Dave Fowler’s Daily Update – It’s Dark Outside
by David Fowler on December 1, 2008
in DF's Daily Updates
This is the first of my daily updates as promised in my last post where I talked about a sub-optimal approach to fitness and fatloss.
NOTE: The main post of the day is David Wright outlining his fitness plan.
Please go and check it out. He’ll never forgive me if I steal his thunder.
Picture: vanGTO
Monday 1st December 2008
At 4am I hauled my 198 lb carcass out of bed and put on my running gear. I didn’t know what the weather was doing and I wasn’t going to find out because I didn’t want to give it any rational thought.
I stepped outside and immediately felt the cold and the rain in my face. It’s December in England – of course it’s cold and raining.
I fully expected to be running in the pitch black but surprisingly the streetlights were all on – and it was nice that they were on but it really didn’t matter because I was going to be going running this morning come hell or high water.
I’ve been putting it off this last two weeks claiming that I didn’t have the time and I wanted to get my diet sorted first. Well, the diet isn’t quite there yet and not finding the time is a pretty lame excuse.
There were no excuses this morning. I was determined to start the first day of December as I mean to end the month – actively perusing my fitness and fat loss goals.
Woolly hat atop my head, I walked about thirty paces before breaking into a jog, and I didn’t stop until I’d completed a mile and a half.
This first run was a major victory for me. Previous attempts at getting fit have seen me quit my first run half way through and feel discouraged, but I’ve learnt from my past mistakes.
The brisk walking I’ve been doing over the last fortnight has without a doubt ensured that I was able to complete the run without having to stop and catch my breath. My legs didn’t feel fatigued but I felt a niggling twinge in my left butt cheek.
Getting out of bed at four in the morning and going running without any sort of warm-up to speak of, probably isn’t the greatest idea in the world. But it’s something that had to be done today. And I’ve done it.
Don’t forget to go and see Dave Wright who offers up a realistic approach to weight loss and diet.
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I never warm up when I run. No stretches, nothing. Just a brief brisk walk … very brief … and off I go. The only thing I do follow is the Running Room process of run 10 minutes/walk 1 minute. Sometimes my run part is extremely slow, but it’s still running. I do a couple of very brief stretches when I get home. I have never been injured.
Kudos on gettting out of bed at 4 a.m. I used to do that, run 3 miles, then pop back into bed for 30 minutes. I don’t do that now, because I get up at 5 a.m. as it is!
Urban Panther’s last blog post..Sweatin’ with the oldies
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David Fowler Reply:
December 1st, 2008 at 8:25 am
I recall reading that warms-ups cause more injuries than they prevent. I also read the the warm-down and apres exercise stretch are far more important – just as you illustrate.
The 4am thing is a killer at the moment, but it’ll get better when I get used to it.
My run today was slow and steady. My only goal was not to stop.
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Well that’s a superhuman effort there Dave – well done!
notSupermum’s last blog post..Capsule Wardrobe Challenge: Selection
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David Fowler Reply:
December 1st, 2008 at 8:29 am
Superhuman? I felt subhuman when I woke up all groggy and mid-dream. It was a good one in case you’re wondering!
I won’t be running tomorrow, but I’ll be getting up to do some body weight exercises. It makes me laugh just thinking about it. All huffing and puffing and grunting. And that’s just walking down the stairs!
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Way to go Dave! You’re taking steps (pun intended) in the right direction! And the whole 4 AM wake up time – I think if you get into a pattern, that will work just fine for you. I do something similar – and it’s really become a habit now.
You’ve got rain – we’ve got snow! I don’t know which is worse this time of year. I know I didn’t have a lot of fun clearing the driveway at 5:30 AM this morning! Maybe the rain isn’t so bad….
Lance’s last blog post..Sunday Thought For The Day
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David Fowler Reply:
December 1st, 2008 at 11:15 am
I think I could get to like getting up so early. I loved having completed so many things so early in the day.
Clearing the snow sounds like ideal exercise!!!! It doesnlt mean I want it to snow here though. Except maybe on the big day. That would be special!
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I used to get up at 5am every morning to do an hour of yoga and I felt so great and energized for the day ahead.
But I only lasted a couple of months because a. it was killing me to drag myself out of bed when hubby was snuggled up and b. after a while the children woke up (despite me creeping around like a ghost) and would sit and watch me doing Downward Dog and that just doesn’t work!
You go Dave!
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David Fowler Reply:
December 1st, 2008 at 11:20 am
I’m married, so snuggling is a waste of time. At least from my perspective.
OK I’M KIDDING!
The children waking early is a problem and has put me of in the past. 4am doesnlt seem to be a problem. I’ve told them that they’re welcome to get up early but there’s no TV, only reading. Quietly. Hehe.
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David Wright Reply:
December 1st, 2008 at 3:04 pm
LOL! Were the kids laughing as mommy was all pretzel-like?
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Tara Cain Reply:
December 1st, 2008 at 3:27 pm
No! The kids were laughing because they couldn’t BELIVE how nibble mummy was . . .
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David Fowler Reply:
December 1st, 2008 at 3:42 pm
Pretzel and nibble? What the hell are you two banging on about? Isn’t it about time the pair of you had your fix of nuts?
Tara Cain Reply:
December 1st, 2008 at 3:45 pm
Nimble nimble nimble.
Bloody hell, nibble was a bit of a Freudian slip!
David Fowler Reply:
December 1st, 2008 at 3:50 pm
You are a SHOCKER young lady! Now we know where your mind was. Honestly! TSK!
Tara Cain Reply:
December 1st, 2008 at 3:57 pm
I was going rant about ’sorry dad’ and ‘you’ve only (only!) got 4 kids Dave’ but then you called me a young lady and, well, all is forgiven.
Congratulations, Dave. I’m like the panther. I never stretch or warm up either. Good job on living to your word. It is indeed a grand feeling.
Writer Dad’s last blog post..Writer Dad in Rough Draft
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David Fowler Reply:
December 1st, 2008 at 11:24 am
I do think I should pay more attenton to stretching after the act. I’ll work on it.
It’s a good feeling to get ahead, and the productivity high has remained for the entire day. There’s still more I can do today and I believe I’ll get it done too.
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Tara Cain Reply:
December 1st, 2008 at 3:28 pm
Don’t say ‘after the act’, it just sounds . . . wrong!
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David Fowler Reply:
December 1st, 2008 at 3:41 pm
I’ll tell you what’s wrong today…. my spelling and typing skills. Of course, I didn’t realise this until after the act.
Woo hoo! I only roll out of bed at 4am to help my mom shop on the day after thanksgiving. But getting going right away in the morning really helps doesn’t it?
(Was that twinge from running your buns off?)
Avlor’s last blog post..Organizing Roundup: Laundry Room (and Leapsters don’t belong in the loo)
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David Fowler Reply:
December 1st, 2008 at 3:18 pm
I’d like to tell you it was a shrapnel wound from battle somewhere but it’s probably a touch of sciatica (I had to run that through the spel check hehe).
I made some buns yesterday but they’re not the same kind of buns obviously. It just put a funny image in my mind.
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Great first daily post! I LOVE walking early in the morning when nobody is out and the world looks and smells clean and fresh. It’s just so damned hard to wake up.
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David Fowler Reply:
December 1st, 2008 at 3:39 pm
It fits my antisocial nature to have the place to myself, at least at the start of the day.
I’ll be sure to smell it when I next go for a run in Wednesday morning.
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I gave up running because the ice would slosh out of my cocktail. Seriously, though, great job! Congratulations!
Betsy’s last blog post..THINKING OUTSIDE THE TRIBE
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I do weigh lifting two days a week at 5:30am and body flow one day a week at 5:30 am…with swimming afterwards for 60 minutes ( I am slow but consistent) 3 days a week I walk 5 miles briskly outside unless it is snowing and then I do the stairs at home.
I love getting up early for me….my routine is done, I am awake and I get so much work done – I am amazing! but I have no night life as I go to bed at 8:30pm promptly except tonight where I am still trying to catch up at 10pm
Good luck – journaling keeps me on track daily.
Patricia’s last blog post..Chug, Chug, Toot, Toot
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