by Matt Soreco on August 17, 2010
After bailing 2.5 miles into the last attempt, I finally finished up the last C25K run this morning. I went 3 miles in 31 minutes (10:20) pace. As the trend, I did the first mile in 9 minutes, the second in 10:27, and the last mile in 11:15. Again that dreaded incline at the 1 mile mark (which is also at the 2.3 mile mark) was killer for both the second and third splits.
I also did some sprinting on Sunday. I’ve decided though, to hold off on the sprinting for now and go back to alternating days of distance running. I’ve seen no improvement in pace over the last 2 weeks. I’ve also stalled in weight loss. Granted I slipped up on the diet a little (a few barbecues and leftovers from them), but I didn’t foresee a standstill. I want to keep more active, continue to lose weight, and continue to improve cardio fitness. I haven’t been feeling the rubbery leg feeling I got in some of the earlier runs, so I don’t see the sprinting as essential as I thought it had been.
I’m going to try to crack open and dust off my P90X videos and pop them in every other day too (on off run days) and do their cardio, yoga, plyometrics, abs, and stretching. I think I can up my activity level at this point. I won’t know until I try if it’s all too much.
by Matt Soreco on August 16, 2010
Dear Buddy,
I’m sure you saw that pathetic excuse for a team get romped on Friday. Didn’t you? Sure I know it’s just preseason, but doesn’t it worry you a bit?
I’ve seen the seen the same thing year in and year out over the last decade. Decade. Yes the Bills haven’t reached the playoffs in a decade. You know that, right? Are you doing everything you can to change that? Are you!?
Listen. I know your predecessors were arrogant enough to think they could sit on their hands all offseason and magically get more production out of the below average players on the team already. You don’t think that too, do you? If the first preseason game is any indication, it looks like you do.
Are you listening? Good. How in the world could you think that the WR position was ok after losing both TO and Josh Reed. Last years #1 WR and #3 WR. Only to have them replaced by one or two from a group of neverwillbes.
Look around the league. Half of the backups on other teams are better than the 3 scrubs you have competing for the starting QB role this year. Don’t you think something’s wrong with that picture? Hopefully Levi Brown can rise above the rest of them.
The offense, if at all possible, is LESS TALENTED than last season. What were you thinking!!!
Last I checked, the Bills were one of the top teams in teams with cap space. Why not spend some of that money and bring in some quality free agents? What the heck are you saving that money for?
Hopefully you’ll learn real soon. Hopefully you’ll change your approach to next offseason, which I’m sad to say I’m already thinking about (IN AUGUST!!!).
by Matt Soreco on August 13, 2010
I’m not sure what’s the matter with me. Yesterday I woke up for my morning run, only to get up then go back to sleep (first time that’s happened). Today, after a much better night’s sleep, I hit the road again. Only this time, I didn’t finish the last C25K run (first time this year that’s happened too). I wasn’t into it from the start. Then I felt blisters starting to form on my feet. I tried to wear my new sneakers again, which were comfortable, but I think the socks were the culprit. I need to buy more of the blister preventing double layered socks. I did make it 2.5 miles in 25 minutes, but I had enough at that point. Again I ran the first mile in 9 minutes. I really hit a brick wall and started to slow down shortly after. Usually I make it further. The blisters and just an overall lack of desire made me cut this one short.
Possible reasons:
1) I don’t think I’ve been as good at staying hydrated the last week or so than I have been so far.
2) I’ve gotten ok sleep, but not as much as I had been before the last week.
3) I ate really spicy food a few times this week, which made my stomach feel weird during the run.
I’m going to correct all three of these (and wear better socks) then re-attempt the final run on Tuesday. Sunday is going to be another sprinting day.
by Matt Soreco on August 11, 2010
Just like I’ve flip flopped many times with Twitter, I have with Buzz too. This time I made a final decision. I’m finished with it. I did not like the UI one bit. I didn’t know anyone personally who used it. And it doesn’t look like the “active” user base is growing. Active meaning people who use it, not just stream other feeds into it.
I’ve “decommissioned” my Buzz profile. Unfollowed everyone, etc. It’s not for me. I would delete it entirely if it wasn’t tied directly to the Google Profile. I’d like to keep my Google Profile, so I’ll just keep a blank Buzz account open until they kill off Buzz like they did Wave.
Where I can, I’m trying to go to all of the social media, bookmarking, etc. sites that I’ve tried over the years to delete my account. Just kind of to clean up any outdated profiles of mine from the web. It seems only about half of sites allow you to delete a profile/service. So abandoned ones will always remain I guess.
Since I mentioned Twitter… I stopped trying to make it work for me, but also found probably one of it’s best uses. Niches. I’ve become more and more a fan of MMA, and since MMA isn’t mainstream, Twitter is a great source of information from the fighters and MMA news outlets. I’ve stopped following a lot of the “gurus” (social media, marketing, etc.) as Twitter became a forum for a lot of them to be too self-promotional. So now I follow a handful of friends and associates, some news sources, and good MMA sources.
by Matt Soreco on August 10, 2010
Just thought I’d throw in a little update about my nutritional supplement regimen. It’s changed a little since my Healthy Living Checklist post.
Not much else has changed other than this. I’ve been very good at adhering to my list.
Since the checklist post, I’ve added in Myoplex Original Powder for the majority of my “breakfasts.” I put breakfast in quotes because really it’s just a stop gap rather than a full-blown meal replacement. I’ve gone and spread my meals out, so that I have the shake as my first meal of the day (about 7am), followed by some dry cereal (Cheerios, Oatmeal Squares, etc) at about 10-10:30 am. Together that’s what I consider breakfast. The Myoplex is easy and does not require any thought. I’m not a morning person, so something quick and easy works. Quick and easy AND healthy is very hard to find (or taste good). So this is it.
For lunch I split up a regular sized sandwich (usually honey maple turkey or tuna) into two, which I eat at 12 and 2. I might have a small snack at about 5, and then a regular dinner at 6:30 or so.
I’ve done this in the past. Besides the theory that this aids in metabolism, it keeps me from ever feeling very hungry. So the smaller “meals” are a lot more satisfying and there are no cravings for anything more.
Besides the MyoPlex, I’ve added CoQ10 into the mix. Again, I must disclose that I work for Purity Products (not that I think the FTC is one of the 3 people who ever read my blog). I now take the following each day:
Perfect Multi Super Greens (multivitamin, phytonutrients, probiotics)
Co-Q-Omega (Concentrated Omega 3 Fish Oil with CoQ10)
Dr. Cannell’s Advanced D (Vitamin D and cofactors)—I only take one a day, not two)
All together I think these give me what I might be lacking and fills in any gaps. I’ve always taken a multi and have taken omega 3s for some time. The added D is new since last Fall and the CoQ10 is a recent addition into the regimen.
That’s all folks.
by Matt Soreco on August 10, 2010
It was extremely humid this morning. It must have rained shortly before I hit the streets, because they were still wet. I felt the humidity from the water evaporating from the ground for the entire jog. I think I sweat more today than I have so far the last 2 years jogging. That said, this morning’s jog was pretty good. I had the CardioTrainer app on again. This time I rebooted the phone and shut down all other running processes before starting it up. I’ve had trouble with its accuracy lately–especially the first few minutes. This time I think only first minute was a little off (there is no way I ran 290 yards in the 1st minute), but it fixed itself soon thereafter.
I ran the first mile again in about 9 minutes. I slowed down a little during the second mile, completing it in just over 10 minutes. The last mile was tougher, although don’t think I started to really slow down until the last half mile. I finished the last mile in 10:46. The average pace of it all was just 2 seconds over 10 minutes per mile for the 3+ miles. Not too shabby despite the humidity. Much better than the last run. I’d like my “last” C25K run to be done in under 30 minutes.
I was still a little sore from Sunday’s sprinting, but I don’t think it slowed be down. I didn’t get the rubbery leg feeling that I had been getting the last few runs. Hopefully with more weekend day sprinting, my leg strength, speed, and pace will all improve.
by Matt Soreco on August 9, 2010
Dear Coach Gailey,
As you are well aware, the Bills haven’t made the playoffs in a decade. As you are aware too, you predecessor was soft. So soft that he’d adhere to the monkey see monkey do rules of preseason football that less innovative teams have all adopted. This meant having to watch the first team offense fail to gain a first down during most pre-season games, only to have them substituted for the 2nd string. This also meant having to watch the same futile offense take the field during the regular season, and watch helplessly as they continued their meager ways.
This letter is simple. It’s to ask, or better yet DEMAND, that if the first team offense or defense fails to produce anything of quality during the pre-season, DO NOT rest them. Make them stay on the field until they show some semblance of success.
Thank you,
Matt Soreco
PS. If you are a Bills fan, and you reference the super bowl Bills (of 18 years ago!!) as evidence that the “pre-season doesn’t matter”, well then WAKE UP!
by Matt Soreco on August 9, 2010
Like I’ve been promising myself, I took a break yesterday from the C25K program to hit the track to do some sprints. I rode my bike to the track, ran a easy 1/4 mile, then started up with running 6 100 yard sprints (I sprinted the straightaways and then walked the curves of the 1/4 mile track). I ran these sprints at about 3/4 speed as I know I need to easy my way into a legitimate HIIT program. I also threw in a 50 yard carioca from each side. Then I threw in 3 40 yard sprints at full speed. To finish I attempted a full 1/4 mile at a very fast pace. I ran out of gas at about 1/2 way around. I didn’t want to push myself too far on this first day sprinting.
Besides the last 1/4 mile attempt, I held up ok during my mini-workout, but I’m feeling the effects now. Not only are my legs stiff, but my abs are too. I have a feeling I will be more sore tomorrow. I’ll have to see how I feel about getting back to C25K tomorrow.
by Matt Soreco on August 6, 2010
Besides the stomach virus setback that kept me off the road for 4 days, I’ve kept up running every other day throughout the C25K program. That cut the entire program short by a little more than a week.
My CardioTrainier app went haywire again this morning. So it might not be related to interference from Google Latitude, like I originally thought. I don’t know what it is.
I downloaded MyTracks from Google to see if it was more accurate than CardioTrainer. I gave it a test drive during my 5 minute walk warmup. I didn’t like the voice prompt as it was hard to understand the voice. Also, it gave the pace in miles per hour instead of minutes per mile (I could not do the math in my head that early in the morning). So a real test of this as a more accurate alternative to CardioTrainer will have to wait for another time.
Luckily I do know approximate quarter mile marks on the street/loop I run on. I brought a stopwatch too, anticipating hiccups with either CardioTrainer, MyTracks, or both.
Soooooooo. I ran the first mile in 9 minutes flat. Right after the mile mark there is a slight but long incline that’s about a quarter miles long. After the incline, I got tired and slowed down. Not so much my wind, but my legs. They got rubbery.
I decided to finish out the 3 miles instead of cutting the run at 30 minutes. I made it 3 miles in 32 minutes (10:40 pace). Bummer, but still better at this point to where I was last year.
This Sunday, I will break the every other day C25K routine in favor of getting to the track for sprinting and beginning an interval training program. I think this might help get back some strength in my legs and hopefully address my rubbery leg feeling.
I haven’t posted a weight update yet. I’ve been eating real well the last 2 months. I’ve been staying hydrated too. I haven’t restricted calories too much, although simply eating well takes care of getting the right amount of calories per day as I should be getting. According to the Wii Fit, which I’ve been using to keep track of my weight, I’ve lost 12 pounds since June 16. That’s over a pound and a half per week. I think that’s a healthy and steady number.
I still want to lose 25 more pounds (patience is a virtue). At this rate, I should reach my goal in 4 more months. The beauty is the more I become fit, the more I burn since the workouts are more efficient. Lets see where I am in December.
by Matt Soreco on August 4, 2010
I got in some sprinting albeit short sprints tonight. My son loves to “play running” and also loves when daddy “does BIIIIIIIIG run,” meaning run fast. So I was sprinting around my yard with my kid earlier. The yard is small, so I can only really get 5 or 6 fast steps, but it gave me a taste of what I’ve been wanting to do for some time. On Sunday I have a date with the track. Real sprinting here I come.
