In the beginning...

Well here i am. Almost two whole weeks into my training schedule and things are as they should be. I seem to be doing ok for finding time to get my runs in, if not a bit rushed in the back half of the week - definitely work schedule conflicts, but between me and my business partner it seems to be working out for now. A little later in the training schedule and it might get more difficult given the length of the runs - we will see. So far no issues what so ever - my usual runs are as long if not longer than the beginning of this training regime so its not much of a challenge - so far.  I can say i usually do not run this many times in a week though - so clearly my endurance is going to improve as this schedule continues.

Changes - things i've done, noticed and am experiencing early on. Firstly my diet is improving. Its not that im really heavily watching what im eating - although i do and always have recorded my daily intake of food. I've just noticed my preferred  foods aren't what they usually are. I really am enjoying more fruits and yogurts than before, maybe because they don't mess with my stomach so much when im running, and im so damn hungry all the time they make seriously quick snacks. I've also noticed that im most hungry in the mornings, and by the time the evening comes i've eaten my fill from grazing all day. It doesn't necessarily help with the late night snacking - bad habits are habits for a reason, but it does help with my portion control around dinner time. I've also changed my workouts in the gym. Its not that i train any less hard, but rather i've just changed what my workouts entail. Usually i would train two body parts to excess - completely tearing down the tissue and overloading them so i could get  them to grow and become bigger. Now i train my entire body each night. I choose one exercise per body part and do 4 sets per exercise. Its not as exhausting to each body part, but as a whole it completely exhausts me. I can honestly say i am more sore the next day from this style of work out then i was when i was doing 2 body parts at a time before. I don't believe this new method will promote any kind of muscle growth - i am not expecting to add inches to my arms or my chest and back. I am expecting to be more balanced, completely fit, and ready for the obstacle portion of the Tough Mudder. Size will have to wait for the fall i figure - when looking good on the beach is less important, and im not expecting to run for 3 hours at a time. As per usual, the increase in activity has granted me more energy which i believe is becoming an issue when it comes time to sleep. Its not that i don't feel tired - hell i feel exhausted, its more that when i am sleeping i feel restless. I get aches from the days training, and my mind doesn't seem to switch off for any serious length of time. No sooner do i fall asleep and i wake up for no reason, or with something on my mind that i forgot about during the day.  The lack of sleep will catch up with me im sure, and with exhaustion comes sickness, so i better figure out something quick before it damages my training regime. 

Speaking of my schedule - here's a photo - probably hard to read, but its just the days i run, what i run, and how. Add to it i try and work out in the gym at least 4 days a week - if not 6... So far i've averaged 4 but it is early on. Anyway here it is:

I know probably really hard to read, but if you can zoom in you'll see what its all about. I have been crossing off the days as i complete them, and using a different method of crossing them off if i miss a day. And i know its not up to date - its an older photo - but you get the idea. Last week i had to swap Thursday with Friday, as i just couldn't get it together in time. Still added up to the right amount of KM at the end of the week so it was ok. Finally i must say i am spending WAY more time stretching after a run  than i used to. From what i've read its seriously more important in the later stages of the training schedule, so i better get on it now. Well thats it for now, hopefully i can update again soon. 

Oh one last note - completely unrelated to this thread... If you ever want something from someone you aren't exactly on good terms with, being polite, humble and easy going will get you far more than being a bitch - even if you're mad. Just saying...