John V

Took yesterday off to rest and grow, as I worked my ass off the day before, went out to see a classic reggae act, then stayed up until 4am, thanks to a cafeine O.D. Today I stretched a bit, walked a lap, ran 5 (1.25 mls) , walked another, then stretched again. They've fenced my track and it will soon have locked gates! The blazing Sun was high in the sky. Tried to stay in the lower 160s got over 170 on my 50 yd strides on the last running lap. I'm going to forget about speed for now. Run coach suggested run so many minutes then walk some and repeat. I haven't wanted to rest-walk while running, as I previously saw that as defeat. Then: incl db press 30x13x2 flat db flyes 30x13x2 1 arm db rows 30x13x2 alt incl db curls 30x13x2 false grip bb curls 41x13x2 db kick back 12.5x 13, 12 stand mil press 51x13, 10 Reached exhaustion on the 2nd set of the last 2 exercises. Slow bicycle crunches 40, 30, 30

Thanks for the video. Fun stuff!

Good job! We'll all be watching your progress. Keep it up.

incl db press 28.5x13x2 flat db flyes 28.5x13x2 1 arm db row 28.5x13x2 alt incl db curl 28.5x13x2 false grip rev bb curl 40x13x2 db kick back 12.5x13x2 stand mil press 50x13x2 Then to the track to walk a fast lap, run an 11 minute mile, then walk a slow lap, with stretches before and after. Wore my old shoes, as I forgot the ones with more support. It was hard to slow my legs down to keep my hr in the lower 160s. Hip, ham and shin all seem AOK. Remembered the gut when I returned home to log this. Slow bicycle crunches: 38, 28, 28 Moderation was a challenge today as I felt strong lifting as well as running. Eating sprouts every day!

Giving the legs a break today to heal up more. otherwise: incl db press 28.5#x13x2 flat db flyes 26#x13x2 1 arm db row 28.5#x13x2 alt incl db curl 28.5#x13x2 false grip bb curl 37.5#x13x2 db kickback 12.5#x13x2 stand mil press 47.5#x13x2 slow bicycle crunches 36, 26, 26

Jeez man. We're all proud of you. Keep doing what your doing.

Tues morn 209.4# , 60.9# bf (29.1%) 51.7 h2o

Keep up the good work!

Have a great meeting!

Didn't run today just because I'm getting too enthusiastic and want to resolve this hamstring issue. I added some leg curls and extensions to my lifting. My form is still improving and the muscles seem somewhat trained. The lifting and running really motivates me to control my palette, and I'm doing much better, but aren't where I'm aiming yet. * each side incl db press 26#x13x2 flat db flyes 26#x13x2 1 arm db row 26#x13x2* alt incl db curl 26#x13x2* false grip rev bb curl 35#x13x2 db kickback 12.5#x23x2* stand mil press 45#x13x2 1 leg extension 10#x30x2* 1 leg curl 10#x30x2*

Glad everything seems to be going well. Salute!

It was surprising my left ham was so tight when I started to stretch before running and shocking to see that I had a large black, purple and green injury under my thigh in the half foot from the knee up. It obviously is old from the colors. No wonder I was feeling a little something there throughout the week. It looks like I got kicked by a donkey. All I remember is a bit of an accidental splits which tugged the ham when I slipped on some clutter a week ago today. It was hard to slow my pace enough to keep my hr under 160. I wanna go fast! I stretched a bit, walked a lap, ran 4, then walked 1 more. I didn't even check the time. I'd been planning to make this my long run, but I thought I should keep an eye on the newly discovered injury. What next? The lifting is certainly having some positive results. My form is getting better and I'm obviously stronger then a couple of weeks ago. It makes me want to lose the next 20# quicker so I can see better what's going on under the blubber. incl db press 26x13x2 flat db flyes 26x13x2 1 arm db row 26x13x2 alt incl db curls 26x13x2 false grip rev bb curl 35x13x2 db kick back 12.5x13x2 stand mil press 45x13x2 slow bicycle crunches 32, 22, 22

Have fun on the board, where you can always find support. I'm envious of you, being vegan in LA. (not jealous though!) If you're feeling isolated there, try being vegan in Cleveland, Ohio! What do you do for exercise?

After a few years since any weight training here's how I'm getting started again. I'm journaling it in the training log section of the forum. This was my sixth workout. I was motivated to start back now by lack of exercise while healing from minor running injuries. I haven't reached failure on any exercise yet, but I'm getting closer. incline db press 26#x13x2 flat db fly 26#x13x2 1 arm db row 26#x13x2 alt incl db curls 26#13x2 db kickback 12.5#x13x2 false grip rev bb curl 35x12x2 stand mil press 45#x13x2 bicycle crunch 30, 20, 20

Decided my elbow didn't hurt that much. incline db press 26#x13x2 flat db fly 26#x13x2 1 arm db row 26#x13x2 alt incl db curls 26#13x2 db kickback 12.5#x13x2 false grip rev bb curl 35x12x2 stand mil press 45#x13x2 slow bicycle crunch 30, 20, 20

Your journal is inspiring. Happy 500th post!

We're both lucky to have to have found VBB. This forum is great and has grown priceless to me in the short time I've been here. Journaling has been especially helpful in keeping me on track, and the support and experience here are valuable gifts. A life without meditation seems a terrible waste to me. A great thing about meditation, not unlike physical fitness, is how we approach it motivated by our current level of consciousness, but enjoy benefits we only later can appreciate as still more valuable than we previously could have imagined. Though I was a regular TM meditator as a teen, a religious studies major in college, taken intensive instruction in the Rinzai Zen and Theravada Buddhist traditions, and have befriended great folks from many other traditions, my meditation technique is Ram mantra and my lineage is as a Hanuman devotee. As a secularist and critical thinker I appreciate that most folks here are nonreligious. Not to say vegan jocks are somehow better than the New Agey vegans, but, I'm enjoying getting to know the good people here very much!

Stretched, walked a lap, ran four with 50 yds strides 2x in lap 4, then cooled down with another lap. The mile was about 11 minutes and my hr stayed in the 150s except for the strides, which bumped the pulse up to about 160. Afterwards a little stretching again, which the rain interrupted. The left hip is almost 100%. The left ham string is a little worse then two days ago, but not really bad. My left elbow has smarted a tiny bit for a couple of days, so I'm going to baby it and wait to lift until tomorrow, or the next day. What a wimp.

Good work! Stay with it!

The weather, venue and crowd were all very good. Midnite Band from USVI was best, though Yellowman was great, Barres Hammond was rained out. Rastaman vibration, yeah, positive!

Scale said 210.2#, 61.1# bf 29.1%, 51.7% h2o No complaint from the hip!

Lately I've been able to eat more sprouts. I bought a 2# bag of mung and another of lentils at the local Indian grocery for just a few bucks. I soak them for a day in the bottom inch of a mason jar, until the lentils sprout, which takes some hours longer than the mung. Then I rinse them a few times a day for a few days, until the jar is packed full of mature sprouts. Mostly I've used one recipe, which I still love, but I need a few more. I grate a couple of carrots, chop some celery and red onion, throw it in a mixing bowl with the sprouts,some kosher salt, black pepper, red chile powder, and garlic powder. Next comes olive oil and balsamic vinegar. I toss it, then stuff whole wheat pita bread or top some cold WW cous cous. That's it! I love it and eat it most days.

Walked several hours at the Midwest Reggae Fest this weekend, some in flip flops, some in boots, and danced a little bit too. Slipped and strained my left hamstring a little. Ran a mile today! (walked 2/4 ml, too)Hip seems 98%, though the hamstring hurt a tiny bit. Stretched, walked a lap, ran 4, then cooled off for a lap, then stretched again. Then: incline db press 23.5x12x2 flat db flys 23.5x12x2 1 arm db row 23.5x12x2 (both sides) bb curl 55x12x2 db kickback 12.5x12x2 stand mil press 45x12x2

Glad the diagnosis, the healing and your new home are all good for you.

incline db press 21#x12x2 flat db flys 21#x12x2 1 arm db rows 21#x12x2 bb curls 55#x12x2 db kickback 12.5#x12x2 stand mil press 45#x12x2 Starting to get in the groove of lifting. Resolve to wait until the hip is totally healed before running again. Have to defeat my arch nemesis the late night snack.