A good bandwagon to be on

pigflipperpigflipper The Forgotten Coast Icrontian
edited October 2009 in Fitness
I am sick of waking up in the morning, only to hack my lungs out.

I am sick of being winded just walking up the stairs in the parking garage.

I am over being gassed just from carrying my fishing equipment (~50 pounds) a half mile.

I am tired of realizing I will be 26 in a week, a chain smoker, out of shape, and doing nothing about it.

My Goals are:
1) QUIT SMOKING
2) Be able to compete in the annual 5k (or 10k or 15k) Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving day.
3) Confidence (which I know, from previous experience, just sort of happens when you are in good shape)

I am starting tomorrow, October 13th, on proving to myself that I am better than what I have become. I used to be a sub 16 minute 5k runner and, while that place is still very far removed from where I am today, I would like to be well on my way there by the New Year. I've kept telling myself, "that was 12 years ago that you competed on that level, you can't do that anymore."

Finally told myself, "BULLSHIT!"

Tonight, I am having my last smokes. Tomorrow starts me being an asshole for a week or so. Small price to pay.

There is only do or do not; there is no try. And I need support so that this doesn't become a "try" but an accomplished fact. I have some support here at home, but really, I don't see those people as much as I talk to people here. So I am asking, please, that you keep asking (telling/demanding/coercing) me to keep going, to not give up.

Also, as I get a running schedule and workout plan going, I will be posting them. Right now, this is a 5-day a week running plan with 3 days of very light upper body thrown in for tone and definition.

Final note: This is not a weight loss thing, my weight is down to 174 and I know it will drop a bit more as I get going. This is not a bulking up program...yet. That will come sometime during the spring (maybe summer) as I get ready for next year's fall road and trail races. Right now I just want to be able to finish a 5k, sub 18:30 and get back to 30 miles a week total distance.
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Comments

  • KoreishKoreish I'm a penguin, deal with it. KCMO Icrontian
    edited October 2009
    Tonight, I am having my last smokes. Tomorrow starts me being an asshole for a week or so. Small price to pay.
    So not much is changing then? :p
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited October 2009
    You might also want to end your multi-day benders. Please read with the appropriate balance of judging and serious advice.
  • UPSLynxUPSLynx :KAPPA: Redwood City, CA Icrontian
    edited October 2009
    Awesome man, so good to hear that.

    I'll bug you, I'm good at it. Keep us updated.
  • pigflipperpigflipper The Forgotten Coast Icrontian
    edited October 2009
    Thrax: that ended a while ago (last longterm party/binge was EPIC through July 4th), I just can not keep up doing that anymore. I end up getting ill and taking forever to recover. And yes, I know that is the face a lot of people know, I am well aware of that.
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited October 2009
    I'm just ribbing you. Glad to see you're makin' an effort to get fit. :) You can do it.
  • GnomeQueenGnomeQueen The Lulz Queen Mountain Dew Mouth Icrontian
    edited October 2009
    You can do it Piggeh!!
  • poofiepoofie Baltimore, MD Icrontian
    edited October 2009
    woohoo!
  • bindlestickbindlestick
    edited October 2009
    Good news piggeh! More power to you.
  • QCHQCH Ancient Guru Chicago Area - USA Icrontian
    edited October 2009
    You can do it, piggy.... Go get fit!!!
  • pigflipperpigflipper The Forgotten Coast Icrontian
    edited October 2009
    Ok, so, 2.5 miles this morning with 92% humidity made it more like swimming than running. Also, no cig yet today, usually by this point I've had a half dozen or so.
  • UPSLynxUPSLynx :KAPPA: Redwood City, CA Icrontian
    edited October 2009
    You're keeping hydrated I take it?

    As a runner I'm sure you're no stranger to water. Lots and lots of it.
  • pigflipperpigflipper The Forgotten Coast Icrontian
    edited October 2009
    Today was a light interval workout.

    1mile warm up followed by flex-mo drills and striders. Then 4 x 1/4 mile @ 90 seconds each (6 minute mile pace) with a 90 second break/walk inbetween. Ended with another mile of easy running (NOT JOGGING) and 8 more 25meter striders.

    EDIT: Quads hurt more than anything else.
  • _k_k P-Town, Texas Icrontian
    edited October 2009
    Did you go from not running at all to this?
  • pigflipperpigflipper The Forgotten Coast Icrontian
    edited October 2009
    _k: yes and no. Yes, I was not running before this. No, I was in decent shape to begin with except for the whole smoking thing ruining my lung capacity.
  • UPSLynxUPSLynx :KAPPA: Redwood City, CA Icrontian
    edited October 2009
    Glad you're not going all superman and trying to go big distance real fast. Pacing up is the way to be.
  • pigflipperpigflipper The Forgotten Coast Icrontian
    edited October 2009
    Lynx: I feel like I could do up to 5 miles with no problem, but I am holding myself back on purpose, will build the distance by 2 miles per week once the pain of the initial start up fades. Should take about 2 weeks before I stop feeling stiff and sore, if my memory serves me correctly.
  • UPSLynxUPSLynx :KAPPA: Redwood City, CA Icrontian
    edited October 2009
    Sounds like a perfect pace. whenever I return to running after a period of neglect (usually after the winter) 1-2 weeks is usually my stiff-muscle recovery period.

    Keep it up, man.
  • pigflipperpigflipper The Forgotten Coast Icrontian
    edited October 2009
    UPSLynx wrote:
    Sounds like a perfect pace. whenever I return to running after a period of neglect (usually after the winter) 1-2 weeks is usually my stiff-muscle recovery period.

    Keep it up, man.

    The joy of Florida: Year round outdoor activities.
  • pigflipperpigflipper The Forgotten Coast Icrontian
    edited October 2009
    So today was just an easy, easy recovery day (I am SORE! My abs hurt from sucking wind so bad thanks to cigs) of about 2.5 miles at the slowest pace I could go and still consider it running and NOT JOGGING.
  • _k_k P-Town, Texas Icrontian
    edited October 2009
    Jogging In some parts it is also used as a slang word for doing marijuana.
  • UPSLynxUPSLynx :KAPPA: Redwood City, CA Icrontian
    edited October 2009
    pigflipper wrote:
    The joy of Florida: Year round outdoor activities.

    makes me jealous beyond words....

    how long does lung recovery typically take after quitting smoking? I take it exercise helps improve it faster?
  • _k_k P-Town, Texas Icrontian
    edited October 2009
    Took me 2-3 weeks before I could say the tar in my lungs was not affecting my breathing.
  • bindlestickbindlestick
    edited October 2009
    FWIW:

    http://www.lungusa.org/site/pp.asp?c=dvLUK9O0E&b=33568

    *Edit* And 1 minute after I post that link, the site says service unavailable. "Icrontic Effect"?
  • poofiepoofie Baltimore, MD Icrontian
    edited October 2009
    UPSLynx wrote:
    Sounds like a perfect pace. whenever I return to running after a period of neglect (usually after the winter) 1-2 weeks is usually my stiff-muscle recovery period.

    Keep it up, man.

    this is good to know. i've started running, and omfg ow. but if it's only a couple of weeks i can deal with it.
  • pigflipperpigflipper The Forgotten Coast Icrontian
    edited October 2009
    poofie wrote:
    this is good to know. i've started running, and omfg ow. but if it's only a couple of weeks i can deal with it.

    You will still hurt after a hard workout or if you increase pace and/or distance, but your muscles will recover more quickly.
  • tmh88tmh88 Pittsburgh / Athens, OH
    edited October 2009
    Smoking is death for runners. I remember a few times where I tried to go running after having a cigarette or two the night before and my lungs were killing me. It felt like I couldn't get a full deep breath and my chest felt heavy and just disgusting. If only one or two cigarettes can do that from the night before I can't imagine what years of it must feel like. I'm not sure why, but I still did that a few more times even though I knew it would make me feel like crap. After that I decided it was a good idea to never smoke again. That's pretty much my only experience with cigarettes. I'm glad I never got addicted or to the point where they could have done some serious damage.

    I know how hard it must be pig, keep it up.
  • LincLinc Owner Detroit Icrontian
    edited October 2009
    I probably can't say anything in this thread that will be taken seriously, but I'm quietly rooting for you.
  • KoreishKoreish I'm a penguin, deal with it. KCMO Icrontian
    edited October 2009
    But seriously Lincoln what do you think?
  • StarmanStarman Icrontian
    edited October 2009
    Maybe off-topic, but whenever I run more than half a mile, I get a headache. Muscles are fine, lungs are fine, but throbbing, splitting headache with much exercise. Any idea why this might be?
  • ShortyShorty Manchester, UK Icrontian
    edited October 2009
    Good luck mate. Quitting smoking and increasing fitness takes mental dedication. It's very tough!
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