Hey guys...here is a piece on Tough Mudder...our resident Big Mike finally recovered enough to jot some notes down. Enjoy. And good job Mike.
Tough Mudder 2011.
As I sit to write this, I am still recovering from the soreness that I brought upon myself this past Sunday Nov 13th. That was when 8 co-workers and I took off after a monster truck and so commenced 4 hours of grueling pain, exhaustion and ultimately sheer satisfaction. It was the start of the Tri-State Tough Mudder challenge perhaps the hardest physical challenge any of us had ever participated in.
For those who don’t know The Tough Mudder is a 12mile course complete with 33 military style obstacles. Created by British Special Forces, it is billed as the toughest event on the planet. What I can say for sure is that the Tough Mudder people take perverse pleasure in making you as cold, dirty, and overall as uncomfortable as humanly possible. All the while pushing you to the brink of physical exhaustion, and challenging you to find strength from places you didn’t know you had it in order to get past the next challenge. Then of course just when you think your home free and the finish line is insight the last challenge is running through electrical wires, which take it from me are very much charged and yes they hurt.
The Mudder as a challenge is something that was hard to train for as it places physical demand and strain on your body on a variety of different levels. Personally I needed to spend more time working on my endurance. Throughout most of my training I never put in more than 2-3miles of running at a time, and that stopped a couple weeks before the challenge. Instead I spent more time working on strength training exercises, which I felt I would need more to overcome such events as Climbing up a rope ladder 15’ from a freezing lake, climbing over 8’ and 12’ walls, running up a half pipe, carrying a tire around a track, and crossing a small pond using monkey bars just to name a few. I also worked on crawling around my apartment on my stomach in an attempt to recreate crawling under barbed wire, crawling through underground trenches, and navigating through an industrial strength plastic tube ( not easy when your 6’3” and 250lbs. ). Then there is the stuff that there was just no way to prepare for like jumping into a garbage dumpster filled ¾ way with ice water, trekking through 100 yards on mud the goes from being ankle deep to chest deep, or running through a trench with bushels of burning hay on either side.
However the most essentially aspect of the Mudder, and were I felt most equipped is team work. The Tough Mudder is extremely difficult to attempt solo, and people who found themselves alone quickly attached themselves to other groups. Our group of 9 would from time to time grow as people needed a hand to get past an obstacle. The Moto of Tough Mudder is that it is not a race. It’s a challenge and so the goal is not how fast you can do it, but that you can do it all. Some participants will not finish the course and more than a few required medical attention by the time all was said and done. My team I can’t say enough about how we helped each other through it. When your body just wants to drop it’s your group cheering you on that keeps your legs moving. When you hit a 12’ wall they’re the ones that boost you or pull you up. Or they simply wait for you to catch up when you’re out of breath and are falling behind. We all thankfully made it through in one piece. We all came out with an assortment of scratches, black and blues, and pulled muscles but still in one piece. Now as we pass each other at work we all feel just a bit closer to each other than we did before. That’s because among the hundreds at work…we alone, we 9 are TOUGH MUDDERS!
For all of this effort the prize for completing the challenge is a cup of beer (best drink I ever had), a Tough Mudder t-shirt, and the Orange Tough Mudder headband (this is thetrue prize). The headband is not for sale anywhere. The only way to get one is to complete the course. I wore mine proudly the entire day at work my first day back. It’s your testament that when needed to you can push yourself to your very limits and complete something special and extremely challenging. It was an amazing experience and I can’t wait to do it again next year Oct 27th 2012. For even more insight go to the Toughmudder.com website and learn more of this event plus feel free to shoot me any question to the rungordorun site.
Big Mike TOUGH MUDDER!
NOV2011
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Postcard from the edge
Hey guys,
Just wanted to send a quick post. Have been off grid for a while. Realized that I've stetched myself a bit thin. Weight loss...if it's about anything, it is about balance. I guess life in general is the same. I think I became so shorted sighted on my weight loss goals that I lost sight on other important things...to the detriment of the most important people in my life. So here I sit typing. A bit more aware of my surroundings, a bit heavier, and recommitted. To my journey and to all the important aspects of my life.
Here's to striking the right balance. I'll Update with a bit more substance soon.
Vaya!
Gordo.
Just wanted to send a quick post. Have been off grid for a while. Realized that I've stetched myself a bit thin. Weight loss...if it's about anything, it is about balance. I guess life in general is the same. I think I became so shorted sighted on my weight loss goals that I lost sight on other important things...to the detriment of the most important people in my life. So here I sit typing. A bit more aware of my surroundings, a bit heavier, and recommitted. To my journey and to all the important aspects of my life.
Here's to striking the right balance. I'll Update with a bit more substance soon.
Vaya!
Gordo.
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Updates
Hey guys!
New content up. Check out Big Mike's Corner, EatGordoEat, and Friends of Gordo pages. A lot more stuff to come. Very much under construction.
Vaya!
Gordo
New content up. Check out Big Mike's Corner, EatGordoEat, and Friends of Gordo pages. A lot more stuff to come. Very much under construction.
Vaya!
Gordo
Monday, September 5, 2011
Short Circuit!
So I wanted to get back into circuit training. My initial success with losing lbs came from using the Biggest Loser Boot Camp
work out DVDs. They were great for beginners and I was able to lose about 35lbs in the first 6 months of my journey. But then I discovered running, biking, swimming and I kind of lost the routine of the circuit training. I figured I was burning enough calories without it. During this latest regression I figured I would bring it back to where I started and picked up the Jillian Michaels Ripped in 30
DVD. My plan was to incorporate the dvd workouts with my running so that I can cut a few more calories while I train for my next half marathon
. A good way to jump start my fat burning and rebuild my total body conditioning.
I just finished my first session. And I am exhausted. It is a challenging workout. First, because she uses a 3,2,1 method. Strength, cardio, abs. Second, because my conditioning is non-existant at the moment. At least for circuit training. During a run I know what my limits are and how to conserve energy. This ability is either a good thing or a bad thing but according to my scale I need to break my plateau. The dvd gives you an intense 20 minute workout with a beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels. I completed the beginner and it was not the easiest. I am sure if you are in great shape this DVD is no problem but for us Gordos out there it will be a good tool to maximize your workout time. So I'll keep you guys posted on how it goes.
Update: August 7th look out for new content on the website. I wanted to get it out by the first but had some delays. But 7 is a lucky number!
Vaya!
Gordo
work out DVDs. They were great for beginners and I was able to lose about 35lbs in the first 6 months of my journey. But then I discovered running, biking, swimming and I kind of lost the routine of the circuit training. I figured I was burning enough calories without it. During this latest regression I figured I would bring it back to where I started and picked up the Jillian Michaels Ripped in 30 DVD. My plan was to incorporate the dvd workouts with my running so that I can cut a few more calories while I train for my next half marathon. A good way to jump start my fat burning and rebuild my total body conditioning. I just finished my first session. And I am exhausted. It is a challenging workout. First, because she uses a 3,2,1 method. Strength, cardio, abs. Second, because my conditioning is non-existant at the moment. At least for circuit training. During a run I know what my limits are and how to conserve energy. This ability is either a good thing or a bad thing but according to my scale I need to break my plateau. The dvd gives you an intense 20 minute workout with a beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels. I completed the beginner and it was not the easiest. I am sure if you are in great shape this DVD is no problem but for us Gordos out there it will be a good tool to maximize your workout time. So I'll keep you guys posted on how it goes.
Update: August 7th look out for new content on the website. I wanted to get it out by the first but had some delays. But 7 is a lucky number!
Vaya!
Gordo
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Earthquakes and Hurricanes...
Two natural disasters in one week could not stop me from getting back on track. I was able to get in 4 runs this weeks. My long run was 4 miles. I am going to add a mile each for the next 7 weeks to get ready for my next 13.1.
In addition to getting my running back on I also need to get my food intake back on schedule. Today I prepared all of my food and snacks for the week. I filled up 5 ziplock bags with low calorie and single serving snacks. I find it best when I am able to eat something small every 2-3 hours. I am definitely a grazer. But I am also horrible at keeping track of what I eat. Left to my own devices and I can do some major damage. So preparing meals and eating frequently benefits me. It doesn't work for everyone, so try what works best for you. The main thing is to try something.
Today I purchased the Jillian Michaels Ripped in 30 DVD which I plan on starting tomorrow. I'll let you know how it is. Feel free to buy a copy on the link below. I want to add some more circuit training in the next month to boast the fat burning. Like I mentioned on my last position I did add a few lbs after the NYCTRI. The bad news is that I gained 5 lbs...The good news is that I do not regret it. I feel like I earned it but I also know I have to work hard to lose them again.
Updates:
Will have updates on all the tabs this week. Have some special posts coming from Big Mike, RunGoritaRun, and from me!
I am still seeking Before and After weight loss stories. Please if you or someone you know would like to be featured on our site please email me at santos@rungordorun.com. If you are featured you will get a T-shirt!
Vaya!
Gordo
Sunday, August 21, 2011
This is my Confession...
So it has been a couple of weeks since I've blogged. And to say that it has been a lazy couple of weeks it would be a very big understatement. I wanted to reward myself a few days of relaxing after the Triathlon, but a few days became a couple of weeks. In that time I would describe my diet as non-existant...
Shake Shake, Birthday Cakes, brunches, lunches, juices, happy hours, and a assortment of desserts from The Dessert Truck. The last straw was a visit to a heavenly place called The Meat Ball Shop. It is on 84 Stanton Street...Just in case you'd like to try it out. And I really suggest trying this place out. Great food and amazing service considering the amount of time you have to wait for a seat...but WORTH the wait.
Back to my diet. I am a big proponent of treating yourself after working hard but I must confess I took that to the extreme the last couple of weeks. I know I'll have to pay for my transgressions in working out and running. Though it was great to not have to worry about calories and gym time I noticed the sluggishness coming on. I know it was due to the sedentary time. Its just been hard to get motivated which has made it easy just to push off getting started up again until "tomorrow". Well my "tomorrow" came yesterday. I ran 2 miles. They were tough but not horrible. But I know there is no way I can run the half marathon in the Bronx next weekend. I'll just have to shoot to run my next half marathon. Which will be on October 2, 2011. The Wineglass Half Marathon in Corning, NY. Shooting to finally break 2h 3m half marathon time. We'll see.
The moral of my story is we all have set backs. Sometimes those setbacks are unavoidable and sometimes we are the reason. Either way, it does not mean the journey is over. There is always "tomorrow".
PS: I haven't even checked the scale to see what damage I have caused. I'll do that "tomorrow".
Vaya!
Gordo
Shake Shake, Birthday Cakes, brunches, lunches, juices, happy hours, and a assortment of desserts from The Dessert Truck. The last straw was a visit to a heavenly place called The Meat Ball Shop. It is on 84 Stanton Street...Just in case you'd like to try it out. And I really suggest trying this place out. Great food and amazing service considering the amount of time you have to wait for a seat...but WORTH the wait.
Back to my diet. I am a big proponent of treating yourself after working hard but I must confess I took that to the extreme the last couple of weeks. I know I'll have to pay for my transgressions in working out and running. Though it was great to not have to worry about calories and gym time I noticed the sluggishness coming on. I know it was due to the sedentary time. Its just been hard to get motivated which has made it easy just to push off getting started up again until "tomorrow". Well my "tomorrow" came yesterday. I ran 2 miles. They were tough but not horrible. But I know there is no way I can run the half marathon in the Bronx next weekend. I'll just have to shoot to run my next half marathon. Which will be on October 2, 2011. The Wineglass Half Marathon in Corning, NY. Shooting to finally break 2h 3m half marathon time. We'll see.
The moral of my story is we all have set backs. Sometimes those setbacks are unavoidable and sometimes we are the reason. Either way, it does not mean the journey is over. There is always "tomorrow".
PS: I haven't even checked the scale to see what damage I have caused. I'll do that "tomorrow".
Vaya!
Gordo
Monday, August 8, 2011
Where do I begin. Well, I finished.
So the day began at 4:15am. The sky was pouring and it was still dark outside. My only instinct was to stay in bed. But I knew that was not an option. I needed all the luck I could get so I had Lucky Charms for breakfast. Then I grabbed my bag and headed downstairs for a cab.
I think I got to the bike transition on 79th St and Riverside at about 5am. There was a lot of buzz in the air. No one seem phased by the rain. So I laid my bag next to my bike and started the 1 mile walk to the swim start. This happens to be my favorite part of the Triathlon. There is a mix of excitement, nervousness, and downright fear...Most of us are terrified of having to jump into the Hudson River for the swim. That is typically the subject of conversation amongst the triathletes. The veterans reassuring the newbies that the wetsuit does make you buoyant. And the newbies asking if the current really is that strong...both are very true. One of the female participants was selected to sing the national anthem. She did a great job. The rain stopped. The pro males lined up and the horn went off!
Swim:
I was surprisingly not that nervous during my walk up to the swim start. I had some experience since I did it last year. But last year I burned out after 500 meters and needed a noodle to finish. When I actually stepped on the barge is when the rush of terror came over me. The swim start happens so fast. For a split second I wanted to back out. I second guessed any swimming ability I had. All I could think of was drowning. My inner self smacked me a couple of times and said jump! So I did. I took the first few seconds to compose myself. I wasn't going to drown. Next I started swimming. 250 meters in I was fine, 500 meters...unlike last year...I was still in good shape. 750 meters my shoulders started getting a little tired. Somewhere in between 750 and 1000 meters the waves started to pick up. I had to change to a side stroke because every time I would go up for a air a wave would come in and stop my breathing. It sucked. Past the 1000 meter mark I was pretty confident I was going to make it. I was exhausted. But I knew I would finish without the noodle! Finally, I made it to the other barge. I made it...barely.
Bike:
So at transition my arms were useless. I could barely lift them which meant it took me a little more time to get my bike shorts and sneakers on. I got my stuff on and was ready to head out to the bike course. At that point I realized my freshly rented bike had gear shifters I was not familiar with! I did not know how to get it to the lowest gear. IF you have participated in the NYCTRI you know the hill going up to the course is brutal. I was stuck on a high gear trying to go up a steep hill...I fell, bruised my elbow and my ego. So I was forced to walk it up the hill. The first 5-10 miles were horrible. I could not figure out the gears to save my life. Each hill was torture. I wanted to quit because the bike course is what killed me last year. I stopped at the road for about 10 minutes trying to learn the gears...also contemplating quitting because I couldn't finish this race without my gears. I started off again and finally got to a gear that gave me enough push on flat and was still able to go up hills. I made up a lot of time and was even passing up people who passed me while I was on the side lines. My legs felt fresh and was glad I put in all the work on the bike leading up to the Tri. When I made it to the 59th Street U-Turn the sun was out and I still had hydration left. I could have gone on for another 10 miles. I was a little upset because I lost about 20-30 minutes with gear issues. So I made it back and was ready for a run.
Run:
My quads were burning. I underestimated the hills on the bike course yet again. I switched to my running shorts and was ready to go. I started a lot slower than I wanted to. It felt like I was running under water. Heading out of the park there was an aid station. They were handing out water and Cytomax. Deep down inside I did not want to take the Cytomax because I know it had giving me cramps last year. But I wanted the carbs. While running down 79th Street towards Central Park the inevitable happened. Cramp! On my right side just under my rib cage. It felt like someone was stabbing me with every step I took. But I had to tough it out because 79th Street is the biggest cheering area outside of the finish line and I knew my TeamFox people would be there and I wanted to make them proud. So I hit the park and the TeamFox cheering section in a good stride and also came across our RunGordoRun contributor Big Mike and his wife Elena and son. They were cheering Run Gordo Run!!! It really energized me. Thank guys. When I got to mile 2 though I hit a wall. My legs were gone and the cramping didn't get any better. So I sped walked most of the next 2 miles. When I pass mile 4 I was dying. I knew it was almost over but I just wanted to sit. But I came across two other participants. I woman named Lisa and a member of TriLatino. We chatted it up for the remainder of the run. We walked, we ran, we encouraged each other to get to the finish. A lot of props to Eli (I think that was his name) from TriLatino. I probably would have been just fine walking the entire way to the finish but he pushed us. Check them out www.trilatino.org.
Finish:
So we ran the last quarter mile to the finish. My Gordita was there snapping pictures like the paparazzi. Big Mike and family were there as well. It was over. And I was glad. I felt a sense of accomplishment. I wasn't as fast as I would have hoped. I wanted to break 4 hours. But I did shave 45 minutes from my last years time. As I write this my body is in shambles. All my muscles hurt. But inside somewhere I am already thinking about next year! NYCTRI2012.
Vaya!
Gordo
I think I got to the bike transition on 79th St and Riverside at about 5am. There was a lot of buzz in the air. No one seem phased by the rain. So I laid my bag next to my bike and started the 1 mile walk to the swim start. This happens to be my favorite part of the Triathlon. There is a mix of excitement, nervousness, and downright fear...Most of us are terrified of having to jump into the Hudson River for the swim. That is typically the subject of conversation amongst the triathletes. The veterans reassuring the newbies that the wetsuit does make you buoyant. And the newbies asking if the current really is that strong...both are very true. One of the female participants was selected to sing the national anthem. She did a great job. The rain stopped. The pro males lined up and the horn went off!
Swim:
I was surprisingly not that nervous during my walk up to the swim start. I had some experience since I did it last year. But last year I burned out after 500 meters and needed a noodle to finish. When I actually stepped on the barge is when the rush of terror came over me. The swim start happens so fast. For a split second I wanted to back out. I second guessed any swimming ability I had. All I could think of was drowning. My inner self smacked me a couple of times and said jump! So I did. I took the first few seconds to compose myself. I wasn't going to drown. Next I started swimming. 250 meters in I was fine, 500 meters...unlike last year...I was still in good shape. 750 meters my shoulders started getting a little tired. Somewhere in between 750 and 1000 meters the waves started to pick up. I had to change to a side stroke because every time I would go up for a air a wave would come in and stop my breathing. It sucked. Past the 1000 meter mark I was pretty confident I was going to make it. I was exhausted. But I knew I would finish without the noodle! Finally, I made it to the other barge. I made it...barely.
Bike:
So at transition my arms were useless. I could barely lift them which meant it took me a little more time to get my bike shorts and sneakers on. I got my stuff on and was ready to head out to the bike course. At that point I realized my freshly rented bike had gear shifters I was not familiar with! I did not know how to get it to the lowest gear. IF you have participated in the NYCTRI you know the hill going up to the course is brutal. I was stuck on a high gear trying to go up a steep hill...I fell, bruised my elbow and my ego. So I was forced to walk it up the hill. The first 5-10 miles were horrible. I could not figure out the gears to save my life. Each hill was torture. I wanted to quit because the bike course is what killed me last year. I stopped at the road for about 10 minutes trying to learn the gears...also contemplating quitting because I couldn't finish this race without my gears. I started off again and finally got to a gear that gave me enough push on flat and was still able to go up hills. I made up a lot of time and was even passing up people who passed me while I was on the side lines. My legs felt fresh and was glad I put in all the work on the bike leading up to the Tri. When I made it to the 59th Street U-Turn the sun was out and I still had hydration left. I could have gone on for another 10 miles. I was a little upset because I lost about 20-30 minutes with gear issues. So I made it back and was ready for a run.
Run:
My quads were burning. I underestimated the hills on the bike course yet again. I switched to my running shorts and was ready to go. I started a lot slower than I wanted to. It felt like I was running under water. Heading out of the park there was an aid station. They were handing out water and Cytomax. Deep down inside I did not want to take the Cytomax because I know it had giving me cramps last year. But I wanted the carbs. While running down 79th Street towards Central Park the inevitable happened. Cramp! On my right side just under my rib cage. It felt like someone was stabbing me with every step I took. But I had to tough it out because 79th Street is the biggest cheering area outside of the finish line and I knew my TeamFox people would be there and I wanted to make them proud. So I hit the park and the TeamFox cheering section in a good stride and also came across our RunGordoRun contributor Big Mike and his wife Elena and son. They were cheering Run Gordo Run!!! It really energized me. Thank guys. When I got to mile 2 though I hit a wall. My legs were gone and the cramping didn't get any better. So I sped walked most of the next 2 miles. When I pass mile 4 I was dying. I knew it was almost over but I just wanted to sit. But I came across two other participants. I woman named Lisa and a member of TriLatino. We chatted it up for the remainder of the run. We walked, we ran, we encouraged each other to get to the finish. A lot of props to Eli (I think that was his name) from TriLatino. I probably would have been just fine walking the entire way to the finish but he pushed us. Check them out www.trilatino.org.
Finish:
So we ran the last quarter mile to the finish. My Gordita was there snapping pictures like the paparazzi. Big Mike and family were there as well. It was over. And I was glad. I felt a sense of accomplishment. I wasn't as fast as I would have hoped. I wanted to break 4 hours. But I did shave 45 minutes from my last years time. As I write this my body is in shambles. All my muscles hurt. But inside somewhere I am already thinking about next year! NYCTRI2012.
Vaya!
Gordo
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Calm before the storm.
So its 10:08pm and I am calm yet anxious. We'll see how long it takes me to get to bed. Its been an interesting few months and it all comes down to this...a few short hours. Thank you to every one that has followed me the last few months through the countless blog postings, tweets, facebook status updates, etc. Here we go!!! Sub 4hrs. If its the last thing I do.
Just wanted to post this pic of my TeamFox jersey. These men are fathers/grandfathers of friends of mine. They have all been impacted by Parkinson's Disease. They will all be riding and running with me and hopefully inspiring me through to the finish.
For more info on Parkinson's Disease and TeamFox go to www.michaeljfox.org
Vaya!
Sunday, July 31, 2011
One Week Away...
This time next week i'll be either wearing my finishers medal around my neck or kicking myself on the @ss for not being able to cross the finish line. Either way, i've had an interesting few months training for this event and helping to raise money for Teamfox.
Do I feel like I am 100% ready...no. A few stress filled weeks have done wonders for my training. I feel exhausted most of the time and keeping motivated has been tough. I'd say I've been at about 70% of where I should. Do I feel like I am better prepared than last year...yes. Last year's Tri was my first event of any type so I had no idea what I was getting myself into. Am I any less nervous...nope. There are a lot of questions and second guessing leading up to next week. Especially for someone who is not a "born" athlete. At the end of the day I am still 200+ lbs and still in the midst of the journey of weight loss.
For me this is just one of many hurdles I will jump to reach my goal. We test ourselves because we need to know we can win the battles. Those wins keep us motivated to win the war. Do I think one event defines my failure or success...no. If any of you are on a similar path do not let it either. There will always be another chance to win. And in a life where sometimes we give up just so that we do not fail, trying is all that really matters. So I am going to give it my best TRI next Sunday.
I will be updating my twitter during my transitions and when(if) I cross the finish line. So please follow me at Twitter. If you are in the Central Park area on Sunday come by and show support.
Vaya!
Gordo
My race next week is dedicated to every one that identifies as a Gordo or Gorda and is proud of it!
Do I feel like I am 100% ready...no. A few stress filled weeks have done wonders for my training. I feel exhausted most of the time and keeping motivated has been tough. I'd say I've been at about 70% of where I should. Do I feel like I am better prepared than last year...yes. Last year's Tri was my first event of any type so I had no idea what I was getting myself into. Am I any less nervous...nope. There are a lot of questions and second guessing leading up to next week. Especially for someone who is not a "born" athlete. At the end of the day I am still 200+ lbs and still in the midst of the journey of weight loss.
For me this is just one of many hurdles I will jump to reach my goal. We test ourselves because we need to know we can win the battles. Those wins keep us motivated to win the war. Do I think one event defines my failure or success...no. If any of you are on a similar path do not let it either. There will always be another chance to win. And in a life where sometimes we give up just so that we do not fail, trying is all that really matters. So I am going to give it my best TRI next Sunday.
I will be updating my twitter during my transitions and when(if) I cross the finish line. So please follow me at Twitter. If you are in the Central Park area on Sunday come by and show support.
Vaya!
Gordo
My race next week is dedicated to every one that identifies as a Gordo or Gorda and is proud of it!
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Happy Hour Pics!!!!
This past Thursday we had the 2nd Annual Wet Suit Happy Hour...At Boss Tweeds in the Lower East Side. This year is was to benefit TeamFox and with the help of all our friends we were able to raise $230 for the charity. With my company match I am close to $2,000 raised with about $500 to go. Besides a few uncompetitive games of flip cup (we had a few weak links in the chain) the highlight of the event...as usual...was my grand appearance in a wet suit. Just want to give a special thanks to the good people at Boss Tweeds for keeping the AC on blast. A gordo in a wetsuit is a recipe for body heat. Seriously though, we were treated very well at Boss Tweed's so if you are ever in the LES on Essex St/Delancey stop in for a drink. Tell them RunGordoRun sent you.
I also want to give a special thank you to everyone that came out. I hope you all had a great time. To my peeps at RHI (past & present), you always represent and I cannot tell you how much I appreciate that. You all make it easy for me to embarrass myself in a neoprene suit in the middle of a dive bar. Can't wait for next year!
Updates:
1. The NYCTRI is a week away...Goal is to break 4 hours. We'll see how that goes.
2. Next week I will be the father of a 3 year old. So I'll have to have some birthday cake before my Tri.
3. If you haven't noticed yet we have new tabs on the web page. We plan on launching a beta version of the RunGordoRun webpage/magazine sometime in August. There will be Food tips, recipes, exercise tips, injury preventions, review of events, merch store, and local discounts to health and fitness related merchants. We plan on working the kinks out and relaunching in November. Launch Party info to come....sans wetsuit.
Thanks again for the support you have shown, whether donations, coming out to the event, sporting the wristband and shirt, or just giving props.
Vaya!
PS: Enjoy the Photos of the event... if you have any of your own please link them to our FB page.
FaceBook
Photography by Leslie Santos
Buy a Beer Pong Table!!!
I also want to give a special thank you to everyone that came out. I hope you all had a great time. To my peeps at RHI (past & present), you always represent and I cannot tell you how much I appreciate that. You all make it easy for me to embarrass myself in a neoprene suit in the middle of a dive bar. Can't wait for next year!
Updates:
1. The NYCTRI is a week away...Goal is to break 4 hours. We'll see how that goes.
2. Next week I will be the father of a 3 year old. So I'll have to have some birthday cake before my Tri.
3. If you haven't noticed yet we have new tabs on the web page. We plan on launching a beta version of the RunGordoRun webpage/magazine sometime in August. There will be Food tips, recipes, exercise tips, injury preventions, review of events, merch store, and local discounts to health and fitness related merchants. We plan on working the kinks out and relaunching in November. Launch Party info to come....sans wetsuit.
Thanks again for the support you have shown, whether donations, coming out to the event, sporting the wristband and shirt, or just giving props.
Vaya!
PS: Enjoy the Photos of the event... if you have any of your own please link them to our FB page.
Buy a Beer Pong Table!!!
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Only 013 Until the...
...The 11th Annual Nautica New York City Triathlon. Yup. That is what's on the home page of the NYCTRI website. I can almost remember when it was 200+ days when I registered. Definitely not as nervous as I am now. Must be the fact that my swimming is not much better than it was last year. But no use worrying with only 013 days left. Seriously, at this point I cannot do anything more to enhance my abilities. I am just concentrating on my swim form and trying to stay health before the race. Not trying to replay my sprained ankle before my last Half Marathon.
I have made some strides on my bike this year. I have been training mostly on the stationary bike. I decided to spend the money on renting a better bike instead of half assing it on a road bike like I did last year. Hopefully it works out. I read somewhere that the stationary offers a comparable workout since you cannot coast on the SBike. I completed a "25" mile ride at the gym on Friday. Took me about 1 hour and 40 minutes. I am sure the real thing will take me longer. I am just shooting for 2 hours. What ever the result I know I trained at least 3 times harder for the bike this year.
I am going to head out for a 5 mile run shortly. I have taken it easy on my runs recently. I have been trying to save my ankle for the race. But have to start increasing my mileage. Besides the NYCTRI I have also signed up for the Bronx Half Marathon on August 28th. So need to get in some long runs before the race.
UPDATE:
This Thursday at Boss Tweeds in the Lower East Side. (Essex St. off of Delancey St.) Happy Hour event to benefit Team Fox. 6pm-9pm All you can drink for $30. Proceeds to go to the charity. I am running the race with Team Fox for the Michael J. Fox Foundation. Free gifts from Gu Energy and Vitalicious. Free RunGordoRun flip cups for everyone who comes.... oh, and I'll be in a wet suit.
***If you cannot make it. Please donate on my donation page. Any donation is accepted. Even if its $1. It is going to a great cause. I have about $1,000 committed. And thats without my company match program. Need about $800 more to hit my Goal of $2500.
DONATE
Excited about the Tri. Want it to be over. Want to concentrate on just running for a little while... That is until San Juan 70.3 in March.
Vaya!
I have made some strides on my bike this year. I have been training mostly on the stationary bike. I decided to spend the money on renting a better bike instead of half assing it on a road bike like I did last year. Hopefully it works out. I read somewhere that the stationary offers a comparable workout since you cannot coast on the SBike. I completed a "25" mile ride at the gym on Friday. Took me about 1 hour and 40 minutes. I am sure the real thing will take me longer. I am just shooting for 2 hours. What ever the result I know I trained at least 3 times harder for the bike this year.
I am going to head out for a 5 mile run shortly. I have taken it easy on my runs recently. I have been trying to save my ankle for the race. But have to start increasing my mileage. Besides the NYCTRI I have also signed up for the Bronx Half Marathon on August 28th. So need to get in some long runs before the race.
UPDATE:
This Thursday at Boss Tweeds in the Lower East Side. (Essex St. off of Delancey St.) Happy Hour event to benefit Team Fox. 6pm-9pm All you can drink for $30. Proceeds to go to the charity. I am running the race with Team Fox for the Michael J. Fox Foundation. Free gifts from Gu Energy and Vitalicious. Free RunGordoRun flip cups for everyone who comes.... oh, and I'll be in a wet suit.
***If you cannot make it. Please donate on my donation page. Any donation is accepted. Even if its $1. It is going to a great cause. I have about $1,000 committed. And thats without my company match program. Need about $800 more to hit my Goal of $2500.
DONATE
Excited about the Tri. Want it to be over. Want to concentrate on just running for a little while... That is until San Juan 70.3 in March.
Vaya!
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
kettleball kickboxing
Another posting from our resident Gordita! Enjoy.
KettleBall KickBoxing:
Another Groupon, another fitness class! I got an awesome deal for 5 kettleball kickboxing classes.
Last Thursday was my first class, here’s my review:
I walked into an unassuming building off of Canal Street and walked up to the third floor of 394 Broadway, home of Anderson’s Martial Arts (follow them on twitter @AMAANYC). The studio space was large and much nicer than one would have thought from looking outside in. I walked up to the front desk, signed in, and handed them my Groupon. Easy as pie, and I was on my way. The women’s locker area was a little small for my liking, but there were plenty of locker spaces. I popped my bag in, grabbed a water from the vending machine, and headed into the studio. I sat down at about 6:02pm, half expecting to be late, but class didn’t actually start until closer to 6:10pm or so. Not wanting to over-extend my-self the first class (but also not look like a complete wuss), I grabbed a 10lb and a 20lb kettleball. There were probably about 30 women in my class, but the studio space definitely accommodated us all. What’s more, registration is required before-hand as to not fall into overcrowding, which I’m sure we all appreciated. Our instructor was actually already in the room, walking around, chatting with some women, sometimes about technique, and other times simply about how their week went. Once class got started, we literally jumped right in.
I wasn’t so crazy about this; I felt more time should have been dedicated to selecting the proper kettleballs, as improper weight could lead to some serious injuries. The class is designed for all fitness levels, and not everyone is going to walk in knowing what to do. Another aspect I wasn’t so thrilled about: the music! Our instructor mentioned that she had just had a ton of new music downloaded onto her ipod, and thus she really had no idea what her playlists consisted of. What this meant for us was jumpy, disoriented beats, which were somewhat distracting. It’s hard to focus on keeping your core tight and your knees locked when you’re going from Rihanna to Pearl Jam. It turns out that the air conditioner was also off for about 45 minutes of our class; having spent a month at bikram yoga, I didn’t mind much. Now, onto the good stuff: the workout! Boy can we say intense. The actual workout was a mixture of traditional kickboxing moves (front kicks, combination punches) mixed with core and strength training techniques, accompanied with the kettleball. There were tons of squats in varying forms and degrees (and when I say tons, I mean my thigh muscles were yelling profanities at me for about 2 days). There were also lunges, jumps, ab/back excercises, and a ton of arm moves designed to make you feel like you should walk out looking like Linda Hamilton in the Terminator. You are allowed use of the facilities after the class, should you feel like you have not beat your body up enough and want to crank out another 45 minutes on the treadmill. All in all, this workout is great for lengthening and toning your muscles. Combined with a good diet and regular cardio, kettleball kickboxing seems like it would be an awesome, fun way to get your muscles toned and fit.
Next up: Ballet!
KettleBall KickBoxing:
Another Groupon, another fitness class! I got an awesome deal for 5 kettleball kickboxing classes.
Last Thursday was my first class, here’s my review:
I walked into an unassuming building off of Canal Street and walked up to the third floor of 394 Broadway, home of Anderson’s Martial Arts (follow them on twitter @AMAANYC). The studio space was large and much nicer than one would have thought from looking outside in. I walked up to the front desk, signed in, and handed them my Groupon. Easy as pie, and I was on my way. The women’s locker area was a little small for my liking, but there were plenty of locker spaces. I popped my bag in, grabbed a water from the vending machine, and headed into the studio. I sat down at about 6:02pm, half expecting to be late, but class didn’t actually start until closer to 6:10pm or so. Not wanting to over-extend my-self the first class (but also not look like a complete wuss), I grabbed a 10lb and a 20lb kettleball. There were probably about 30 women in my class, but the studio space definitely accommodated us all. What’s more, registration is required before-hand as to not fall into overcrowding, which I’m sure we all appreciated. Our instructor was actually already in the room, walking around, chatting with some women, sometimes about technique, and other times simply about how their week went. Once class got started, we literally jumped right in.
I wasn’t so crazy about this; I felt more time should have been dedicated to selecting the proper kettleballs, as improper weight could lead to some serious injuries. The class is designed for all fitness levels, and not everyone is going to walk in knowing what to do. Another aspect I wasn’t so thrilled about: the music! Our instructor mentioned that she had just had a ton of new music downloaded onto her ipod, and thus she really had no idea what her playlists consisted of. What this meant for us was jumpy, disoriented beats, which were somewhat distracting. It’s hard to focus on keeping your core tight and your knees locked when you’re going from Rihanna to Pearl Jam. It turns out that the air conditioner was also off for about 45 minutes of our class; having spent a month at bikram yoga, I didn’t mind much. Now, onto the good stuff: the workout! Boy can we say intense. The actual workout was a mixture of traditional kickboxing moves (front kicks, combination punches) mixed with core and strength training techniques, accompanied with the kettleball. There were tons of squats in varying forms and degrees (and when I say tons, I mean my thigh muscles were yelling profanities at me for about 2 days). There were also lunges, jumps, ab/back excercises, and a ton of arm moves designed to make you feel like you should walk out looking like Linda Hamilton in the Terminator. You are allowed use of the facilities after the class, should you feel like you have not beat your body up enough and want to crank out another 45 minutes on the treadmill. All in all, this workout is great for lengthening and toning your muscles. Combined with a good diet and regular cardio, kettleball kickboxing seems like it would be an awesome, fun way to get your muscles toned and fit.
Next up: Ballet!
Sunday, July 10, 2011
App of the Week - EndoMondo
I know it's been a while since the last App of the Week. But I was inspired this morning after forgetting my Garmon before my run. Checked out the android market and found EndoMondo. Was great for tracking my pace and distance and calories. You can even connect to Facebook if you want to let the world know how fast or slow you go. Additionally, I didn't have to carry an extra device and it didn't kill my battery. Check them out. The have a free and upgraded version. www.EndoMondo.com
Vaya!
Vaya!
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
July 6th
So after a couple of days off...from work and from the workouts...I feel better. Had a chance to clear a lot from the brain and rest before I gear up for the NYC Triathlon. I am nervous. Last year I had zero expectations. I just wanted to survive. This year I actually want to do well. But hey, well for me is not great. Its still surviving...lol.
As you may notice our site looks a little different. I tried to dress it up since we are going to start adding some content within the coming month. Hope to have our first monthly issue out by August first. We'll have info on recipes, running types, exercises, injury prevention. Want to start creating a road map for all of you that want to start your weight loss journey. We will also profile a before and after success story each month. If you or someone you know has lost 50 or more lbs please recommend them to me. I would love to profile them. A free shirt for anyone we profile. Email me at santos@rungordorun.com. We'll also have weekly and daily content for all you "Gordo's" out there. We're also working on a web store for RunGordoRun apparel...
Updates:
I swam today! Need to get in the water many more times in the next month. I suck right now.
GU Energy is donating 100 packs of Energy Gels for our fundraiser July 28th. We will have goodie bags for every one who comes. BUY GU Energy Gels! They are great for long runs and for fueling while you compete.
31 days left...
Vaya!
As you may notice our site looks a little different. I tried to dress it up since we are going to start adding some content within the coming month. Hope to have our first monthly issue out by August first. We'll have info on recipes, running types, exercises, injury prevention. Want to start creating a road map for all of you that want to start your weight loss journey. We will also profile a before and after success story each month. If you or someone you know has lost 50 or more lbs please recommend them to me. I would love to profile them. A free shirt for anyone we profile. Email me at santos@rungordorun.com. We'll also have weekly and daily content for all you "Gordo's" out there. We're also working on a web store for RunGordoRun apparel...
Updates:
I swam today! Need to get in the water many more times in the next month. I suck right now.
GU Energy is donating 100 packs of Energy Gels for our fundraiser July 28th. We will have goodie bags for every one who comes. BUY GU Energy Gels! They are great for long runs and for fueling while you compete.
31 days left...
Vaya!
Monday, July 4, 2011
Almost a month!
So its almost a month...5 weeks to be exact before the Triathlon. My workouts were pretty good up until this week. I think a a mix of stress and bad time management have made it difficult to log the needed time. My last workout was on Thursday. But it was a 15 mile bike ride and a 3 mile run. Felt very good afterwards. Maybe the few days of rest afterwards may be good for me since I am going to have to push myself for the next 5 weeks. Tonight I am doing some circuits and tomorrow morning swim...if it doesn't rain.
I am going into planning mode. Planned food, drink, and exercise for the next 5 weeks. I am also shooting to get down to 230 for the race. I hoped to be lower but this summer has been filled with events. Events = good food = my diet has been out the window. But minus my Happy Hour on July 28th, I have no events to look forward to before the Tri. A tip from my weight loss journey was keeping a food journal. Its tough to be honest about what food we eat, even to ourselves. But this is a great way to keep control of what we eat and how much of it we eat. Especially when you are at a 4th of July BBQ and you down 2 hot dogs, 2 burgers, pasta salad, chips, cup cakes, soda, beers, etc. Not judging anyone...i've eaten this type of menu on occasion. But knowing that I have to actually record this binge and the calories it equates to stop me from eating as much...sometimes. I love food, i'm sorry. For me it just means more more miles on my feet or more time on the bike. Life is short not to enjoy food once in a while. Just write it down!
Updates:
I posted our new logo yesterday. Hope everyone liked.
I found a bike shop in Park Slope that rents Tri bikes. Heading there tomorrow to check them out.
I reached out to several health food companies about donating product to my fundraiser on the 28th and was nixed by all but one. Hoping to get a reply from the last within the week. But guessing by the others I am not counting on it.
Everyone have a safe 4th of July. Happy B-Day America!
Vaya!
PS: Click our Ads. I put up ones that pertain to the postings. Gracias
Article about stress and weight gain from WebMD
http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/can-stress-cause-weight-gain
I am going into planning mode. Planned food, drink, and exercise for the next 5 weeks. I am also shooting to get down to 230 for the race. I hoped to be lower but this summer has been filled with events. Events = good food = my diet has been out the window. But minus my Happy Hour on July 28th, I have no events to look forward to before the Tri. A tip from my weight loss journey was keeping a food journal. Its tough to be honest about what food we eat, even to ourselves. But this is a great way to keep control of what we eat and how much of it we eat. Especially when you are at a 4th of July BBQ and you down 2 hot dogs, 2 burgers, pasta salad, chips, cup cakes, soda, beers, etc. Not judging anyone...i've eaten this type of menu on occasion. But knowing that I have to actually record this binge and the calories it equates to stop me from eating as much...sometimes. I love food, i'm sorry. For me it just means more more miles on my feet or more time on the bike. Life is short not to enjoy food once in a while. Just write it down!
Updates:
I posted our new logo yesterday. Hope everyone liked.
I found a bike shop in Park Slope that rents Tri bikes. Heading there tomorrow to check them out.
I reached out to several health food companies about donating product to my fundraiser on the 28th and was nixed by all but one. Hoping to get a reply from the last within the week. But guessing by the others I am not counting on it.
Everyone have a safe 4th of July. Happy B-Day America!
Vaya!
PS: Click our Ads. I put up ones that pertain to the postings. Gracias
Article about stress and weight gain from WebMD
http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/can-stress-cause-weight-gain
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Sunday, June 26, 2011
6 weeks left...Nooooooo!
So I have 6 weeks left until the triathlon. Ankle feels good. I get a little pain here and there but for the most part can run pretty well on it. Have been able to log good runs. Last week I ran the Portugal Day run on Father's Day. 5 miles. I was able to finish the race in under an hour. I even had the Gordo cheer squad out there for me.
I have also been pretty good with my bike time. The stationary bike, from researching, is not too bad for training purposes since you cannot coast on it. But I still need to find a bike rental place. Will rent it this week. If anyone knows of a good shop please let me know.
Swimming has not gone so great. I should be extremely worried about my lack of swim time but at this stage in the game I have no room for worry. 6 weeks left. I am going to shoot for 3 swims a week. And float for the best come Tri time.
Updates:
Save the date...2nd Annual Wet Suit Happy Hour
July 28th 6pm-9pm $30 all you can drink.
Boss Tweeds on Essex Street off of Delancey Street in the LES.
Proceeds to go towards the Michael J. Fox Foundation.
Free gifts and prizes. A lot of fun to be had. And I'll be in a wet suit!
Still shopping around for a web designer for rungordorun.com. If you've noticed the site redirects you to this blog. My hope is to have the site up and running within the next month.
We've added a contributor to the RunGordoRun team. More details to come but we are going to have some content on common injuries and physical therapy.
Our resident Gordita is going to be taking a kettle ball kickboxing class soon. Follow her on twitter @rungorditarun to track her progress.
Well, that is all for now. Will get more consistent with posts.
Vaya!
I have also been pretty good with my bike time. The stationary bike, from researching, is not too bad for training purposes since you cannot coast on it. But I still need to find a bike rental place. Will rent it this week. If anyone knows of a good shop please let me know.
Swimming has not gone so great. I should be extremely worried about my lack of swim time but at this stage in the game I have no room for worry. 6 weeks left. I am going to shoot for 3 swims a week. And float for the best come Tri time.
Updates:
Save the date...2nd Annual Wet Suit Happy Hour
July 28th 6pm-9pm $30 all you can drink.
Boss Tweeds on Essex Street off of Delancey Street in the LES.
Proceeds to go towards the Michael J. Fox Foundation.
Free gifts and prizes. A lot of fun to be had. And I'll be in a wet suit!
Still shopping around for a web designer for rungordorun.com. If you've noticed the site redirects you to this blog. My hope is to have the site up and running within the next month.
We've added a contributor to the RunGordoRun team. More details to come but we are going to have some content on common injuries and physical therapy.
Our resident Gordita is going to be taking a kettle ball kickboxing class soon. Follow her on twitter @rungorditarun to track her progress.
Well, that is all for now. Will get more consistent with posts.
Vaya!
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Why I run.
With respect to my weight loss I am sometimes asked why I run. And my answer usually is the anecdotal response of, "I just like running". But I've realized it's a lot deeper than a "like" of running.
My mother has Type II Diabetes. Every morning she wakes up and injects herself with insulin. 15 minutes later she eats. This routine is usually continued throughout the day. Along with a prick here and a prick there of which ever finger hasn't been tapped into recently. Along with that she is on an assortment of other pills. She cannot run. She is a walker.
My father is a stroke survivor. Several years ago while watching television he felt numbness on one side of his body and thus started his transformation from a man who had an aura of invincibility into a man who has partial paralysis on one side of his body. He travels short distances with the aid of a walker or cane and should he venture further, a motorized scooter. He cannot run.
My mother-in-law has Muscular Dystrophy. She has spent the last 20 plus years slowly losing her ability to use her muscles. She wakes up in the morning, and with the assistance of her motorized scooter, proceeds to conquer the world... as long as there are access ramps and handicapped accessible buses. She cannot run. She cannot walk.
So why I run is simple. I run because there are people out there who cannot. So it's about more than weight loss to me. It's about taking advantage of the blessing to be able to run. The get winded. To slow down. To speed up. To speed walk because it's easier. To just be able to.
And it sucks sometimes when I'm exhausted and I'm only one mile into a 5 mile run. But when that happens I stop and think to myself...I can. So I have to..run.
Vaya
My mother has Type II Diabetes. Every morning she wakes up and injects herself with insulin. 15 minutes later she eats. This routine is usually continued throughout the day. Along with a prick here and a prick there of which ever finger hasn't been tapped into recently. Along with that she is on an assortment of other pills. She cannot run. She is a walker.
My father is a stroke survivor. Several years ago while watching television he felt numbness on one side of his body and thus started his transformation from a man who had an aura of invincibility into a man who has partial paralysis on one side of his body. He travels short distances with the aid of a walker or cane and should he venture further, a motorized scooter. He cannot run.
My mother-in-law has Muscular Dystrophy. She has spent the last 20 plus years slowly losing her ability to use her muscles. She wakes up in the morning, and with the assistance of her motorized scooter, proceeds to conquer the world... as long as there are access ramps and handicapped accessible buses. She cannot run. She cannot walk.
So why I run is simple. I run because there are people out there who cannot. So it's about more than weight loss to me. It's about taking advantage of the blessing to be able to run. The get winded. To slow down. To speed up. To speed walk because it's easier. To just be able to.
And it sucks sometimes when I'm exhausted and I'm only one mile into a 5 mile run. But when that happens I stop and think to myself...I can. So I have to..run.
Vaya
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Updates
Quick updates:
Was able to log 5 runs (three 3 milers and two 2 milers) this week and biked 10 miles twice. Didn't get to swim because of the rain and scheduling issues but hope to get in the pool 2-3 times this week. I have 8 weeks left before the Tri. Excited. The nerves have not hit yet. But I am sure they will catch up soon.
This week I read that the Ironman is coming to the NYNJ area. I know that is way out of my league but I am tempted to "Tri" to get in. What an accomplishment it would be for the Gordo to complete an Ironman. Maybe I can even film a documentary about it...anyone know a production company that I can pitch the idea to??? Email me at rungordorun@gmail.com.
The good people at Vitalicious have graciously offered to donate products to help me raise funds for Team Fox. I will have more news on that soon. If you haven't heard of their products definitely check out their site. www.vitalicious.com They have awesome 100 calorie snacks. Check them out.
Attended the BeFitNYC expo at Washington Square Park today. Was good to be around people trying to spread the health and Fitness message. Met some cool peeps from NY Road Runners. I may volunteer with them to spread the message to some kids through their Team For Kids program.
Vote for the top 3 "I am Gordo" contest on our FB Page. www.facebook.com/likerungordorun Voting will be open this week. Winner will get a $25 Red Mango gift card. Their FroYo is great.
A lot has been going on this week and the transition of RunGordoRun from blog to a movement is starting to take shape. Too many ideas and not enough time in the day. Hopefully I can stay AWAKE!
Vaya!
Was able to log 5 runs (three 3 milers and two 2 milers) this week and biked 10 miles twice. Didn't get to swim because of the rain and scheduling issues but hope to get in the pool 2-3 times this week. I have 8 weeks left before the Tri. Excited. The nerves have not hit yet. But I am sure they will catch up soon.
This week I read that the Ironman is coming to the NYNJ area. I know that is way out of my league but I am tempted to "Tri" to get in. What an accomplishment it would be for the Gordo to complete an Ironman. Maybe I can even film a documentary about it...anyone know a production company that I can pitch the idea to??? Email me at rungordorun@gmail.com.
The good people at Vitalicious have graciously offered to donate products to help me raise funds for Team Fox. I will have more news on that soon. If you haven't heard of their products definitely check out their site. www.vitalicious.com They have awesome 100 calorie snacks. Check them out.
Attended the BeFitNYC expo at Washington Square Park today. Was good to be around people trying to spread the health and Fitness message. Met some cool peeps from NY Road Runners. I may volunteer with them to spread the message to some kids through their Team For Kids program.
Vote for the top 3 "I am Gordo" contest on our FB Page. www.facebook.com/likerungordorun Voting will be open this week. Winner will get a $25 Red Mango gift card. Their FroYo is great.
A lot has been going on this week and the transition of RunGordoRun from blog to a movement is starting to take shape. Too many ideas and not enough time in the day. Hopefully I can stay AWAKE!
Vaya!
Sunday, June 5, 2011
New York City Triathlon 2011
This week I started my training for the New York City Triathlon. Did a few 3 miles runs and today hit the stationary bike. 10 miles this morning. My legs got tight midway...brings back bad memories of my last TRI when the bike leg kicked my @ss.
Just an FYI for anyone wanting to prepare for any type of event..5k, 10k, Marathon, or Triathlon, the internet can be a great resource for free guides to get prepared physically for the event. I basically have prepared for every race I've done on a shoe string budget so know anything can be done on the cheap. From my training guides to sneakers I have tried to get the best prices available. For the TRI I am probably going to spend about $200 bucks and most of that is renting a road bike from a bike shop to actually complete the race. I will have a follow-up post with some links on Wetsuits, Sneakers, Bikes, Etc... As soon as I dig through my archives from last year.
My biggest savings this year will be on the swimming training. I discovered through my research that the New York City Parks Department has FREE lap swimming in the AM and PM for Adults who want to take advantage of the many Olympic Sized pools in the city. The best part is that it is outside of the normal pool hours so you do not have to compete for lane space with the summer kids. My pool of choice this year is Hamilton Fish on Houston Street in the Lower East Side. Below is a link to the Parks Dept. website. Definitely take advantage of this program...even if just for the work out.
http://www.nycgovparks.org/sub_things_to_do/programs/adultlaps.html
The triathlon was a tough experience last year. Was almost dead last(took me over 5 hours) but it was my first fitness event of any kind until that point so did not know what to expect going in. This year I have 2 half marathons and a few short distance races under my belt so I am feeling a little more confident in what my performance can look like come August 7, 2011.
In closing, this year I am competing on behalf of the Michael J. Fox Foundation with Team Fox. My fund raising page is below should you be interested in donating. But if all you can lend is moral support please do so in Central Park in August. I would appreciate that as much.
http://www.teamfox.org/siteapps/personalpage/ShowPage.aspx?c=bkIUJbNQKoLaG&b=6376247&sid=agLPK7NBJeJSI3MKLtF
Vaya!
Just an FYI for anyone wanting to prepare for any type of event..5k, 10k, Marathon, or Triathlon, the internet can be a great resource for free guides to get prepared physically for the event. I basically have prepared for every race I've done on a shoe string budget so know anything can be done on the cheap. From my training guides to sneakers I have tried to get the best prices available. For the TRI I am probably going to spend about $200 bucks and most of that is renting a road bike from a bike shop to actually complete the race. I will have a follow-up post with some links on Wetsuits, Sneakers, Bikes, Etc... As soon as I dig through my archives from last year.
My biggest savings this year will be on the swimming training. I discovered through my research that the New York City Parks Department has FREE lap swimming in the AM and PM for Adults who want to take advantage of the many Olympic Sized pools in the city. The best part is that it is outside of the normal pool hours so you do not have to compete for lane space with the summer kids. My pool of choice this year is Hamilton Fish on Houston Street in the Lower East Side. Below is a link to the Parks Dept. website. Definitely take advantage of this program...even if just for the work out.
http://www.nycgovparks.org/sub_things_to_do/programs/adultlaps.html
The triathlon was a tough experience last year. Was almost dead last(took me over 5 hours) but it was my first fitness event of any kind until that point so did not know what to expect going in. This year I have 2 half marathons and a few short distance races under my belt so I am feeling a little more confident in what my performance can look like come August 7, 2011.
In closing, this year I am competing on behalf of the Michael J. Fox Foundation with Team Fox. My fund raising page is below should you be interested in donating. But if all you can lend is moral support please do so in Central Park in August. I would appreciate that as much.
http://www.teamfox.org/siteapps/personalpage/ShowPage.aspx?c=bkIUJbNQKoLaG&b=6376247&sid=agLPK7NBJeJSI3MKLtF
Vaya!
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Bikram Yoga
We have a special posting from our correspondent and resident Gordita...and my wife. Leslie Santos. Enjoy.
Bikram Yoga
I have learned, in my weight loss journey, that I am simply not and may never be a "gym rat". In my quest to find new and innovative weight loss techniques, I came across Bikram Yoga. Now, I've always wanted to try Yoga, and stumbled across a great deal for unlimited Bikram yoga for one month. Well, I thought to myself, this seems like as good a time as any.
Walking in, I was honestly excited, nervous, and a bit overwhelmed all at once. I wasn't sure exactly what I was going to encounter. Would I be surrounded by pretentious snobs who would look at me like I didn't belong? Or would I be one of many first time yogis, simply looking for where to sign in and and how to get started? While everyone was nice enough, the women's locker room was somewhat chaotic, as everyone seemed to be rushing to make it to class on time. Not wanting to be last, I quickly threw my bag in a locker, grabbed my towels and water, and made my way towards the glass doors.
The first thing that hit me was the heat. I mean, I expected hot, but this was absolutely absurd! As I started to sweat, my nerves kicked in: how the heck was I going make it through 90 minutes if I was sweating before class even started? I tried to calm my nerves and waited for class to start.
I won't go through my entire class, but suffice to say Bikram is definitely an intense yoga workout. The poses are really designed to enforce proper alignment of the spine and proper breathing techniques. This is great since these things factor into numerous other weight loss ventures (jogging comes to mind immediately). While my instructor was most definitely not warm and fuzzy, he was an absolute stickler on proper form and posture; as a newbie, I appreciated the guidance on how to perform the poses properly. Two days later I do sense a tightness in my abs and back, which I'm sure I can attribute to the stretches performed during Bikram. And while I'm still a newbie, at least this time I'll know where to sign in.
Vaya!
Bikram Yoga
I have learned, in my weight loss journey, that I am simply not and may never be a "gym rat". In my quest to find new and innovative weight loss techniques, I came across Bikram Yoga. Now, I've always wanted to try Yoga, and stumbled across a great deal for unlimited Bikram yoga for one month. Well, I thought to myself, this seems like as good a time as any.
Walking in, I was honestly excited, nervous, and a bit overwhelmed all at once. I wasn't sure exactly what I was going to encounter. Would I be surrounded by pretentious snobs who would look at me like I didn't belong? Or would I be one of many first time yogis, simply looking for where to sign in and and how to get started? While everyone was nice enough, the women's locker room was somewhat chaotic, as everyone seemed to be rushing to make it to class on time. Not wanting to be last, I quickly threw my bag in a locker, grabbed my towels and water, and made my way towards the glass doors.
The first thing that hit me was the heat. I mean, I expected hot, but this was absolutely absurd! As I started to sweat, my nerves kicked in: how the heck was I going make it through 90 minutes if I was sweating before class even started? I tried to calm my nerves and waited for class to start.
I won't go through my entire class, but suffice to say Bikram is definitely an intense yoga workout. The poses are really designed to enforce proper alignment of the spine and proper breathing techniques. This is great since these things factor into numerous other weight loss ventures (jogging comes to mind immediately). While my instructor was most definitely not warm and fuzzy, he was an absolute stickler on proper form and posture; as a newbie, I appreciated the guidance on how to perform the poses properly. Two days later I do sense a tightness in my abs and back, which I'm sure I can attribute to the stretches performed during Bikram. And while I'm still a newbie, at least this time I'll know where to sign in.
Vaya!
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Fat
What if there were AA meetings for fat people..
and you had to declare,
My name is Erik and I am fat,
Its been 4 years, 7 months, 2 weeks, 4 days, and 8½ hours since I've been skinny.
What if instead of crack, Biggie wrote the 10 fat commandments,
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9....Its the 10 Fat Commandments, what!
I've been this size for years,
It's made me an animal,
There's rules to this shyt I wrote me a manual...
Numero Uno,
Never let no one know how much weight you hold!
If you ain't got the dessert say hell no,
I'm gonna want my cake rain, sleet, hail, snow,
What if fat was the new black?
And there was an organization called the National Association for the Advancement of FAT People (NAAFP) that stood up for our rights,
What if the movie was titled Men in Fat?
And instead of Will Smith the star of the movie was Al Roker,
before gastric bypass,
What if being fat was really (Ph)at?
And being called the F-Word was as bad as being called the N-Word,
But it doesn't matter if you hurt our feelings..
We're jolly,
We smile all the time...
We can take a joke,
We're tons of fun,
We're obviously deaf...
What if we were more than just a great personality?
Cuddly, Sweet?
F That!
I think I'm sexy?
You're right...I am FAT!
F*cking All the Time!
FAT,
Fine And Tempting!
I am FAT!
Get on board ladies,
I know there is a fat kid in your life...
and I know you've wondered how it would be...trust me...its great.
We're like Lays chips,
Just can't have one...love handle,
What if we looked up to fat atheletes?
Like sumo wrestlers, professional bowlers, and bass fisherman
and instead of gatorade commercials they appeared on milk shake advertisments,
What if instead of infomercials about exercise machines and juicers I could buy a nicer sofa and a extra powerful remote at 3am in the morning for 3 payments of 19.99?
What if we could just be accepted?
What if you didn't smerk everytime we go up to the buffet
or grabbed the last seat on the bus
or speed walk instead of run on the treadmill
or take the esclator instead of the stairs,
What if we didn't get stares...
or side comments?
Maybe we'd feel human?
Equal,
Try it..
I'm sure your friends,
brothers,
sisters,
aunts,
uncles,
mothers,
fathers,
grandmothers,
partners would appreciate that...
You all know one Fat person,
Even though you probably don't admit it to them,
Just respect them,
Us,
We're FAT...and proud of it.
and you had to declare,
My name is Erik and I am fat,
Its been 4 years, 7 months, 2 weeks, 4 days, and 8½ hours since I've been skinny.
What if instead of crack, Biggie wrote the 10 fat commandments,
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9....Its the 10 Fat Commandments, what!
I've been this size for years,
It's made me an animal,
There's rules to this shyt I wrote me a manual...
Numero Uno,
Never let no one know how much weight you hold!
If you ain't got the dessert say hell no,
I'm gonna want my cake rain, sleet, hail, snow,
What if fat was the new black?
And there was an organization called the National Association for the Advancement of FAT People (NAAFP) that stood up for our rights,
What if the movie was titled Men in Fat?
And instead of Will Smith the star of the movie was Al Roker,
before gastric bypass,
What if being fat was really (Ph)at?
And being called the F-Word was as bad as being called the N-Word,
But it doesn't matter if you hurt our feelings..
We're jolly,
We smile all the time...
We can take a joke,
We're tons of fun,
We're obviously deaf...
What if we were more than just a great personality?
Cuddly, Sweet?
F That!
I think I'm sexy?
You're right...I am FAT!
F*cking All the Time!
FAT,
Fine And Tempting!
I am FAT!
Get on board ladies,
I know there is a fat kid in your life...
and I know you've wondered how it would be...trust me...its great.
We're like Lays chips,
Just can't have one...love handle,
What if we looked up to fat atheletes?
Like sumo wrestlers, professional bowlers, and bass fisherman
and instead of gatorade commercials they appeared on milk shake advertisments,
What if instead of infomercials about exercise machines and juicers I could buy a nicer sofa and a extra powerful remote at 3am in the morning for 3 payments of 19.99?
What if we could just be accepted?
What if you didn't smerk everytime we go up to the buffet
or grabbed the last seat on the bus
or speed walk instead of run on the treadmill
or take the esclator instead of the stairs,
What if we didn't get stares...
or side comments?
Maybe we'd feel human?
Equal,
Try it..
I'm sure your friends,
brothers,
sisters,
aunts,
uncles,
mothers,
fathers,
grandmothers,
partners would appreciate that...
You all know one Fat person,
Even though you probably don't admit it to them,
Just respect them,
Us,
We're FAT...and proud of it.
Thursday, May 19, 2011
My 31st
My 31st.
As I turn 31 many thoughts cross my mind. It was exactly 2 years ago, during my 29th birthday, that I decided I needed to change my life. I was 294lbs, size 42 waist, size 18 1/2 neck, and size 52 suit jacket. I was a very very big boy...
My thoughts are about the last 2 years...they have been both challenging and rewarding. I have dropped weight, i have gained weight back, then dropped weight again. Ups and downs. But in the process I have learned a lot about myself. I have gotten to know my limitations as well as what I can accomplish. As this 2 year mark passes I sit at a bit of a plateau. I am a bit discouraged. Only because I am still recovering from injury and feel hesitant to push through my fear of getting hurt. Just a little over a month ago I felt the strongest I had ever felt. I was running sub 10 minute miles and was cutting my times with every run. Now I feel like I am starting from square one...in reality I know I can regain my form quickly...but the mental block reeks havoc on a weight loss journey. I have been in the place before and I know my first step is to acknowledge my successes so far and set new goals to strive for...and since I am sharing this blog with everyone I will do so here...
Successes so far, currently I am 236lbs , size 36 waist, size 17 neck, and size 46 suit jacket. I must confess that I have been as low as 230 a couple of times and cannot seems to break that weight.
Goals: I want to lose 40lbs by the end of the year. My magic number 100lbs when I started. But I never expected it to be quick but rather a manageable weight loss that I could keep off long term.
So there you have it. I encourage you to set goals for yourself. They don't have to be lofty. It can be as small as eating less bread, or taking the stairs more often. The war is won in battles. My battle tomorrow is to wake up early and log some mileage. Wish me luck...for tomorrow..and for the next 40!
Vaya,
Gordo
As I turn 31 many thoughts cross my mind. It was exactly 2 years ago, during my 29th birthday, that I decided I needed to change my life. I was 294lbs, size 42 waist, size 18 1/2 neck, and size 52 suit jacket. I was a very very big boy...
My thoughts are about the last 2 years...they have been both challenging and rewarding. I have dropped weight, i have gained weight back, then dropped weight again. Ups and downs. But in the process I have learned a lot about myself. I have gotten to know my limitations as well as what I can accomplish. As this 2 year mark passes I sit at a bit of a plateau. I am a bit discouraged. Only because I am still recovering from injury and feel hesitant to push through my fear of getting hurt. Just a little over a month ago I felt the strongest I had ever felt. I was running sub 10 minute miles and was cutting my times with every run. Now I feel like I am starting from square one...in reality I know I can regain my form quickly...but the mental block reeks havoc on a weight loss journey. I have been in the place before and I know my first step is to acknowledge my successes so far and set new goals to strive for...and since I am sharing this blog with everyone I will do so here...
Successes so far, currently I am 236lbs , size 36 waist, size 17 neck, and size 46 suit jacket. I must confess that I have been as low as 230 a couple of times and cannot seems to break that weight.
Goals: I want to lose 40lbs by the end of the year. My magic number 100lbs when I started. But I never expected it to be quick but rather a manageable weight loss that I could keep off long term.
So there you have it. I encourage you to set goals for yourself. They don't have to be lofty. It can be as small as eating less bread, or taking the stairs more often. The war is won in battles. My battle tomorrow is to wake up early and log some mileage. Wish me luck...for tomorrow..and for the next 40!
Vaya,
Gordo
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Urban Dare 2011
This weekend my wife and I participated in the Urban Dare in NYC. I thought I would review it for anyone who is interested...and since this is a blog pertaining to health I can tell you right now it is definitely a calorie burn. We probably covered 4-5 miles in the 3 or so hours we spent running around the city. This is a great way to mix up your exercise routine. Plus it is fun as hell.
First, we were given 12 clues to solve that would uncover locations in the city where we would have to either, have our picture taken or perform a dare. Sounds simple..definitely not. There is no chronology to the locations so it is up to each team to decide where to start and in what order to complete. The questions were so random that i just had to thank God for Google and my Droid phone (minus my battery which almost died towards the end).
So through the course of getting to each location we must have taken 5 trains, a bus, and ran/walked/three legged raced(yes we did!) and in the process covered quite a few miles. By the end we could barely finish but had a great time. We saw places we never thought to find. We learned interesting things about our great city. We sweated like we were running from the law and had one of the best times we spent together in a long time. I always say..the couple that sweats together, stays together.
A few things...
Most certainly would participate again. Not sure with Urban Dare though. A bit disorganized. It started a half hour late yet they did not extend the end time of the race. I don't think they anticipated the turn out...over 200 teams. Not really worth the $$$ we spent, as far as perks/customer service.
If you have a bad relationship do not do this!!! It could easily become 3 hours of arguments.
All in all..a very good time.
Vaya,
Gordo
Monday, May 9, 2011
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Always Gordo.
Weight loss,i've learned, is most definitely a journey. It comes with ups and downs, highs and lows, and triumphs and failures. But the key to the journey is never giving up. No matter how off track you get and for how long you, need to stop... Regroup... And start again.
I have been on the weight loss thing for the last 2 years. I would say half of the battle in those 2 years has been regrouping after losing focus. Most recently has been coming off of my ankle injury. It has been a tough month. I have not really had the ability to run, plus my work life has added some extra stress to my everyday life. Everything combined has thrown my eating schedule off and I have barely been able/motivated to burn calories.
I could easily stay in the funk but I know where I was 2 years ago and I know I do not want to go back to that. It is not easy and right now, exercise is the last thing I want to do. But tomorrow is a new day. I owe it to myself. I owe it to those who read this. The commitment to health lasts for a lifetime. And we all can do it. It starts...again...tomorrow. 2 miles in the am.
Saturday, April 16, 2011
...app of the week!
I do not claim to be the most tech savvy but I do download apps to help in my weight loss saga. One of my go-to's is MyFitnessPal. It helps track calories in and calories out. It is web enabled so you can pretty much search any food, generic, name brand, or homemade and get a close calorie count. And you can input exercise details for calorie burn. I am not sure how accurate that is but its great for a general sense of what you are burning.
You can also type in your stats and goal weight and it will design a daily calorie count to reach that goal. To keep you honest you can weigh in periodically to track progress. And if you are a real vouyer you can link to Facebook and your exercise and weigh-ins will update automatically. I personally haven't linked but if you need your social network to motivate you...no harm in that.
Download on Droid or Apple. Website is www.myfitnesspal.com
Vaya!
- gordo
Sunday, April 10, 2011
...what is rungordorun?
I want to start inspiring the world in the next couple of weeks. To give you a rough idea this blog will contain the following...Articles, exercise tips, recipes, race info, charity info, confessions, and motivation. Ideas are welcome. Hope to update once a week with new stuff. Right now looking for before and after weight loss stories to spotlight. Please contact me if you'd like to get involved.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
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