Happy Easter

Lot's to talk about!

Weather

We awoke today to the biggest snow storm we've seen here in Germany. Finally Marco got to play in the snow just outside the house. I'm sure it will melt away by the end of the day but for the first time the trees are covered and they look beautiful.

Training

I just finished a big block of training. The goal of the the block was to put strength on by body. The reality is that it has been 15 months since I last trained for and participated in a race. That race was the crazy high desert 50K in December of 2006. Last year because of the move, new job, there was no training just activity. I road when I felt like it, I ran when I felt like it and I barely swam. So this year I decided to do some racing. It's one way to become part of the community for me. To do what I think I can do this summer I knew I had to build some strength. They say after 40 you lose 10% of your muscle strength/year if you do nothing. So this is why I changed my diet and headed for the gym using the Belly Off plan from mensheath.com. The results of the plan.

Starting Weight: 149 lbs.

Max Standard Push Ups: 25

Max Close Grip Push Ups: 10

Max Chin Ups: 5

Current Weight: 157 lbs

Max Standard Pus Ups: 60

Max Close Grip Push Ups: 40

Max Chin Ups: 15

The rest of my workouts running, biking and swimming have felt better because of the above work. For the next 8 weeks I'll continue to work on the strength but only 2 days/week instead of 3. My goal is now to make all this added muscle work on burning the remaining fat I have and get to a race weight which is yet to be determined.

Hero

My hero right now is a guy named Brian Broxson. If you looked up Type A Personality in any smart book, you may find a partial description of Brian. Essentailly what Brian really wants he goes after with a gusto most of us can't comprehend and most of the time he hits it. He works in sales and if there is a contest he wants to win, he wins it. If they change the game on how he gets paid, somehow he changes his way of doing things and still ends up on top. But don't think it comes easy for him. I don't know everything about the guy but I do know he had a tough time growing up. It wasn't all positive go get them coaching in whichever house he was living in. So I think it was this part of his life that has made him an all or nothing type A kind of guy. So now to the real story of why he's my hero. Brian is a runner. He's not a runner like you or me becaue he's a big runner. For instance, in January Brian ran the Carlsbad 1/2 marathon. His weight was 285lbs. Recently he emailed me with his goal of qualifying for the 2009 Boston Marathon. To do that he has to run below 3:11:00 because he's still a young guy. His goal race is Chicago in October and his goal weight is 210lbs for that race. Let's face it, we would not even attempt it. The view from where I am to where I want to be is difficult but it's not even close to his view. 3:11:00 puts Brian in the top 1/4 of all runners in the world. 3:11:00 at 210 lbs puts him in the top 5% on a pace per pound calculation. ( I don't know this as fact but I'm sure I'm awefully close in my thinking). If it were me doing this, I'd count against it. If it were most people I know, I'd count against it. Because it's Brian, I am full on rooting for him. I know he can do it and I know he'll put everything he has into doing it. My only advice to Brian is write it all down. Write down how you you feel every day and remember it. Remember that this kind of effort is the real test, the end result really doesn't matter. If you succeed or fail it's the Journey that will count the most. And through this Journey you will inspire hundreds to get off their butt and get to work.

It's a good life.....

Dave