Days 5-7: Many thoughts

I'd apologize for not writing, but this is mostly for me and not as much for anyone reading, so I'll just get right to it.

1) Strategy: Since the night I made this bet, I've batted around several different strategies in my head. At first, I figured a balanced approach of exercise, running-specific training, and good diet would be sufficient. Now, I think that the number one priority is getting down to an appropriate weight as soon as possible is the optimal way to go. I've done some homework on some tested methods for dropping weight fast (of which there are many), and I'm giving this one a try. It's easy to implement, relatively simple, a great way to exercise some discipline, and it has some health benefits that carry over to running. Today was the first day of 4. We will see how it goes.

2) Injury: One of my biggest concerns for the next 6 months will be avoiding injury, but I didn't have to wait long to experience my first one. My back went into spasm on Friday during CrossFit and I was stuck in bed for the remainder of the day. Thankfully, it feels better today, but it was the impetus behind my decision to just walk for the next few days, albeit for a long, long time. Let's hope it was an isolated incident.

3) Motivation: There is something to be said for having goals become all-consuming. Too often we set goals only to approach them passively, if at all. I have a poster of Steve Prefontaine above my desk with the quote "To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift." That's pretty much summarizes my approach to this endeavor, and while I've been easing into it this week, it's always on the forefront of my mind and is driving so many of my daily choices. I'm a man possessed.

Day 4: Ouch

Today was the first day where I truly felt sore when I woke up. However, my buddy Erle texted me to go running on the CSUS track. He's recovering from and injury and also trying to get in shape, so I couldn't say no. We did some light running trying to find some paces that were manageable, and it ended up being a great idea since I was able to loosen up my muscles and work out some of the soreness. After lunch and a nap, I was back on campus hitting the treadmill for a slow run with some sweats on; this weight isn't gonna lose itself. Speaking of weight, my buddy CJ and I are going to get our body fat tested tomorrow, and I think this will serve as a benchmark and help me to pace where I need to be over the next few months. I've had mine tested a few times over the years, and I highly recommend it to people getting ready to embark on a new fitness journey. I use BodyFatTest because they are cheap and travel around Northern California, periodically stopping in Sacramento. Alright, I'm going to go try and slip into a coma to get ready for tomorrow.

Day 3: Everyday I'm hustlin

Went back into Crossfit today after a hiatus while I was in Tahoe for WSOP. For a few months now, I've been trying a new routine of working out in a faster state, i.e. getting up, having coffee or pre-workout and going straight to the gym. Recently, I've been adding bulletproof coffee since several of my friends have tried it and given positive reviews. It's supposed to maintain the fast while providing some healthy fats, so we will see how that goes. Let's just say that I was a burping machine today while working out, so it'll probably take some adjustment.  I had also planned on checking out Going Vertical again in the afternoon/evening, but Sarah talked me into checking out a "hot Pilates" studio. Holy shit. That was an ass kicking. Pretty much exactly what I need while I continue to cut weight and build that aerobic base.  Lastly, I picked up my prepared meals for the week, so I'm pretty much killing it.  June can't come fast enough.

Day 2: Let the two-a-days begin!

Sundays are typically reserved for long runs, so I chose today to see how many miles I could do at my long run pace. I ended up doing 11 miles split between two runs, and they both felt pretty great. The next few weeks are really going to be about building an aerobic base with some long, slow runs and some crosstraining mixed in. In addition, I'll still be doing my normal CrossFit routine MWF and checking out a training facility recommended to me called Going Vertical that focuses on athletic performance (improving 40 yard dash, increasing vertical leap, etc.).  I might post some baseline numbers here when I have some official times/measurements.

Oh, and thanks to BJ for making me get back to prepared meals from www.getfoodrx.com. Diet is gonna be key for this endeavor.

Day 1: Running a sub-6 minute mile

Many of you have likely heard about my latest bet to motivate me to improve my fitness.  It was suggested by a few people that I start a blog or use social media in some capacity to share progress and have a little more accountability (even though I am up to my eyeballs in accountability already).  At the very least, it will be nice to have a journal of my progress and training, not to mention the fact that I've always wanted an excuse to journal and/or keep a regular blog.  I've had failed attempts at both, so hopefully I'll see this through to the end.

For those of you who haven't heard, I recently bet several friends that I would be able to break the 6:00 mark for a mile run.  Yes, I know...it's crazy.  I've never done it before.  In fact, I've never come anywhere even close.  It's been on my bucket list for a couple years now, and I thought I could make use of the free time I have before this summer to try and do something great.

Ultimately, this bet is about attempting something incredibly difficult and seeing what happens when I dedicate all my time and energy to accomplishing the task.  I'm looking forward to the journey.