Category: PT

Exercise, physical fitness, stuff that makes you sweat

Rebuilding My Running Habit: Lessons from the Struggle

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It’s been over two years since I’ve been able to run, and now, while my Achilles heel still hurts a bit (especially in the mornings), I’ve decided to get back to running. I started last week, and let’s just say it wasn’t very fun.

The look of success after the most hellish running experience of the past 20 years.

I started last Wednesday. I ran two miles, and while it was tough, I got through it. I was sore afterwards, but nothing worse than I expected (I’ve done this “starting after a long break” thing before). I took Thursday as a recovery day, and I ran again on Friday. To say that the first half-mile was painful would be an understatement. To say the first quarter mile was nothing short of torture would be hyperbole. It was easily one of the most painful exercise experiences I’ve ever had. Yet, I couldn’t allow myself to quit. With literal tears running down my face, I continued running. I may have looked ridiculous to anyone unlucky enough to catch a glimpse of me running, but to me, I was running for my life. No matter how bad it got, nothing short of my body failing me would stop me from completing this run.

I had set a goal of two miles for these starting runs, and I was not going to stop until I reached the minimum distance. On my first run, I contemplated walking the second mile but thought against it. Living with the discomfort would last about 12 minutes. Living with the knowledge that I quit would last forever.

On this second run, I contemplated quitting after the first 1/4 mile. It was THAT bad. But again, I thought about having to live with the knowledge that I was a quitter, and I couldn’t get past that. I had to keep going. No matter how hard, no matter how painful; I was going to finish. Then, something I was hoping would happen came to pass: it got better. I was still experiencing discomfort, but it was less horrible. It was still pretty bad, but the longer I ran, the more bearable it became.

It never got easy. But it got easier.

This second run was on a Friday and I decided to give myself the weekend for recovery. Later today, I will start my third run in two years. I can already tell that my legs are ready. They no longer are sore at every movement, and I can successfully crouch without wincing in pain. I’m actually looking forward, not to the actual running, but to how I will feel afterwards. This is how I usually anticipate a run. I typically dislike the experience itself, and I can’t say I’ve ever truly enjoyed a run like some people do. I enjoy the feeling after the run; the mental clarity, the feeling of accomplishment, and the dull aching of muscles recently exercised. That’s what I am looking forward to this afternoon.

So I’m back. It was time. Oh, the pain in my Achilles heel? Greatly reduced. I’m now fairly certain that it’s been aching for exercise (literally). Now that I’m using my legs (and feet and ankles) again, they seem to be behaving properly. Who’d a thunk it.

UPDATE: So, I just completed my third run. It went a lot better than the first two. I had some slight knee pain in the first 1/4 mile, and it came back in the second to last 1/4 mile, but overall, I feel really good. I also reduced my run time by over a minute per mile which is really good. I actually felt pretty good out there. I decided that for the rest of this week, I’ll keep my runs at 2 miles but I’ll go up to 2.25 or 2.5 next week. My goal is to run 3-4 per run by summertime.

Getting a handle on my injuries

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The good news is that my Achilles heel, which has been a source of great pain for me for over a year, seems to be getting better. According to my podiatrist, it will make a complete recovery, and surgery most likely won’t be necessary!

The bad news is that I have spurs in my heels which, while they aren’t the source of my issues, are an indicator that I haven’t been stretching enough. What? I know; I didn’t know that was a thing. But apparently it is.

From my personal Instagram account.

Now, that just leaves my shoulder. That injury, I fear, will not have a good news. But, I have to wait another week for that outcome, so in the meantime, I’ve been doing a lot of stretching and after my visit to the specialist, I’ll hopefully start back up to my full fitness routine.

Injuries don’t have to stop us, but it is important for us to listen to not only our doctors, but to our bodies. We need to make sure, especially as we’re older, to not make things worse and to let our bodies recover and heal. Recovery is actually where the real growth happens.

Slow and Steady Fitness Plan: Returning to Exercise Safely

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This morning, I weighed myself and was greeted with a nice number: 201.1 lbs. This is the lowest I’ve been since I got back from my deployment. I did a minor happy dance and then went about my day washing both my cars. They both needed it, although the 4Runner needed it far more.

While washing the car and listening to music by Dua Lipa, Olivia Rodrigo, and Billie Eilish (among others), I thought about how it’s going so far. I thought about the amount of food I eat, the amount of sleep I get, and my level of physical activity. I decided that I’m doing great on the food, I’m doing okay on the sleep, but I’m not doing any real physical activity yet. Part of that is fear of reinjury. My back has been slowly healing, and the last thing I want to do is reaggravate it. I know that back injuries take a long time to heal, but that you can set your healing process back by getting back to exercise too soon. So I’ve been reticent to jump back in.

With that said, I decided that next Monday will be the day I get back into my fitness plan. I will start off much lower than what my StrongLifts app will likely recommend only because I really want to make sure that I get back to things slowly. I will also get back to riding my bike as my Achilles heel is still too sore to run. The biking will be some great cardio, and I actually love biking. I have two mountain bikes I use on trails close to my house.

My weight was hovering between 202-204 for the past week, so it was nice that it finally dropped. I was beginning to really worry about what was going on, and I’m glad to see that the process is continuing to work as planned and as I’ve experienced in the past.

StrongLifts and HIIT

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I started a new schedule for my fitness that I’ve got high hopes for. The goals are increased strength and mobility coupled with some weight loss. My shoulder was diagnosed as having bursitis and degenerative joint disease, and the pain at times is quite intense. It often wakes me up at night while sleeping. I tried physical therapy and was prescribed Celebrex, but nothing seemed to really work. A Lieutenant Colonel I was deployed with who is also a trainer and master fitness instructor told me that he thought I just needed some weight work and flexibility exercises. So, after almost a year of the physical therapy and Celebrex not working, I decided to try to get back to my lifting and adding HIIT. The results were pretty surprising, to say the least. My shoulder hurts less now, and with each workout, I feel not only stronger, but more flexible without pain. Looks like Eric was right.

The current plan is as follows:

MON – StrongLifts
TUE – HIIT
WED – StrongLifts
THU – HIIT
FRI – StrongLifts
SAT – Active Recovery*
SUN – Active Recovery*

*Biking, walking, hiking, kayaking, etc

HIIT PLAN
(x3 w/1 minute rest)
Thrusters (w/15lbs weight)
Bicycle crunches
Two-arm dumbbell curls (w/15lbs weight)
Push-ups
Knees to Elbows (standing)

StrongLifts has two workouts: A and B, and I alternate between them each session. The plan is simple: three exercises with five sets of five reps. I have been doing this program for years, and the first time I did it, I got my deadlifts up to 265lbs and my squats were up to 180lbs. I was benching 170 lbs. (I had to stop due to injury and have been working ever since to try to get back to these numbers).

The HIIT plan comes from a few different sources I found on the Internet. So far, it’s decent, but as a beginner, it’s pretty intense. I will increase the number of sets once I can feel somewhat stronger with the bicycle crunches, push-ups, and knees-to-elbows exercises. Right now, three sets wipes me out. It makes for a very intense 15 minutes.

As for how I feel, I’m into my fourth week of StrongLifts now, so the lifting is going well. I’m only in the second week of HIIT, and while I feel myself getting better with the exercises, I still very much feel weak when I do them. I know it takes time and I have to trust the process, so that’s what I’m doing. Coupled with better eating decisions, I think I should start seeing some progress within another week or two. I’ve already been able to tighten my belt one hole smaller, but it hasn’t really translated to any weight loss yet.

I’m pretty excited to get this far again. It feels good now after I exercise, and although there are days when the last thing I want to do is exercise, I still get it done. It’s so important at this point in my life, and I have goals to achieve. My goals won’t achieve themselves; I have to DO THE WORK.

Dedication and Starting Over: Don’t Overthink it

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People say that it is hard to start a new lifestyle. I used to believe that it’s even harder to restart when you had a good run but had to stop for some reason. While I never stopped eating well and paying attention to my diet, I did have to stop exercising for two months as I recovered from my surgery and that led me to some serious anxiety over my ability to get fit again.

My silly grin after a great bike ride.

Going into the surgery, my biggest fear wasn’t the pain, the discomfort, or even the recovery. I wasn’t even afraid of dying. I was most afraid of the hard work it would take to get back into shape, to get back to being able to pass the ACFT.

I realized too late that our thoughts are very impactful on the outcomes of our efforts. I made it out to be so hard and difficult, and that progress would be slow and cumbersome. And, to no surprise, it was. But the more I thought about it, the more I came to realize that it was only being slow and cumbersome because I had predisposed my mind to believing it was so. I seemed to forget that I didn’t get into top physical form in mere weeks; it took months of hard work, day after day.

I wish I could say I realized this sooner than I did, but honestly, it’s something that came to me today. I was looking back on my progress (I write down and track my physical fitness results) and realized that I’m making progress at the same rate I did the first time I decided to get fit again. I’m not making slower progress; I am making progress.

After my run on Monday. It wasn’t fast, but it was faster than similar runs before it.

I also made another realization: even if that progress was, in fact, slower, it’s better than no progress. Every bit of progress is movement in the right direction and preferable to no progress. Seeing the lines in the graphs trending upward was a good wake up call for me to stop being negative and start embracing the progress and how awesome that is.

Right now, my goal is to lift weights, do my crunches, pull-ups, and run three times a week. On the “off” days, my plan is to ride my mountain bike for about 45 minutes to an hour (at an easy pace that keeps my heart in the 140-145 bpm range). The reality is that I’ve been lifting about twice a week and riding my bike once or twice. I need to fix that with re-dedicating myself to my fitness, and to motivate myself to keep going.

I lifted/ran on Monday, and rode my bike yesterday (without a crash for the first time in four bike rides). Tonight, after work, I will lift and run again. I know it’s going to be tough, and I will be a little tired, but I am motivated by my progress thus far considering the lackluster effort. When I think back on the progress I made before, it was because I was very strict about the 3x a week lifting/running regimen. Now, adding the biking in at least twice a week in conjunction with the 3x lifting and running, I should be just fine for my military service this fall.

I’ve come a long way, and I will never go back to being unhealthy and unfit without a fight.

It’s easy to think negatively. Starting anything at all is the hardest part of doing it. A fellow blogger said that long runs were much better after they were done, and it’s true; I typically don’t really enjoy running while I’m in the act of running. I sometimes even dread running before I start. But once I start, it’s just a matter of time and effort before I’m done, and once the run is over, I feel great.

Minor Setback and Motivation

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This is the picture I took of myself on Monday after my run.

I felt defeated, angry, and upset. It was the first time in five years that I had to cut a run short due to pain. I was annoyed and I had negative thoughts almost all the way home. I felt like a failure.

After about a half mile of walking, I decided to try running again to see if the pain was still there; it was not. But I stopped running and continued walking that last mile home. I didn’t want to re-injure it, or make it worse. I figured I’d give it time to heal for my next run.

I thought about it a lot on that walk home, and after I let the anger and frustration go, I thought objectively about where I was in my fitness journey. I was still just weeks into getting back into it after a major surgery. I was pushing myself harder than I should again; something I told myself I wouldn’t do. I needed to dial it back a bit and allow my body time to adjust and strengthen at it’s own speed.

My next scheduled run was supposed to be yesterday, but a lack of sleep the night before kept me from exercising. I have found that every time I’ve injured myself in the gym or on the road has been after nights where I didn’t get enough sleep, so I’ve learned that it’s better to skip a day if I’m not rested than to push it and risk an injury which could set me back.

Last night, I still got to bed later than I wanted to, but I felt rested when I woke up. I feel motivated to lift weights and to run later today, and I’m actually looking forward to it. I’ve been making great progress with my pull-ups and sit-ups. I’m up to 10 assisted pull-ups and 125 sit-ups. For someone who had their abdominal muscles sewn back together just two months ago, that’s pretty good.

My strength in weightlifting has also been improving steadily and safely without discomfort. StrongLifts 5×5 really does work, and it’s a great beginner program. Coupled with my own fitness program, I will definitely be ready for WOBC in October/November.

Setbacks happen. Sometimes they’re serious, and other times, they’re minor. Either way, the hardest part is getting over the psychological damage those setbacks cause, and getting “Back up on that horse.” We’ve all heard the motivational phrases, so I’ll spare you that here. But, I do use those motivational phrases on myself. I start repeating them over and over until I believe them. I motivate myself by reminding myself how lucky I am to be able to exercise, to be able to lift weights, to be able to get out on the road and run. There are so many people who can’t do that for one reason or another, especially at my age. But here I am, suiting up, hitting the gym, and then going out in the heat and getting it done. Even if I’m slow, I’m not on the couch. I haven’t surrendered, and I never will.

I will always work to be better today than I was yesterday, whether that’s in how I deal with people, my diet, or my fitness. I just want to continue to be better. Sure, I’ll hit roadblocks and setbacks, but I’ll never quit. I may lose a battle, but I will not lose the war. I may have cut a run short this week, but that won’t be my last run. I will keep going, and I will keep running.

Really, REALLY Didn’t Want to Do It

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Me after my latest run.

I really didn’t want to work out or run today. I was actually dreading it. I had ZERO motivation, and all I could think about was not doing anything. But the more I thought about skipping today, the worse I felt. I didn’t want to deal with the guilt of skipping my workout, and with allowing myself to skip it.

Because the guilt would eat me up, I went ahead and suited up and went upstairs and did my usual StrongLifts 5×5 workout along with 8 assisted pull-ups, one unassisted pull-up, and 80 sit-ups.

After the gym workout, I hit the road for a three-mile run. I wasn’t fast by any stretch, but I was consistent and I got it done. I was tired, but again, not sore. I didn’t feel bad, just worn-out.

I showered and relaxed for a bit and then had dinner with Sherry. She made Paleo Pizza, and afterward, we split a Crave 007 cupcake. It was the perfect dessert for one of my favorite dinners.

The most rewarding part? Knowing that I got my workout and run done. I didn’t allow myself to skip, and I stayed consistent with my workouts. I have to make sure I’m ready for my military training in October, and I lost a bit of my speed and stamina due to the surgery, so consistency and determination are going to get me back to where I need to be.

The hardest part of working out is getting started; getting past the self-doubt, the laziness, and the ease of sitting around and not working out. I get it. I am there more often than not lately because it’s hard to get back into shape. But my health and fitness are more important to me than the slow death of comfort. I prefer the active lifestyle, and I prefer staying fit. It was totally worth the effort today.

Getting It Done in the Heat

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It was 96 degrees Fahrenheit outside when I ran.

I’ve been asked why I run outside when it’s so hot, and why I don’t run on my treadmill indoors during the heat. It’s because I need to make sure my body is prepared and able to run during the worst conditions at all times. As a member of the military, I won’t get the privilege of dictating my environmental conditions during exercise or operations (combat or otherwise). If I can exercise in the worst of conditions, then operating in any condition not as severe will be much easier for me.

It was nearly 100 degrees Fahrenheit here. There is no time off for heat.

I don’t over-hydrate before runs, either. I never have. Why? Same reason; my body is accustomed to running at my normal hydration levels (and I admittedly stay well-hydrated throughout the day). If I run for anything more than an hour, then I’ll definitely drink before a run, and I’ll drink water with DropDrop ORS in it to replenish electrolytes and other nutrients, but for a normal workout? One half of a banana before exercise followed by another half of a banana is all I really need.

I must stress that when I run in the heat, I dial back the intensity. The hotter it is, the more I dial it back. My goal becomes completing the distance, not making a pace or time. When it cools down (under 83 degrees or so), I push myself harder because my body is able to utilize sweating to cool down enough, but otherwise, if it’s really hot out, I literally just take it easy and pay attention to any warning signs that may appear (no longer sweating, feeling dizzy, headache). If any of those symptoms come up (and they haven’t yet), then I will stop and seek shade, water, and assistance.

I also only run on the “Track” around the lake in front of my house when it’s very hot out. That way, if I need help for any reason, I’m no more than 100 yards from my home at any time. It’s also a very visible area, so if I were to go down, I’d be seen pretty quickly.

Another thing I do is run with LiveTrack on my Garmin Forerunner 945 watch. This watch sends out a beacon to my wife, daughter, and son and let’s them know I’m exercising, and provides them with a link to actually watch my progress as I run. If the device detects that I’ve fallen, my heart rate become erratic, or that I’ve stopped quickly with no further input, it notifies them and tells them there’s a problem.

I have found in the past that running in the extreme heat, while not very fun or comfortable, has prepared me well for cooler weather. Since I am needing to be ready for the ACFT in October, I don’t have the luxury of taking time off during the hottest times. “Then why don’t you use the treadmill in the A/C?” For a few reasons.

First, I vary my pace. Everyone does, actually, when running outdoors. I prefer being able to adjust my pace on the fly without needing to push buttons and trying to match a pace with how well I feel. I find that when building speed and stamina, it’s much more important that I can push my pace here and there naturally when my body feels like it’s up for it versus running a single pace for a long time. My treadmill is smart and has some workouts built in, but they’re not organic. I base my running pace and effort on how I feel. If I am energetic, I will push it. If I’m tired, I can dial it back.

Second, I have a hard time focusing and staying motivated to complete runs on the treadmill. I’ve watched movies, TV shows, YouTube videos, and music videos while I ran to try to keep me distracted long enough to complete a run, but my mind doesn’t accept it. It becomes drudgery, and I end up lowering the pace just to get through it and I don’t get as good of a workout with it.

So, running in the heat, it is. The kicker is that my runs follow a weightlifting session in my gym, so every time I go out and run, it means I’ve already completed my weightlifting and pull-ups/sit-ups/push-ups.

I never planned for my workouts to be structured this way, but when I tried to lift weights and run on alternating days, I found my muscles didn’t have a chance to recover (since every day is leg day for me). When I combined the weightlifting and the run days and allowed for recovery days in between, my progress became much better and I experienced far less fatigue and pain in my muscles. It turned out to be fortuitous: the Army Combat Fitness Test is a 6-event test that combines strength and cardio. My fitness plan actually compliments this well.

As a Warrant Officer, I have to be ready at all times for any job they give me.

So, when you see me running in the heat, know that I’m being safe, and that there are many good reasons for it. I take my job as a Soldier in the Army National Guard very seriously, and I feel that I need to be as prepared as I can be physically and mentally. Running in the heat helps me stay prepared and ensures that I can be relied upon to accomplish any task put before me.

Feeling More and More Like Me

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I might not look too happy in this picture, but I was “In the zone,” so to speak.

My fitness re-boot has been going a little slower than I’d hoped in the beginning, but if yesterday’s workout is any indication of how things will be going, then I’m really excited. I started with my StrongLifts 5×5 workout with 75 sit-ups (total) done between my squats and 7 assisted pull-ups (up from only 4 on Friday). I also did some barbell curls during and after the workout.

Holy smokes it was hot out there! But I got it done, and I didn’t die!

I then went out and ran 2 miles in the 95-degree heat. It wasn’t nearly as hard as it was on Friday, and that made me feel great. There was one point during the run where I actually felt okay. Not great, and nowhere near a “Runner’s High,” but I felt good. My first mile pace was also the fastest since my surgery, and my overall two-mile time was also the fastest.

What gave me the most hope, however, is how I felt afterward: I felt good. My limbs had that “Recently worked out” feeling to them, but I wasn’t in pain. More importantly, when I woke up this morning, I felt decent. Again, I still had the post-workout soreness, but nothing more.

That bodes well for the rest of the next three months as I prepare for Warrant Officer Basic Course (WOBC) in October. I need to be able to participate in daily PT, and I need to be at a decent level of fitness to not embarrass myself. Now, I’m confident I’ll get there.

Tomorrow, I will outline my fitness plan in detail. It’s something I developed through trial and error, and it’s a plan designed primarily for people over 50 (but truthfully, I think it’ll work for anyone and will even give better results for younger people). It’s been proven to work for me three times, and now on my fourth time, I’m seeing the same results already only three weeks in.

I Got Started, But Not The Finish I Wanted

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As planned, I hit my gym and began my workout with some pull-ups. I found that I could no longer do even one without pain in my upper abdomen, so I pulled out some assistance straps. I selected the largest one and with that, I was able to do 4. That left me a little discouraged, but as Sherry keeps pointing out, I had major surgery that sewed my core back together, so I need to be patient.

Next, I moved on to squats. The first few sets went well, and I was feeling good, but I was using an app that helps me keep track of my workouts, and it recommended a weight that was way too much for me. I thought, “Well, the app knows what I’m supposed to do, so I’ll follow it.” For my 4th set, the weight went up to 110 lbs which, in the past, was chump change. Yesterday? I completed the 3-rep set, but when I put the bar down, my legs were shaking. I didn’t push too far, but if I kept it up, my legs would be trash. I had to stop.

I contemplated completing the rest of the lifts, but I decided against it. My core and legs were wiped out, and a run was now completely out of the question. Could I have done it? Probably. Could I have injured myself on that run? Quite likely.

I’m still re-starting my exercise plan, and I have the luxury of taking it slow. I’m listening to my body more than ever, and I don’t have anything to prove to anyone but myself. While I was angry that I let an app tell me how much to lift (I’ve fixed that), I was angrier at myself that I didn’t question the weight increase.

I have reset the app completely, and my weights for lifting tomorrow will be where I need/want them to be: light. After my weightlifting, I’ll go out for a 2+ mile run. If I feel good, I’ll go for the “Plus;” otherwise, I’ll stop at 2. I’m not wanting to overdo it.

When I first started my exercise and fitness plan six years ago, I got into it slowly. Even with that slow start, within three months, I was doing really well; running fast, doing 120 push-ups within two minutes, and I generally felt great. Once I added weightlifting, I got much stronger, and daily tasks became much easier. I’m hoping for the same results with the same plan: start slow, have good rest periods between workouts, and continue deliberate progress.

So, while it didn’t go as planned, it at least got started. That is always the hardest part, and now, I have momentum. I am actually looking forward to tomorrow’s workout which is, in and of itself, a great victory.