Debating Runners!

[FinalEnigma]

An idea struck me while out running today, I'm trying to get in shape and get some exercise, and I'm sure there's others on here who are as well, so why not do it together and be accountable to one another? we all know that if you just do it on your own, with nobody to keep you honorable you're gonna cheat.

Now You don't have to run if running isn't your thing, you can walk, swim, bike, skip, fly or marathon somersault down the street if you like, the important thing is to get some exercise and keep up with it. You don't actually have to debate while running either, although that is worth bonus points.

I'm making a usergroup for this, and I know it's a bit silly and has nothing to do with the forum, but this is for everyone who's trying to get in shape, lose weight, or bring down their mile time.

I know I'm a few days late, but here's my new years resolution: To outrun everyone on DC&R! Now who's gonna stop me?
That's gonna be a tough one I know, as I'm not much of a runner at the moment, and I know at least Confused can outrun me, and I doubt shes gonna give ground without a fight.
And I know some of you have resolutions to get in shape. according to a poll on the news a few days ago that's the most common resolution, so who's up for doing it together? maybe a little competition and fun while we are at it?

So if you are interested, just post here with your current status(running time and distance, biking, swimming, walking, weight you're trying to lose[don't have to tell us your weight, just how much your trying to lose!]) and keep us updated every week or two weeks and post your latest accomplishment. Feel free to join the usergroup Debating Runners as well.(which I'm making right after this post)
I'll put up my mile time tomorrow once I get it timed.

[Cmass]

Since I finally finished 2 weeks work repairing and improving the trail from the house to the logging road on the ridge, I have finally been able to do my "power hikes" in the evening. (You can actually see my trail from space on Google because I make it wide to reduce the times between maintenance. Also, much of it goes through a very brushy logged area so it stands out) My power hikes are a combination of running, jogging and fast hiking. It is impossible to run a good portion of the trail on the way up because it is too steep. Once on the logging road running is more likely. There is also a new logging logging road up to a higher peak with incredible views of the whole Puget Sound area which gives more incentive to make it to the top.

There have been numerous cougar sightings within a mile of my trail recently and my dog is injured so he doesn't always accompany me. Unfortunately, running often attracts them. Cougars are very stealthy and can follow you for miles without being noticed. Without my dog I rely only on my bear spray for protection and my own hearing and sight - which in turn means I can't listen to my tunes. I also usually go in the evening and return at night via headlamp. Not sure why - its just something I like to do.

Now that the official mtn biking trails are finally open (late due to snow & mud this year) I will ramp up this activity as well. One of the best rated mtn bike trails in the country is 300 yds from the end of my private trail. It has an unbelievable downhill over roots and rocks with a cliff on one side.

Keep up the great work folks!

- Chris

------------------

The trail damage from heavy snows and storms was extensive this year:


Huge trees blocked the path and the root balls eliminated sections of it:


But, after repair, the view from the top is worth it - and very motivating to run to the top! (I am also working on splicing together a video of the hike up there)

[FinalEnigma]

well, my flu decided to turn into pneumonia, and I ended up in the hospital for three days ...........

If anybody had arms long enough I would get smacked in a second.

I went out running today, 5 miles. ....After about another half mile, I got hit with heart attack symptoms like last year. now remember, I didn't actually have a heart attack. Accoprding to the doctors, my lungs were freaking out and copycatting heart attack symptoms because I had an infection in my lungs and was begging to get pneumonia, and then went running harder than I was in shape for. Having just had pneumonia, I'm betting that my lungs are still rather unhappy and did the same thing.............

*Prepares to be beaten with a stick.*

I'm going to bed now. You can beat me tomorrow unless you have my phone number and want to tell me I'm an idiot verbally.

Why beat you with a stick? It sounds like you are doing a perfectly fine job killing yourself on your own. Besides, it is evident you aren't going to listen to any advice anyway and will keep screwing yourself up royally.
And YES, you can have a hear attack at age 21 if you create the right set of conditions! Infection, inflammation, lack of oxygen, defect etc ...
Why are you so obsessed with staying in peak condition while waiting to get better? You are doing damage that will actually make you worse and take longer to recover. It actually takes quite a while for you to lose what you have gained in exercise so giving it a week or two break will not take much away and will be easy to regain.

- C

Now wait a minute, Be fair. i do too listen to advice. Now last time you told me not to run until I saw the doctor i didn't and wasn't planning to - until I got really stressed about something and had to run for the stress. It wasn't ignoring your advice, I fully planned to do what you said. And any advice Michelle gives me, I follow to the letter.

But nobody told me not to run. the doctors said take it easy and rest for a while, which I admit I ignored, but everybody ignores doctors - don't try to tell me you haven't gone back to work/exercise before they wanted you to, and Michelle sneaks out of the hospital to go running/biking, so I'm no worse than either of you there. I admit it might have been better not to go out and do quite that much while still recovering, but I didn't precisely think it that far. I just went out to go running and arbitrarily picked five miles, and arbitrarily picked a new, and apparently very hard, way to run. I didn't realize it would be that bad when I started, and once I did start, I just figured I'd go ahead and finish what I started.

And it isn't a matter of being obsessed to maintain peak shape - I'm not in peak shape yet anyway, though that's beside the point - There is a drive to get in better shape yes, and if I don't need to stop, I don't want to, but there also the fact that I just enjoy my runs and don't want to stop for that reason, and another big factor, is that I really don't like to break routine. I always run tue/thur/sun, and most of the time mon/fri as well unless im impeded somehow, and I really like sticking to my routines in everything i do, so I don't like not running on my running days - this last bit is my AS talking.

[FinalEnigma]

It seems pretty much everybody here is into running. I know the topic definition says that anything related to getting in shape is legit, but running is definitely NOT my thing. I AM into weightlifting and have been doing it off and on (mostly off) since I was a teen. I'm now 55 and have been going to the gym religiously for almost a year now. My wife, who has resisted joining a gym for fear that they were all just pick up places, has become somewhat OCD about it and as a result of her having to go 7 days a week (and my having to go with her) I have sustained several injuries. The latest is an inguinal hernia which I had operated on a week ago today. Recovery is going great and I have actually been back to the gym (mostly due to my wife's fear that she's going to blow up and go flabby if she misses) already.

Any other weight lifters out there? I'm always looking for new exercises to round out my workouts and, hopefully, avoid more injuries.

I think the main jist of this thread is to encourage each other to exercise - mostly through running but whatever floats your boat should be encouraged.
I have done a fair amount of weight lifting in the past but mostly for endurance in order to train for rock climbing. I found the bulking-up style weight lifting was not as conducive to the longer, more cardio-related activities I naturally did.

Chris pretty much has it right. any exercise is good here. of course the three of us main posters on this thread are nuts, but maybe you can bring some sense in.

I don't really do much weight lifting myself, though I do hear that weight lifting is very efficient for men for losing weight - more so than cardio, but that not being my aim, I just run because i prefer it. I've found weight benches to be kind of boring. i know we have another weight lifting person on debating, Cathar if I remember correctly, but I may be wrong. In any case, keep us updated, hopefully not with as bad news as I spout all the time. How is your hernia doing?

[aerobatty]

I had my surgery April 15. I was back in the gym on the 18th doing about 30 minutes of treadmill at a slow walk (about 3 mph) and did some light upper body on machines only. I had 2 weeks off from work and am now back, but on light duty. I've been gradually expanding my workout and am in the gym 6 days a week now. (I told my wife we're taking at least 1 day a week off). Mostly I'm staying away from deep squats at this point, but I'm getting back into some freeweights.

I'm really impressed with this surgery. I got glued shut, so there are no stitches. The incision is still somewhat sensitive to pressure, so I don't press on it-duh.

So, all in all, things are going pretty well. Thanks for asking.

I'm still-and this really ticks my wife off-having trouble gaining weight. I'm 5'7" and 160 now, but I'd like to get another 5 or 10 pounds. I take a high calorie whey protein twice a day along with trying to eat higher protein, low fat in my regular diet. I think one thing I really need to start concentrating on is stretching between workouts. That's another one of those things I really don't enjoy, but I need to start.

[FinalEnigma]

I had my surgery April 15. I was back in the gym on the 18th doing about 30 minutes of treadmill at a slow walk (about 3 mph) and did some light upper body on machines only. I had 2 weeks off from work and am now back, but on light duty. I've been gradually expanding my workout and am in the gym 6 days a week now. (I told my wife we're taking at least 1 day a week off). Mostly I'm staying away from deep squats at this point, but I'm getting back into some freeweights.

I'm really impressed with this surgery. I got glued shut, so there are no stitches. The incision is still somewhat sensitive to pressure, so I don't press on it-duh.

So, all in all, things are going pretty well. Thanks for asking.

I'm still-and this really ticks my wife off-having trouble gaining weight. I'm 5'7" and 160 now, but I'd like to get another 5 or 10 pounds. I take a high calorie whey protein twice a day along with trying to eat higher protein, low fat in my regular diet. I think one thing I really need to start concentrating on is stretching between workouts. That's another one of those things I really don't enjoy, but I need to start.

Glad to hear you are doing well.

I had a totally different issue with exercise. When I first started exercising properly(maybe 6 months ago? not sure exactly) I weighed about 150 lbs(I'm 5'8"). at this point I hadn't really done exercise in years, but I started running mon/wed/fri and weightlifting tue/thurs/sat. I was drinking a proteing shake with my workouts (they are most effective within 30 mins of finishing your workout) so I would drink about half of one before my workouts, half after, and another half of one before going to bed(night is when your levels of protein go lowest cause you aren't eating, and your body uses night to do a lot of its repair work). I only continues this for about a months before i mostly left off and exercised only sportically. The weightlifting was boring, and I wasn't having fun with the running yet(I hadn't gotten far enough yet). But In about two weeks, I gained 15 lbs and lost 4 inches off my waist. The other people who worked at the writing center(I'm basically a writing tutor, though I don't get paid for it - maybe next semester) really hated me for that :p . I'm wearing 30" waist pants now. In mid January I this year I got to sticking to my running again, but dropped the weights, and now I enjoy it so it isn't even difficult to stick to. Right now I weigh right at 160 lbs and I could go down another size on my pants if I wanted - I suspect the muscle went to my legs from the running. I still drink protein shakes - one after each run.

[Cmass]

Well good job all you skinny little guys!
Why in the world would you want to gain weight? If you are eating properly, have no gastrointestinal problems or disease and are healthy . . . .well . . .then you are probably healthy.
I stopped watching the scales a few years back because I found it distracting. I kept having these various debates as to what was a good or bad weight and what was or was not causing increase and decrease & then I thought; who the hell cares! I decided the emphasis should be on how I feel on a daily basis when doing the things I like to do. It should also be on my overall cardio-vascular health. My weight follows those things appropriately. The more I emphasize the long distance activities the lower my weight goes, the more I emphasize the hard labor and hiking as exercise, its a bit higher.

Keep up the great work!

And FinalEnigma: You wanted someone to smack you. You got it.

[Confused]

I'm still-and this really ticks my wife off-having trouble gaining weight. I'm 5'7" and 160 now, but I'd like to get another 5 or 10 pounds. I take a high calorie whey protein twice a day along with trying to eat higher protein, low fat in my regular diet. I think one thing I really need to start concentrating on is stretching between workouts. That's another one of those things I really don't enjoy, but I need to start.

Stretching can be incorporated into weight lifting if you do some core strengthening workouts. Doing things with a weighted medicine ball at the start and finish of your weight lifting will give you the stretches as well as increase muscle mass and strengthen core muscles to prevent another hernia.

For the weight, have your tried supplements like CarboMax? I use it during my on chemo weeks when I tend to lose too much weight from the chemo and I really don't want to listen to the lecturing from my doctors. The main problem with weight loss in weight lifters is that they lose muscle mass so much quicker and since muscle weighs more than fat, the correlation with the weight loss and muscle loss is much more pronounced. Since I can't eat meat, I rely heavily on protein shakes. The ones I have found the best are the ProComplete 40, (40 grams of protein per shake with 203 calories and 4 grams carbs) Vanilla Ice Cream is the best, and the EAS Myoplex Chocolate Fudge (25 g protein, 150 calories and 5 grams carbs). The EAS are premixed while the ProComplete is a powder. When I need to add the calories, I switch from the carb control to the regular EAS shakes and add a 1/2 to full scoop of the CarboMax.

With the combination of Carbs/Protein supplements, I can usually avoid getting too many lectures from my doctors (now if they could lay off everything else I do wrong ).

Either way, welcome to the dysfunctional but gets enjoys life group, LOL.

[Confused]

And FinalEnigma: You wanted someone to smack you. You got it.

And a mighty fine job you did there matey!!!! Now I get to add my 2 cents!!

[Confused]

*Prepares to be beaten with a stick.*

I'm going to bed now. You can beat me tomorrow unless you have my phone number and want to tell me I'm an idiot verbally.

Blimey, are you shagging insane???? I have your number and you better be shagging thankful that I had my cell confiscated mate (:censored: doctors)

Now wait a minute, Be fair. i do too listen to advice. Now last time you told me not to run until I saw the doctor i didn't and wasn't planning to - until I got really stressed about something and had to run for the stress. It wasn't ignoring your advice, I fully planned to do what you said. And any advice Michelle gives me, I follow to the letter.

Oh buggers. Now I know you are more than aware of my advice and will follow it accordingly!

But nobody told me not to run. the doctors said take it easy and rest for a while, which I admit I ignored, but everybody ignores doctors - don't try to tell me you haven't gone back to work/exercise before they wanted you to, and Michelle sneaks out of the hospital to go running/biking, so I'm no worse than either of you there.

Personal Foul.... 10 yard penalty..... first down!!!! Yup, you took it easy......TOO EASY and gained pneumonia for all your troubles...... I only sneak out of the hospital when I get caught. All the other times......prove it.

And it isn't a matter of being obsessed to maintain peak shape - I'm not in peak shape yet anyway, though that's beside the point - There is a drive to get in better shape yes, and if I don't need to stop, I don't want to, but there also the fact that I just enjoy my runs and don't want to stop for that reason, and another big factor, is that I really don't like to break routine. I always run tue/thur/sun, and most of the time mon/fri as well unless im impeded somehow, and I really like sticking to my routines in everything i do, so I don't like not running on my running days - this last bit is my AS talking.

Trump card.........

Glad you are back in functioning condition mate. I fully expect the trend to continue or Chris, Charles, and I will be there to do worse than beat you with a stick. I am pretty sure Dave and his wife would jump in to join us!!!! Didn't anyone ever tell you it is considered a faux pas to worry the leukemia girl during chemo???

[FinalEnigma]

*Prepares to be beaten with a stick.*

I'm going to bed now. You can beat me tomorrow unless you have my phone number and want to tell me I'm an idiot verbally.

Blimey, are you shagging insane???? I have your number and you better be shagging thankful that I had my cell confiscated mate (:censored: doctors)

Now wait a minute, Be fair. i do too listen to advice. Now last time you told me not to run until I saw the doctor i didn't and wasn't planning to - until I got really stressed about something and had to run for the stress. It wasn't ignoring your advice, I fully planned to do what you said. And any advice Michelle gives me, I follow to the letter.

Oh buggers. Now I know you are more than aware of my advice and will follow it accordingly!

But nobody told me not to run. the doctors said take it easy and rest for a while, which I admit I ignored, but everybody ignores doctors - don't try to tell me you haven't gone back to work/exercise before they wanted you to, and Michelle sneaks out of the hospital to go running/biking, so I'm no worse than either of you there.

Personal Foul.... 10 yard penalty..... first down!!!! Yup, you took it easy......TOO EASY and gained pneumonia for all your troubles...... I only sneak out of the hospital when I get caught. All the other times......prove it.

Yeah I took it too easy, but that was before I ever went to the doctor. I didn't see a doctor till I went in to the hospital. After beginning to feel a little bit better, I proceeded to disregard their instructions. Apparently I took it too easy until told to do so, then did too much.

And it isn't a matter of being obsessed to maintain peak shape - I'm not in peak shape yet anyway, though that's beside the point - There is a drive to get in better shape yes, and if I don't need to stop, I don't want to, but there also the fact that I just enjoy my runs and don't want to stop for that reason, and another big factor, is that I really don't like to break routine. I always run tue/thur/sun, and most of the time mon/fri as well unless im impeded somehow, and I really like sticking to my routines in everything i do, so I don't like not running on my running days - this last bit is my AS talking.

Trump card.........

Glad you are back in functioning condition mate. I fully expect the trend to continue or Chris, Charles, and I will be there to do worse than beat you with a stick. I am pretty sure Dave and his wife would jump in to join us!!!! Didn't anyone ever tell you it is considered a faux pas to worry the leukemia girl during chemo???

Well, I wasn't attempting to get pneumonia, and certainly wasn't attempting to worry you. And of course, I'll attempt to maintain functioning condition, although threatening me with the presence of you, Chris, David & wife, and Charles isn't an enormous deterrent.