Fitness for the Unmotivated

First Day Introduction

As I get started with this blog, I weigh about 193 pounds, and I really ought to be at 155 or 160. Three or four years ago I did 50 kilometers—31 miles—in 7 and 1/2 hours through a small mountain in Huntsville, AL. I weighed 165 at the time, and I ran a 24:45 5K (just under 8 minutes per mile for 3.1 miles) about that time.

Then I neglected things I know, pushed too hard, quit, and gained 35 pounds. I've lost about 5 of those over the last year, which isn't much, but it does mean I'm not gaining any more!

I also probably can't run a 5K today, much less run it at an 8 minute per mile pace.

This blog, however, will document my return to health, and—I hope—help you to get fit if you're as unmotivated as I am.

Today I got to apply several things from our web site.

Do What's Fun, and Don't Overdo It

• I jogged 1.5 miles today. This does not mean I ran the whole thing. Instead, I use that word the way J.R.R. Tolkien uses it in The Lord of the Rings. I traveled 1.5 miles, walking when I wanted and running when I wanted. It took me 18 minutes, which is a 12 minute per mile pace.

The principle here is to do what's fun. I jogged the first .6 miles. For whatever reason, mostly having to do with the extra 30 pounds I'm carrying, my calf and tibialis major (shin muscle) were knotting up. So I went back to mostly walking with a few 50 to 100-yard runs thrown in, though I run those little bursts at a much faster pace.

Our park has a .3 mile loop on it, mostly in the shade. So I circle that. I require of myself that I complete each loop in 4 minutes, which requires a little running to do. Right now, I'm just doing 5 of them, then walking a cool-down lap afterward.

I had considered jogging the whole way, which I'm sure I can do, but it's hard and not fun anymore. However, when my calf got stiff, I changed my mind and slowed down.

Here's why that matters: Tomorrow, my leg won't be sore. Tomorrow, I'll want to run again. I won't remember today with regret.

Remember, we're the unmotivated. We can't destroy what motivation we do have!

Make It Convenient

It's been real hot in Tennessee lately. I've been monitoring the humidity in Orlando, Houston, and some other places around the U.S., and our part of Tennessee has regularly been the most humid spot in the U.S. for over a month. Temperatures have usually been in the high 90's.

Today, however, it was 62^o when we got up.

I was wearing shorts due to the heat we've been experiencing, and it was cool, so I stopped on the way to work to run those laps. I didn't sweat very much, so there was no changing involved.

(Please note here that I work mostly with guys who work in a warehouse, so they're all sweaty, anyway. This may not work for you in customer service environment.)

Convenience is a good thing.

We have tips on convenience here.

Tomorrow I'll talk about important exercises that I never fail to do and why.