What's that? You didn't know Thanksgiving was a competitive sport to be won? Or how to win it?
Simple! To win Thanksgiving, all you have to do is weigh less on the Sunday After than you did on Thanksgiving Morning. Having gone from 181 pounds (pre-run) on Thursday to 180 (after-run) today, I qualify!
But it wasn't easy. It was a royal battle, with the calorie-burning activities running (literally) neck and neck with the incoming turkey stuffing and related goodies. But after netting out
- the iHOP Pancake Breakfast,
- Lynn's home-cooked turkey dinner and
- two days of having leftover stuffing as a mealtime entree while sitting around watching Christmas DVD movies back to back
against
- an 11.87 mile run on Thursday,
- a one mile walk on Friday (give me a break; I was still limping after that Thursday run),
- a three mile walk AND twelve mile bike ride in the hills yesterday, and
- a three and a half mile run this morning - hopefully to be followed by another hilly bike ride after I post this -
the calories expended exceeded those consumed, so I WON!
But I don't get to relax just yet. Oh no! Remember that great buffet Brazilian restaurant, Fogo de Chao, from my October 17th post?
Well, my birthday is coming up. (I'm turning 21 for the two-and-a-third time). And guess where we're going next weekend to celebrate? That's right!!! So guess what I'm going to be doing even more of in the time between now and then? Right again!!!
Is there enough rubber left on my bike tires and the soles of my running shoes to last and carry me through the next few days? I hope so!
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Monday, November 8, 2010
The Day After
Well, yesterday's 15-mile run left me done in and my leg muscles tied in knots. It was all I could do to move out from under the covers when I woke up this morning.
So I did the only thing I could: I got up and went for a bike ride! After all, the only cure for sore muscles is to keep them moving.
I've never actually considered bike riding exercise - and for good reason. Compared to yesterday's more-than-half-marathon run, this morning's 1 hour, 23 minute bike ride only covered 11.54 miles and burned a measly 485 calories - that wouldn't even cover a Burger King Whopper. So this morning's, um, "activity" was only recreation, not a workout.
Fortunately (or unfortunately), as I type this I'm not eating a Burger King Whopper - I'm working my way through a plate of broccoli. If that doesn't help me live longer, at least it will seem that way!
But that's it for "exercise" today. I'm on the last day of vacation from work today, and I'm going to spend the rest of it relaxing with DVD's. Ferris Beuller's Day Off, here I come!
So I did the only thing I could: I got up and went for a bike ride! After all, the only cure for sore muscles is to keep them moving.
I've never actually considered bike riding exercise - and for good reason. Compared to yesterday's more-than-half-marathon run, this morning's 1 hour, 23 minute bike ride only covered 11.54 miles and burned a measly 485 calories - that wouldn't even cover a Burger King Whopper. So this morning's, um, "activity" was only recreation, not a workout.
Fortunately (or unfortunately), as I type this I'm not eating a Burger King Whopper - I'm working my way through a plate of broccoli. If that doesn't help me live longer, at least it will seem that way!
But that's it for "exercise" today. I'm on the last day of vacation from work today, and I'm going to spend the rest of it relaxing with DVD's. Ferris Beuller's Day Off, here I come!
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Technology - The Best Exercise Motivator
I'm a user of Runkeeper, a free iPhone app that tracks exercise activities including not just running, as the name implies, but also biking, walking and numerous others.
Runkeeper uses GPS to track distance, and also measures time, computes pace, and calculates calories burned depending on the activity.
Using Runkeeper can be discouraging or encouraging depending on the results. The biggest disappointment I've experienced since starting to use it a few months ago is to find out that my "normal" running pace is not the 10 or fewer minutes per mile at which I had always assumed I run, but actually something closer to 11 minutes per mile.
On the other hand, that awareness of my pace has motivated me to make an effort to work on speed, something I hadn't worried about doing since running high school cross country over 32 years ago.
Another thing using Runkeeper can do is to make it more tempting to run longer distances. This morning I set out on a route I last did a few months ago - before getting Runkeeper. I had never formally measured the distance of this route, but had estimated it on Google Earth as being approximately 13 miles - or almost a half-marathon. So I decided to run this unofficial half-marathon again this morning and use Runkeeper to verify the distance.
It did turn out that my estimate had been reasonably close. The only issue was that when I reached the half-marathon distance - 13.1 miles - I was still about a mile from home. So I decided to keep running to round it up to an even 14 (might as well, since I'd only be walking to get home anyway, right?) But then as I got closer to the 14 mile mark I decided to go for an even 15 - after all, it would only take a few more loops around a few more blocks in the neighborhood!!!
So that's how I wound up running 15 miles this morning. Runkeeper also calculated that in the 2 hours, 39 minutes, and 54 seconds of running that I did, I had an average pace of 10 minutes and 40 seconds per mile and burned a total of 2,169 calories.
I followed that up with copious stretching as well as a hot bath to (hopefully) prevent any serious muscular repercussions. Now all that remains to be seen is whether I am able to walk when I get out of bed tomorrow morning. Will I? Tune in for future entries to find out!!!!
Runkeeper uses GPS to track distance, and also measures time, computes pace, and calculates calories burned depending on the activity.
Using Runkeeper can be discouraging or encouraging depending on the results. The biggest disappointment I've experienced since starting to use it a few months ago is to find out that my "normal" running pace is not the 10 or fewer minutes per mile at which I had always assumed I run, but actually something closer to 11 minutes per mile.
On the other hand, that awareness of my pace has motivated me to make an effort to work on speed, something I hadn't worried about doing since running high school cross country over 32 years ago.
Another thing using Runkeeper can do is to make it more tempting to run longer distances. This morning I set out on a route I last did a few months ago - before getting Runkeeper. I had never formally measured the distance of this route, but had estimated it on Google Earth as being approximately 13 miles - or almost a half-marathon. So I decided to run this unofficial half-marathon again this morning and use Runkeeper to verify the distance.
It did turn out that my estimate had been reasonably close. The only issue was that when I reached the half-marathon distance - 13.1 miles - I was still about a mile from home. So I decided to keep running to round it up to an even 14 (might as well, since I'd only be walking to get home anyway, right?) But then as I got closer to the 14 mile mark I decided to go for an even 15 - after all, it would only take a few more loops around a few more blocks in the neighborhood!!!
So that's how I wound up running 15 miles this morning. Runkeeper also calculated that in the 2 hours, 39 minutes, and 54 seconds of running that I did, I had an average pace of 10 minutes and 40 seconds per mile and burned a total of 2,169 calories.
I followed that up with copious stretching as well as a hot bath to (hopefully) prevent any serious muscular repercussions. Now all that remains to be seen is whether I am able to walk when I get out of bed tomorrow morning. Will I? Tune in for future entries to find out!!!!
Friday, November 5, 2010
Drip System Repair - A Plug For a Great Company
If you've read my October 2, 2010 post, you know where I stand when it comes to household maintenance projects of any sort. You know that when anything breaks down around here, the only question that remains to be answered is: "To whom do I make the check payable?"
Well, if the maintenance project involves outdoor irrigation and drip systems, and you live anywhere in the Valley of the Sun, the correct answer is:
Able Irrigation, LLC, 244 W. Alice, Phoenix, AZ 85021 (602) 595-6800, www.phxsprinkler.com
As I write this, they have just left my house after bailing out This Lazy Homeowner by providing phenomenal service at a very reasonable price.
Over the course of an hour and a half of back-breaking labor, two Able Irrigation technicians did everything short of tunnel under my driveway and succeeded in finding and fixing an underground leak. They also checked and fixed all plug outlets on my property, installed a couple of extra outlets to some recently-added plantings, and to boot they cleaned up a less-than-sightly amateur patch job that I foolishly dared to attempt myself a few months ago.
All this for less than the price of dinner for two at a low-end white-tablecloth restaurant!
I can't recommend these guys highly enough. For anyone who hasn't already earned a master's degree in landscape engineering, Able Irrigation is worth it for your outdoor irrigation projects!
Well, if the maintenance project involves outdoor irrigation and drip systems, and you live anywhere in the Valley of the Sun, the correct answer is:
Able Irrigation, LLC, 244 W. Alice, Phoenix, AZ 85021 (602) 595-6800, www.phxsprinkler.com
As I write this, they have just left my house after bailing out This Lazy Homeowner by providing phenomenal service at a very reasonable price.
Over the course of an hour and a half of back-breaking labor, two Able Irrigation technicians did everything short of tunnel under my driveway and succeeded in finding and fixing an underground leak. They also checked and fixed all plug outlets on my property, installed a couple of extra outlets to some recently-added plantings, and to boot they cleaned up a less-than-sightly amateur patch job that I foolishly dared to attempt myself a few months ago.
All this for less than the price of dinner for two at a low-end white-tablecloth restaurant!
I can't recommend these guys highly enough. For anyone who hasn't already earned a master's degree in landscape engineering, Able Irrigation is worth it for your outdoor irrigation projects!
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Monday, November 1, 2010
Halloween Report!
When you're not only on a sugar-free diet, but almost four decades too old to go trick-or-treating, your Halloween options are limited.
But that doesn't mean they have to be dull!
Yesterday I enjoyed a six hour DVD marathon including TWO Stephen King movies ("IT" and "Christine") as well as the ever-popular "It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!"
But even more fun was the bike ride I took right at sundown. I toured for miles around in every direction taking in some great Halloween displays. Some of our neighbors get more creative every year, adding not only decorations, but music and chilling sound effects. For years, I've enjoyed this one right on the corner of my own block:
But there is now another one just a couple of miles north of my house which has been expanding every year and which is now already so spooktacular that it has its own Facebook page at The Halloween House. It has even been written up in a local news article at Examiner.com. Here is just one picture.
However, the one picture just doesn't do this place justice. You really need to visit the Facebook page and check out the many other pictures and even videos that have been posted. Or better yet see the place in person like I did. Unfortunately, it's now all over for another year, but don't worry: next Halloween is only 364 days away!
But that doesn't mean they have to be dull!
Yesterday I enjoyed a six hour DVD marathon including TWO Stephen King movies ("IT" and "Christine") as well as the ever-popular "It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!"
But even more fun was the bike ride I took right at sundown. I toured for miles around in every direction taking in some great Halloween displays. Some of our neighbors get more creative every year, adding not only decorations, but music and chilling sound effects. For years, I've enjoyed this one right on the corner of my own block:
But there is now another one just a couple of miles north of my house which has been expanding every year and which is now already so spooktacular that it has its own Facebook page at The Halloween House. It has even been written up in a local news article at Examiner.com. Here is just one picture.
However, the one picture just doesn't do this place justice. You really need to visit the Facebook page and check out the many other pictures and even videos that have been posted. Or better yet see the place in person like I did. Unfortunately, it's now all over for another year, but don't worry: next Halloween is only 364 days away!
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