Once a year, there’s a phenomenon that brings friends and family together to talk trash, eat pizza, and pretend we actually know more than the suits in the NFL big house.

We Are The Champions!

It’s called fantasy football and this league has been dynamic since 1995. You can tell how long we’ve been together by our team names … they aren’t as eye-catching as some of the newer team names like “Turn Your Head and Coughlin” or “Butt Fumblers” or “The Walking Dez”. For example, I’m just TD.  Short, sweet, simple, and ultimately, when you win the league, you are just called champion!

This year is different … I’m the defending champion. I can stand a little taller and walk a little slower to the draft board, humming Queen’s iconic anthem. I’ve earned the right. Nobody mentions that it’s been since 2004 since I’ve been able to take that slow walk, but we live in a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately society.

Morning weight 171. Not too bad since I ate at an Indian Buffet yesterday. Maybe it had something to do with the fact I also ran 11-miles.

Life lesson #76 – 1 1/2 buffet plates and 11-miles equals .05 pounds. If you are on a weight loss program, would you rather run 11-miles or have a shake?

Today’s Meals:

• 7am – Herbalife Morning Shake.
  • 8 oz of Healthy Balance Apple Juice
  • 2 Scoops of Herbalife Protein Powder
  • 1 Scoop of Herbalife Formula 1 French Vanilla
  • 3 Costco Frozen Pineapple Chunks
  • 2 Costco Frozen Strawberries
  • About 5 Costco Organic Blueberries
  • 1/2 cup of spinach
• 12:20pm – Round 12 of the Draft, the pizza arrives! Last year winner pays, but it is the best $100 I’ve ever spent.
  • 5 slices of Round Table Gourmet Veggie
• 3pm – Homemade Peach Galette. I Googled it, Galette ultimately means they can charge 40% more than calling it a pastry. Thanks to the Midnight Baker — you are an amazing baker! 1/4 slice.
• 3:45pm – Homemade Ghetto Nachos – microwave goodness!
  • Lay’s Original Chips (15 chips)
  • Tostitos White Corn Tortilla Chips (7 chips)
  • Sargento 4 cheese mexican (1/4 cup) just spread over the chips
• 6:30pm – Japanese Noodle House
  • Vegetarian Broth Ramen – Mabo Tofu (2 cups)
  • Veggie miso soup
  • Veggie tempura (1 1/2 servings)
  • Veggie Dragon Roll
• 9:50pm – Peach Galette revisited, but a la mode.
  • Homemade Peach Galette 1/4 slice
  • Crystal Vanilla Ice Cream (1/2 cup)
• 10:45pm – Herbalife24 Restore

Meal 2

Meal 2.1

Meal 2.2

Meal 3

Meal 4

Today’s Activities:

• 9am – 1:30pm – 18th Fantasy Football Season Draft Day! Good luck to the fellas and the line of the day, after the draft was over, “See you next year.” Been playing with these guys for almost 2 decades, but only see them a single day every year. Oddly, I could walk right by one of them without recognizing them if I bumped into them at the mall. But, this is my most competitive league and it is always good humored fun. We don’t have the stereo-typical, “Fantasy Football Guy” and we don’t draft at Hooters. I could put up with FF Guy, but not a Hooters draft. Too cliche and not my idea of a good time.

Saturday, 08-24-13

Today is considered a rest day, but that doesn’t give me permission to sit on my butt and clear my Tivo. Well, maybe a little bit … need to catch up on Breaking Bad’s last season, but that’s only a few hours. If I’m not careful, instead of training for my marathon, I’ll end up watching a Breaking Bad marathon. Must exercise … self-control. And actual exercise too.

With my physical therapy going well and a renewed confidence in the left shoulder pain actually being a good thing “as long as it goes away within 5 minutes” according to my Physical Therapist Doug, my range of motion is night and day and it’s time to test it at the gym.

Life lesson #74 – Remodeling is great for outward appearance, but make sure to remodel the stuff people can’t see too. Dry rot will ruin over time.

Morning weight – 170.5

Today’s Meals:

• 8:15am – Herbalife Shake, Jamba Style (see below MyFitnessPal below for recipe). Herbalife Supplements:
  • Coq10
  • Tri Shield
  • Aminogen
  • Multivitamin
  • Herbalifeline
  • Cell Activator
  • Garden 7
  • Total Control
  • Ultimate Prostate
  • Florafiber
  • Xtra Cal
  • Male Factor
  • Joint Support
  • Mega Garlic Plus
  • Trader Joe’s B12
• 11:45am – Mexican food, microwave special
  • El Monterey Bean & Cheese burrito
  • Leftover vegetarian spanish rice (1/2 cup)
  • Left Quorn Soy Ground (2/3 cups)
  • Daisy Sour Cream (2 tbsp)
  • Katy’s Kettle Corn Pop Chips (1 oz – 1 serving)
• 1pm – Fresh French Bread Roll with Smart Balance butter spread
• 3pm – Protein Snack
  • 3 celery sticks
  • Skippy Super Chunk Peanut Butter (2 tbsp)
• 5:20pm – Mexican food, restaurant version (Dos Coyotes)
  • Veggie Ranchero Burrito. Ask them to keep it under the burner for an extra 8 minutes (or so). The cheese will darken like a good slice of pizza
  • Chips (about 10)
  • Salsa (6 of the little cup holders)
• 7:15pm – Regal Popcorn with butter. About 1/2 small bag
• 10pm – Herbalife24 Restore with 8 ounces of water and Herbalife Herbal Aloe Mango

Meal 2

Meal 2.1

Meal 2.2

Meal 3

Food and Exercise

Today’s Activities:

• Forgo the “at home” workout and went to the gym. So classic, I actually forgot how to get there because it’s been so long since I’ve actually seen the inside of the gym and yes, they did remodel. Our monthly dues hard at work! Now if they can just start fining dudes for not re-racking weights and putting their used towels in the bin that actually says, “towels.”
• My workout is designed to build back some strength and build up mass again. It’s been at least 6-months since I’ve been to the gym. Yes, started doing stuff at home with weights about 3 weeks ago and it’s great. But the gym is now a true test and to push. My workout routine looked like this.
  • 1st Set
    • Incline Press on the Smith Machine 45 lbs on each side, 10 reps
    • Shoulder Upright Rows with a 45 lb weight, 10 reps
    • Side bends while standing on one leg with a 45 lb weight, 10 reps each side
    • Standing Bent-Over Back Dips and Overhead Press with a 45 lb weight, 10 reps
      • NOTES: In my heyday, this wouldn’t even be a warmup. This would be something I showed someone how to do it, but today, it felt like the last set. My left shoulder is actually shaking.
  • 2nd Set
    • Incline Press on the Smith Machine 70 lbs on each side, 10 reps
    • Shoulder Upright Rows with a 45 lb weight, 10 reps
    • Side bends while standing on one leg with a 45 lb weight, 10 reps each side
    • Standing Bent-Over Back Dips and Overhead Press with a 45 lb weight, 10 reps
  • 3rd Set
    • Incline Press on the Smith Machine 90 lbs on each side, 10 reps
    • Shoulder Upright Rows with a 45 lb weight, 10 reps
    • Side bends while standing on one leg with a 45 lb weight, 10 reps each side
    • Standing Bent-Over Back Dips and Overhead Press with a 45 lb weight, 10 reps
  • 4th Set
    • Incline Press on the Smith Machine 90 lbs on each side, 6 reps. Took off 45 lbs and  alternated between left/right press for another 5 reps per side
    • Shoulder Upright Rows with a 45 lb weight, 10 reps
    • Side bends while standing on one leg with a 45 lb weight, 10 reps each side
    • Standing Bent-Over Back Dips and Overhead Press with a 45 lb weight, 10 reps
  • 5th Set
    • Incline Press on the Smith Machine 90 lbs on each side, 6 reps. Took off 45 lbs and  alternated between left/right press for another 5 reps per side. Then straight into 8 more presses with the 45 lbs together to get a burn.
    • Shoulder Upright Rows with a 45 lb weight, 10 reps
    • Side bends while standing on one leg with a 45 lb weight, 10 reps each side
    • Standing Bent-Over Back Dips and Overhead Press with a 45 lb weight, 10 reps
  • Floor Work, Biceps, and Core Work
    • 1st Set
      • Floor Dumbbell presses, 40 lbs, 10 reps, then alternated right/left for another 4 total reps
      • Bicep In-and-Out Curls, 20 lbs, 16 reps
      • Wall Squats, 90-degree bend, 45 seconds
    • 2nd Set
      • Floor Dumbbell presses, 40 lbs, 10 reps, then alternated right/left for another 4 total reps
      • Bicep Static Arm Curls, 22.5 lbs, 16 reps
      • Wall Squats, 90-degree bend, 45 seconds
    • 3rd Set
      • Floor Dumbbell presses, 40 lbs, 10 reps, then alternated right/left for another 4 total reps
      • Bicep Alternating Curls, 25 lbs, 16 reps
      • Wall Squats, 90-degree bend, 45 seconds
    • 4th Set
      • Floor Dumbbell presses, 40 lbs, 10 reps, then alternated right/left for another 4 total reps
      • Bicep Static Arm Curls, 25 lbs, 16 reps
      • Wall Squats, 90-degree bend, 45 seconds

Nice to get back into the gym. On my initial cycle of chest, back, and shoulders, on the 3rd set, I felt a little twinge in my lower back. Will definitely need to monitor this and proceed with baby steps. Shoulder pain is one thing, but back pain a a whole different level of recovery. Let’s just say we don’t want to see Doug for anything other than shoulders.

Thursday, 08-22-2013

Looking ahead to tomorrow, Saturday’s are the long runs. Runkeeper keeps me active Monday, Wednesday, and Friday — all leading up to a 10-mile Saturday run. The hitch in the plan is that I will be leaving at the crack of dawn Saturday morning to make the drive to my live fantasy football draft, season 18.

Do I run the scheduled 4-miles this morning and then wake up at the “crack of dawner” tomorrow morning to get the 10-miles in? Do I just run the 10-miler today in lieu of the 4-miles? Well, the final decision was made by my lower back.

I headed out in the morning to get the 4-miles in and I would run the 10-miles late Saturday evening. Plan C. After 1/2 block, it was like a big red, blinking stop sign hit me in the lower back! STOP! Grabbed my lower back, attempted to walk it off, but it just wasn’t going to happen. I always operate with the mindset of it’s a marathon, not a sprint. Plan C would be in full effect …

I managed throughout the day to stretch as much as possible and I popped a couple of ibuprofens around 3pm. I was getting looser, but still not limber enough to even do a toe touch. Interestingly, this back issue helped change my mind on my fantasy football draft and my opinion on The Texans running back Arian Foster. I’m sure he’s doing much more than stretching and Tylenol, but if I couldn’t even run 1/2 block without “STOP” coursing through my veins, I can’t imagine hitting the hole where 325-plus pounders are waiting to greet you. If Foster falls to the 3rd round, I’ll get him.

Plan C … 6pm-ish 10-mile run at an easy pace to free up my Saturday obligations. I was  feeling relatively spry and decided to take my legs and lower back on an extra mile for a total of 11.

Life lesson #75 – When Plan A and Plan B are no longer available, be flexible enough to work towards Plan C.

Morning weight 170.5

Today’s Meals:

• 8:15am – Herbalife Morning Shake.
  • 8 oz of Healthy Balance Apple Juice
  • 2 Scoops of Herbalife Protein Powder
  • 1 Scoop of Herbalife Formula 1 French Vanilla
  • 3 Costco Frozen Pineapple Chunks
  • 2 Costco Frozen Strawberries
  • About 5 Costco Organic Blueberries
  • 1/2 cup of spinach
• 10:05am – Chocolate donut
• 12:40pm – Indian Buffet
  • Bhutura (1 scoop)
  • Puri bread (1)
  • Saag Paneer (1 scoop)
  • Dhaal Makhni (1 scoop)
  • Navrshai Karma (1 scoop)
  • Punjabi Curry (1/2 scoop)
  • Pakoras (1 scoop)
  • Vegetable Samosa (2)
  • Papad (Papa Dom) (1)
• 8:30pm – Microwave Madness
  • El Monterey Burrito

Meal 2

Meal 3

Food and Exercise

Today’s Activities:

•  7:05am – Runkeeper training set me out for a 4-mile easy pace run. Got 1/2 block and I was reminded about my workout yesterday. Sharp pain to the lower back stopped me dead in my tracks. Attempted to walk it off, but my back had something else in mind and suggested I stop, put my hands on my knees, and just sit. After a walk around the block, pain increasing, just went home with hopes for the rest of the day.
• 6:15pm – Throughout the day, stretched and popped 2 ibuprofens around 3pm, my back was feeling much better. I knew something was there, but it no longer was stopping me in my tracks, especially just walking up stairs. Today’s schedule called for an easy pace 4-miler and tomorrow calls for an easy pace 10-miler. Saturday is our Fantasy Football live draft and I’ll be gone all day … what to do, what to do? See below for what I did.

Friday Morning Attempt at 4 Miles

10-mile easy, plus 1more mile just because (11 total)

Friday, 08-23-2013

I am now 73 days into writing my daily jog log (slash) daily eat sheet. Please don’t say that last one fast, 10 times in a row. It won’t come out well and my writings are all PG-13.

For the first 65 days, I was attempting to run on my own; with my own plan. What I’ve discovered … hard to make a plan for something I’ve never done before. So on Day 66 (Wednesday, 08-14-2013), I signed up for Runkeeper’s “First Marathon Plan” This plan has me running on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and long day Saturday all the way up to the day of the marathon.

Here’s what my first marathon run plan looks like:

• Wednesday, 08-14-2013, easy pace 4-miles
• Friday, 08-16-2013, easy pace 4-miles
• Saturday, 08-17-2013, steady pace 8-miles
• Monday, 08-19-2013, 4 mile plus strides
• Wednesday, 08-21-2013, 3 x 1 miles fast

Combine all 5 days and I’ve already run a little over 26 miles, but I guess that doesn’t count. Apparently, somebody insists on having the miles consecutively earned. It’s like seeing a closed sign on 24-Hour Fitness. Yes, we’re open 24-hours, but not all in the same day.

Since the plan, I’ve also stepped up my nutrition to match my activity. More consistent with taking Herbalife supplements, especially the Herbalife24 Prepare (which I’m falling in love with) and the Herbalife24 Restore.

Herbalife24 Prepare

The Good. I’ve noticed I can finish my runs without exhausting myself. Don’t misunderstand … I’m still pushing hard to improve my negative splits, but before using Prepare, I would burn out around mile 4 1/2 and need to mentally push myself. Now my body has caught up with my mind and it is giving me a great boost in confidence as race day approaches.

The Bad, debatable. I use the bathroom at least once within 15 minutes of drinking Prepare. The directions ask for 16 ounces of water (a water bottle) and 2 scoops. I drink a minimum of 8-10 water bottles daily and haven’t needed Depends, so the Prepare is the only other factor. Is it a problem? Not if you like porta-potties, but for us germaphobes, just plan ahead and avoid the no-soap, no-water, no-towel porta-potty lines.

The decision. I will continue to take this product and I recommend for any cardio-type of exercise, including Crossfit, Insanity, and similar style programs, it will work and makes a difference.

Herbalife24 Restore

The Good. I’ve been taking this daily since Wednesday, 08-14, and feel my recovery is off-the-charts. On my so-called rest days, I’ve even done a P90X variation or floor dumbbell work, and I feel no soreness as a result of running or pushups. I’ve never actually read the full purpose of Restore, but I’m hoping it’s all in the name.

The Bad. For me, none. But if you are a night-time bathroom person, keep in mind you take this capsule at night with water. I haven’t found anything definitive on how much water, but I usually drink about 2-4 ounces. I sleep through the night, but all you bed-wetters have been officially been warned. I am feeling restored and will continue to take this product in my push towards 26.2.

Morning weight 170. Post run weight 168.

Today’s Meals:

• 7:45am – Pre Run Nutrition
  • 1/2 banana
  • Herbalife24 Prepare (2 scoops in 8 ounces of water)
• 8:15am – Herbalife breakfast.
  • Herbalife24 Rebuild Endurance (2 scoops)
  • Herbalife Instant Chocolate (1/2 scoop)
  • Herbalife24 Formula 1 Sport (1 scoop)
  • Silk Almond Milk (10 ounces)
  • 1/2 cup of spinach
  • 1/2 banana
  • Skippy Chunky Peanut Butter
• 12:30pm – (Leftovers) Homemade Tacos — I ate 2
  • 2 fried corn tortillas (small)
  • 1/2 cup Quorn Grounds
  • 1/2 cup of Sargento shredded Mexican blend cheese
  • 1/2 cup of Spanish rice
  • 1 cup of spicy tomato and cilantro salsa
  • 1/4 cup of sour cream
  • Frito Lay Tostitos Cantina Thin and Crispy (30 chips)
• 5:45pm – Vietnamese All-Vegetarian Food
  • Pho Beef Noodle Soup
  • 1 Veggie Spring Roll
  • 4 Pieces of Veggie Fried Fish
• 6pm – Chocolate Eclair from Cake Castle. Heard a lot about this and with salivating anticipation, this left me dry-mouthed. Not so good and one of those times where good things didn’t come to those that wait. As such, just 2 bites.
• 9:45pm – Handful of leftover popcorn from Regal Theatres
• 10pm – Herbalife24 Restore

Meal 1

Meal 1.1

Meal 2

Meal 3

Meal 3.1

Food and Exercise

Today’s Activities:

• Hump Day Run! Up at 6:45 — out by 7:10am to beat the California sun. Runkeeper says, “3 x 1 mile fast” is the soup de jour. In English, that means, first mile slow, 2nd mile fast, 2 minutes slow, 1 mile fast, 2 minutes slow, 1 mile fast, 1 mile slow. Get that?
• Note to self — I pushed the last 1 mile fast because I thought it was the last interval, but when that automated voice said”next interval, 1 mile slow” I was like, “well, okay.” When I was doing my own training, I knew exactly what distance I wanted to go that day so I could push the tail end of the run to maximize endurance. I will need to keep a cheat sheet on me so I know when the finish line is.
• Also had a few walks
  • .40 mile cool down walk back home
  • .47 walk to my local haircut place
  • .47 walk back home. Runkeeper stats say .21, but I just forgot to turn it back on.

Life lesson #73 – Physically seeing a finish line and mentally seeing a finish line are the same thing; they both offer hope. If you don’t know when you have to stop, it can feel a bit overwhelming and undoable.  Florence Chadwick can speak on this ‘The Infinite Atonement”

3 x 1 miles – fast

Wednesday, 08-21-2013

Last night, I had a pain in my left knee that resembled a fresh knee-to-knee injury. I am certain it isn’t from my increased run days, just a bad sleeping position. And I am happy to report that waking up this morning, certainly was a brand new day. Not Steve Austin worthy, but my left knee definitely isn’t an issue. On my pain scale of 1 – 10, I’d give it a 2. I know there’s something wrong, but it’s not worth dwelling on.

Life lesson #72 – Pain in the knee can potentially be a pain in the neck. Pay attention to what your body is saying because life is a marathon, not a sprint and you don’t want to limp into the marathon portion of your life.

Morning weight 171

As of 9:30pm, before publishing this latest post, left knee pain can be felt, but is not an issue. I wore my Ace Brace with custom dial all day.

Today’s Meals:

•  8:15am – Herbalife Morning Shake. Attempted a new recipe to match the consistency of the Jamba shake pouches.
  • 8 oz of Healthy Balance Apple Juice
  • 2 Scoops of Herbalife Protein Powder
  • 1 Scoop of Herbalife Formula 1 French Vanilla
  • 3 Costco Frozen Pineapple Chunks
  • 3 Costco Frozen Strawberries
  • About 10 Costco Organic Blueberries
  • 1/2 cup of spinach
• 10:30am – Filipino Dessert
  • Sweet coconut rice pocket
  • 1/4 cup Nestle Rich Chocolate Hot Cocoa Mix
  • 2 tbsp Skippy Chunky Peanut Butter
  • 1/4 scoops of Herbalife Protein Powder
• 11:15am – Katy Perry Pop Chips
• 12:30pm – El Monterey Bean and Cheese Burrito, 2 tbsp of Sunny Side sour cream, 1.5 servings (about 20 chips) of Lays potato chips
• 5:15pm – Regal medium popcorn with butter “We Are The Millers”
• 7:45pm – Homemade Tacos — I ate 3
  • 3 fried corn tortillas (small)
  • 1/2 cup Quorn Grounds
  • 1/2 cup of Sargento shredded Mexican blend cheese
  • 1/2 cup of Spanish rice
  • 1/2 cup of lettuce
  • 1 cup of spicy tomato and cilantro salsa
  • 1/4 cup of sour cream
  • 1/2 fresh guacamole
• 11:05pm – Herbalife24 Restore

Meal 1.1

Meal 2

Meal 3

Food and Rest Day

Today’s Activities:

• Who am I to argue with RunKeeper … it’s a rest day!

Rest Day

Tuesday, 08-20-2013