Starting off on a good note!

Last week was too busy for a lot of running. And this week is kind of a 'taper week' because I have a 5K race this Saturday. But I am going to get some miles in this week, starting with today.

I went to LifeTime after work to run a 5K Tempo Run, and test out doing 3/1 intervals instead of my usual continuous run. I am running with my son in this race (which is SO very cool) and he is not yet ready to run a full 3.1 miles without a break. So running for 3-minutes, walking 1 minute should be a good plan for him.

Tonight was a great run! I did a 5-minute warm-up, and then started my first run segment at a 9:30/mm pace. My walk segments were a slow 17:00/mm recovery pace. I kept to that pacing strategy for the next 3.2 miles and felt very strong the whole time. The overall pace for the 3.2 miles was 10:52/mm. I ended with a 5-minute cool-down. Total miles: 3.79

After the run, I changed into swim trunks and walked 16 laps in the pool, partly to use the cool water to cool down my muscles and partly to add another 1/2 mile to my training. Then I rested in the Jacuzzi for 15 minutes before hitting the showers. All in all, a great workout evening!

The "Take Him With You" Podcast interviewed me about my Journey

Over three years ago, I connected with an online community at "Treks in SciFi" -- a web site, forum, and podcast devoted to science fiction and fantasy lovers. And with me being a huge Star Trek and Star Wars fan, it was a natural fit; and I have met some fantastic friends there.

Among those new friends were Rick and Amy Moyer from Washington (state). They are great people. And they have their own podcast called "Take Him With You" which offers spiritual encouragement, focusing less on the secular 'church' and more on developing a personal relationship with Christ.

The podcast covers lots of different topics that affect the lives of everyday folks. They approached me a little while ago, asking if I would share my 'weight loss' journey with their listeners as a way of encouraging and inspiring others to perhaps start their own journey towards healthier living.

I was excited (and nervous) about doing a podcast with them again (my last podcast with Rick was for Treks in SciFi where we covered the TV series "The Six Million Dollar Man" and "The Bionic Woman"). It was a lot of fun to talk with them about how I got started on my journey, how I started exercising and running, and how I stay motivated to keep moving forward.

If you would like to listen to the podcast, you can download it via iTunes or listen to it online by clicking here. It is my hope that something in my words will encourage and inspire you to continue or begin your path towards a healthier 2012!