Resolutions

So today seems as good a day as any to start a fitness blog. I kind of wish I'd started in a couple months ago when I first decided to get in shape, so I could actually track the pretty decent progress I've made, but alas I am lazy and afraid to be all gung ho about something I might forget, and then have evidence of my failure when I inevitably slink off in a cloud of shame and self-doubt.

New Year's Resolutions are a dime a dozen, and I usually don't take them too seriously, but this year I made two.
1. Be physically able to run 3.1 miles straight. I didn't have to run an actual race, just make it for that distance.
2. Drink more Guinness. I live in Boston, where everyone is at least a little Irish if only from bumping into real Irish people on the T, so this one wasn't going to be a problem.

Of course, I mostly forgot about #1.

Anyway, a couple months ago I was out on the town with a couple friends and as per usual we'd all had about seven too many Guinni (see, not a problem). Long story short, some Leprechaunesque dude gave my friend Jenna some crap about her hair for absolutely no reason, and made her cry. I tried to roundhouse kick him in the head, but failed miserably and had to settle for an emphatic "You sir, are SHORT!" and drag Jenna off while she hysterically tried to extract an apology from the loser.
I decided then and there that I must get in shape, if only to defend myself and my friends from the collar-popping douchebags who roam these city streets.

So I started running for serious. Again. I've started and stopped running/working out/etc so many times I can't even keep track. The most I'd run before this was maybe two miles at a time, and that was maybe once. I got a Nike+iPod kit and started the Health.com 5K program. I liked this training plan because it started me off with more jogging/running than the Couch to 5K and I generally like running, mostly away from things like my problems. I started with 3/2 intervals and eventually got up to 4/1 intervals with a mile pace of 13:10 and last night I ran two miles straight at 9:28. Not a huge amount of progress for almost three months and certainly not awesomely speedy, but it's the best I've ever done and I enjoy patting myself on the back and giving myself ice cream cones for my troubles. I got so excited about this, that I signed up for a 5K! It's in less than two weeks and I think I might be insane. We'll see.

Just about three weeks ago I started lifting weights. Thanks to this totally awesome site, I was able to wade through the testosterone-scented confusion surrounding weightlifting and devise a beginning plan to turn myself into an ass-kicking machine. After the initial mistake I made of doing three sets of squats and not being able to walk for a week (I actually called out of work because I couldn't climb out of bed), I think it's been going pretty well. Apparently the cure for squats is more squats.

In addition, I am trying to overcome my fear of the gym, particularly the scary scary weight room. I don't even know where it is in my gym, but if I can get used to the hamstery awfulness of the treadmill I can eventually ask a Friendly Staff Member where the weight room is and if it is scary. For now I will stick with the small & medium sized dumbbells and not mess with the big iron.

So, this is about where I am right now. I have no particular weight loss goals besides not wanting to weigh half as much as Shaq (several years ago Shaq anyway), and being continually able to fit into all the clothing I currently own.

And to drink more Guinness.