9:13 PM. Reason : i'm lucky]

8/17/2016 9:12:44 PM

I live in southern Wake, and we're plagued with narrow country roads all over the place. Yet people still try to road-bike on them. So dangerous.

Believe me, I've thought about picking up a nice hybrid road/mountain bike and trying it out, but I just feel like it is too dangerous. And with a toddler around, I just don't see me being able to pick up and drive to a greenway as a form of regular exercise - maybe something I could do on the weekends, but I have to use that time for other things.

Running was nice because I could do it late at night around the 'hood.

8/17/2016 9:41:57 PM

I second the Concept 2 motion for you then. Keeps you at home, low impact, and quiet for when your kid is napping. Still saving up to get mine - used it a lot during my Cfit days and loved it.

8/18/2016 10:23:08 AM

Quote :

"Just because there are assholes who ride their bikes unsafely in the street doesn't mean you can't get a mountain bike and just ride on the sidewalks, greenways, etc."

Except most places it's illegal to ride on the sidewalk. You get ticketed here for that. What do you mean unsafely on the street? Like not following the law? Bikes are supposed to ride on the street and stay to the right (with exceptions for obstacles, turning left, etc).

But yeah cyclists who break the law (run lights, don't stay to the right, etc) are a pain in the ass and give the rest of us a bad reputation. It's very frustrating.

Quote :

"Google says a 180lb cyclist riding at moderate effort will burn about 650 calories in an hour. "

Define moderate effort. Typically I think 1000 calories an hour for cycling for me. This calculator has a moderate pace (14-16) for 60 mins for a 180lb person as 816 calories. My commutes are typically 17-19 mph which is closer to 1000 calories an hour.

http://www.bicycling.com/training/weight-loss/cycling-calories-burned-calculator

Disregarding calories per hour I think the larger reason why cycling burns more calories as an activity in general is because no matter your effort level it's fairly easy to bike for much longer periods of time. Running for an hour is going to be challenging for your average person compared to cycling for an hour. By that fact alone you're going to be able to go on longer rides and burn more calories than running.

[Edited on August 21, 2016 at 2:39 PM. Reason : s]

8/21/2016 2:38:11 PM

Quote :

"Except most places it's illegal to ride on the sidewalk."

Define most places. In Mecklenburg County:

Quote :

"bicycles may be operated on sidewalks in the city except where expressly prohibited by posted signs.) "

You think "most places" want children riding their bicycles in the street? Of course not. That would be ridiculously stupid.

8/21/2016 2:48:10 PM

Luckily here there are bike lanes or greenways almost everywhere but it is illegal to ride on the side walk. In many major cities I've been to it's also illegal to ride on the side walk. In fact when traveling and researching local bike laws I typically run into something along the lines of: "bikes are considered vehicles and more often than not it's illegal to ride on the sidewalk so play it safe and don't ride on the sidewalk."

Denver:

Quote :

"Stay Off Sidewalks Bicyclists are prohibited from using sidewalks except in certain conditions: When the sidewalk is part of a designated bike route When you are within one block of preparing to mount/ dismount at parking (speed limit 6 MPH) While delivering newspapers"

https://www.denvergov.org/content/denvergov/en/bicycling-in-denver/bike-safety/rules-of-the-road.html

This type of regulation is fairly common. I didn't say there weren't exceptions.

I grew up riding all over Charlotte and the surrounding areas. Riding on the sidewalks in urban neighborhoods is usually very dangerous. Growing up as kids we were encouraged to ride on the rode and follow all the rules because cars pulling out of driveways often pull onto the sidewalk to look before turning and cyclists can either hit them or cyclists can be hit. If you ride on the rode and obey the laws then cars have a much better chance of seeing you than if you're riding on the side walk. Again I realize there are exceptions to this that might be common sense. I grew up in Plaza Midwood and basically from the minute we could ride a bike we were all riding on the road as the sidewalks were too dangerous (pot holes, cars, driveways, pedestrians walking, etc).

8/21/2016 3:03:32 PM

Places like San Francisco and New York have exceptions for people under the age of 13 and allow them to ride on sidewalks. But please, tell us more about how kids should be encouraged to ride in the street because of those dangerous sidewalk pot holes.

8/21/2016 3:14:13 PM

When did this become about kids? I said there are exceptions. If you feel like it's not safe for your kids to ride on the road then sure have them ride on the sidewalk. All I'm saying is growing up in Charlotte the kids in my group were encouraged to ride on the road. Some of the time we were with our parents and they'd never ride on the sidewalk so it was the only natural thing to do.

When we were crazy 10 year olds going downhill at 16-18 mph (or more) there's no way in hell we'd be riding on the sidewalk. We'd come across pedestrians, cars pulling out into the road and yes pot holes or gaps. Not all of us grew up in clean or new suburban neighborhoods. Merry Oaks and Plaza Midwood in the 90's didn't have pristine sidewalks. The roads were always much safer to ride on.

Kids aside as an adult I see very little reason to ever ride on the sidewalk unless you're just going super slow (isn't the discussion topic biking for exercise?).

[Edited on August 21, 2016 at 3:26 PM. Reason : s]

8/21/2016 3:25:01 PM

You make it sound like if you're riding on a sidewalk, that cars and pedestrians will just pop up out of nowhere, and cyclists are too slow and dumb to pay attention to their surroundings. And 10-year-olds do dangerous and stupid shit, fyi.

Most states don't have bicycle laws, they allow cities and counties to set their own laws. So I still don't see any evidence that riding on sidewalks is illegal in "most places," like you claimed.

8/21/2016 3:27:44 PM

Are we talking about kids or adults here? I thought the topic was biking for exercise. Unless you're just starting out (which some people may be) you're going to be cruising at least 14-16 mph and for a longer distance. Cycling on the sidewalk is super dangerous in that case.

Cyclists shouldn't have to worry about pedestrians, or cars pulling in/out of driveways. We've got enough to worry about watching people play Pokemon Go while driving on their morning commute. Bikes are legal vehicles and I'm often riding WITH traffic on a 25 mph road where there is a car in front and behind me. I'm obeying all laws, giving turn signals, and for all intensive purposes a car. There is no way in hell I could do that down a side walk and make it a week in a city without getting hit.

Quote :

"And 10-year-olds do dangerous and stupid shit, fyi."

Exactly which is why it was safer for us to always to ride on the road. It's flat, no obstacles, no cars pulling in/out, and no people walking on it. All we had to worry about was obeying the law and staying on the right. Drivers were smart enough in our neighborhoods to expect lots of kids on bikes.

--I'm confused as to what you're arguing about.

1. Yes I agree with you in certain scenarios it's safer for kids to ride on the sidewalk.

2. This discussion is about biking for exercise and I assumed everyone was an adult itt. If you took a poll of 100 people who biked regularly for exercise I guarantee the majority of them would say biking on the sidewalk is far more dangerous than on the street.

What point are you trying to make?

Quote :

"Most states don't have bicycle laws, they allow cities and counties to set their own laws. So I still don't see any evidence that riding on sidewalks is illegal in "most places," like you claimed."

My point was many major cities have laws against riding on sidewalks. Kids excluded because I thought everyone was an adult here and we were talking about exercise. I'm not going to guess what percentage of cities have laws against it but I travel quite often and I rarely see cyclists on the side walk. It's just not safe. It's safer to ride with the flow of traffic as a legal vehicle.

[Edited on August 21, 2016 at 3:41 PM. Reason : s]

8/21/2016 3:36:05 PM

Quote :

"If you took a poll of 100 people who biked regularly for exercise I guarantee the majority of them would say biking on the sidewalk is far more dangerous than on the street. "

I dunno, I think that would depend on how crazy those cyclists consider your average motorist. Also, there are many other factors. I live near the Booty Loop. People just know that cyclists will be in the right lane on Queens Road West and cars in the left lane. Nobody really complains. But when someone is driving down Providence in the road at 5:30pm in the afternoon, that's simply not safe.

I think biking on the sidewalk is mostly dangerous for pedestrians.

And riding on sidewalks is legal in my city, and not in yours. But hey, we try and tell gay people what bathroom to use and weed is legal where you live, so clearly there are some differences in legislation

[Edited on August 21, 2016 at 3:46 PM. Reason : .]

8/21/2016 3:45:33 PM