Random Banter

 I haven't posted here for a few weeks due to real life!  But I've been running and getting ready for this upcoming race in 2 weeks time.   Things have been going well...until recently.  I've been running 5 days a week and getting a couple of workouts in each week.  One workout is hard and the other isn't as hard.  However the last two times that I've run I haven't been feeling it.  Just felt kinda blah.  I got the runs done but on today's long run I cut it short by about 4 minutes and did not do any faster paced work which I've been doing on most of my long runs as of late.  I have a few theories as to why this might be the case.  Since I've started running 5 days a week my body hasn't caught up until now.  I've actually been gaining weight the last couple of weeks so I wonder if my body is under a lot more stress with this additional day or running.  So I've backed off trying to lose weight and am just going to try and m...

 I have just completed my 10th week of training and overall I think I'm getting faster.  I don't have any races, yet, to be sure about that but the training I'm doing looks like I'm overall faster. And this is at the same critical power that I've had before.  I think it's a combination of things that has made this happen.  Losing weight - I'm carrying around 10-15 lbs less. Additionally I think some of that weight has also been transferred to muscle which is helping.  Getting thyroid in check - As of my last blood draw, March, my numbers were as low as they ever had been.  So I think that's helped out a lot.  I know that I've had much more energy.  I'm hopeful that the training I'm doing right now does not bump it up again (ie: I'm not over doing it).  I didn't realize this but I was listening to the Kara Goucher and Des Linden podcast a few weeks ago and apparently this drug I'm on is controversial in the running world for helpin...

 As is typical for me I've dropped off on writing.  But I'm back for a short update.   Weeks 6, 7 and 8 all went well.  Week 8 was a lower volume week with a critical power test thrown in at the end of it.  I managed to increase my critical power from 261 to 296 which seems about right.  It might be a bit high but only time will tell.  Doing this 3 week build and then a lower week with a critical power test at the end of it seems to be suiting me well.  Now I'm under no illusion that my critical power will continue to go up and up and up but so far it's been nice.  I've only done one run at this new power and I think it's the right setting. Previously I knew that 261 was a bit low as when I'd do certain runs they just felt to easy.  However when I was attempting to run in zone 2 yesterday morning it felt like I was doing work and not just putting in the motions.  So I think that's a good thing.  We will know more in about ...

Week 2 starting weight: 212.8 (after running) Week 2 ending weight: 216.2 (WTF!) Starting waist measurement (8/29/2022): 40.5 Starting chest measurement (8/29/2022): 38.7 Waist measurement (9/12/2022): 39.9 Chest measurement (9/12/2022): 38.4 A big WTF stepping on the scale this morning.  It was lower than my starting weight on 8/29/2022 (217.6) but most of my weigh ins have been a lot less than what I saw this morning.  Not going to put to much thought into it and move on.  I will say that on Friday night I had my wedding anniversary and I did splurge a bit there, but it wasn't super bad.  Ate keto for the most part the rest of the weekend.  Just one of those mornings where things were up.   The measurements being down is nice.  I knew they would be down based on how my shirts were fitting.  My XL shirts are pretty lose and I should probably wear a large shirts but they are still just uncomfortable enough (ie: tight) that I'll stick with my ...

 Monday - Weighed in and took waist and chest measurements.  These are the two areas where I hope to lose some inches.  They have always been my problem areas.  Weight wasn't as high as I thought it would be but also kind of where I expected it to be. Also...MCT oil is the bomb...lots of energy! Tuesday - Weight higher than Monday but we aren't going to let that get us down.   Wednesday - Weight down 3 pounds from the weigh in on Tuesday.  Nice to see that.  However I was up twice in the night to go pee!  Also getting out of bed I got a major cramp in my leg.  I ended up taking a salt drink as I think that's the reason why I got it.  Hopefully there's not to much of this cause that cramp was painful. Worst I've had in my life! Thursday  - Weight down almost 2 pounds...but not quite.  This would be the lowest that I saw the scale.  While I kept keto during this time it was also when I didn't keep as good of records b...

 I hope that over the next few months I'll be good about documenting my journey as I try to transition to a low carb diet and continue to run and to top it off I've been diagnosed with hypothyroidism (I'm on medication).  Which might explain why it has been some damn hard to lose weight.  I probably won't be updating this blog every day but at least once a week I hope to.  As I've looked for information on hypothyroidism for men I've not found a lot so if at least one person happens upon this and it helps them it will be worth it.   So why low carb you might be asking?  There is a couple of reason's.  My wife is doing low carb to drop some weight and I'm going to be there to help support her.  It should be easier to make meals.  The other reason is that when you find information about losing weight with hypothyroidism a lot of it is low carb related or AIP (Auto Immune Protocol).  With AIP you are eliminating a bunch of stuff for a ...

 Last weekend was the 3rd month of my wife and I doing weight watchers.  I'm not sure were she is on her journey (she's lost more than me I do know!) but I thought I'd stop in here to update my progress.  Weight watchers wise I'm down18.6 lbs at this point. I'm weighing in at 213.6 lbs.  Last year, 2020 (before COVID) I think I remember seeing 211 on the scale but I can't find any records to back that up. But I'm going to use it for motivation.  Once I go beyond 211 I'm not sure of the last time I saw a number that low.  My hope is that by my race at the end of August I'll be below 210 and can crush my previous time.   Which brings us to Stryd running.  Things have been going well.  My times continue to improve.  One area that I really need to work in however is getting 4 days of running a week.  Last week I did it and this week it didn't happen cause I was just beat.  For me I need to get my sleep and in order to get 4 da...

 I've been on and off with keto and fasting for years now...and it hasn't done me any good.  When I strictly adhere to it, it does work.  However with a wife who struggles with keto and kids who maybe shouldn't do keto it makes it hard.  So after many years of making no progress with these it's time to try something a little different and something I never thought I'd do...and that's Weight Watchers!   Tomorrow will be day one of a 6 month journey.  My hope is that at the end of it I will have reached my goal weight and maybe possibly not need to use weight watchers anymore.  I think one of the issues with keto is that even though people say you aren't counting calories...in the end it is about calories.  For only so long can you continue to shove your face with cheese and cream before it catches up to you. And you really do have to start counting what you put in your mouth.  After all a fat gram is 9 calories while a carb is only 4 calo...