Home Stretch

I hope everyone had a great Christmas! We had a great time with all of our kids, grandkids and Grandma Myrl too! It came and went way too fast. We need to keep that special feeling of giving and joy throughout the year.... hmmmm, I'll have to think of something!

Hey! We're on the homestretch for the 1/2M on January 22nd! Last Saturday was Christmas so we walked 8 miles on Friday (short week). This week we need to get back on track with 11 miles on Saturday (New Year's Day) and 12 miles on the 8th! Then we'll drop to 6 or 7 miles on the 15th getting rested for the 13.1 miles on the 22nd! I hope they can find a good new route since some of the trails were washed away down by the river! Washington County got hit hard by lots of rain and runoff into the Virgin River!

I think I gained a pound or two over this last weekend but it will be gone today and tomorrow. I start back into weight training with Nate today since I took last week off! I didn't eat real well this week but I hope to get back on track today! Maybe I shouldn't say I didn't eat well because I ate a lot! Way too much but I tried to lay off too many sweets and carbs. I was partially successful! Actually, compared to years past, I did great! Compared to my current nutrition plan, not so great! But, I managed to gain very minimal weight and will be back on track today!

Becky has been sick with something like bronchitis... lots of coughing and feeling like crap! I hope she gets feeling better. She's struggling with the walks because she doesn't feel well. Keep her in your prayers!

It should be a great weekend in St. George on the 22nd! Anyone is welcome to come down and either run/walk or just be a cheerleader! So, come and have some fun, you need a break anyway!

Four Weeks and Counting !!!

Falling in Love at a Coffee Shop

I think that possibly, maybe I'm falling for you
Yes theres a chance that I've fallen quite hard over you.
I've seen the paths that your eyes wander down
I want to come too

I think that possibly, maybe I'm falling for you

No one understands me quite like you do
Through all of the shadowy corners of me

I never knew just what it was about this old coffee shop
I love so much
All of the while I never knew
I never knew just what it was about this old coffee shop
I love so much
All of the while I never knew

I think that possibly, maybe I'm falling for you
Yes theres a chance that I've fallen quite hard over you.
I've seen the waters that make your eyes shine
Now I'm shining too

Because oh because
I've fallen quite hard over over you

If I didnt know you, I'd rather not know
If I couldnt have you, I'd rather be alone

I never knew just what it was about this old coffee shop
I love so much
All of the while I never knew
I never knew just what it was about this old coffee shop
I love so much
All of the while, I never knew

All of the while , all of the while

It was you...

by Landon Pigg

This is a good song and you really should listen to it. I think of Becky when I hear it. I'll add it to my "Favs" list.

Anyway, it's about 4 weeks to the 1/2M. Don't know if I'm ready but oh well! Actually, we walked 10 miles last Saturday and it felt good! Amid the Jr. Jazz photoshoot we walked around and around on the suspended 1/16 mile track mesmerized by the lack of scenery and the monotony of 160 laps of sameness! I'm wishing the weather would clear and the snow would melt!

I'm now listening to Louis Armstrong sing "A Kiss to Build a Dream on". It's also a good song. Oh, wait.... now Michael Buble' "You Don't Know Me" Hmmm. This is what I do when I walk... just listen to lot's of good music. Although, the last two Saturday's, we've had neighbors come walking with us so we also talk. I think they figure if I can do it, anyone can so they are joining us and considering coming to walk/run the 1/2M in January. Thom walked the whole 10 miles with us and he hasn't been walking hardly at all! It's taken me 4 months to work up to this distance! New song... Train singing "Drops of Jupiter". It's the music that saves me from the monotony!!

Okay, let's talk about my original goals and see how I'm doing... am I really getting younger??
This is a Younger Next Year journey. It's not quite next year but how am I doing?? Let's see.

Goals:

1. Get at least 6.5-7 hours of sleep each night.
I'm getting about 5-6 is all

2. Lose 50 pounds (as a start).
I'm down 25 from the original 261.8# or about 235#. Still way to heavy, but on track!

3. Eat healthier and less... and cut the crap!
I'm eating much healthier.. 6 meals a day with balanced carbs, protein, fiber and fats. I really feel a lot better! Cutting the crap has been pretty easy until now, the Holiday Season is really hard to not eat all of the goodies that our kind neighbors and friends bring to us!

4. Be able to run (or at least finish) a half marathon with my daughters sometime this year.
So far on track for Jan. 22nd!! At first, I just wanted to finish it, now I'm shooting for 3.5 hours to get an official time. After that, they all go home and you don't get a time!

5. Be able to ride in the Tour de Cure for diabetes (at least 40 miles of it).
Whoo Hooo! I've signed up anyway! I'm not sure I can make that many miles but I'll at least do something. BTW, I will be posting a web link so you can donate to the cause if you want to. I need to raise at least $150.

6. Write in this blog at least once a week to monitor my progress.
Okay, I haven't been as attentive to writing as I first promised! I'll try to do better!

7. Stay actively engaged with other people in my family, work, church and community service.
Wow! I'm very involved in all of these! I have a wonderful family, great job, great Church calling and I'm a member of the Salt Lakes Lions Club where we are currently trying to raise funds for an "All Abilities" playground! So I'm very involved, connected and engaged with other people and they all touch my life in some way, mostly for the good!

8. Love life, help people, be happy!!!
Yes, YES and YES!! I know, I know! I don't get a discount for agreeing with you! I just got a little carried away! It happens to you too??? Hmmmm :-)

Well, that's about it. I feel like I'm on track and I feel much healthier. I look a little thinner and my clothes don't fit me very well anymore. That's a good thing right? Anyway, if how you feel counts, I do feel younger than I did in August when I started this journey! But, it is just a start and I'm determined to keep going and going and going.... yes, just like the Energizer Bunny! This is a lifetime program not just one day, one week, one month or one year! It's one lifetime and it's mine so let's live it one day at a time with the goal in mind; to live life to the fullest and without regrets! As my trainer Nate has tattooed on his arms,, "Be Sorry for Nothing!"

Love to everyone and MERRY CHRISTMAS! Wishing you all of the joy and happiness that you deserve and that you can stand! Cherish your family and friends during this Holiday season and always remember the reason we celebrate!

Warm wishes,

Mark

Happy Holidays and a Merry Christmas to Everyone!!!

What a great time of year! I love the Holiday Season and yes, since it's my blog, I can say "Merry Christmas" too! I hope everyone is having a great Christmas season and that you are all finding joy in your lives!

As for me, I'm finding a lot of things to be thankful for and am finding joy in my family and friends. In the past few weeks all of my children had their birthdays and are all doing well with only a few bumps in the road.... but I won't get into them. Anyway, we're all doing well and excited for the holidays and for the arrival of our next (6th) grandchild in February. Kristen is expecting on the 11th and will name her "Laney". We can't wait! This is Kristen's first and she is ready to get it done and have Laney here!

Whoo Hoo! This morning was a 9-mile walk and I felt like I could have walked longer! We all did great but are still walking indoors. Becky, Jenny and our Neighbors Marilyn and Suzanne walked outside for 2 of the nine miles, I stayed indoors with my friend Thom. Thom hasn't been walking regularly and went 8 miles today! He did great but I think he's going to be sore! I walked the 9 miles in 2 hrs and 15 minutes... right at a 4 mph speed.. 15 minutes/mile pace. For me, that's good! My goal is to finish the 1/2 marathon in 3.5 hours or less to get a timed score. So far, I'm on track!

I mentioned last time that Becky is walking/running too and getting in shape for the January race. She is doing great and is looking great too! WOW!

I've now lost 25 lbs. and am actually starting to notice! I was so heavy that it takes a lot of weight to see much progress but I'm seeing it now and am feeling a lot better! I have much more endurance and strength than I did when I started this journey!

Hope everyone has a good week!

Over the River and Through the Woods.........

Okay, maybe not over the river but on the mini-track anyway. Back to walking and working out 6 days a week. Three days a week strength training with my Trainer Nate Peterson and three days walking. I haven't ever done much strength training with weights and I feel like a total beginner... which I am of course. Nate is great and is being very patient and is helping me a lot, mostly technique for now. I am feeling a bit stronger and my legs are handling the longer walks better than they use to. The cross training is great because it lets my muscles rest between walks and workouts.

Walking indoors is a killer! Not from the workout but from the boredom! The last two Saturdays I've walked 8 miles each day. That's 128 laps for 8 miles!! The track at Gene Fullmer is only 1/16th of a mile... Makes one dizzy! Thank goodness for the old iPod and earbuds! Becky has been walking/running with me and she is doing better than me. She runs and walks, I pretty much just walk. I'm really proud of her, she is doing great and is also doing Jazzersize every day too!

As far as the weight is concerned, I have lost 22 lbs. since August and have had to go back to some of my older suits since my newest one is literally falling off of me. I'm trying to eat 6 times a day and keep to a pretty strict diet.. Staying away from too many bad carbs like sugar, white breads, white rice, potatoes, etc. Sticking to more protein and good carbs, fruits and vegetables. So far, it's working pretty well. Becky and I are working on this together and we're both learning to eat better. After years of bad habits, its a slow road but we're getting there. When your favorite foods are bread, cheese, pasta, pizza, etc., its a hard habit to break! I know there are a lot of good food programs out there like Nutri Systems, etc. but I'm determined to learn how to do this on my own and not become dependent on their food. If this doesn't work, then we'll see. So far, I'm doing pretty good.

I'll post some more pics after I lose a few more pounds! I at least made it through Thanksgiving without too much damage! I gained a pound or two but I immediately dropped it back off when I got back on the eating program.

In December, we'll work up to 10 miles. January 22nd (1/2 Marathon date) is coming quick. Everyone is invited to come to St. George to participate or to watch! It should be a fun weekend!

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving and may you all find Joy in the Christmas season!

Merry Christmas Everyone!

One Step Forward.......

Okay, I'm still on track but wasn't able to walk much this past week due to.... you guessed it, another pulled muscle in the same left calf. This time I was playing racquetball with my friend Sid. I think I'm going to hold off on that until I lose another 20 lbs. or after the run in January! After walking the 10K+, Becky and I walked 4 miles last Monday (week ago) on the indoor track at Gene Fullmer fitness center in West Jordan. That's 64 laps on their small track, made me dizzy! Then it was weight training on Tuesday and racquetball on Wed. where I pulled a muscle, weights on Thursday, Nothing Friday and Saturday. I didn't eat too healthy this week.. again... but I did eat well! I think I ate Pizza twice at work and took Jon and Katie to dinner for his birthday Wednesday night and had pizza again! It was great but not what I should be eating.

I'm starting some weight training to build strength (3 days per week) and aerobics the other 3 days. Feeling much better and stronger and have lost about 17 lbs. so far. Still going slow on the weight loss but still making progress.

I love the fall and the leaves and the colors. I mowed my lawn for the last time this year and put the old lawn mower away. I pulled all of the flowers out and cleaned out the garden. It was a little sad as it always is this time of year to see all of the color go but winter has its beauty too and I'm looking forward to the holiday season. I even put my snow plow on my ATV and its ready to go! Becky and I bought some warmer clothes to walk/run in and will still do our longer walks outside. Getting colder so we need to bundle up!

Have you ever felt that you get too involved in too many good things? It's hard to keep up with it sometimes but as Chris and Harry say (remember the book?) connections and relationships are vital and extremely important so I don't feel too bad that I'm involved in so many good things. I've just got to be careful not to do too much and not have time for the most important things. Between work, Lions Club, church callings (3), family, U of U Engineering Alumni Board, YSA activities, etc. I'm feeling a little tired. Maybe that's why I haven't written here like I should!

A few setbacks, but all in all, I'm still on track.

Whooo Hoooo! 10K+ Today!

Becky and I walked/ran twice around Daybreak Lake... 6.69 miles, average pace 4.1 mph or 14:44 minutes/mile! Average heart rate was 137 bpm, maximum 160. It was awesome although now I'm a little tired and sore! But, it was at least a 1/4 Marathon! Whooo Hoooo!

Back in the Saddle Again.....

Okay, I did it. I joined the Salt Lake County Northwest Recreation facility and upgraded to a Gold membership which gives me access to all 16 County facilities in the SL valley. I have been going almost every day since I joined and have been doing both aerobic training and strength training...spinning, eliptical, treadmill, track and even swimming. Tomorrow, we're doing a double lap around the Daybreak lake... about 6.5 miles. I hope I can make it!

I found out that I'm a horrible swimmer and need some lessons. I don't know how to breathe and swim at the same time! It's sort of like chewing bubblegum and walking! I can't do that very well either! Anyway, I need swim lessons! I was doing everything wrong. I couldn't kick right, breath right, stroke right, or anything else right! I really looked stupid in the pool and I'm sure the lifeguards and the other swimmers were having a great laugh! One guy, suppressing his snickers, said he had an extra pair of goggles that I could have (he was taking pity on me) and that he would go and get them for me. The life guard took it upon himself to give me a few pointers and to let me know that I was doing everything wrong! After eating a little humble pie, I asked him several questions which he very politely and patiently answered. Then the guy with the goggles came back and handed me a bright pink pair of goggles! I sheepishly put them on and went about my business practicing my kicking using a kick board, swim fins and bright pink goggles! I finally said "oh, look at the time!" and rolled out of the pool and waddled into the showers hoping never to emerge again! On the bright side, I did get a pretty good workout and I didn't drown so maybe I'll try again sometime after I buy me some manly goggles!

When I wasn't doing aerobics, I lifted weights; one day for upper body and one for my lower body. It feels pretty good but again, I could use some coaching. I also played racquetball yesterday which is a great workout! I played with my buddy Sid from work. He usually wins but It's still gets my heart rate up for about an hour.

So, as Gene Autry would say:

I'm back in the saddle again
Out where a friend is a friend
Where the longhorn cattle feed
On the lowly gypsum weed
Back in the saddle again!

Ridin' the range once more
Totin' my old .44
Where you sleep out every night
And the only law is right
Back in the saddle again!

Whoopi-ty-aye-oh
Rockin' to and fro
Back in the saddle again
Whoopi-ty-aye-yay
I go my way
Back in the saddle again!

Until next time!