changes

It has been a while since my last post. Mainly because I have been confused, confused about my health and my training. Yes I did complete the Half Marathon in St. Augustine. No I didn't make my goal time of 2:30:00... it was actually 2:32:50.... I know you are thinking. 2 minutes and 50 seconds too slow and you are disappointed? Yes I am disappointed and concerned.. Not because I didn't make my time but because of the pain I felt afterwards, and the amount of time it took me to recover. after a week I was still hurting in my ankle and the lack of energy, and the foggy feeling I had all of the time. After doing some research I came to get the feeling that I was showing all of the signs of being anemic, which I found out happens to some vegans. So I had a decision to make: Do I try to tweak my diet or do I re-evaluate my long term goals and determine what direction to go.

After thinking about this and doing more research and sitting down and really trying to determine what I want to do, I decided that I wanted to stop living the vegan lifestyle. I decided that my long term goals are to put on muscle, get much stronger, and to shape my body and get healthy. So starting this past Tuesday I have slowly been easing back into eating meat. so after 2.5 months and 30 lbs shredded I have changed back.

WHAT IS MY PLAN??
I am going to hit the gym as hard as I can. I am going to do 20 minutes of cardio 2 times per day. I am going to eat every 3 hours. I am going to become the best that I can be. I am starting a 12 week program and I will not cheat, I will not skip a workout, and I will not falter. I want more for me and my family.

BABY BROWN UPDATE:
Baby Brown is growing and growing and growing. I am getting to the point now that I am so ready to meet the munchkin. I feel like I am being tortured, it is literally like waiting for Christmas. I feel like I have a present under the tree but I can't open it. let me rephrase that it is like have a present under the tree that you know what it is and you have wanted for a long time but you have to wait. I know it will be worth the wait.

That is all for now. I promise to keep you posted. Tonight is my first workout and it is legs day. it is going to be good!

This week was a wash.

This past week was a waste of a training week. Mainly because I DIDN'T TRAIN. I ran 1 mile all week and that was on my lunch break on Friday. I just didn't feel up to it. It was one of those weeks that you wish that you could just erase. After getting some bad news on Sunday, the week began in a downward exhausting spiral. Monday I had class until 8:30 at night, Tuesday I has a deacon's meeting, Wednesday I had church, Thursday I had Trunk-o-Treat at the church, Friday consisted of cleaning the house top to bottom since we had company coming, Saturday I played golf with friends and family, and today we have had church. so basically I have been very busy. I have not had the drive to go run. I have to get a 12 mile run in sometime at the beginning of the week and then I have another one on Saturday.

I am just not feeling motivated. Tuesday we are going to the doctor for our scheduled baby check up and we are going to be asking the doctor if it is okay for Juliet to travel to St. Augustine fl for the half marathon. I really hope we can go. I am not going to go without her. I really hope we get to go. If not I will absolutely be doing a half marathon on thanksgiving in Atlanta.

Though I have been feeling a bit down lately, we had a great church service this morning. I could feel the spirit moving at multiple times during the service I had goose bumps. I guess a big issue I am currently having is stress. I am stressed out about making sure everything is in order when baby Brown decides to make an appearance. It is difficult to streamline operation of the audio/visual team when I am used to taking care of the entire thing. I have a good friend of mine that is going to take care of it while I am gone but I just want to make sure there are no surprises for him while I am gone.  I am used to troubleshooting on the fly and I feel very comfortable with the system we use and with electronics so it is not a big deal for me to run into a snag, but he is new to all of these things and the process. I know this is God teaching me to be faithful and trust that he will take care of things. I just need to stop being stubborn and to let him take care of it. You would think that after all of this time I wouldn't work about things but every once in a while I just get caught up in trying to make things perfect. I am going to try to stop worrying about it and go read my Runner's World Magazine and relax. Have a good one.

Running again soon?

The answer is yes. Yes, my dear running watch. I know it has been a while. 7 days to be exact. YES I have been counting. I have forgotten how terrible I feel when I don't run and how it changes my entire demeanor (don't believe me? ask Juliet she can tell you how cranky I am when I don't run). If you read my last post then you know that I am/was injured. 

 

I went to the chiropractor yesterday. The chiro did an x-ray and thank goodness nothing was fractured, cracked, broken, or damaged that he could tell. He was able to tell that I was all out of alignment.

 

Before I tell you what he did, I want to start by saying, after my work at GEICO and dealing with people who see chiropractors for 3 months after a car accident in which only a mirror got knocked off, I don't have a hole lot of faith in the chiro practice and I pretty much think it is a "voodoo" type of treatment.  I went into this appointment to just make sure I wasn't broken inside my hip bone or anything. I could see by the x-ray that I was twisted to the side. I could see it in my hip, my spine and my pelvis. so the doc made me lay on the table he felt my ankles and determined my entire right side was "out of alignment" and he grabbed the ankle and nearly jerked me off of the table HAHA. he did a few other adjustments in my lower back and sent me on my way. The good thing I got out of the appointment was that I not only could run, but that I MUST run. They want me to test it out and come back next week. So that means my long run is on for tonight. 10 miles - I can't wait. it is a good thing because the half marathon is 22 days: 23 hours: and 31 minutes away.

 

BABY BROWN

The munchkin is doing well. Mama Brown is tired but moving along. The room is painted. I have begun to put the doors back on the closets in the room. We are planning on an IKEA trip in the morning to have some time to ourselves shopping for the baby stuff. I have no idea what Mama Brown is wanting to get for the room there so it will be exciting.

 

THE GREAT REVEAL

This week God has shown me that apparently he wants me to be a "handy man" haha. when we bought our house they had just put in a new A/C and Gas furnace.  Well the A/C has been working all summer but the heat has never been turned on. I decided this week it would probably be wise to test it since the weather is getting cold here. It didn't cut on - Worst feeling ever. I know nothing about furnaces, or heating units other than where the thing is under the house. I only know that because I have had to go under the house a million times since we bought the house to run cables, or water lines, etc. Well somehow I managed to get the thing running. It appears the gas was turned off. so I turned it on and sat and smelled to make sure no gas was leaking out or anything and we were good to go. I also stopped a leaking shower this week by replacing the washer in the handle.  It amazes me how God has given me the knowledge, the resources, and the understanding to handle issues or improvements in the house.

WEIGH IN
I weighed this morning. I am officially 22 pounds lighter than I was 2 months ago. 238 pounds. It is weird to me when I thought before I still have 40 pounds to go it seemed like such a big thing but 38 pounds is no big deal. If I lose 13 more pounds I will be at my 1st marathon weight but that isn't enough.

So, why am I doing all of this?
This seems to be the question on everyone's mind. Why do you want to run that far? why did you give up meat? Why are you so worried about your health now?

The reason is: The Munchkin, and Juliet. I want this baby to see that being active and healthy is the way to be. The world is full of health issues, and just in my side of the family diabetes, heart disease, strokes, thyroid problems, cancer, degenerative back disease, etc run rampant. I run because to me every step that I take lowers the chance of me dealing with these issues. I also don't want to have a son or daughter that sits in the house and plays video games non-stop. The other reason I run is because it clears my mind, it makes me mentally tough, and it gives me time to think and pray about the things I care about and the decisions I am making. Yes, I know running 10 miles on a Friday night or Saturday morning is not most people's idea of a good time, but to me that is my time. My time to release the stress of the week, to push myself to the limits, and to get a grasp on where I am going to go in my life. I dare you to try it.

 

WORRIED

As I sit in my chair I am feeling a great amount of pain in my hip joint. Not on the outside but it seems to be inside the joint. This injury seems to be one that haunts me. It came up during my Marathon and is one in which ended my running in the past. So far on my "comeback tour" it has been a hit-or-miss pain. Some days I run and I feel nothing, and then somedays like today I don't do anything yet the pain shoots all of the way down my right leg. I am beginning to be concerned. I am going to take a few days off this week, do some work on the bike and possibly do a short run on Saturday morning instead of the 11 miles on the schedule. It is too early in the week to decide that but I am going to keep it in the back of my mind. I am going to listen to my body. I have a half marathon in 27 days 14 hours and 54 minutes and I cannot afford to be injured. I am also thinking that I am going to make an appointment with a doctor to see about it. I just don't want to run through the pain and end up seriously injuring myself. I just hope that this injury doesn't stop my marathon goal in January.

On a more positive and happy note I got on the scale this morning and I am down to 240 lbs. I have officially lost 20 pounds in a month and a half. I was shocked when I discovered that I lost 2 pounds this week. I found myself telling Juliet today that I am not planning on eating meat ever again. WHAT?!?! I can't believe that I am considering never eating meat again. It is weird. We are about to be in a time where the real test is going to occur - THANKSGIVING. No turkey, no dressing, no ham, no macaroni and cheese, etc.... this is going to be intense. but I am just going to focus on the fact that I have been down that road, I know where it leads. It leads to 260 lbs. Now that I think about it It will not be that big of a deal haha.

Please throw a prayer out for me and the hip pain. I have to do what is best for me but my goals are out there and I want to reach them.

WELCOME BACK MR BROWN

WOW... it has been a while. I have so much to say and update. I guess that is why I haven't posted in a while. I have been crazy busy.

My Training:

I have been training like crazy. The Saturday before last I had 7 miles. I can honestly say that was probably the best long run I have ever had. I felt so good afterwards. I say that because I have been trying to deal with the injury that has seemed to haunt me on and off since my marathon. A pain in my hip. It feels like my hip is trying to pop out of place but only when I walk. When I run I feel pretty good and have very little pain. I told Juliet that that tells me that I should never walk and just run around all of the time. SHE DISAGREES. I actually shocked myself after that 7 miler when I did some stretching hoping that I would avoid the hip pain and I realized that I have NEVER stretched after a run. I mean NEVER. One would think that with all of the miles I have run over the years I would have thought this was a good idea. I guess not. Now that I have revealed how much of a dummy I am I will continue on. The 7 miles was great. In the past I stuck to eating gummy bears as fuel during my runs partially because I love gummy bears and partially because it was easy, but during this long run I tried out a 'GU' for those of you who do not know what GU is, think of it as pure fuel. the GU website says

What's in it?

• Carbohydrates - GU provides athletes with a dose of 100 calories in the form of 70-80% maltodextrin and 30-20% fructose (The ratio depends upon the flavor.). Why the mix? It’s a complex carbohydrate, and studies have shown that some complex carbs are actually digested faster than simple sugars like table sugar and honey.
• Amino Acid Blend - GU features a unique blend of amino acids to combat muscle fatigue, accelerate the conversion of carbohydrates into usable energy, and maintain mental focus.
• Electrolytes - Sodium and potassium to replenish what is lost during strenuous activity.
• Caffeine - Some GU flavors are caffeinated while others are not. We add caffeine for two reasons: It acts as a stimulant and it lowers the perceived effort.

I have tried it in the past and I was disgusted, but after hearing some positive things from a few people and doing some research I decided to get this one. It was DELICIOUS. Most people know I do not like sweets but I love caramel and I love salty things. So after that 7 miler Juliet and I went to Academy Sports (the only place I could find them) and bought the entire box on the shelf. 17 packets.  My new go to for fueling. I feel like if I am going to get up on Saturday mornings to run, I should have a treat to go along with it. 

This past Saturday I completed a 8 mile run. It was harder because I was running on only 6 hours of sleep and a bean burrito for dinner the night before (bad choice), but I finished the run and moved on with my day.
  
Now that I have talked about how great my running is going. I have to say I am injured in the worst possible place, my right heel. Last night at church the class I help with went out to the play ground and I got drug into a game of basketball with the boys. The ground is dirt and has rocks, and roots, and bark on it. I was in my work shoes that have no padding and I stepped on a rock in my heel. I am regretting it now. I hope it is better by Saturday because I have a 9 mile run on the schedule.

BABY BROWN/NURSERY UPDATE

The Nursery is almost done. On Monday I painted the ceiling and the crown molding I also used some wood filler on the joints of the other wood in the room and I sanded it down. Luckily some of our family is coming in tonight and is going to paint tomorrow while we are at work. That is awesome because I am running on fumes at this point. We ran into some snags on the way but I am starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. It is about time because the baby shower is in 3 weeks.

The 'Munchkin' as we have decided to call it seems to be growing like a weed. It is funny to see that Juliet has a 'Mommy Belly' but is not changing in any other way. She is so beautiful and I find myself just watching her sometimes it is strange to be able to sit beside a miracle being performed.  

That leads me to the next portion of this post

THE GREAT REVEAL

Being in the house with a pregnant wife is mind blowing, when I think about the fact that she is forming a human being at this very moment it reminds me how blessed I am. I know personally when I hear about Jesus performing miracles I think sometimes "could you imagine being there to see Him heal the sick or raise the dead?" How could anyone doubt God's presence? look around, pregnant women are everywhere haha. I have no doubt that God performs miracles on a daily, heck maybe even hourly basis. I would consider myself a logical person, Juliet is the emotional one in the family. So when we make decisions it tends to be Juliet that becomes emotionally invested and finds the meaning in things and I look at the different angles to see if it is a smart decision or not or if it makes sense logically. Being a logical person tends to keep me disconnected and unattached to most things. So not too long ago I began praying and asking God to soften my heart and allow me to be a little more emotional and not so logical, and then Munchkin came on the scene. I am astounded how God answers my prayers, It also makes me be careful about what I pray for LOL. God has made me more soft hearted has opened my eyes. I can say without a doubt that I would do anything no matter what for Juliet and Munchkin. GOD DOES ANSWER PRAYERS. 

Rough week

This week has been rough and it is only wednesday morning. I haven't been running all week and I am beginning to feel horrible. I played golf yesterday and I played as though I had never played before. It was disgusting. Right now I am laying in the bed with my head hurting and severe pain in my neck and back- I think it is the way I slept on it but I can barely knowing move.  I took 4 ibuprofen a few minutes ago. I need to do running but if I can barely walk I am not going to push myself to run. I have church tonight so it will be a long day. Wednesday nights tend to be a 4hour ordeal for me since I ride the bus to pick up the kids. Wednesday nights are hard for me because I am not able to eat dinner with everyone at church due to my vegan lifestyle so I end up eating at 9:00 every Wednesday night. I am sorry that this post is so down. I am just struggling this week.  On the plus side I am down to 243 pounds. Only 43 more pounds and I will be at my goal. I can only  imagine what running will be like without all of this extra weight slowing me down. 7 minute mile maybe? Who knows but I have a long way to go. I will post on k y long run this past weekend very soon. I just have to get out of this funk first.

GET A LITTLE PEP IN YO' STEP

Do you ever wake up with a pep in yo' step? This morning was kind of like that. I will have to admit when that alarm went off at 5:00 I did not want to get up and go running!!! (yes that is 3 exclamation marks) But I always know in the back of my mind that I will feel better after my run, So I got up and headed out the door. Today I had 2 miles on the schedule. Since yesterday was a long day, Month end process at work, that was also quarter end. I was there until 5 and then I had class form 5:30 - 8. Mondays are always crazy because of the class thing going on and last night my dinner ended up being a few Pita Chips despite Juliet threatening to beat me. They are totally my favorite thing to eat, but not very good fuel for running the next morning. Those 2 miles this morning were a little difficult. Not too bad but tough.

I am pretty sure that Juliet was having a sugar high after eating her Lucky Charms this morning or else it was the sleep she has been getting since she got her recliner to sleep in. She was dancing and laughing and all kinds of stuff this morning which always makes me happy. I decided that I was going to make today great no matter what the circumstances. It is golf day how can it be a bad day?---- FORE

BABY BROWN

Baby Brown seems to be growing like a weed. I can now see the little kicks and punches being thrown when Juliet lays down. This kid is possibly going to be a Boxer or MMA fighter from the power it has. Juliet said this morning that the baby was dancing around as soon as she woke up and continued to say "I think we are in trouble with this one." I told her we are going to get paid back for all of the things that she did growing up. We wont have much to worry about the things that I did growing up because I was an angel haha. Hey this is my blog I can say what I want and you have to believe it. Like the commercial says "they can't put anything on the internet that isn't true"

NURSEY UPDATE

This past weekend we found a light for the nursery and it has been installed and is working. I also changed the light switch for it. We are getting close.

Things left to do:

• Paint the Ceiling
• Paint the Trim work
• 2nd coat of paint on the walls
• DONE and waiting for furniture

TRAINING UPDATE
Last Saturday I ran in a 10.2K in Warner Robins. It was both harder and easier than I expected. what I mean is my time was better than expected 1:06 for 6 miles. but if you think about it 6 miles does not equal 10.2km. At the end of the race a handful of us took a wrong turn and got the finish line coming the wrong direction. and ending up short or 6 miles. I was mad, mad at myself for not trusting my gut and turning with others when I knew it was too short. So immediately my logical mind kicked in and I got over it. I thought "I am only running in this thing to get my 6 mile training run" the problem was that I was short of my 6 miles. So I told Juliet that the could go to the car because I was going to get my training distance. So I ran through the parking lot until I reached my 6 miles. I was very sore afterwards and I seem to have pain in my hip (much like during my marathon) but it only hurts when I walk. It goes away when I run. Does that mean I should never walk again and maybe just run all the time? that would be weird at Walmart or somewhere. I have 2 miles tomorrow morning, Thursday and Friday and a long 7 mile run on Saturday. I am going to get that 7 miler done early so I can do other stuff the rest of the day.


THE GREAT REVEAL
This morning I did my running and came in got ready and ate breakfast. Juliet was getting ready so I sat down in the recliner and looked out at the backyard of course it was still dark so I couldn't really see anything. I had a sense of peace. I think this is the first moment I have slowed down in a while. It is strange to think about how I am always on the go. Either work, School, House work, Yard work, Golf, Church, running, Sleeping, etc.... the list goes on and on. So anyway I sat there and stared out into the darkness and began to think about this post. I thought about how God has provided for me. I began to think about where I have been where I am now and where I am headed. I never thought I would be married, owning a house, with a baby on the way. Mainly because 5 years ago I said I didn't want any of that. I decided that I would never get married because "I liked being single" I said buying a house was a waste of money and I had no desire to do it "I would rent forever" and I definitely did not want kids because if "I do my life is over". It is amazing how God changes your heart when you let him, and how things just seem to fall into place if you just get out of the way and let him work. Now I couldn't imagine life being different. This baby isn't even born, yet I find myself thinking about what it will be like. What it's likes and dislikes will be, what will it look like, who it will act like(scary thought knowing my family Wink Wink - pawpaw). Then the big question comes and I begin to feel uneasy. "Will I be a good father?" I don't know why this is on my mind a lot. Juliet seems to think that I will be a great dad and tells me that often, but I guess I just want to make sure. It is a scary thought that another human's life will be in my hands. I guess the fact that I think about this will help to ensure that I am a good father.

I feel like I have begun to ramble so I am going to end this post. MORE COMING SOON.

GET IT TOGETHER MR. BROWN

Today I am filled with mixed emotions. I feel blessed, I will hopeful and mostly I feel ashamed. Ashamed? you might ask. Yes I feel ashamed, I feel ashamed that I have been so busy and focused on other things going on in life that I have not spent time with God. Yes, I still pray at every meal and I pray here and there during the day when I have something or someone on my mind, but since I do not have a 15 minute commute to work anymore I do not have that quiet time of prayer and conversation with God and it seems that God has slowly slipped into the background of my life and this really depresses me. I actually find myself tearing up while writing this post since He has done so much for me and my family. Secondly, I have not spent time reading God's word in a while. It makes me feel ashamed and sad. Since I woke up at 5:00 this morning I have had this on my mind.

It is easy for me to justify it by saying "I just don't have time", "I don't know where to start", "I will do it tomorrow", or even "God will reveal to me when I need to do this" and it makes me wonder how many others are saying these same things. These are not acceptable for me. It is not that I don't have time, it is that I don't make time and God is letting me know that this morning. I sit here with a heavy heart and think about how I am a deacon and I should be a setting an example for others. I think about the mornings that I go running, the golf that I play, the TV I watch, The internet I surf, but I can't spend time with God?!?!? This causes me to feel another emotion of anger. Anger within myself. Am I really this selfish? Am I really this idiotic? I would rather watch TV then spend time with my Father? Unacceptable, Unacceptable in every form and fashion.

So, as most people know I like a plan. Here it is:

Since I go home for lunch everyday, I am going to spend that time praying and reading my Bible instead of watching TV. I am going to start small and work up. I feel like an hour is a pretty good start. The other thing I am going to do is before I go on my morning runs I am going to take a moment and pray before I go run. I think that for all of the things he has done for me I can spare a moment to do this and I really should be praying for a safe run before I go anyways since I am running in Macon in the dark on a road early in the morning (that reflective vest can only take me so far).

I also have a few other exciting things in the works, but I am not going to spill the beans just yet on those projects. More to come very soon.

Sorry for my rant, but if God has something to say I am not going to stand in the way. Maybe you are feeling the same way that I do. Maybe this post was meant to touch someone else.

Lets run

On Saturday morning I got up early since I had a 5k race that I signed up for even though I had been sick all week (I am goofy I know). I only did this because I have a half marathon to run in on November 17th and I know that race is not going to care if I was sick or not.

So I got to the race and realized that this was the smallest race I have ever run in. literally only 15 people were involved. That should have been a clue as to how this race would be, but it wasn't. the thing about large races is that you can pace yourself. You don't get mentally psyched out by seeing other people ahead of you because there are also people beside you and behind you. with a race size of 15 everyone is in a clump for most of the race. I ran to fast at the beginning doing about a 9 minute mile as apposed to my normal lately of 11:45 min/mile. Along with the sinus infection mixed with the beginning of bronchitis (as described by a doctor on wed) I was headed for disaster. I went out too fast got winded and worn out early and ended up walking pieces of it. I barely had enough energy left to do my signature run to the finish the moment I can see it. but I finished in 34:14. Not bad but my PR is 30:00 which was 2 years and 15 pounds ago. 

 

After the race a went home and immediately began working on the nursery. A good friend of mine, Ed, was coming over at 12 to help me with the crown molding since all I seem to be able to do is stand there, look at the unfinished pieces and scratch my head. Before Ed got there I was able to get the quarter round put down in the room and get everything set up for doing the crown molding. around 12 Ed got to the house and we knocked the crown molding out and then he left. It to about 2 and a half hours. after he left I got out the caulk and caulked the nail holes and the seams that I had not done previously, I also changed all 8 of the outlets in the room since the previous owners pained them green. Now all I have left to do is figure out what kind of light fixture we want in there and hang it, Paint the ceiling, and put a second coat of paint on the walls. It is starting to come together.

It is hard to believe that I did most of this work myself.

 

 

THE GREAT REVEAL

On Sunday night at church we did not have the usual evening service. We had time to say thank you to someone who has been an inspiration to us, even if they weren't in the room. All I could think about was my grandfather who has been there to be a role model to me since I was young. If you want to know why I am so goofy then hang out with him for 5 minutes. I began to think of the different moments that stood out in my life with him, from the times in pre-k that got me titled by my mom as the "pre-k drop out" my grandfather would take me to school and I would cry and hold his leg until he would put me back in the truck and let me go around with him all day (Mama didn't get told until later) or the fact that I would eat whatever he would eat and I had high cholesterol at 5. I also remember the time that he was getting on to me for something and we were having a conversation and I punched him in the nose. This is when the infamous "jap slapping" occurred, He felt terrible afterwards. Things that come to mind from my older years are the wedding he performed for my wife and I, or the deacon ordination service he did for me. Though I did not go into the details during the service it has been on my mind since then. He has always been a role model for me and has always shown me that God is the way. It is amazing to me how God places people in your life, in your path, or in your "way" to get you to where you are now. I know without my parents, my friends, my family, and my wife I would not be where I am now.

 

UPDATE: I forgot to mention my training run this morning. I only ran one mile but It felt easier than before, It also was much faster that previous weeks. I feel like I am slowly getting back into it and as long as I can stay healthy I will be good to go.
On a side note:

I have made it to 13 pounds lost. Down to 247 lbs.

Rough Week

I am thankful that this week has happened so early in the training process. I have not been able to run all week due to what has been determined to be a "severe sinus infection" along with the beginnings of Bronchitis. I have been put on 10 days of antibiotics and cough syrup. It has been a rough one in the Brown house this week because the wife has the same junk. she got some antibiotics on Tuesday so she is feeling a little better than me. I am running in a 5K on Saturday morning so I hope to feel up to running. Next Saturday I am running in a 10k to help with my training and the long runs. I plan on getting a large amount done in the nursery this weekend. I think I will go ahead and put down the quarter round, and change the sockets out. Tomorrow night (exciting Friday night)... and maybe I can get the crown molding finished on Saturday. I have to get to work because time is flying by and it is only picking up speed. We got our first real baby item last night in the mail. A free car seat canopy. It really made this feel real. I am so excited. It is going to be wonderful to meet this little munchkin in a few months. I think we will be ordering our furniture very soon for the baby's room and it is going to be amazing to see the room come together.

That's all for now, I am trying to stay awake after taking my cough syrup with hydrocodone (however you spell it) which is really getting to me.

Oh no

Today is a post to inform everyone of the status of training.

Saturday morning I got up at 5:15 and did 3 miles. It was great because I had negative splits each mile and I had a decent time overall, but the big plus was that I felt great afterwards.I even played 18 holes of golf after and shoot the best I ever have.I felt great.

I planned to get up and go do a quick mile this morning before work as my training plan is set up for. It didn't happen when I woke up I was freezing and my throat is killing me. I don't think I have a fever or anything but I do have a killer site throat.I am sitting here in my office at work freezing. I guess all of these changes are catching up with me and my body is mad but it will have to get over it because I am not going to give up. I have class tonight but I am debating not going. I'm thinking about going home after work  taking some Nyquil and getting in the bed. I have to get well because I have many miles to cover before November 17th.

On the bright side I have lost a total of 12 pounds now.I am down to 248. I would really love to be down around 225 before the half marathon but I am not going to kill myself trying to do it.

Nursery update
I have a good friend of mine coming over tomorrow night to help me with the crown molding in the nursery. If I can get that part done I will have a huge load lifted off of me because the rest is easy. We shall see.

I know it is only Monday but I am looking forward to this weekend of staying at home. Going to rockmart like we did last weekend wears me out so much.

I have a 4 mile run planned Saturday morning but I may bump it up to 5 miles because I am running in a 10k the next weekend and I want to be prepared.

Other than that not much is going on. I wasn't feeling well this morning so I didn't get to eat breakfast. I had my coffee thinking it would easy my sore throat. No luck. I also had one of those emergen-c packets to help me feel better.

I will keep you posted

Long Run

I have made it 3 days without my post even though I have been really wanting to report everything. my running is going great. I am so excited about my long run tomorrow even though it is only 3 miles. I find myself thinking about running all of the time, looking forward to the next run and that 5:15 am wake up. It has been a while since I have been that way. I will have to say that I am sleeping better now that I am doing this. My 3 mile run tomorrow will be in Rockmart and I am still trying to decide how I am going to do it because I am going to be getting up early to go since I am playing golf with my grandfather early.

 

THE MUNCHIES

I am at the point now that I do not even really have to think about what I can eat and what I cannot. I don't miss meat, I don't miss dairy. My favorite meal is from Taki, the Vegetable Hibachi. It is delicious. I told Juliet yesterday that I could eat it for every meal. Her response was " I will learn to cook it" I am so lucky to have her in my life.  

BABY BROWN 
It is like clockwork every time Juliet lays down for bed the baby starts having a dance party. It is amazing to watch. The baby is getting big enough now that you can watch the little bumps on the mommy belly. I am more amazed every time. I haven't met this little one yet but I can't wait until I do.  

 

THE BROWN'S NEST

Things have been on hold this week for the house. we had an ant invasion yesterday in the bedroom. I am going to have to really deal with this soon. I have a feeling that this means pulling up all of the baseboards in the house and sealing everything up with caulk or foam. It is going to be a ton of work, but I have to get everything taken care of. This of course is on hold until after the nursery gets completed.

 

THE GREAT REVEAL
 Today I am feeling just how blessed I am to have Juliet in my life. She is going to be a great mother. She is a better wife that I can even explain. She takes care of me. She makes me a better person, and pushes me to succeed in anything I do (even if I don't want to).  She believes in me in times I do not. yesterday I sent her a message advising I knew  what I want for my birthday in January, To run another marathon. Yes I know this is crazy and I am out of my mind, but apparently she didn't think so. She has already told someone I was running it. Haha. I'm glad I was serious and not messing with her. All I know is that God has blessed me and I know I am not worthy.

 

A quick note

This is going to be a short post. Not formatted like the others. I just have some updates to throw out. First of all - I have hit the 10 pound mark. I can't believe that I have lost that much weight so quickly. It appears that my body is bouncing back and it is a weight burning machine. I got up at 5:15 this morning and did a 1 mile run. It was a very slow run, but I want to ease back into this to avoid injury. It was very peaceful running in the dark this morning all alone.  Last night we decided that the half marathon I am going to do is going to be in St Augustine FL on November 17 at 7:00 am. It is the only one that is feasible at this point due to the constraints (not too early, not too far away, etc...) I don't think that I have ever been there so it will be exciting. It will also be a chance for the Brown's to get away and spend some time together before the baby arrives.

How I am going to succeed:

1. Be prepared - I am going to get everything ready for my run the night before to eliminate wasting time looking for things. I will wear my running shirt and shorts to sleep in, plug my watch and phone up the night before. No excuses

2. Start Slow - Last time I jumped into running I ended up injuring myself, and made running no fun. Though I am stubborn I am going to force myself to just focus on getting the miles under me instead of time. The time will come naturally as I become in better shape.

3. Focus - It is time to get everything in order, I am cutting my golf back to once a week to allow me to get other things done. At this point I have a full schedule after work everyday, Monday - Class until 8:00, Tuesday - Golf, Wednesday - Church, Thursday - Golf, Friday- House Work. It is just too much. I am hoping that if I cut back a day of golf I can do other things on that day and free up the weekend a little bit. I have to see the start line before I can see the finish.

4. Be dedicated - I have a plan, I must stick to it, rain or shine ( I would imagine at 5:15am I wont see any shine) I know there are times in which I am going to want to lay in the bed and get that extra 45 minutes of sleep, but really it is ONLY 45 minutes. Saturdays will be the hard ones for me, but if I get up early think how much I can get done during the day.

5. Pay Attention - Pay attention to my body, if I need to slow down during a run, slow down. If I have pain fix it. Pay attention to my surroundings. I am running in the dark in Macon most people would probably cringe at the thought, but I feel like as long as I pay attention to what is around me I will be okay. Juliet made me go buy a reflective vest last night on my way to class so that makes me feel better.

CHANGE IN PLANS

THE MUNCHIES
This week has been much easier. I have found I can eat a lot of different things. Juliet actually made me spaghetti last night... don't worry NO MEAT. She replaced the meat in mine with black beans. It was actually pretty good. I was surprised honestly. I have come to realize that bean burritos are my friend. Juliet loves to go eat mexican food. So I have been getting two bean burritos and today I added rice. I actually enjoyed it. My other love I have found is Hummus with Pita Bread. My Running has still been on hold due to LIFE.. I have made the decision that I cannot do my running in the afternoon due to me being so busy (school, work, golf, house work, church, etc...) Today Juliet and I were talking to someone at church and they asked about my half marathon I had planned for november 9... I just hung my head and said I don't think I am going to be able to do it.... Juliet asked me a little later if I was really not going to do it... I can't give up... so we decided after looking at the cost of the race I had planned and the Hotels being crazy expensive that I will do a different one. I call her my manager, since she has selected every race I have done except for 1.. and that 1 that I selected for myself ended up being a trail race half marathon that almost killed me.... no trail races for me. So we are going to look into it to figure it out tonight.... I also have decided to begin doing my running in the mornings before work since It is cooler and I do not have any excuses other than "i'm tired"(I will get over that one. More to come....


BABY BROWN

The baby is moving and kicking all of the time these days. it is so amazing to me to feel it hit my hand. it really blows my mind that my baby is so close to me. the only thing that separates us is what I refer to as "The Mommy Belly." I hope the world is ready for a little one to be here because I know mommy and daddy are ready. On another note I am one step closer or should I say one board closer to finishing the nursery. I was able to get one corner finished the other day and then I cut 2 or 3 pieces wrong after so I stopped. but at least that one is right...

THE BROWN'S NEST
the "gate" I talked about last week is more of an actual gate. My uncle, who is a miracle worker with metal, came and we actually got it to sit straight, made it so I could lock it with a padlock and made it swing freely. I also realized that I can cut my grass with this new lawnmower in about 20 minutes. I was able to do it during halftime of the UGA game yesterday. haha. Even though I wanted them to lose at least I was productive during half time.

THE GREAT REVEAL
Today I participated in my 1st Lord's Supper as a Deacon. Yes, I was ordained as a deacon in March and we have had a few since then, but somehow I was out of town on every occasion. So it felt good to finally be able to serve my church and to take part in this great service. During the service I began to really think about the representation, and everything that God has done for me and the blessings he pours out on me and my family even though I do not deserve it. I guess I should have thought about this before and I am sure that I have, but I find myself usually doing the powerpoint or the sound board and being busy during it. Today, I keep getting the feeling that God has something in the works he is about to reveal to me. I am not sure what or why but I am open and ready. God has given me skills and abilities and I intend on using them for whatever he has planned since they belong to him anyway. Please pray for me and my family, that I will be opened to whatever it is that God is going to have me to do and I will follow in which ever direction he wants me to go.

Week 1 Wrap Up

I have decided that in each post I am going to attempt to include my eating/running,  my family's progress,  house updates,  and something God has shown me lately.

 

THE MUNCHIES

After a week of the new diet I have been feeling tired.  I have found that I am not eating enough. I am going to work on this.  I have been sleeping better until last night.  This morning has been a struggle but I am sticking in there.  Juliet has really been helping me to succeed in this new lifestyle. She has taken me to the grocery store and we picked up some different things,  and she has probably done more research than I have. I seem to be losing weight so that is good.  I have gone from 260 to 254 overall. That is still way too high but I am happy with the progress. I also know that most of the weight is probably water weight and is going to be easy to lose at first.

My running has been on hold since. Last week because the family was in town and I wanted to spend time with them but I plan on starting again today.

 

BABY BROWN

Juliet has been very tired this past week/weekend I have been trying to do as much as possible so she is able to rest.  Friday I sent her to get a pedicure while I cleaned the house.  I have felt the baby kick a few times and it is amazing. It blows my Mind that I am being  blessed with this miracle. I know people have babies all the time but to me it still makes me feel special that I am starting my own family.

 

Nursery update
I am still in the process of completing the nursery. It looks awesome.  The crown molding has been a nightmare, but I found a video tutorial this morning that I think will solve the problem.

 

 

 

 

Things remaining on the nursery:

• Crown molding
• Quarter round
• Second coat of paint
• Change Receptacles
• New light fixtures

 

THE BROWN'S NEST

Yesterday I had my new riding lawnmower delivered. The funny thing about it was that I was not able to get it from the front yard to the bank. The key word there is "was".  I purchased a angle grinder and created a new "gate" (see photo below)  and solved the problem.  I still have some work to do like a lock and a smooth open on it but it works for the time being.

 

 

THE GREAT REVEAL
This weekend I was playing golf with my dad and we began talking about church and such and we came to the topic of tithing.
we talked about how It Is amazing that if you tithe faithfully God will bless more than you can imagine. It made me think how great God is and how he takes care of my family. It seems backwards if you don't know first hand.  It seems like if you give more the less you will have (economics 101) 1-1=0 but in reality God's blessings are more like 1-1=1000.  This made me think about where I have been and how my life has changed. God has always been there for me even when I wasn't following him. I just wish I would have realized it earlier in life. As many of you know I went to Auburn University and earned a Bachelors in Industrial Design. I graduated and was not able to find a job in that field, so I obtained a position at GEICO. I was extremely bitter that I did not find a job with my degree and found myself being miserable pretty much all of the time, but while I was at work I tried to keep on a happy face and to work as hard as I could to keep those around me happy and in a positive mood. On the inside I was miserable and nobody knew it better than my wife who almost on a weekly basis got to experience my mental breakdowns, along with the depression that I was going through. I tried everything to change what was going on, I filled my life with distractions, Running, Eating, Monster Energy Drinks(haha) etc... but I could never cheer up. I applied for so many jobs that it wasn't even funny anything from design jobs to an installation tech for a satellite company and do you believe I did not get a single call back?? This just made me even more angry. My wife even told me that she felt like I had lost all of the joy in my life and that it made her sad that I was no longer the joking, immature guy who always had a smile on his face and a pep in his step. Then it happened. I was on my way to work one morning and I decided that I couldn't make anything happen. This next part probably sounds cheesy, but it actually happened. I began to pray and I gave it to God. I told God that I couldn't do it alone, that I tried to make a change and to get out of my current situation. I also apologized for being selfish and ungrateful for all of the things he had given me (my wife, my family, a job that put food on the table, a roof over my head,etc...) and it told God that I was putting it in his hands and that I knew that he was going to take care of me when the time was right and for some reason he had me there and I would do whatever it is that he wanted me to do. I prayed this for weeks. Every morning I took time to thank him for everything he was doing in my life and to tell him once again that I could not do it without him and amazingly things began to turn around. No I didn't get a new job immediately, I didn't win a million dollars, I didn't come across a lost treasure somewhere. All that happened was "Nothing". My job got better and I finally got caught up (I had been behind for 4 months) my attitude began to change and I felt content and happy with what was going on. It took me a while to say anything to Juliet about what I was doing every morning on the way to work because I wasn't doing it for her, I was doing it for me. When I finally did tell her she acted as though she already knew. She said that she knew something was going on because she saw more of the "old me" coming around here and there. I had worked in my job unhappy for about 2 years with no change in sight and in a matter of 2 months things began to change. I told Juliet one day that I wanted to get God back as the foundation of my life again instead of him being on the sidelines.

 

The next part is the miracle. Can you believe that once I decided this I was asked not long after to become a Deacon at my church? I got a programming job without having a degree in it, and I am making more money? I have been blessed with a home to share with my beautiful wife, and now I have a baby on the way? Let someone try to tell me that God doesn't exist or that he doesn't answer prayers. God just had to take a stubborn old mule like me - put my entire life on hold, and bring me to my knees before I would look up and focus on what was important, HIM.

 

On a side note: I was shown later a small glimpse of God's plan when I found out that even though I was miserable I gave hope and I kept a coworker of mine going during a time that she was struggling. It is amazing to me that God always has a plan and I was there for a reason. 

 

I am sorry this post is so long, I promise that I will make them shorter in the future. I just felt led to post my story this morning.