I am a HERO! A Guitar Hero . . .

Roose - Jamm'n to some Devil Went Down To Georgia - Guitar Hero Style!

This was a good weekend.

After spending most of Friday reading reports of the upcoming stimulus/bail out/experimental spending Bill to be signed on by the President Tuesday, I was able to enjoy myself.

Friday night I joined a group known as the Guitar Hero Nerds!  I have yet to see this game played much less play it.  Let’s keep this short and just say . . . I see an intervention episode on A&E for me in the very near future!!!!!!

Saturday I woke early with my long time great friend Roose and we headed down to Louisville for the Frost Bite 5k.  We were meeting my friend Cherokee and Cherokee was racing in his first 5k.

After a great hour and a half drive with most outstanding conversation we arrived at one of the most spectacular running parks I have seen.  Cherokee Park (no relation to my bud Cherokee) in Louisville KY is one heck of a place to run.

We picked up our race packets and numbers then visited with a college buddy Kevin who ran Cross Country at our Alma Matter.    It was good to see him.

As Cherokee, Roose, and I stood way back from the starting line talking we heard a horn . . .

Yep!  The race had begun and we were shooting the bull. 

I had the goal of finishing the 5k in sub 32 minutes.  My previous best (in November) was 42 minutes (I think – or somewhere near there).

It was a great race.  I had to weave in and out of people the first mile since we were caught with our pants down (figuratively!) but once I made it past the walkers I quickly got into a groove.  Roose was off like a cannon and I saw him twice on turn-arounds.   I saw Cherokee on one turn as he was running down a hill.

This was a hilly course.  I finished in 32:01 . . . THIRTY-TWO minutes and ONE second!!!!!!  But I was very happy.   Roose had come back to run with me about a quarter mile and once I had finished we both went back to run in with Cherokee.

We found Cherokee with about 1 mile to go and he was battling.  He had a smile on his face, but I could sense he was struggling.

We began slogging and he finished in under 1 hour!  My first 5k I raced in when getting on my weight loss was over an hour. 

We ended the afternoon by changing the flat tire I had on my vehicle when we returned to the car!  But, we worked it like a kyle petty pit crew!  Sort of . . .

Then came Sunday.

I put in about 4 EASY miles in the morning and prepped for the “Labor of Love” Valentines 2 miler which was held on the campus of my Alma Matter.

I met my college friend Jodi and her husband and we set off to kick tail on the 2-mile course.  Jodi is racing in a local marathon later in the year.  She is also doing a GREAT job getting into the running, exercising thing.

Today’s goal:  Sub 20 minutes.

It was a little chilly.  I took off.

Here is my most recent issue.  My surgery scar area is really hurting on my runs.  The first mile of and race/run is miserable and I think it just goes numb after that!!!  Today was a little worse than the past few.

The course was a little short (it was about 1.91 miles) and I finished in 18:22.  Heckle and Jeckle YEAH!!!!!!

Jodi did GREAT!  She finished in around 22 I think??????

Also spent a lot of quality time with Roose’s family and the Vieth and Listerman family at Chuckie Cheese today.  One note on Chuck’s Chz – SCARY!

Fun weekend.  

Now for my “Newbie” thoughts of the day. 

Last time I wrote about Nipple Guards.  LIFE SAVER!

Today I wanted to mention recovery drinks.  I must stress how important this is.  I have heard all the nay sayers and I say to them . . . shut it.  OK, not really because I believe everyone is entitled to their opinion, but I am felt the proof of recovery nutrition.

 

I use Recoverite from Hammer Nutrition. http://www.hammernutrition.com/za/HNT?PAGE=PRODUCT&CAT=REC&PROD.ID=4051&OMI=10140,10082,10047&AMI=10140

It ain’t cheap.  I go through about one canister per month, but it is more than worth it. 

About a year ago I began working on cutting my spending on triathlons and training.  The areas I addressed were:  massage, nutrition, race cost, and personal trainer.  I cut nutrition because I felt everything else was more important than fueling my body.

I IMMEDEATLY felt the impact of not using the recovery fuel.  I hurt, I felt weak, and I was SO VERY sore and exhausted after a long training session.  I thought I might be sick.  I looked at my training schedule and I hadn’t increased any area of my training.  It came down to one item that had changed . . . My recovery nutrition.

I began using the recoverite and truly saw an immediate impact in a really great way.

Nutrition before, during, and after is important.  I will address the other two aspects of nutrition on a later post.

There are SEVERAL recovery supplements out there.  Power bar, Gatorade, Endorux, and many other companies make products specifically for recovery.

Fins one that you like and that works for you.

Have FUN and TRAIN HARD (and smart).