Back in training: Update #6

Here is the latest update on my training for the sold-out Phillies’ 2nd annual 5k race on March 31 as part of my current effort to lose a total of 40 pounds. This is the sixth in what will be a series of updates here…

I took advantage of the nice weather this week to get in a couple of 3.2-mile runs. I completed one in 34 min., 18 sec. on Wednesday, which was a bit of a disappointing setback. So I decided to push it a little bit today and completed a run in 31 min., 49 sec., which is my fastest 3.2-mile run time since the start of the year.

What I really need to do is use the calorie-tracking apps I installed on my iPhone and start monitoring what I am consuming in order to accelerate the weight-loss process. When I lost 35 pounds in 2006, I did it rather quickly by running and exercising regularly, and by limiting my caloric intake so that I would lose at least one pound per week even without any exercise. Therefore, the additional calories expended through exercise caused me to lose about 10 pounds in the first two or three weeks, before the rate of weight loss slowed to 2-3 pounds per week.

At this point, eight weeks into my new regimen, I have just hit the point where I have dropped 10 of the 40 pounds I am aiming to lose…so I feel the need to pick up the pace in getting lighter, which should make me a bit faster.

On a personal note, another reason I am doing this is because my wife and I are expecting our first child in early July. I’ll be 41 a few days after my wife gives birth and I want to make sure I’m in shape into my 50s and 60s so I can do things with our kid (or, thinking ahead a bit…kids).

You can read my post from Jan. 28 for specifics, but I finished my only real 5K race in 27 min., 54 sec. back in fall 2006. However, I had been running regularly in the months leading up to it (the first time I ever ran like that in my life) and had lost 35 pounds. Now, after putting all the weight back on and being five-plus years older, my goals are to finish the Phillies 5K in less than 30 minutes and lose 40 pounds.

I’ll be posting updates on my progress here once or twice a week.

Here is a table with my run distances* and times charted during this training period: