Marathons for Sammy

In one of my aunt’s posts on Caring Bridge about Sam, she wrote about his recovery being like a marathon:

“Now, to further explain what the word “recover” means. Again, we have no way of knowing what the extent of his recovery will be. This is going to be a long-haul — doctors have referred to it as “a marathon”. We could see little improvement, a complete recovery, or somewhere in-between. Like we keep saying, we just don’t know, and won’t know until Sam wakes up.”

I’ve been struggling to come up with a new fitness plan for myself, and I really want to do more cross training. I need to get into the garage to kick the bag and do some INSA.NITY, but I really, really enjoy running. I’m thinking of running as much as I can in the mornings and evenings, and doing garage workouts a couple of days a week during nap time (they both still nap at the same time, but I think that’s coming to an end this summer…). When I read the above about Sam, I knew right away what my next self-imposed fitness challenge would be.

Until Sammy is back home where he belongs, I will run as many “marathons” as I can, meaning keep count of each and every run and start a new set every time I compile 26.2 miles. I tend to just think of him while I run, so why not run for him?

So far, I’ve logged 18.06 miles:

Tues, 06/02/15 5.24 miles
Wed, 06/03/15 3.03 miles (fastest ever, I might add!)
Thur, 06/04/15 4.76 miles
Fri, 06/05/15 5.03 miles

These are much shorter distances than I’m used to, but I like them quite a bit and I’m not training for anything right now (I did NOT run that half marathon on Saturday, which was a blessing since I had to drive 4.5 hours to Sam at 3:00 that afternoon). My goal is to log at least one cross training and also one strength session a week. Also, we’ve been asked to pray for Sam’s nourishment:

“We ask that you pray for God to nourish Sam’s brain, in the ways he needs and for the care and support that are best for Sam.”

His sister, SK, has revamped her diet in honor of him and I’m going to eat cleaner too. No fried foods, no more processed foods, no more cookies/donuts/etc. from the grocery store, limited cupcakes (I have to call that one out, you know), no sugary mixed drinks, no junk! (SK and I do agree that ice cream is necessary at a time like this),

My weeks will run Saturday through Friday with weigh-ins on Saturday mornings. Weight loss is not the biggest goal here, but it should happen with the changes being made.

Starting Statistics on 06/06/2015

Weight: 144.4 pounds (6.6 pounds higher than when I weaned Bryson on 01/23/15)
Body Fat %: 23.7% (1.4% higher than on 01/23/15)
BMI: 22.6 (1.7 higher than on 01/23/15)
Natural Waist: 28.25 inches (27.25 on 01/09/15)
Belly Button: 32 inches (31.5 on 01/09/15)
Hips: 36.5 inches (35.25 on 01/09/15)
Miles Accumulated Toward Marathon #1: 18.06 miles

Goals Until Sammy Comes Home

As Many Compiled Marathons As I Can Do Before He is Back at Home
At Least One (1) Cross Training Session Per Week
At Least One (1) Strength Training Session Per Week
Clean Eating for All Meals and Limited Cheating (NO FRIED FOOD, No processed food) on Saturdays
Total Miles Each Week (Average): 20-30

Week 1

Week 1 Statistics
- Weight: 144.8 Pounds
- Pounds Lost or Gained: 0.4 Pounds gained
- Body Fat %: 23.3%
- Body Fat % Lost or Gained: 0.4% Lost
- BMI: 22.7
- Workout Days (goal is 6 days)/Time Spent Being Active (goal is 4.5 hours): 4 Days/4 Hours 20 Minutes
- Miles Run: 22.71 Miles
- Marathons Finished to Date: 1 + 14.57 miles
Food:
- Saturday – Homemade pancakes, nitrate/nitrite free bacon, pure maple syrup, reuben sandwich from local deli, local bakery donut (this is technically fried, and I forgot. Ugh),
- Sunday– Homemade pancakes, nitrate/nitrite free bacon, local ice cream (sample size), eggs, grilled chicken, homegrown veggies, wine, cake
- Monday – Egg mcMuffin no meat, cinnamon bread toast, grilled chicken sandwich, fruit, Jimmy Johns slim 1, broccoli supreme salad, a few kettle chips
- Tuesday – Glazed donut (it’s true!), chicken kabob sandwich, hummus, roasted chicken breast, asparagus
- Wednesday – Food
- Thursday – Food
- Friday – Food
Exercise:
- Saturday – Ran 6.14 miles in 58 minutes (9:30 pace)
- Sunday– None – rest day!
- Monday – Ran 5 miles in 48 minutes (9:34 pace), Mowed lawn at fast walk pace in 35 minutes
- Tuesday – None
- Wednesday – Ran 5.5 miles in 51 minutes (9:16 pace) at 2.5 incline
- Thursday – None
- Friday – Ran 6.07 miles in 56 minutes (9:16 pace) at 2.5 incline and walked at 4.0 mph for 12 minutes
Notes:
- I lost track of food on Wednesday here on the site, but it’s in MFP online. I had a good week with food, for the most part. I would say the eating is pretty darn clean!
- I kept thinking all week that Saturday counted in my days/minutes goal towards exercise, and realized Friday night that I was done for the week. I ended up just 10 minutes shy of my 4.5 hour goal for the week, which I’m ok with since I got confused on the week-end day.
- I’m thrilled with the 22+ miles this week! For shorting my hours goal, the mileage sure came in within my goal (20-30 miles a week). I did NOT count the mileage from walking – I only count running miles!
- We had an awards banquet for SK on Friday and it involved some wine, so that explains the 0.4 pound gain (and my period) so I’m fine with the gain. I am THRILLED with the body fat drop. I needed that!
- Good first week!

Week 2

Week 2 Statistics
- Weight: 143.8 Pounds
- Pounds Lost or Gained: 1 Pound lost
- Body Fat %: 23.2%
- Body Fat % Lost or Gained: 0.1% Lost
- BMI: 22.5
- Workout Days (goal is 6 days)/Time Spent Being Active (goal is 4.5 hours): 6 Days/5 Hours 33 Minutes (both goals met)
- Miles Run: 28.58 Miles
  PM
- Marathons Finished to Date: 2 + 16.95 miles
Food:
- Saturday – FREE DAY. Went to the College World Series and ate a lot of ridiculously yummy food
- Sunday– Homemade pancake breakfast, pork shoulder bacon, farm fresh scrambled eggs, chicken skewer sandwich, hummus, chicken picatta, carrots, trifle for my cousin’s bday!
- Monday – Leftover cake, tomato soup, veggie thin pizza, salmon, asparagus
- Tuesday – Glazed donut, chicken skewer sandwich, mushroom wrap, fries
- Wednesday – Banana bread muffin (homemade and small), Chipotle soft corn tacos with chicken/cheese/sour cream, grass fed 80/20 ground beef, goat cheese crumbles, broccoli, and a bit of leftover Wendy’s frosty
- Thursday – Egg white delight no meat, slim 1 from JJ, ground pork (free range from my friend’s farm), diced apple and onion, carrots, a little ice cream
- Friday – Egg white delight, no meat, chicken skewer sandwich, hummus, carrots, pork and apple sliders
Exercise:
- Saturday – Ran a slow 5 miles pushing Bryson in 50 minutes (10:00 pace, good God! But we did stop 3 times without pausing the timer. But still!)
- Sunday– None – rest day!
- Monday – Ran 5 miles in 47:00 (9:24), walked 3 minutes at 4.0 mph
- Tuesday – Ran 5.06 miles in 50 minutes (9:52), walked 16 minutes at 3.77 mph, mowed lawn for 30 minutes
- Wednesday – Ran 4.5 miles in 45 minutes (10:00)
- Thursday – Ran 4.52 miles in 46 minutes (10:10)
- Friday – Ran 4.5 miles in 42 minutes, walked 4 minutes
Notes:
- Much better week, overall
- I still need to get in my cross training and strength sessions, but we’re all planning to start that next week at the Y together
- My body is shot from the running, but the weather has just been too nice not to run! My pace has gotten slower and slower every day, but a rest day will fix that
- I was happy to have the minimum minutes of exercise met after 5 days of exercise, made Friday feel like gravy
- I am sleeping more soundly
- Made up stagnant first week of no weight loss
- Body fat continues to decline

Week 3

Week 3 Statistics
- Weight: 0 Pounds
- Pounds Lost or Gained: 0 Pounds lost
- Body Fat %: 0%
- Body Fat % Lost or Gained: 0% Lost
- BMI: 0
- Workout Days (goal is 6 days)/Time Spent Being Active (goal is 4.5 hours): 5 Days/4 Hours 48 Minutes
- Miles Run: 15 Miles
- Marathons Finished to Date: 3 + 5.75 miles
Food:
- Saturday – Birthday cake, kabob sandwiches, hummus… Repeat
- Sunday– breakfast sandwich, JJ slim 1, smoked chicken and brisket, corn
- Monday – cupcake, veggie pizza, kabob sandwich, hummus, ice cream
- Tuesday – Donut, chipotle tacos, kabob sandwich, hummus
- Wednesday – Food
- Thursday – Food
- Friday – Food
Exercise:
- Saturday – Mowed lawn (40 minutes), yard work (15 minutes)
- Sunday– Heavy duty yard work (90 minutes)
- Monday – Ran 4 miles in 35:37, best pace ever!!!! (8:54)
- Tuesday – Ran 5 miles in 47:00 (9:24 pace), walked 4 minutes at 4.0 mph
- Wednesday – None
- Thursday – Ran 6 miles in 55:38 (9:16 pace)
- Friday – None
Notes:
- The heavy yard work on Sunday lasted 3 hours, so I logged 1.5 hours. It was hard, manual labor and my body felt it the next day. It counts as cross training. I’m not one to log stupid stuff as exercise, but this counted!

Week 4

Week 4 Statistics
- Weight: 144.6 Pounds
- Pounds Lost or Gained: 0.8 Pounds gained from last weigh-in
- Body Fat %: 23.1%
- Body Fat % Lost or Gained: 0.1% Lost
- BMI: 22.6
- Workout Days (goal is 6 days)/Time Spent Being Active (goal is 4.5 hours): 5 Days/4 Hours 45 Minutes
- Miles Run: 25.65 miles
- Marathons Finished to Date: 4 + 5.2 miles
Food:
- Saturday – Food
- Sunday– Food
- Monday – Food
- Tuesday – Food
- Wednesday – Food
- Thursday – Food
- Friday – Food
Exercise:
- Saturday – Ran 6.01 miles in 59:23
- Sunday– None
- Monday – Ran 4.08 miles in 40:41
- Tuesday – Ran 5.06 miles in 50:03
- Wednesday – None
- Thursday – Ran 5 miles in 47:17
- Friday – Ran 5.5 miles in 53:00, mowed the lawn (35 minutes)
Notes:
- Sammy went home on Wednesday of this week – way ahead of schedule!
- I was a food disaster with work parties, good behavior rewards, etc. Gotta get it back on track

Past Fitness Logs

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Marathons for Sammy

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