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Motivation is tricky. Sometimes a carrot works best, but sometimes it takes a stick.
Make no mistake — I have the best of intentions. I do intend to get fit, but left to my own devices I’ll do more talking than moving. And I’ve been doing a lot of talking lately.
Then on Sunday an anonymous reader left the following comment:
You’re lucky you have Mac, otherwise this site would be “sitting around thinking about getting fit slowly!” I don’t mean to be harsh, it’s just that there’s a lot of talk and not a lot of action.
Ouch!
That’s a big stick. But it’s a justified big stick. I’ve been doing a lot of contemplating but haven’t been doing much doing. No wonder my gains have been small. This stick was enough to put me in motion. Monday morning, I got out of bed and formulated a plan.
The Non-Runner’s Marathon Trainer
Mac’s wife (Dr. Pam) is a runner. For months, Pam has been offering to coach me to run a marathon. I’ve hemmed and hawed, afraid to make a commitment. No more. I’m making that commitment now. When Pam gets back from Hawaii, I’ll take her up on the offer. (And I’ll try to get Mac to join me.) The Portland Marathon is October 5th this year. I submitted my registration today (bib number 501). Anyone else want to join me?
Along with Pam’s coaching, I’ll be using The Non-Runner’s Marathon Trainer as my textbook. This guide has 149 reviews at Amazon and still has a five-star rating. Show me another book that well reviewed.
The Non-Runner’s Marathon Trainer contains a sixteen week program to prepare for the race. My training will begin June 16th. The book also contains a ten-week “pre-training” program for people like me who are completely out of shape. I’ll begin that on April 7th.
So that’s one goal, and a big one. But it’s a weak start, isn’t it? I mean, I’m going to start wimpy training on April 7th and serious training on June 16th? What will I do in the meantime?
Body for Life
Another book I’ve had people recommend to me is Body for Life by Bill Philips. This book promises “12 weeks to mental and physical strength”. Though there is a core program here, the book contains a lot of fluff. I’m ignoring the fluff to focus on the fitness elements. (The web site contains lots of good info, including the daily progress sheets.)
Philips argues that short high-quality workouts provide the best results. That’s not to say his program is easy — in fact, it looks rather difficult. But he says that it doesn’t do much good to do a zillion reps of a weight you can easily lift. Instead, it’s better to do a just a few reps of gradually increasing weights until you reach your “high point”, your point of failure. This matches a lot of what I’ve read before.
He applies the same principles to aerobics. I’ve often said that I can bike all day. I can. But it’s because I don’t push myself. I just go along at a constant pace. Phillips advocates “intervals”, performing just 20 minutes of exercise at a time, but striving for peak performance.
What have I got to lose? I’m going to give this a shot, too, beginning next Monday, March 10th. I’ll follow this program to its completion on Sunday, June 1st. By that time, I’ll have just two weeks left before I start my marathon training program.
Joining the gym
The key to making these programs work is to remove the barriers that prevent me from exercising. Most of these are self-imposed I know, but they’re just as real as any other barrier. One of the biggest blocks is the weather and my lack of equipment.
I removed that barrier today. I went down to the nearest gym and paid $119 for a three-month membership. (My enrollment ends on June 3rd, two days after I will have completed the Body for Life program.) I’ve resisted joining a gym for some time because I’m afraid that it’ll be a waste of money. But it’s only a waste of money if I don’t go. If I use the facilities, it’s money well-spent.
Other plans
Why don’t I start my fitness program today? I will. Sort of. The Body for Life program calls for specific exercises, repeated in quick succession. I don’t know these exercises. (I’m pretty ignorant when it comes to strength training.) I’ll spend the next week familiarizing myself with them and learning the layout of the gym.
Finally, I have one other goal. I want to do Cycle Oregon. Ten years ago, when I was riding regularly, I wanted to do this event, but I couldn’t afford it. I was broke. I can afford it this year, and so I’ve signed up for this event, too. It’s going to be awesome.
Conclusion
Have you been keeping score? I’ve set a lot of lofty goals here, but I mean to keep them. From one gentle admonishment via anonymous e-mail, I’ve been prompted to commit to:
- Join a gym.
- Complete the Body for Life program by June 1st.
- Join Cycle Oregon for the week of September 6th-13th.
- Run the Portland Marathon on October 5th.
Think I can do it? I can. Nothing’s going to stand in my way.
Mac
31 responses so far ↓
1 Eric Nagel // Mar 4, 2008 at 5:57 am
I almost removed your feed from my RSS reader until I read this. Not only are you working for a better “you”, but you’re working to keep your readers, too
2 Josh // Mar 4, 2008 at 6:04 am
Wow you just made some huge steps. Perhaps the largest. A marathon! Woah! Are we talking 26 miles? I had planned on trying to do the Portland Marathon last year — but I didn’t sign up. I had a similar 4 month training plan. I had to quit after 3 weeks, my knees were constantly swelled and I could barely even walk. My advice? Buy really nice shoes (have someone who knows what they are doing tell you exactly what you need for your foot) and don’t run on sidewalks (concrete is hell on your joints). I suppose you’ll be doing a lot of running in the gym so you’ll have the benefit of cushy treadmills thankfully.
I remember body-for-life from a long time ago, it had really stood up to the test of time. It has to be over 10 years running now. I remember writing off for the free video when I was in high school.
I can’t wait to read about your progress, good luck!
-josh
3 JBohlinger // Mar 4, 2008 at 6:32 am
As you are training for your marathon, be prepared to blow your diet out of the water. You are going to be doing things to your body that will require many, many more calories than you have been previously consuming, and you will still be burning more than you take in.
Really proud of you setting the goal of a marathon. I was one of the ones that was saying that you really need to pick specific dates, and I am glad to see that happening.
At the moment though, you might want to choose a focus and just do that. A marathon, a large cycling event, and a weight training program are all great, but because they require so much time are most likely mutually exclusive. Spreading yourself too thin (heh) might ruin all three.
That said, best of luck to you.
-=Jon=-
4 J.D. // Mar 4, 2008 at 6:40 am
I was worried about this, too, but I think I’ll be fine. I’ll follow the Body for Life program for 12 weeks and will be done at the start of June. The marathon training will run from mid-June until October. These two ought not overlap.
The biking is something I’ll squeeze in for fun. I feel confident that I could do Cycle Oregon now. I’d be a slug, but I could do it.
But if one of these goals has to be set aside, it’ll be the biking. I want to do that marathon…
5 Anonymous // Mar 4, 2008 at 6:44 am
I can see why such a comment from another anonymous reader could cut so deeply. It’s good to be spurred to action. However, if I might apply a little salve to that wound, I only read GFS because of your posts. Mac’s action posts do very little for me as a reader and I often skip them all together; they do more to keep him accountable (which is admirable) than they do inspire me to do anything physical of my own. I’m glad that you’re thinking more about setting your goals and getting fit by getting more active, but don’t leave behind the information or analysis about getting fit that readers like me find on this site.
6 d.a. // Mar 4, 2008 at 6:46 am
Congrats on setting your goals! I’ve done the same, but on a slightly less ambitious level: doing the Couch to 5K program, and a friend and I are set to run a 5K in May. I think I’ll check out the marathon training book you mention; that might be a good second goal.
WRT heavier weights: this applies to women, too. In two months time, muscle definition AND strength have increased immensely. Doing compound movements, along with (struggling) chin-ups and dips have decreased the time spent in the gym as well.
Good luck, and of course, keep us posted!
7 Zulu // Mar 4, 2008 at 6:48 am
A marathon is a lofty goal. I’d suggest picking some intermediate goals between now and then. For instance, find one 5K every month until the marathon. Throw in a 10K or two at some point. These will give you some idea of how you are progressing before diving into the deep end of a marathon. They also provide near-term goals, which are just as important for motivation sake in my opinion. I’ve a similar goal, and put my race schedule together for most of the year.
Good luck!
8 Mark // Mar 4, 2008 at 6:53 am
I second the “huge steps” comment that Josh made. You have definitely made a big switch in your approach by committing to do the marathon, bike ride, and weight training. Congratulations!
A couple words of warning from someone who has experienced them, watch out for injuries. You have just “signed up” for a lot of activity, make sure a string of injuries doesn’t derail your plans. I’d say you need to start a stretching program immediately and make sure you do an adequate warmup and cooldown. Don’t scrimp on running shoes, get good ones that match your foot. Also, get your bike professionally fit to make sure you are in a good position on it. And please make sure to give your body time to adjust to the strain of weight lifting. Take at least a few weeks to acclimate your joints and tendons by using light weights. I have just started weight lifting after a long layoff and I am spending the first 3 weeks getting used to it by using low weight. So far, my body seems to like it although I did have a slight shoulder strain that has healed up.
Regarding the workout intensity. As someone who has done aerobic exercise (running and biking) since high school I am a believer in building a decent base before the “intervals” kick in. Shorter, more intense workouts definitely improve fitness but without a base to build on it can result in injuries and frustration.
Good luck and keep us all informed on your progress. You’re definitely going to be busy the next 8 months!
9 J.D. // Mar 4, 2008 at 7:03 am
10 Shauna // Mar 4, 2008 at 7:46 am
As someone who has struggled with weight and eating for a long time, I commend you for making diet and exercise a focus in your life.
What the anonymous commenter doesn’t realize is that it takes time for these things to click. The more you read and think about this and learn, the more prepared you will be on that special morning when you’re suddenly ready to start.
And this is coming from someone who is sweating profusely after just returning from the gym. I’ve lost 51lbs since November and beat my goal loss yesterday by 1 pound.
All the best of luck!
11 Chad // Mar 4, 2008 at 8:55 am
So uh? what have you done today?
And where does your nutrition come into effect? I have been exercising for the last year and have noticed that unless I combine it with eating right the gains are elastic.
12 Rob // Mar 4, 2008 at 9:11 am
As someone who spent the majority of 2007 training for a marathon (which I ran and completed in January of this year), I definitely have to second a few comments made, especially about getting good shoes and finding a good stretching/warmup/cooldown routine. The sooner you can find one that works best for you, the better off you’ll be. And you will be eating more. Get used to having big, nutritious breakfasts everyday.
Also, I must advise against using treadmills for marathon training. They just aren’t the same. It may be a good idea to start, but once you get into the major training program, you’ve gotta get outside. I ran on treadmills for a while but found that I was significantly more out of breath when I ran the same distance on the track.
Anyway, good luck.
13 bethh // Mar 4, 2008 at 9:14 am
oh YAY I’m doing Cycle Oregon too!!!!!! I thought about mentioning it earlier when you were talking about getting back into biking.
I’m a person who needs a stick as well: I moved from Portland to the Bay Area almost 2 years ago, leaving my biking buddies and known routes. When I lived in Portland I always rode more than 1000 miles/year, thanks to my friends dragging me out.
After moving, I rode less than 80 miles last year! So this year, I signed up for CO the day registration opened, found a bike buddy, found a set of organized training rides, and have already ridden over 150 miles.
I’m so excited you’ll be riding it. You should find the yahoo email group for CO/Team Bag Balm, they’re a great set. I’ll find the info and post it.
14 Carrie // Mar 4, 2008 at 9:58 am
Here’s some advice I ignored when I trained for my first marathon: Improving your core strength is crucial for injury prevention! Core exercises are boring and annoying, but SO important. I slacked off, and boy do I regret it.
15 Gooniette // Mar 4, 2008 at 10:07 am
Wow, good luck!
This post has motivated me to go home Today and get on the elliptical machine.
I was a little surprised at the amount of money you have already spent on these goals considering that last week you were saying the gym is not a good deal when you can run and bike outside and also listed all the equipment you already have.
But, they do say that money is a powerful motivator… I’m looking forward to reading about your progress.
16 J.D. // Mar 4, 2008 at 10:15 am
And yeah, I know that I was just talking about saving money on fitness. I still think that’s a great idea. But at this point, I do need something more to motivate me. I made sure to only sign up for a three-month membership, and only at the one gym I trust. I’m still pretty wary!
17 bethh // Mar 4, 2008 at 10:26 am
CO email group info: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CycleOregon/
Team Bag Balm is kind of a fun subset of the membership. I wear the jersey/vest here on rides and have already met someone who’s doing CO as well.
18 Never the Same River Twice // Mar 4, 2008 at 11:07 am
@J.D. congrats on setting some ambitious targets for yourself! Imagine how awesome you’ll feel after the last mile of that marathon.
1 piece of advice - I would seriously consider getting a trainer for the gym and a coach for your riding. Sounds like you already have a great coach for your running. Also, be sure to tell them your goals and all the other training that you’re doing.
Yes this is another expense, but it could save you from painful and expensive injuries - knees, arches, back, etc. - down the road.
19 luneray // Mar 4, 2008 at 11:07 am
You are going to have to change the name of this blog now if you are doing a marathon in a few months.
20 PBJ // Mar 4, 2008 at 11:30 am
Why are you waiting for April 7th? Why wait for June 16th? Is that 16 weeks prior to the marathon?
Taking the date of your marathon and working backwards to set a start date for training is naive.
This seems like saying “I’m roaring to go … but I’ll wait a month. Or three.”
I wish you luck, but I am dubious you will make it a month into your training program let alone through a marathon.
21 J.D. // Mar 4, 2008 at 12:35 pm
Yes, I’m starting my marathon training on a schedule, working back 16 weeks from the date of the race. Maybe this is naive, but the book I’m using is confident that those who follow the program will succeed. The book provides that extra ten week buffer for people who aren’t in shape. But I’m starting now, another five weeks early.
As I say, though, I’m not going to be following any sort of marathon training yet. I’ll be doing the Body for Life program, which will — theoretically — get me into shape to begin marathon training.
Though I’ve never run a marathon before, I have achieved significant fitness gains of other kinds in six months. I know what I can do. I believe that this is a goal I can achieve, too.
22 Anonymous // Mar 4, 2008 at 2:11 pm
Hi J.D.,
I am the original anonymous poster! I think it’s great that you’re going to start exercising, whether or not you make it to something as crazy as a marathon. It must be hard to open yourself up to so much scrutiny from complete strangers. I’m glad my comment could be the “stick” that spurred you to start exercising!
When I was an overworked teacher and started exercising, my exercise plan was to try to do 15 minutes a day of whatever. I would even go bike on an exercise bike during my planning period, in my nice clothes, for 15 minutes. I got this technique from Flylady.com, which is a very interesting website about taking baby steps in housework and other things. You might find it interesting to check out for one blog purpose or another.
Of course, I didn’t actually get to exercise every day, but I crossed off the days that I did on a calendar, and that was my motivation.
Anyhow, I realize that my comment was harsh, but I honestly meant it constructively, and I can’t wait to hear about your new exercise adventures. I came to this site from Get Rich Slowly, but I now prefer to read Get Fit Slowly. You and Mac provide different viewpoints, and interesting articles. Keep up the good work!
-Anonymous
23 Gooniette // Mar 4, 2008 at 2:20 pm
It sounds like you’ve really thought this through.
Thanks for putting your fitness and weight goals on display for everyone to scrutinize. It can’t be easy.
24 greenman2001 // Mar 4, 2008 at 6:15 pm
JBohlinger is making an important point: exercise increases your calorie deficit — especially aerobic exercise like running — and you need to increase the amount you eat as you increase the amount you exercise. (If you think you have a craving for sweets now, wait’ll you start putting in 2 hours a day in the gym.)
If you’re engaged in strength training, with the specific intention of increasing muscle mass and decreasing body fat, you need to pay close attention to nutrition and nutrient timing. There’s a great book about this, Nutrient Timing by John Ivy and Robert Portman, both PhDs who are research scientists. The bottom line is that your body needs a carefully timed supply of very specific calories in order to break down and build back muscle. One consequence of not paying attention to this is a greater susceptibility to colds.
I’m generally against combining exercise with diet when you’re trying to lose weight, except for an hour of walking a day (that’s a 4 mile walk). The reason is that most people have no idea of how many calories they’re consuming or burning, and eat according to all kinds of cues that have nothing to do with what their body needs, either in terms of the quantity of calories or the content. I advocate counting calories for a few months, eating 6 meals a day, maintaining a calorie deficit of no more than 500 calories a day, and learning to cook yourself nutritious meals made from whole foods while eliminating processed foods completely from your diet. If you burn 350 calories a day through exercise, eat 350 more calories to maintain a 500 calorie deficit and eliminate the gnawing, ravenous hunger that will cause you to overconsume calories.
The talk about the danger of injury is real, but I suspect that at this point you’ll need to discover that for yourself. Nothing teaches the lesson as well as the injury you could have prevented by preparing more thoroughly and going a little more slowly. I’m coming to understand that a motivated blogger who’s made all kinds of public promises is truly a force that can’t be stopped, though. Good luck!
25 Soapdish // Mar 4, 2008 at 8:57 pm
Lots of good advice here. In my, ahem, leaner days I did two marathons, albeit slowly (run/walk - 4:50 and 4:40). Here are my two cents…
Skip the bike ride this year if you’re doing a marathon. Three weeks before the actual marathon you’ll need to be doing the longest of your long runs, not a long bike ride.
Get a heart rate monitor. Decent ones can be gotten for about $50 and are well worth the expense. It will totally help you train smarter.
Definitely, definitely, definitely spend the money on good shoes. Ask other runners in the area what running stores to go to. Spend a lot of time there, try on lots of shoes and ask a lot of questions. A good store will let you take a pair for a run around the block or parking lot. Then buy the pair of shoes from that store - they’ve given you a lot of help and advice and you’re most likely supporting a local business. Plus you know the shoes fit. And if you have a problem with them, your local store probably has a great return policy. There will be a reason all the runners in your area suggest the same places.
If at all possible, find a group of people to run with. There will likely be a group in the area training for the same marathon and some of them will be slow, pokey first-timers like yourself. A training run with experienced runners when you’re not is too often fun for no one.
Start training NOW. You will really want a base before you start the REAL training. I’d suggest being able to run for 30 minutes, four days a week by the time you “start” training in June.
Try to make sure your regular route(s) include a couple of hills (not steep - the down incline would be brutal on your knees). It will get you used to the best pace you need to take running up and down as well as flat.
Definitely do some races leading up to the marathon. Get a feel for what it’s like to be in a race. It’s always better to go out too fast in a 5K when there’s only 2.1 miles to the finish once you realize you’ve gone out too fast than it would be in a marathon when there’ll be 25.2 miles left to go. A 1/2 marathon at your expected marathon pace is a great prep race.
Stretch.
Hal Higdon. http://www.halhigdon.com. ‘Nuff said.
Treadmill running makes you feel like a human hamster. Only do it if you have to.
Vitamin I (aka Ibupofen) is you friend.
I should do a marathon this year again. I don’t know if I’d be ready for October (the first time I did a marathon I trained for about eleven months), but it’s at least some sort of goal. That and I’ve never been to Portland. Can we crash at your place?
And since you ride a bike as well, all you need to add is swimming and you know what comes next….
26 Kristy // Mar 4, 2008 at 10:07 pm
J.D.
Congratulations on taking some positive steps and on using a reader’s comment for such positive change and self-awareness.
I gotta tell you…I remain concerned. It seems like your history with weight and fitness is to temporarily go nuts with a certain form of exercise (biking, a marathon, etc.) and then you eventually return to your regular (unhealthy) exercise and eating habits. It sort of seems like you are doing that again. In reading your blog (both this one and your personal blog), you give the impression that you aren’t willing to make life-long changes that include exercising self-control over what you eat and making fundamentally healthy eating choices. You can’t control your weight long-term if you don’t permanently increase vegetable, fruit and water intake and permanently decrease the large amounts of meat, butter and other fats you eat.
Food for thought…
27 Annie // Mar 5, 2008 at 7:57 am
Hi JD,
Congratulations these goals are impressive! I’ve been running lately but without any particular goal in mind so… I’m thinking of joining you for the marathon! I’ve never done one before but its an exciting (insane?) challenge. My sister just moved to Portland so it would be a great opportunity to visit!
Good Luck!
28 Troy // Mar 5, 2008 at 9:04 am
You might want to check out http://www.bodyforlife-tracker.com/
This is a popular BodyforLife support forum where a lot of brave souls post their progress pictures and body composition stats. I think most of the people on the forum are seeking support and inspiration, and having their pictures up motivates them to stick with it. And you are allowed to link back to your blog from your profile.
Your muscles are going to hurt for a couple of weeks. Good luck!
29 140&Fit // Mar 5, 2008 at 9:57 am
Cycle Oregon AND a marathon in the same summer? I am impressed by your goals - but I never thought about the timing between the two huge events. My husband and I have a goal of cycling across Oregon on our own. He did the event in his teens and still loves talking about the experience. Good luck - and I love the blogs…
30 E.R. // Mar 16, 2008 at 1:36 am
I will be following your training with interest, as I am also doing working on Body for Life and a marathon, only in an opposite order to you. (the marathon opportunity came up unexpectedly, otherwise I would have done Body for Life first) I have been using The Non-Runner’s Marathon Trainer the past few months to get ready for the London Marathon on 13 April. It is a fantastic resource! I have progressed from a sedentary lifestyle to being able to complete an 18 mile training session yesterday, right on schedule. The key thing to remember (for anyone else who’s interested in following the training plan) is that this book on prepares you to FINISH a marathon, not complete it in any specified time. I highly recommend it for anyone who has had vague hankerings to do a marathon someday.
Good luck to you!
31 A Little Positive Feedback // Apr 14, 2008 at 9:46 am
[...] great thing about this interaction is that I thrive on positive feedback. Sure, negative feedback sometimes gets my ass in gear, but in the day-to-day world, positive feedback is what motivates me. The manager’s approach [...]
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