These are not the droids you are looking for.

picture of 5K route for 2007 Bill Seymour Marathon in Grand Island, Nebraska - Saturday, September 1, 2007

Motivation:

I don't like using songs as the Motivation of the Week, especially pop songs that appear on lingerie commercials, however, this one has kept shuffling into my mp3 songlists recently. It reminds me of the line in another song that I run to that goes "I like to think the best of me is still hiding up my sleeve":

"Unwritten" by Natasha Bedingfield
Staring at the blank page before you

Open up the dirty window, let the sun illuminate the words that you could not find
Reaching for something in the distance so close you can almost taste it

Release your inhibitions feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you only you can let it in

No one else can speak the words on your lips

Drench yourself in words unspoken

Live your life with arms wide open

Today is where your book begins the rest is still unwritten

Diary:

A lot of the songs on my mp3 player right now are about being a superhero, or have superhero in the lyrics, OR they speak to flying or soaring or reaching - all hero-type actions. One of my favorite songs on the mp3 right now is "Worlds Greatest" by R Kelly.

While running and thinking about being a superhero, the thought occurred to me "What would I like to have as a hero power?" I guess this isn't the first time I have thought about this. I have enjoyed watching the show "Heroes" on NBC, and plan on watching next season. After some consideration, I decided that having the ability to do physical things like flying, turning into flames/ice/webs/water, or being able to knock down buildings - these things didn't seem too useful to me. Invisibility sounded cool at first, but then became somewhat a lonely, depressing feeling. Do I really want to see the things I would see if noone knew I was there? After some thought, this too went into the "No" pile. I finally remembered a power that I would find handy in a number of situations, and wouldn't make me an outcast or force me to wear a silly costume. The Jedi Mind Trick! I want to use this is everyday life - at work, at the clinic, in regular relations. There have been many times where I know that I am right, and instead of having a lengthy debate or verbal argument, I just want to wave my hand over their eyes and say "You don't need to ask me if I want to order magazines while buying printer ink at Best Buy", "You just want to buy your products without getting the third degree about crap that you don't need." You don't need the extra extended warranty - we just make profits on those sales." "Move along... Move along"

I wouldn't feel like I am tricking the people I come into contact with, just making decisions easier for them, so that I can continue to go about my day. The more I think about it, the more I like it. I could use it on co-workers, retailers, annoying friends, officials at public places, Metrodome Security Guards, bullies, etc.

Another instance of using the Jedi Mind Trick, sending your registration via mail for a 5K, only to find that a month later the registrars have no idea who you are or where your packet is. You can re-register that morning with an extra $10 "late fee", oh, and we are out of T-shirts, (which is what most of the registration $ were for in the first place), but for extra money, we can ship the shirts to you when we make more, shipping at your cost, of course. Jedi Mind Trick won't help them to magically "find" the missing registration, but it might help to make them understand that "you don't need to charge extra fees for someone who is just trying to do the right thing" and "it is obvious by your blog and witnesses that you had registered and planned to run this race, so we are going to take your word for it - why would you drive 600+ miles to just to run a 5K, if you hadn't planned this in advanced," "move along... move along"

The Jedi ability would save a lot of time and energy arguing with people when you know you are right.

I may try to use this power, just to see if it is something that you can build over a period of time. I might have a bit of Jedi in me, untapped, unused. This experiment may be fun.



5K Training for Week 6 out of 9
This week do the following.

For those planning on running the 5K:

• Sunday = Rest
• Monday = Brisk five-minute warmup walk
  • Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)
  • Walk 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes)
  • Jog 3/4 mile (or 8 minutes)
  • Walk 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes)
  • Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)
  Five-minute walking cooldown
• Tuesday = Five-minute walking warmup
  Elliptical workout - 25 min
  Five-minute walking cooldown
• Wednesday = Brisk five-minute warmup walk
  • Jog 1 mile (or 10 minutes)
  • Walk 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes)
  • Jog 1 mile (or 10 minutes)
  Five-minute walking cooldown
• Thursday = Five-minute walking warmup
  Elliptical workout - 25 min
  Five-minute walking cooldown
• Friday = Five-minute walking warmup
  Elliptical workout - 25 min
  Five-minute walking cooldown
• Saturday = Brisk five-minute warmup walk
  Jog 2-1/4 miles (or 25 minutes) without walking.
  Five-minute walking cooldown
• Sunday = Rest - go to church or spend time with your family and friends. Have fun

For those planning on walking the 5K:

• Monday = Rest or walk easy
• Tuesday = 25 minute brisk walk
• Wednesday = Rest or walk easy
• Thursday = 25 minute brisk walk
• Friday = Rest or walk easy
• Saturday = Easy walk for 2.5 miles
• Sunday = Alternate 5 minutes of brisk walk & 5 minutes of easy walk for a total of 60 minutes

Notes:

#Diet#

Moving to "Plan 2" in the 4 plan system, in order to get out of the plateau that I am currently in. I only lost 1 measly pound last week, and so it is time to make some changes and review my calorie count to see what is keeping me from moving forward like I should. Plan 2 reduces 1 starch, but adds 1 vegetable serving. Maybe this will help.
Next week, I will post more specifics about my current diet plan and my routine - and more health related information. I reallize that the last couple of weeks, my blog has been more random stories than useful nutrition, excercise and motivation, but I will try to get back in line after this week. I just needed to take a short diversion for a while. I hope you aren't put off too much by these random musings.

In my review of my diet, I was researching the reasons for my current weight plateau (new excersice routine, increasing for the 5K, busy stress, etc) and I noticed that my protein shake at night was over 600 calories - it consists of fruit, protein powder, and soy milk, but in reading the details of the ingredients, the amout of protein powder was over 250 calories, and with the fruit and milk, this "snack" was the calories of 4 snacks. i think removing this (or modifying it) will help to get me back on track to my current goals (262 lbs and then 245 lbs).

#Exercise#

I am starting to enjoy running, something I never thought I would do. I start my workouts by walking, but am really excited (to the point that I have butterflies in my stomach) to take off. This instinct is somewhat bad, because I could never sustain this passion through the entire 5K run, and don't want to try to sprint the entire thing. I quickly reallize that I must slow my pace to have stamina throughout the run. The mp3 music mix that DJ Ed House made actually helps with this, as I can set my pace and the music keeps the tempo going for the entire run without stopping.

On another hand, I can't wait to start lifting weights. I have been somewhat upset about the skin/flab that has appeared now that the weight has started to come off. I have heard and read that lifting tightens loose skin, and am ready for this to happen. When I told this to my counselor, she was not very excited about this, as this will skew the weight loss numbers. She is totally focused on lbs, whereas I know that fat % is more important than total weight. This may be an argument that I delay with her after the 5K training is over, but there are several fat loss workouts that I have found through Men's Health magazine that I am going to try, come later this fall.

I saw an interesting article this week on Obesity ratings: Trouble in waist-land


#Fine Art#

I played accordion at church and the new leader of the worship team wants me to try to step out and do some improvisations, jazz things up and do some little solo lines here and there. I am interested in this idea and thank him for the encouragement. (Thanks Don!)

#Geek#

I am going to start a research project looking for educational software for teachers - this week I have had 3 teachers in the area approach me about software to help them share information (project plans, lesson plans, communication with students, teachers, and parents, social networking, etc) This is very "web 2.0" and that is right in my wheelhouse. I think this is a great use of the internet, to share information for students who can do research and projects together and have a place to store the results. I am looking forward to seeing what I can find.

#Money#

I bought new brakes for the vehicle, which was needed, and after speaking with the shop owner, we had the realization that new tires are needed. After finishing the brake job, he picked me up at my office. On the way back, we both noticed a loud road noise. I knew the sound was there, but had just put up with it. He commented that "new tires will make that sound go away", and you will have better control and better driving experience. I was somewhat taken back, he wasn't trying to sell me anything, but just threw it out as advice and experience. I will probably budget for new tires before the year is over.

#Personal#

The last week has been very tough for me on a personal/spiritual level. Earlier this summer, I had a physical-weight loss mentor pulled away from my life, as my original weight loss counselor left the clinic. This has been a challenge that I have had to get used to. Now I have found my spiritual adviser and friend has decided to move on to a new position. My pastor and friend, Kendall, has accepted a call to lead a new church in South Dakota. - people put in my life and then sent on - first Pet, then Kendall.

So, I went out to the website of the new church he is going to, and listened to his sermon at this church, and realized that this will be a great opportunity for him, and fully understand that he will flourish here and I will still be able to listen to his sermons via the internet (maybe I can set it up on my iPod), so while we won't be within reach, I will be within earshot. After some thought and consideration, I decided to interview him for my "Renaissance Man" project. His sermons about "Habit and Discipline" were given during the same time that I was learning about Habit and Discipline for my diet and workout programs, and his messages merged well with what my goals and desires were. This week I have interviewed him and we had a great 3 hour discussion. Look for this to be cleaned up and published by the end of the year.

I need to finish my interview with Kaptain Karl first, however. Karl, when are we getting together again? I miss you - and I reallize how busy my month will be with all of the running events ------- we need to make some time....

COMMENT! What is your favorite hero superpower, and why? Please leave a comment below
to answer.


Next weekend - look for the following:
1) full diet and excercise overview
2) discussion about how reading my blog can improve your life
3) results from the 1st of 4 5Ks - the initial "time to beat" is announced!
You won't want to miss it.


more later,

Chazz

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