This was a pretty great week when it came to results, but there were some challenges along the way that I needed to figure out. But, I had a big victory with running and I had some more weight loss. Plus, this was a little bit of a mentally challenging week at times particularly as I look towards the future and maintaining my momentum. So, let’s discuss…

Operation Melt First Time 5k

I talked a little bit last week about my decision to host my own 5k as my first experience. Essentially, I wanted to build on the strategy that I had used throughout this journey so far and do it my way, with my friends to benefit others. So, that is just what I am doing.

The Operation Melt First Time 5k is an informal 5k run with friends and others in my network. It is going to be on the anniversary of starting my journey and it is a fundraiser for Central Community House. The funds we raise will ultimately support helping give families choices to begin to escape poverty and that is pretty important to me. Click the flyer below for more info.

The idea for hosting my first 5k came as I was watching the CapCity Half Marathon in Columbus last weekend. When I saw some people significantly less fit than me trying their best to run a bit and then walk the marathon, I felt like a big loser by just standing and watching. I totally could have walked the half but didn’t. So, I got serious about committing to my first 5k and the idea clicked and here we are.

Planning for the 5k continued this week and am still working on mapping out the course. I really thought I had it until I realized that I was going to have people run through a park where the Columbus Pride Festival will be going on. That isn’t going to work with such a crowded park, so I still have some work to do.

So far, 7 people including myself have signed up and donated. We have raised a total of $205 so far. But, I am expecting at least 5 or 6 more people to sign up and a couple of people just to donate. I would love to have 10-15 total runners and to raise $1000. Let’s see if that happens.

Training to Run the 5k

So, not only do I have to continue planning and supporting the 5k, but I also really need to be ready to run it. So far, the longest I have ever had a continuous run without stopping to walk is about 2.5 miles, and that distance isn’t a normal for me. I have had 5k sessions before, but they did require walking and that isn’t how I want to do this, I want to run.

On Tuesday, I went out to try to run a 5k and map out the course at the same time. I ran what I thought would be the course and I was exhausted when I was done. I looked at my tracker and figured out that I had only run 1.6 miles. So, that’s not going to work in a couple of different ways.

On Wednesday, I decided I was going to take a rest day and just go to my session with my trainer in the morning and maybe walk in the afternoon. This turned into going for a nearly 10 mile walk in the afternoon. It turns out that I was not doing “rest days” right because I wasn’t really resting, I was still getting tons of exercise. This really showed the next day. Here are the stats from my “rest day”…

After having my “rest day” from running, I decided that Thursday was going to be the day that I really tried for the 5k distance in an outdoor run. I got up, I ate some breakfast, I let the food digest for a while and I drank a fair amount of water. I should have been pretty well prepared. I went for a 6 minute, nearly half mile walk to warm up and then did some warm up stretches. Again, I should have been setup for success. I started my run and ran a familiar course around Schiller Park in German Village and then my plan was to run up to the north end of the village at Livingston Avenue and back to the park. I had done this before with a walk/run combo and I was successful. But not this time….

By the time I hit the halfway point, about 1.4 miles in, I developed a killer cramp in my hip. This is a couple of runs in a row where this cramp had formed, but this was by far the worst. I got to a point where I could only walk and do so very slowly. Then, I needed to stop and sit and rest. It was my worst performance since I started trying to train.

Through some hindsighting work I have done with a few people, I have identified my problems with this run as follows:

• Over-training: I took not breaks and put daily stress on my body through runs or long distance walks with no recovery time.
• Over-running: my pace is way too fast, I am trying for 10-minute miles and I was running faster than 9-minute miles. Plus I need to focus on my breathing along the way.
• Pre-run eating: I needed to try a little bit different approach for eating before running. A banana (usually with peanut butter) an hour before running. Plus drinking a cup of coffee helps too.

Worst Run to Best Run

As I said above, Thursday was my worst ever run day outside of the days that I hurt myself during the run. So, I made Friday a true “rest day” and did no exercise other than a short walk to the store and a walk to see the stars late at night on the next island over. I really rested and made myself not be concerned about the calories when I went over a bit.

Saturday morning I decided to put my new strategy to the test. I got up and ate a banana with peanut butter and honey and had a couple of glasses of water. I then waited an hour before going out after eating. I also brewed and drank some coffee. Then, I got dressed and set out for a run around the island chain at Indian Lake.

Through my run, I focused on breathing, running relaxed and watched my pace the whole time. I very intentionally tried to keep my pace at slower than 10-minute miles but faster than 11-minute miles. I also focused on not stopping to walk as much as I could and did a good job with that. I tried not to look at my heart rate or my distance the whole time. I really wanted to get to 3.1 miles and have hit my 5k distance.

When I looked at my distance, I was really shocked… I did a 5.1 mile run! I did walk the first third of a mile to warm up and the last half mile or so was a walk/run mix because I was tired, but that means I had a good 4 miles of running.

At the end, I was tired and I was super sweaty, but I felt great and like I was really nearly ready for my 5k!

Who the Hell is That?!

Earlier, I mentioned that I went for a very long walk on Wednesday. I walked through the neighborhood, over to my favorite bar/restaurant in the Brewery District, CBC. I walk to downtown Columbus and back home. It was a great walk! I listened to some motivating podcasts and it was a beautiful warm day. Here is a picture from downtown Columbus during my walk…

At one point during my walk, I walked past a building with lots of windows. Their shades were pulled down, so it was easy to see my full length reflection in their window. And I had to do a double take.

I really didn’t recognize the guy I was seeing in the reflection. He was tall and almost thin and didn’t really look anything like the old me. Sometimes my brain still expects to see the old me when I look in a mirror or otherwise see myself.

Thinking about the Future

I spent a fair amount of time this week thinking about the future. I was really contemplating 2 seemingly unrelated items that are very interconnected.

First off, I had several interviews this week and I think the return to work is imminent. I have really enjoyed the time off between jobs and it has been a chance for me to recharge, refocus and learn more about myself. This time has also been great because it has given me the flexibility to continue pursuing my Operation Melt journey.

What’s going to happen when I do go back to work? My routine is going to change a lot and how I am going to keep up this momentum? Will I still be able to work in exercise before work, will I keep the rate of weight loss, will I be able to continue to sleep a fair amount and balance the stress. I am just nervous about the impending change. But, the first 7 months of this journey were done while working a pretty high stress job, so I am sure I will figure it out.

Part of the time off has led me to an epiphany about my journey. I want this to be more that just something I did one time. I want to grow Operation Melt into a business that can help other people. I ultimately think I want to grow this into my career, but slowly. I have lots of ideas of things I want to do, but they are going to need to be a “side hustle” for now until they grow into something that produces income.

I started with the blog and there has been a fair amount of interest. Next, I am going to get the book out there and really start telling my story. Then, I would like to find a couple of people who are starting a similar journey and help coach them. I have a unique method that I think can really help.

This week, I am going to the Techstars Startup Week Columbus conference in the Brewery District. I am hoping to learn some things from the conference that I can use to get Operation Melt moving forward as a business. I am pretty excited for this.

Based on my successes and how I feel when I help other people, I think I may just have found my calling or mission.

Oh yeah… and my weight is down to a new all-time low and I am nearly at the 110 pounds lost mark!

Check back next week for more!

Last week’s stats (4/23 – 4/29):
Distance walked/run: 57.3 miles
Total calories burnt: 27,734
Total calories consumed: 16,071
Weight change: 3.6 pounds lost