On the Road Again...

So now it's January 22, 2013.  Jason and I completed our Tough Mudder event last April and it was nice to take a break from workouts and just relax.  Savor the feeling of extreme accomplishment, which is truly amazing after completing such an arduous event.  The orange headband and Tough Mudder t-shirt will be displayed in my new drum room in my basement.  The hard work is done.......

...not so fast...

I will freely admit that taking a long break from workouts and physical activity was needed and necessary, for a while after the event.  My knee was swollen for a few days and I had lingering pain and bruising for a couple months.  But the fact is, Jason and I finished the event and we both agreed that we would love to do it again.  Call it masochistic, call it insanity, we loved every grueling second of that experience.  Sometime in late summer/early fall 2012, I received an email from Tough Mudder which listed the 2013 schedule.  There it was, June 29 and 30, 2013.  Tough Mudder was coming to Michigan!  No long drive to Ohio this time.  This time the event will be held at the Michigan International Speedway which is about an hour 1/2 away from me.  

Jason and I have both enlisted for the Saturday 6/29 event, with a requested start time of 8:20 AM.  I figure that the earlier starting time will be good for us considering the event takes place in the hottest part of the year.  Quite the change from our last event which never got above 50 degrees.  So with this new event on the horizon and and upcoming trip to England and Ireland planned for March, I have to get my ass in gear and start losing some weight!

I have less than 6 months to get in shape, which is more than enough time to do P90X or Insanity, but it is VERY easy for me to procrastinate.  That happened last time and before I knew it, I was 3 months away from the event with no weight loss to show for it.  Already, I have let almost the entire month of January go by without one day of exercise logged.  I have enough time to do a complete round of P90X and a full round of Insanity if I choose to.  That probably won't happen but completing one program in full is my current goal.  That will get me to a respectable weight, build my strength, and prepare me for the warmer months when I will begin my endurance runs. 

I did so poorly on the strength-related obstacles last year (Funky Monkey, Hangin Tough) that I really want to improve my upper body endurance this time.  Ultimately, when I am in the last couple miles of the course with Berlin Walls and Everest ahead of me, I want to be able to conquer those without begging for help from other Mudders.  P90X will hopefully get me there, but I need to start the program and get motivated.  I've been way too complacent and my weight and health have suffered.

So anyways, in addition to my new found determination to change myself, the blog will be undergoing some changes in the next week.  I plan on a new Blog structure, color scheme, new Tough Mudder countdown clock, and an updated section for gear options.  I also plan on posting a full cold weather, Tough Mudder gear review that will expand upon the information I provided at the end of my last post.  I want to provide information that any future and returning Mudders can review so they will go into their event fully prepared.  I may even post a Vlog one of these days.

Stay tuned as I am...

"On the Road again..."

Locking in the final details...40 days left

Today's post is not really exciting in any way, other than the fact that I am less than 40 days out from Tough Mudder.  My friend Jason FINALLY registered for the event and my friend Paige will be joining us as a spectator.  This will be helpful because he will be able to bring a change a clothes for us without us having to check bags at the event, which I heard is very time-consuming due to the amount of people.


Yesterday I remembered that I still needed to book a hotel room for the night before the event. A lot of places in the area were booked up for obvious reasons, but I eventually booked a room at the luxurious Motel 6 where Tom Bodett will hopefully be running the course with us as well.    So now I have officially completed all planning aspects of the event.  The only things left to do are to continue my training and purchase the rest of my gear for the event.  I plan on buying the Injinji toe socks and gloves this weekend but I am still unsure about the Under Armor stuff. I just don't know what the weather will be like and I want to wait a little bit before committing to the cold or warm weather gear that UA provides.  The clothing is not very cheap.


I am finally getting back into a workout schedule this week after a couple weeks off.  From 2/18 thru 2/25 I was in Florida for my birthday and when I came back from the beautiful 80 degree weather to 20 degree shit in Detroit, I immediately got sick.  So I spent most of last week recovering and I started my second week phase 2 for P90X yesterday.  Scratch that, I picked up where I left off as I did the first day last Monday and then came down with a cold.  Plyo yesterday was pretty rewarding and I felt very energized to do the workout even though I didn't get much sleep the previous night.  I's really amazing to see the improvements you make as you continue through the program.  I really felt less winded through a lot of the moves and I wasn't completely wasted by the end of it.


Very soon I am going to start running outside in order to build up my endurance so I will be purchasing a heart monitor/step tracker for this so I can gauge my runs.  Hopefully P90X will provide enough strength training to get me through the upper body-based obstacles such as Funky Monkey and the Rope Climb, while the running will help with the...uhh...running..part of the course.


Today's workout is Back/Bi's which is tough as hell but is a killer arm workout.  I look forward to the coming weeks of training and preparation for the event.

Anticipation...Good workouts and CrossFit

I spent a lot of time today watching Tough Mudder videos;  both the official videos on their site and one's made by people who ran the damn thing.  My excitement is building along with the apprehension of knowing that my friend Jason has yet to sign up...bastard.  This poses a problem because Jason was the one who told me about the event in the first place, and now the Saturday date is 90% sold.  Damnit.


I also was reviewing different blogs from people who did Tough Mudder and I came across one that mentioned CrossFit as a training method.  I've never heard of it but I was intrigued by their horrific stories of sweat, vomit, and dramatic weight loss and muscle building.  Here's the link:


Crossfit

First off, let me say that I don't think this workout is for me.  I like P90X for how tough it is but I can still do the workouts from Day 1.  CrossFit is completely fucking crazy because they expect you to do 15 minutes of non-stop exercises, including olympic-style deadlifts, from Day 1.  I imagine that any CrossFit student that would hear me whine about the program, without trying it first, would call me some colorful names.  From what I've seen....well, I know my limits and CrossFit just may be beyond them.  A lot of people swear by the program and I may look into it further as I get into better shape, but for now I will stick with P90X.  Hell, I had a very hard time with Insanity so I can't push myself further into a program that looks 10 times HARDER.  Not yet.


After watching all those videos and learning about CrossFit, I was pretty amped up to do Core Synergistics today.  It's pretty fucking weird to admit that considering I hate Core Syn.  I had an awesome workout today!  I really tried to limit my breaks and push myself further than I had a couple days ago.  You know what?  I was topping my rep. goals and really crushing the workout.  I checked my weight and I am officially down 6 pounds as of today!!  


I only have one more day of my recovery week and then I start phase 2 of P90X which means I have to deal with the pure hell that is Chest, Shoulders, and Tri's.  That workout is a fucking monster!  My goal for the next phase is to do Ab Ripper after my resistance days since I skipped it during phase 1.  Also, I plan on purchasing the rest of my Mudder gear so that I can start my trail running.


I am getting close guys...only 63 days left until I am deep in the shit at Amherst Quarry.  6 pound weight loss is nice but for me it is just the beginning.  Tough Mudder awaits and I need to be in fighting shape. 


Tough mudder tough mudder tough mudder tough mudder...

65 Days and Counting...Gear Options and P90X Updates

65 fucking days and counting!!  


I am a little over 2 months left until my date with Tough Mudder and I am PUMPED!!  P90X has been going great for me...3 weeks in and I am down 5 lbs!  I am concentrating a lot on the more cardio-based workouts of the program like Plyometrics, Kenpo, and Cadrio X.  However, I am still following the classic program with the resistance days, except for Legs and Back because I hate that workout.  As of this writing I am on day 3 of my first recovery week so I get to do Kenpo again, which I absolutely love.  Yesterday I had to do Core Synergistics which I absolutely HATE, so the program tends to balance itself out that way.  Like I said in the last post, I won't be able to complete the program prior to Tough Mudder but I will be able to get far enough to see some major improvements in my physique and endurance.  


The left side of the blog displays the gear I am looking to use for the event.  The only gear that I have purchased so far are the Vibram shoes which are awesome!  I got them for Christmas and I use them for almost all of my workouts.  They're great for balance and doing cardio workouts like Plyo and Kenpo.  As we get closer to the event I plan on going running on trails with them to start getting used to running outside and on uneven ground.


As far as the rest of the gear goes, I have looked into Under Armour for their Cold Gear Leggings and Compression Shirts which I believe will be the best bet for me.  The only problem is that frankly I don't know what the weather will be like in April.  This has been a very unusual winter and by April it may not be 30's and 40's, but 50's and 60's.  I still think I should go with the ColdGear stuff because it will be 9 in the morning and I will be jumping into ice cold water...and actual ICE WATER.  Seriously, there is an obstacle in which you dive into a dumpster that is basically a giant 711 Slurpee.  I don't want to wear anything that is loose which is why the compression Under Armour stuff appeals to me, and apparently many other Tough Mudder veterans.  The only issue is that I don't have an athletic build so my skinny chicken legs are going to look real fucking awful in tights.  I'm thinking about buying a pair of cheap gym shorts to wear over the leggings so I don't look too silly.  


Another thing I'm deciding on is head gear.  My original plan was to wear a Skull Cap but if it gets wet than it will be heavy and very cold.  On top of that, if the weather is actually cold that day, I'm worried about sucking in cold air for three hours running in cold clothes.  Under Armour makes a hood and face mask that makes you look like a ninja, but it prevents you from breathing in cold air while exerting yourself outside.  That's a possibility for me.  Another thing is whether I should wear toe socks with my Vibrams.  My shoes fit very snugly on my feet, but a lot of people online recommend wearing toe socks with them to prevent blisters.  I'm on the fence with this one.


Finally, I will be buying the kayaking gloves that I have listed because I want the protection they will provide against splinters on the wooden obstacles, and the dexterity for gripping the monkey bars and rope climb while they are wet.  That decision seems like a no-brainer.


So final thoughts for today...the more Tough Mudder videos and preview pictures I view, the more excited (and nervous) I become.  I feel like I am getting into the groove of working out and eating right so I know that I will be ready for the physical aspects of the event.  I need to start running outside to get used to running long distances and on dirt, rocks, etc.  I need to keep pushing play on my P90X workouts and I need to keep chanting the mantra...


tough mudder tough mudder tough mudder tough mudder...

P90X Day 3: Shoulders and Arms

I was looking forward to doing Shoulders and Arms yesterday but that excitement quickly dissipated as the day went on.  The soreness in my arms was and is pretty bad.  My only solace was that by doing the workout I would stretch out my muscles and reduce the soreness.  This was true during the workout but not so much after.


Shoulders and Arms is one of the "easier" workouts in the program but it's still a challenge.  In the past, I ran into issues with my form during the exercises so I decided to reduce the weight I was using in order to complete the exercises with full reps.  There are still a few moves that are just plain tough (Static arm curls, Deep Swimmers Press, Congdon Curls).  Overall though, I feel great after doing this workout as I am a fan of bicep workouts.


I skipped Ab Ripper once again because of the overall soreness in my body.  I think that I will skip it completely this week and start doing it during week 2 and allow the soreness to go away.


Tonight's workout is one of my favorites, Yoga X.  I have to believe that the soreness in my arms are going to make this workout very, very tough and I don't think I'm going to do very well.  We'll see.

P90X Day 2: Plyometrics

Doing a little catch up from last night since I was dog tired.  I woke up yesterday to some serious soreness in my arms and shoulders.  Yes it hurts, but it hurts soooo good!  I missed this feeling throughout the 3 weeks of Insanity because those workouts are strictly cardio.  Being able to lift weights and do push ups again...it felt great and the soreness is not that big of a deal.  If you are doing P90X for the first time, let me just say that if you can get through the first two weeks than you can complete the program.  It's all about pushing through the soreness.


After work yesterday I was just plain worn out.  I was sore, tired, hungry, and when I got home I really didn't want to bounce around for an hour.  The Beast, however, is one workout that I didn't want to miss.  Not that I enjoy it.  In fact sometimes I freaking despise Plyometrics, but I felt that my 3 weeks of Insanity would give me a head start and make it easier.  


That is kind of true, but no one can say that Plyo is anywhere near "easy."  I was able to complete a lot of the workout with no breaks so that was nice for me.  I ran into some snags with the same moves I had a problem with before.  Mary Katherine's, 180 Run Stance Squats, and Hot Foot.  Those moves kill me every time.  I was sweating my ass off and was bound and determined to finish strong so the sports bonus was pretty easy.  By the time I get to that part of the workout I know that the hardest part is over with.


After the workout I mowed through a delicious stuffed red pepper that my wife made and then pretty much passed the F out.  Later today I will have to do Shoulders/Arms/Ab Ripper so we shall see how that goes.  I'm looking forward to the arm workouts as they should help to stretch out my muscles and reduce some soreness.  Ab Ripper however will be very tough.

P90X Day 1: Chest and Back...it's good to be back

I made the decision today at work to begin a round of P90X and to be honest I was extremely excited to get home and begin.  You would think I'm crazy for saying that because this program is fucking brutal, but going back to resistance training after so much cardio is what I really want right now.  

So today was Day 1 and that means CHEST AND BACK!!

Good ol Chest and Back...pushing and pulling.  Pretty simple stuff and I pushed HARD through the first round of it.  In the past, especially on the first day, I tried to pace myself during the first round so that I wouldn't die during the second.  Today I was pretty ramped up for this workout so I pushed to fail for much of the first round.  As usual, the unholy trinity of push ups (Military, Diamond, and Declines) fucking killed me.  I will never get used to military style push ups, I just hate those damn things.

Other than that the workout felt great.  By the end of it I was feeling a little light-headed but that is probably due to the fact that I didn't eat much today.  We haven't shopped for groceries in a while so I am running out of food options.  I couldn't bring myself to do Ab Ripper today so I apologize.  I promise to do it on Wednesday.

It is time for bed and tomorrow is the return of the Beast...Plyometrics.  Frankly I'm not that worried as I used to be.  No workout will ever be as hard as Insanity's Pure Cardio.  That was a fucking monster.

Of Quitting Insanity, Sicknesses, and Shin Splints...

So it has been about a week since my last post and although I don't feel too bad about it, I do feel some explanation is necessary.


First off, let me just say that I think Insanity is a great workout program.  Being so cardio heavy, you are almost guaranteed to lose weight and lose it fast.  As long as you stick with the nutrition and continue to press play every day, while consciously trying to improve your daily performance, it can be very satisfying.  I cannot say anything bad about the program itself.  The reason I am stopping is because of Shin Splints.  There were days in the last week or two that I completed when I felt like my shins were on fire, even while laying down watching TV.  Not to mention the pains that started in my ankles and feet.  Only now have the dull pains finally subsided.  This is not the fault of the program but with my own body.  My legs simply cannot handle the day to day stress that these workouts present.


I stopped posting and working out last week because I got sick again.  This time of year always sucks for me because of the changing weather.  Living in Michigan you tend to have wild swings in temperatures which negatively affect my sinuses.  So I dealt with a cold for most of last week which finally went away on Saturday.  


So what comes next?  I officially have 179 days before Tough Mudder and I need to seriously start losing weight and gaining strength.  I have decided to begin a round of P90X as I had the most success with that program.  I have been missing resistance training and it will be nice to go back to the program that gave me the best results.  It is my plan to do a full round of P90X followed by some cardio training.  Whether I go back to Insanity, do P90X doubles, or just start running more is up in the air at this point.  I need to complete this program now without skipped weeks or excuses.  If I don't do it I simply will not be ready for Tough Mudder.  It is time to suck it up and BRING IT!!


I have deleted the Insanity countdown and test result links on the right as they are no longer relevant.  You can still go back and view the 3 weeks of posts that I did complete.  


My full focus is now on P90X and pushing harder than I ever did during my first round back in 2009.  I promise you that I WILL NOT stop this program before 90 days.  

...And so it begins

About a week ago my friend Jason mentioned that he was thinking about signing up for Tough Mudder.  I had heard about this obstacle course/endurance race/day of hell on Facebook and was pretty sure that I would never be that crazy to think I could participate.  After all, I have been out of shape for over a year now.  I completed 65 days of P90X before I got married and I was in great shape.  Since the big day I have steadily put on weight so that now I am the heaviest I have ever been.  I look unhealthy and trust me, I feel it as well.

That being said I began to reconsider Tough Mudder because like my wedding, this event would be a goal that I could shoot for.  My biggest problem with working out is that it's work...same exercises, same results.  I purchased the Insanity workout program to try to liven things up but let's just say it is tough to do those workouts in a house with no air conditioning, in one of the hottest summers on record.

Anyways, yesterday I started Insanity again and today I decided to write a big fat check that my ass may not be able to cash.  I agreed to participate in the April Tough Mudder event in Ohio.  12 miles, 28 obstacles, and as Survivor so eloquently put it..."Just a man and his will to survive."  (By the way that's Survivor the 80's rock band not Survivor the reality show.  Just sayin')

So what's the point of all this?  As far as Tough Mudder goes, I know that right now there is no way in hell I would be able to run that course.  I have 6 months to get in shape for what will likely be sheer tortuous fun.  By signing up for the event and dropping $100, I will give myself incentive (The proverbial "Carrot on a string" although I would prefer a beer) to not make a complete ass of myself on the course and hopefully finish it.  Plus, seeing as I turn 30 in February, I feel like I'm overdue for some crazy life experience.  No mid life crisis or anything...mainly boredom.

Then there's this blog that probably five of you will ever read.  I am doing this to keep myself honest.  If you are following this blog as I journey down this road of pain, you will basically be here to make sure I don't skip workout days or mow down a Baconator.  It's a symbiotic relationship really.  Who knows?  Maybe you might find a shred of entertainment in my suffering.  If so, you are sick.....but I appreciate your support.  ;)

As previously stated, I have started the Insanity workout program which will go for 60 days and end sometime in November.  After which I will take a couple weeks off before I begin a full round of P90X.  I figure completing both programs is necessary for Tough Mudder considering Insanity is heavy on the cardio while P90X is more about strength training.  The combination of these two programs will hopefully get me into "mudder" shape and allow me to run 12 miles over shitty terrain and **gulp** possibly even climb a rope (Something I was never able to do, even in grade school).  


**As a side note, I have already completed the fitness test for Insanity and that is considered Day 1 of the program.  As such, I will include this introduction post as the first day on the countdown.

So that's that.  Thank you for stopping by and if you're still reading this, my name is Kevin and I'm about to kick my own ass for the next 6 months.  Enjoy!