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Fitness

Whether it be walking, running (to which I am a relative newbie), cardio, P90x, or weightlifting and gym workouts... anything that will get my mind and body moving and to release that muscle memory and overcome Parkinson's disease, I am willing to try (and post about).

Weekly Fitness Progress: W/E 4/10/11

Well after being horribly sick earlier in the week (out Monday and voiceless Tuesday), I was able to still get some activity in to try and build my endurance, which for whatever reason, sucks right now. It seems at 2 miles running or 20+ minutes of any physical activity, I’m just dead-legged and my “on status” (from meds and my DBS device for Parkinson’s) drops significantly.

Still, with all that said, my activities and accomplishments for the week ending 4/10/11 were:

  • Wednesday, 4/6: Ran in my neighborhood (elevation change of near 100 feet per the Nike+ app). Distance run: 1.08 miles. Total time: 8:56. I set a new personal best average time per mile of 8 minutes and 16 seconds per mile.
  • Thursday, 4/7: Rode my new bicycle 2 miles in mt local area. Played with a new app (iMapMyRide) but did not capture valid stats for this ride.
  • Friday, 4/8: Off day.
  • Saturday, 4/9: Over 45 minutes, hit 75 solid, hard-swinging drives at the driving range [golf]. I love doing this as everything from my calves, glutes, abs and arms will be sore the next day. Often I even hit the full 150 but I showed restraint this day and good thing, because I was spent by the end.
  • Sunday, 4/10: Used the iMapMyRide app to record my whole ride. Distance: 2.24 miles. Total time: 17 minutes, 27 seconds. Pace: 7:48 minutes per mile. My pace was slow because (I think) I’m still getting used to a 21 speed bicycle as I’ve never had one before. Plus it was 90 degrees and I was sweating buckets as our subdivision has almost a 100 foot elevation change!

Queue the Rock-y Music… My First Half-Marathon

Rock-n-Roll Half MarathonAs many of you know, I have early onset Parkinson’s Disease, having been diagnosed over 8 years ago at the age of 32. If you’ve read my other blog posts, you also know that 2010 was a year of transition for me. I had DBS implant (basically a pacemaker in your brain which ‘encourages’ your brain to make dopamine through the release of electrical impulses) surgery for my right side in May and the left in December. [see my blog post on this]

The settings are not yet perfect, but I have begun running this year. According to my NikePlus.com app on my iPhone [Read my blog review of the Nike+ App], I have run 6.43 miles this year and on Wednesday had my fastest average mile ever: 8 minutes and 16 seconds, which I am very proud of given where I was even four months ago. I have talked about some of my plans with some great blogger and fitness/running peers and friends and shared the fact that my goal for 2011 was to show that Parkinson’s Disease cannot defeat my will or my body by running a half-marathon by end of year.

However, I had not stated this goal openly and publicly… until today. Rock n’ Roll marathon series is in St. Louis on October 23 and Los Angeles on October 30 and I will run in one of them! Join me won’t you? I will be sharing my workouts, runs, and overall progress towards this goal.

Are you already registered?

Will you run with me? (in either location – yes I realize the ultimate insanity behind this request)

Join and friend me on NikePlus.com!

Follow my progress on Twitter (or Facebook if you know me). (See top of page for links)

Do you have a 5K race you suggest I run before then?

Training tips or encouragement? Post a comment and I’ll respond to every single one.

Running with a Zest for Life

Running

Running

As a man who is increasingly intent on BEATing Parkinson’s Disease (see that category for more info on this if you like), I have decided on several goals for this year. Some overlap but it’s my list so it can be whatever I want! A big one is that I have now become a “running enthusiast” so any tips or encouragement/help you can provide would be greatly appreciated.

• Eat healthier. This means less sugar, less fat and more protein.
• Drink more water and less sugary soft drinks.
• Gain back 25 of the 45 pounds I lost due to the last 18 months of complications and surgeries.Nike+ GPS
• Run 30 miles by April 17
• Run 211 miles in 2011
• Run a 5k (race or on my own) by 6/11
• Run 5 10’00″ miles by 4/20
Run a half-marathon this year (and donate any proceeds to Parkinson’s research)

I presently weigh 149 lbs and have 9.7% bodyfat.

To date, I’ve run 5x so far this year, totaling 1 hr 05’36″ with a distance of 5.35 miles and an average of 12’15″ per mile. My fastest mile thus far was an 11’10″ mile today.