My New Year Challenge: The Kessel Run and Keto

The Kessel Run Medal for 2019

Hello Dear Reader, it's been a while since we talked.  Part of the new year is setting goals.  I plan to blog more.  I also plan on trying to get in better shape and lose some weight.  Weight loss has been a constant issue with me since my thirties, now in my forties, and I imagine it will chase me for the remainder of my life.  This year I'm going to try using the Keto diet and some training.

I've signed up for a few moderate to long distance running races, and I need to get moving.  I've run in the past, but then I hit a lull and the weight catches up with me.

The big goal is the Kessel Run & the Star Wars Challenge that will come with the completion of a virtual half marathon, a 10 K, and a half marathon at beautiful Walt Disney World.  There's still time to join if you are interested!

These are some lofty goals as I have not run since September, I have not been dieting, and I came to the realization squeezing my beer no longer counts as bicep curls.  There will be cheat days.  There will be days that I fall off the wagon.  To hold myself more accountable, I'm going to attempt to blog about this every day until April 8th, 2019, the day after the race.  If my buddy, Gareth Swanepoel (@GarethSwan), and I get our act together it may be until Monday April 15th.

THE APPS

So I'm out of shape, overweight, and I've got a lot to accomplish.  To do this I'll be using a few apps to track my process and progress.  I've been using Lose It! for almost 2 years now.  Meals, recipes, calorie tracking, and weight loss & gain will be tracked using Lose It!

For my initial run training I'll be using C25K, I've found this app really helps me when I first start going.  Once I can hit two and a half to three miles on my own I'm going to start using Seconds Pro.  Seconds Pro is a great interval timer that allows you to do Tabata like works outs.  I used this once before and it really helped me step up my pace once I was in better shape.

The method was suggested by a friend of mine.  The method is for the first minute jog 30 seconds, job faster 15 seconds, and sprint for 15 seconds.  Then for the following minute walk.  I look forward to working up to using this again, it helped me move from 3 miles in a run up to 6 miles.  I would like to be at that point before the race in April.

The built in Apple Health Activity App on my Apple watch will track the calories I burn per day and while I exercise.  Those calories will feed straight into Lose It!.

ASTHMA

I had originally written this post and neglected to add that I'm an asthmatic.  I have allergy and athletic induced asthma.  I've had this since I was a young teen.  As I've grown older this has made me particularly susceptible for bronchial and lung infections.

Fifteen minutes before I run I will use my rescue inhaler.  I wish I didn't need this, but I do.  I wish this went away when I get in really good shape.  It does get better, but it is still there.  This is just me trying to say, if you have asthma don't let that stop you.  I have had my inhaler with me when I played football, wrestled, played soccer, or played any other sport for my entire life.

The biggest issue I will face will be not pushing myself so hard that I pull a muscle, at this point I can handle my asthma.

THE KETO DIET

I blame my good friend Jorge Segarra (@SQLChicken) for this.  The Keto Diet entered my life almost 2 years ago this coming September. Click on the link above for more detail on the Keto Diet, my quick 10,000 feet overview is it is a low carb diet where you flip the food pyramid on it's head and fat is the most important nutrient for our body.

One of the really amazing side effects of Keto is that the hunger feeling you have known your entire life goes away.  Seriously.  You feel like you have a lot more energy.  While you can find many different opinions on this, the evidence I have is based on my own experience.

I went Keto before a half marathon last year and I did not need anything but water, and lots of icy hot, until the race was over.  My pace was 3 hours and 34 minutes.  I didn't carbo load anything, I didn't use power gels, or snacks along the way. As a matter of fact I did the opposite, you have to be at the race by 5 AM.  My 4 AM breakfast was two eggs over easy, two sausage patties, three slices of bacon, cheese, all topped with homemade ranch dressing.  After 3 hours and 34 minutes of exertion almost 6 hours after my breakfast I was finally hungry again.  During the race I focused on staying hydrated, re-applying sun block, and the occasional use of my inhaler. 

If I can do that again I'll be happy.


THE DATES & THE RACES

I've signed up for a couple along the way, so here are the dates:

• Friday February 22nd - The Disney Princess Run 5 K
• Saturday February 23rd - The Disney Princess Run 10 K
• TBD Before March 31st - The Virtual Star Wars 1/2 Marathon
• Completes the first half of the Kessel Run
• Saturday April 6th - The Star Wars 10 K 
• Completes the first half of the Star Wars Challenge
• Sunday April 7th - The Star Wars 1/2 Marathon
• Completes the second half of the Star Wars Challenge  & the Kessel Run
• The Orlando Color Run 5 K
• No date yet
• Sunday April 14th The Ron Jon Coco Beach Triathlon ?? Paging Mr. Swanepoel....

THANK YOU & WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT

Along the way I'm going to attempt to do a daily update with a screen shot of my meals and weight tracking in the Lose It! app, updates on the activities I'm doing screen shots of pace and calories burned, recipes, or products if I find some good stuff along the way.

83 days to go until race day.

Whether you are hear for a moment, or along for the ride Thank you as always for being here Dear Reader.  I hope you have some goals for the new year as well, and I'd love to hear from you if you have one.

As always Thanks for stopping by!

Thanks,

Brad