Final countdown...

We're getting a bit nervous with only six more days before we go vegan.  We'll probably be eating ham all week since we made a 12 lb ham for Christmas.  I also just found one of our favorite treats from Australia at Target - TIM TAMS!

numnumnum... I'll miss you, Chocolate.

Chocolate is one of the things I will struggle with giving up for this month.  I know it's not an animal product, but it is something I need to do.  I am going to try and give up sweets and caffeine for the month as well.  The only caffeine I'll be consuming will be from my nutrition gels on my runs.  Is that cheating?

The last and only run I've been on since my last post was on Christmas Eve - 3.11 miles @ 26:01 - which is a slight improvement from the previous run.  Still about 5 minutes off of where I would like to be in 2011.  I tried a new Nike product - Pro Combat Mock - which felt awesome in the 35 degree weather! 

Those are my abs.

8 More Days...

We just got back home from visiting family in NC for the past few days.  We did nothing but eat junk!  I'm pretty sure I finished off a bag of those "Fun Size" 3 Musketeers on my own.  Call it a last hurrah, if you will... but we pigged out.  Zaxby's, Bo Jangles, and even Taco Bell... and these were only what we ate while on the road!  Bacon, eggs, and pancakes for breakfast.  Fried chicken, meaty lasagna, and went out for some General Tso's as well for dinner.  To add to it... I didn't exercise at all.  Overall a very unhealthy visit, but I had fun.

The reality of what we are about to get ourselves into will soon hit us, but not before I hit that Christmas ham!  My wife is starting to try and back out, but this is something I would really like to do.  We also have some friends that live us that were also planning on trying the vegan diet starting New Year's day.  I think having them along for the ride will be very helpful. 

I've started getting my race schedule together and will get it posted on here soon.  I'm going to miss some of my favorite races from last year because I am in an EdS degree class that meets about every four weeks on Saturday up in Tennessee.  The big races right now are a 1/2 Marathon in early March, which also happens to be my busiest month with races.  I have my first Duathon in mid-April.  I am also scheduling my first triathlon for 2011 in early May, which will most likely be before I've had any swim training....that will be interesting.  I'm thinking about doing six sprint to international distance tri's this year and maybe a Half Ironman in September.  My first Marathon is also on the calendar for October 30th, which is near the end of our football season... which means I will have to keep up my running during football... again... should be quite interesting.

Countdown: 14 Days

We are two weeks away from the New Year, and going vegan.  Tonight we feast on BBQ chicken.  We also had a nice breakfast, which my wife will miss dearly after we start our vegan diet - fried eggs, hashbrowns, and english muffins covered with melted muenster cheese. 

I ran today for the first time since Thanksgiving - a little over three weeks ago.  It was a cloudy 44 degrees out during my run.  I warmed up pretty quickly, but still had that cold weather burning/itching sensation in my legs.  I felt okay during the run - not real good, but not bad either - and a little slow.  The extra 15 - 20 pounds I put on during football season doesn't help.

Here's the link to my run:   Saturday - 12/18/10 - 5K Jog

I tried some new gear today during my run as well.  I've had tightening when I run in my upper calf and lower hamstring in my left leg ever since I ran the Locomotive Half-Marathon back in September.  I just had a "nice" (hurt like hell) deep tissue massage last week, but thought I get some calf sleeves to help keep the lactic acid from building up in my muscles.  I really wanted to get the 2XU Calf Guards (pictured below @ $55), but due to being economically challenged, I instead looked for alternatives. 

2XU Calf Guards

I found Under Armour's Slasher Heat Gear MPZ Calf Sleeves on ebay for less than half the price of the 2XU's.  To my surprise, the UA calf sleeves are meant for sports such as football or soccer.  They have a small pad built in to the shin area and looked a bit ridiculous just to run in... so I cut the out. 

Under Armour Slasher Heat Gear MPZ Calf Sleeves

They look fine now, and felt great on my run, just a little itchy at first.  I think that had a lot to do with the cold weather. 


 

Pre-Vegan Thoughts - the what and the why...

I am a 32 year old male, with aspirations of running marathons and eventually competing in IronMan races.  My wife and I are planning on becoming vegan for at least one month beginning January 1, 2011.

My mother-in-law has been a vegan for about 2.5 years.  She changed her diet after being diagnosed with cancer in the summer of 2008.  She is an avid researcher and preparer of all foods organic (vegan).  She has shared a lot of her findings with my wife and I, and we are looking for ways to live healthier - more so for our two girls (2 and 4) than for ourselves, but we would like to see if we notice a difference in how we feel, and dropping a few pounds won't hurt, at least for me.

I competed in approximately 20 - 25 races last year, mostly 5K's and 10K's.  I also completed two Sprint Triathlons and a Half-Marathon.  I failed to complete the swim portion of an Olympic distance triathlon - I think I could have finished but I apparently was taking too long.  Most of my training and racing is from January to August.  I coach high school football, so I pretty much have to start over every year with my training.  So, I figure going vegan could help get me back in shape faster and I've heard that a lot of athletes become vegan and are able to recover faster from workouts and races, and feel much more energized.... worth a shot.  

I am currently weighing in at around 230 lbs and my wife is still quite tiny at somewhere between 115 - 120 lbs.  I'd say my biggest vice is sweets and hers is probably wine or coffee/breakfast.  We still eat meat about 3 or 4 times weekly, and plan to do so up until the new year...