New Year, New Me?

Happy (belated) New Year’s. I wish you all a happy and healthy New Year.

So why did I title my blog entry as “New Year, New Me”? Well…for starters I entered the new year without the use of crutches. My medical history has prevented me from starting the new year healthy. Two hip surgeries later, I feel great.

And as I enter the new year pain free, 2014 will be a defining year for yours truly. In 2010, I was at my healthiest and strongest. Upon feeling healthy and vowing to never look back at my old 250+ pound self, I decided I wanted to run the NYC Marathon in 2012.

Fast forward to 2011, I felt my body breaking down. Femoroacetabular Impingement (FAI) was the cause to my malaise. My hips hurt. My confidence shattered. And my desire to run in the NYC Marathon in 2012 was in question.

Enter Dr. Bryan T. Kelly in the spring of 2011. His experience in arthroscopic hip surgery has been mentioned in this blog countless times over. But once again I must state, we approached this head on. One option given to me was to alter my activities. Running and working out has become a constant fixture in my life. While I stopped working out for six months at the discretion of Dr. Kelly, my confidence was not completely deflated. And my dream of running in the marathon was not dead. The dream was and to this very day remains ALIVE.

Two hip surgeries later I have never felt better. My hips no longer ache. The running path is clear. I am now running without worries or fear. Today I prepare for my toughest and most probably task, the NYC Marathon.

Training has not been kind to me. But I recently realized I was the one to blame. For instance my cardio lacked intensity. I became too complacent. The monotony of using the elliptical machine five days a week mentally drained me. On the first day of the month, I decided to mix my cardio. I re-included the use of the spin bike, the treadmill/running path, stair master, etc. It truly feels like 2010.

My goal between now and the NYC Marathon (November 2) is to mentally and physically prepare myself for the grueling 26.2 miles of fun. Yup fun.

The first item on my checklist is to lose the weight I gained from the two surgeries. In 2010, I weighed 150 pounds. Three years and 15 pounds later, I do not want to weight 150 pounds, but I sure as hell do not want to weigh 165 pounds. In the coming weeks, I plan on finding a personal trainer. I also plan on going for more runs. But of course that last item is contingent on the weather. I do not mind running in the cold, but when a “polar vortex” hits the area, my limbs mean more than a run in the park.

Is this really a “New Year, New Me”? The answer is simply “no”. For one I am not keen on resolutions. Secondly, I met my goals in 2009. And now that I am healthy, “it’s go time”.

Stay tuned. I will go through a lot of peeks and valleys.

 

Damon Runyon 5K

I did it.

I ran the Damon Runyon 5K at Yankee Stadium this morning. It was my first experience in competitive racing. Granted this was a run/walk for fun and to raise money for cancer research, but heading into this I did see this as a competition. In hindsight that was a big mistake. Nevertheless I am grateful for the opportunity.

Earlier in the week I received an e-mail from the Damon Runyon group with my assigned heat and time for the 5k. They assigned me to heat #4, which started at 10 AM. Each heat got underway every 20 minutes beginning at 9 AM.

Waiting outside Yankee Stadium

The way the organization placed runners in their respective heats were based off the running time the participant provided upon registering for the event. To be placed in heat 4 was a nice assignment and the weather certainly made the run much smoother. It was nice to enter a venue that, while fairly brand new, still has history. Yankee Stadium is a venue that stands on its own. And as a loyal Mets fan, even I had to be impressed with the new Yankee Stadium.

The last few days I have prepared myself for this event. Of course preparation has been ongoing since last month. Within the last week I kicked my cardio up ten fold. Yesterday, I took an unorthodox off day on Saturday. It was nice to relax, get errands accomplished and prepare for the race.

This morning my father and brother accompanied me to Yankee Stadium. The ride their was peaceful and quiet. A nice conversation broke out between my father and me during the ride. It was ideal. The quick ride from New Jersey allowed me to calm my nerves. Bonding with my father was great. We rarely get to bond nowadays.

After arriving at the stadium, my father and brother wished me luck. They headed to a designated area for family within the stadium and I headed into my assigned heat. For the interim I stretched and turned the music on iPod up. As the first four heats were allowed to enter the concourse, we were greeted by a few guests.

Michael Gargiulo (WNBC anchor), Loraine Egan (President & CEO Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation), Ron Blomberg and Mickey Rivers (Former Yankees) addressing the runners

 

As media partners of the run/walk, WNBC anchor Michael Gargiulo participated in the event. I am sure he did well. Alongside him was the President & CEO of the foundation, Loraine Egan, who announced to the crowd a total of $715,000 has been raised. Above them were two Yankee greats, Ron Blomberg and Mickey Rivers. They all had kind words to the crowd. Above all they wanted us to have fun and to remember why we were doing this. The message was loud and clear. We were running for cancer research. Many were also running in memory or in honor of someone who was stricken with the disease.

I ran in honor of a colleague. She was stricken with breast cancer last year. Her journey was painful. For months her presence was sorely missed around the office. Upon her return she returned a fighter. A year after her diagnosis and subsequent treatment, I am happy to say she fought it and her cancer is in remission. I pray for her continued and constantly improving health.

The first three heats were on their way. Heat four walked into their positions. We received our instructions from a volunteer. Then the countdown begun. I did my best to get my Garmin watch ready, but the GPS system would not properly work. I presume the thick walls in Yankee Stadium obstructed the GPS. Regardless, I did have a magnetic strip strapped to my shoe. Within a day or two I will receive my official time.

Well as the volunteer counted down to zero, we all were ready. We counted as well. The second we uttered “zero”, we were on our way. The Yankee Stadium Concourse was our first trek. We had to run the concourse twice. From the moment I started I knew I was off. But I refused to stop. My problem? When I run alone I tend to pace myself, but running in an event like this I raced to out beat others. As I struggled in my first race, I did not allow that to deter my goals of finishing the race running. I refused to walk.

After completing two rotations around the concourse, we went down into what I call the bowels of the stadium. That was an interesting run. As I ran I got to see many retired numbers on a wall. Along the way I was able to touch #23 (Don Mattingly). Two rotations then it was the moment of truth…I ran along the outfield wall and along the backstop for two rotations. What a dream come true.

How many get to say they ran along the outfield and the backstop at Yankee Stadium? I was mesmerized. I caught many runners in awe. Most stopped running to enjoy the view. I admit the thought crossed my mind; however, I was on a mission. I continued with my run. As I ran towards home plate, I spotted my brother and father sitting in the Delta Suites. They waved, I waved back. But not for one second did I stop. Seeing them there was special and memorable.

Can you find me? I am easy to find.

After the second rotation it was a long climb to the upper level. The challenging part of the run was climbing 64 steps. Very exhaustive. Again, while I was a bit slow, I refused to stop. Upon reaching the top I picked up where I left off. I ran. It was exhaustive but I pushed myself.

Another stair case made the journey arduous but I sensed the finish line. After running around the upper level the easiest part of the race occurred. We had to run down ramps. At that point I gathered my strength and managed to feel great. At the last ramp I saw the finish line ahead. To my joy and emotions I crossed the finish line.

I did it. I received my medal. Reflections of adversity crossed my mind. The past was just that, the past. The weight loss, the countless surgeries were minor obstacles. At this point, I finished. I was exhausted, sore and elated.

 

At the finish line with my medal.

My next race is scheduled for September 3o. The Tunnel to Towers 5K race is on my mind. Training will resume the day after tomorrow. Scheduled off day is in the works.

I owe a special thanks to those who supported me in this endeavor. To those who donated thank you. Your donation will go towards to cancer research.

Until next time. Be safe and well.

In Two Weeks…

Welcome to the dog days of summer. In three days we welcome a new month. As soon as you know it, schools will re-open, summer slowly turns into autumn. Cooler weather also allows many to run at any point of the day.

I enjoy the later months as I am currently preparing myself for three races. On August 12, at Yankee Stadium, I will run the Damon Runyon 5K at Yankee Stadium Run/Walk For Cancer Research. For the last two months I have trained hard for this 5K (3.1 Miles) and the subsequent races I am participating. As I prepare for my second hip surgery this December, running the NYC Marathon is out of the question. However, running two 5-K races and one 10-K race in a matter of three months is reasonable. After all I did receive the blessing from my surgeon and physical therapist to get out there and run.

Just a final reminder Tuesday (July 31) is the last day I can collect donations for the charity. Up to this point I collected $330. I am appreciative to those supporting me and most importantly the cause. But I would definitely like to collect more. If you have not done so please click on the link to donate. And if I may please pass the link on to your friends.

http://runyon5k2012.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=1013719&supid=361569785

As I prepare for the race my hips feel great. My right surgically repaired right hip feels great. I have minor discomfort, which is expected since I am less than eight months removed from surgery. Earlier this week I began the journey to my second surgery by requesting and receiving an injection in my left hip. The injection, which took less than a half hour to complete, localized the discomfort in my lift hip.

Prior to the injection, Dr. Andrew Collins, documented the range of motion of my left hip. After experiencing some discomfort in various angles, he was ready to commence the procedure. In order to precisely get into the hip joint he used a “live x-ray” called, a Fluoroscopy machine. After locating the joint, he applies an anesthetic in the hip area. A few minutes after that, the needle was inserted into my hip joint. Three different anesthetics and an anti-inflammatory cortisone were used.

The only discomfort I felt was the initial pressure in my hip joint. The whole time on the table I observed Dr. Collins and even looked at the image of my hip. We even had a brief conversation. Upon completing the minor procedure he once again documented the range of motion in my hip. To no surprise (from experience), I was pain and discomfort free. He wanted me to stay off the hip for at least 2 to 3 days. Initially I wanted to refrain from working out for 3 to 4 days. But after thinking it over, I am active. The procedure occurred on a Tuesday, I returned to the gym on Thursday. I felt great.

With the injection out of the way and both hips feeling strong, I can now prepare. Preparation for these three races is crucial. To some these races are minimal. But to me these races will show how determined I am. There is no stopping me.

While I have a total of three races in three months to worry about, my main focus is on August 12. I am excited and nervous rolled all into one ball. Hell, I even purchased my first apparel for the race. What is it? Well I am going to keep you in suspense.

In preparation I have taken my workouts to another level. This morning I did an hour and a half of cardio. Typically I spend the whole time on one machine. Today, however, I spent the whole time between two cardio machines. First, I spent an entire hour on the spin bike. After re-discovering the spin bike I surely missed the workout. Again the hips felt great. Sweat streaming down my face made the workout well worth it. Once I completed the spin bike I journeyed to the elliptical for a 30 minute workout. I did not get intense with the workout. But rest assured I worked my butt off. I felt great. To cap off the morning/afternoon, I had a session with my personal trainer. We kicked ass. He complimented my look. According to Mitch, I look a bit leaner. I do not see it but I am humbled by his comments.

I am ready. Let’s do this.

Race Season

I last posted an entry back on June 10. In that time a lot has happened. Let’s see, on July 2, I celebrated my 32nd birthday. I completed my sixth year at my current place of employment. My New Jersey Devils came close to making a historic run in the Stanley Cup Final. I continue to make strides in my health. But right now I am happy to announce that in the time I last submitted a blog I registered for three races.

That’s right. I registered for 2-5K’s and one-10K. Each race will be one month apart beginning in August. I look forward to the challenge. Seven months ago I had arthroscopic hip surgery to correct my abnormal right hip. While I do not have the ideal look that I want, quite frankly, I feel great. I have even lost the post-surgery weight. But as I prepare for my next surgery (December 17), I want to run.

I enjoy the treadmill. But quite frankly I want to competitively run. I have no expectations on winning. I just want to start and cross the finish line in a reasonable time.  By crossing the finish line I will win. It will show me that no one obstacle can stop me. I overcame weight and health issues. Neither of which slowed me down. They may have temporarily prevented me from being active, but I take all adversity head on.

Here I am on the Fourth of July, preparing for three races and preparing myself mentally on the challenges that lie ahead.

With that said I would like to discuss why I am running each race.

On August 12, I am running at Yankee Stadium (yes, this is coming from a Mets fan). While the venue is great, the reason why I am running is why I selected that race. The race: The Runyon 5K: Damon Runyon 5K at Yankee Stadium Run/Walk for Cancer Research.

To me this race was a no brainer. Each of us at some time in our live have known someone who was affected by cancer. In 1946, journalist and playwright author, Damon Runyon, passed away from throat cancer. Upon his death media personality and colleague, Walter Winchell, established the Damon Runyon Cancer Memorial Fund in Runyon’s honor. For you NY Yankees fans, the team has a long and storied history with foundation. “Joe DiMaggio was a member of the Board in the 1950’s and Babe Ruth and Mickey Mantle were supporters.” Runyon himself began his career as a baseball journalist.

I am running this event to raise money for cancer research. While running the course at Yankee Stadium be a once in a lifetime thrill, I want to run for those that have been affected by cancer. I ask you, my fellow readers, to please donate whatever you can to this charity. Please click here to donate.

After the Damon Runyon race, I will prepare for my second 5K. On Sunday September 30 I will run The Tunnel to Towers 5K. The run will begin at the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel and conclude at the World Trade Center site. This event was created to honor the life of Stephen Siller who passed away on 9-11-01. On that day, Mr. Siller, an FDNY fire fighter, took 60 pounds of equipment from the tunnel to the World Trade Center after the city closed the tunnel in response to the terrorist attacks. With 60 pounds in tow he ran from the tunnel to site and unfortunately passed away. His act of heroism will never be forgotten.

Last year as I prepared for my first surgery, I remember watching WCBS tv covering the event on a rainy Sunday morning. I vowed to myself to run this event. I never expected to run this event this year. Living in the NY/NJ area, 9/11 affected everyone. In a way we all knew the victims. It hurt us to see the area closed off. It hurt to see families look for their loved ones. It hurt me to see the families hurt.

This year I will do my part to honor those who lost their lives on that day. Most importantly we honor the responders who gave their all to search for victims. The event raises money to support our everyday heroes. Funds raised go to help fire, police, and military heroes. I am honored and privileged to run for this cause. Can you help? Please donate by clicking here.

I would greatly appreciate all the support and donations. Remember I am not doing this for me. I am doing this for cancer research and our everyday heroes. God bless them all.

My last race will take place on Saturday October 13. This event will be held in Prospect Park, Brooklyn, NY. On that day I will run called the Rock N Roll : New York 10K. I am looking forward to the event. Autumn will hit the air. Cooler temps will probably mean a better running time. I would like to run the course a few times before the event. Have I run 6+ miles before? Well of course. I ran the loop around Central Park twice, with the most recent coming yesterday. Yesterday I ran the 6+ mile loop in 58 minutes and 6 seconds. I will talk more about this race in later entries.

For now I am focused on training for the 2-5K races. But most importantly I want to raise enough money for the charities. Please help.

Thank you for your time. Have a happy and safe Fourth of July.

Jorge

 

The Week That Was

As another week has come to an end I must share with you the insights to my life, in particular health.

Heading into Monday, I ran on an emotional high as I ran the equivalent of a 5K in 28+ minutes. If you were to tell me if that would be my best for a while I would have been content. But as I soon would find out 28 minutes was just the beginning.

The next day (Sunday) I met up with Mitch for my weekly personal training session. On this day we were doing two things. The very first item on the agenda were measurements. He took down the measurements, unfortunately, I do not have the measurements in front of me. But rest assured I will hound them from Mitch and dedicate the results in a future entry. After the measurements, we focused on a lower body workout. Compared to an upper body workout my lower body is my strongest area.

Mitch had me working with the leg press, lunges and squats. I broke into a sweat during each workout and set. The most challenging workout that day were lunges. Why are lunges challenging? Well there is a form and technique to lunges. Plus it’s also a matter of balancing. Unfortunately one of my biggest weaknesses in staying fit is maintaining a good core system. Lunges are challenging but they can also be fun. When I have my core at a strong level they will be fun.

As for the week itself, well I had my six months consultation with Dr. Bryan Kelly on Tuesday. After meeting with Dr. Kelly he was once again impressed and surprised at my recovery. His amazement came in the form of what I did over the weekend. Running the equivalent to a 5K six months after hip surgery is not common. Let me rephrase that, considering the amount of inflammation in my labrum, running in six months seemed to be out of the question. But without tooting my own horn, and I am not, I defied those odds. And as I have written in previous entries, I thank Dr. Kelly, Jeremy, his assistant, and of course my physical therapist, Jeremy Crow and Amanda Wohl for their time and support in getting me back into shape.

That was the good news, the bad news, we discussed the options of my left hip. Dr. Kelly mentioned some numbers and jargon at both Jeremy’s and while I had no idea what they were saying, I knew it was not good. And to my dismay his comments confirmed my concerns but at the same time they were not too bad. He did say surgery is inevitable, the inflammation in my left hip may not be in bad condition. To me that sounds like a plus.

But with all that said, I scheduled the surgery. On December 17, I am going under the knife. Quite frankly I am not concerned nor afraid. I have been there and done that. For the interim I plan on dealing with the discomfort of having an abnormal femoral head. At some point this summer I will request the hip injection. The injection will buy me time as I would like to run at least two 5K races.

Despite the news I left his office with my head high and with a smile. I am feeling great and healthy.

On Wednesday I debated as to whether visiting the gym or going for an impromptu run in Central Park. Okay in hindsight I do not think the run would have been an impromptu. The day before I read on twitter through the New York Road Runners official page June sixth would be “National Running Day”. In a way I had motivation to partake in national running day.

By the end of the day I decided to go for a run instead of going to the gym. I changed into my workout clothes and left the office for my very first run along Central Park Drive. I was excited and elated all in one. In a way I was about to fulfill an item off my “bucket list”.

As I arrived to the stretch of road on East 59th Street, I had no expectations. To top that since I decided to run at the last minute I forgot my Garmin watch. I decided to use the timer on my pedometer to time my journey. I figured the run would end quickly since I have never completed a task of that nature. I hit the button on my pedometer, the clock was ticking, and I was now off.

The difference between Central Park and the track is the elevation. Running through Central Park Drive I realized there a number uphill peaks. As I ran uphill I realized I needed to pace myself and slow down a bit. It took me some time to adjust and continue  through my run. Halfway through I did not feel exhausted. But I was concerned about my time. My pedometer was fastened on my shorts – I had no intention on stopping or slowing down to check my time.

Running along unfamiliar areas in Central Park allowed me to take in the sights. Tourists taking pictures. Runners running in opposite directions. Skaters and cyclists trying to beat one another. But then I started to take in the sights of the park itself. I discovered some new areas. I found a wooded area with a pond. The minute I saw that I told myself to visit the area and photograph the serene setting.

I then entered areas I was familiar with. I ran across the NYC Marathon finish line, albeit the opposite way. I imagined how I would react to completing the marathon. Yes that sounded cheesy but my biggest dream is to complete the marathon. It will happen but until then running in Central Park will be my inspiration.

I was nearing my end. All of a sudden a shot of adrenaline kicked in. As I approached the finish line I had to fight back my emotions. The time soon became irrelevant. I was overcome with joy and emotion. I overcame weight issues by 2009. In 2011 I had hip surgery. Six months later I ran Central Park Drive.

I crossed the finish line. As I slowed down and made a complete stop, I stopped the pedometer. In 57 minutes and 16 seconds I ran the course of Central Park Drive. At that point I had no idea the distance. In due time I would calculate the mileage, at that time I wanted to enjoy the moment.

After stretching I walked back to the office. As I walked back I held my head high. Smiling from ear to ear, I knew nothing nor anyone could take what I had accomplished away from me.

I arrived at the office. Instead of quickly gathering my belongings I turned my computer on. I logged on to mapmyrun.com to track my run. After calculating the distance it turns out I ran the equivalent of a 10K (6.23 miles). I was in awe. The completion of the run was great but seeing the distance was the icing on the cake.

Now that I have that out of the way, I am exhausted. But quite frankly I am still elated days after the run. I cannot wait to do it again. Wanna join?

Have a great one folks.

 

The Weather Can Never Derail My Plans

It’s Monday, May 21, 2012 – the weather is cool, dreary and rainy. Compared to yesterday the thoughts of running in NYC became an afterthought. My original plan was to run the pavement at Hudson River Park. But over the last few days I constantly checked the weather report through my “Weather” phone app. For the first few days last week, the ten day forecast appeared to be clear and sunny. Then as the day drew closer the weather periodically changed from sunny and clear, to cloud, to rain. OUCH!

Yesterday was the pinnacle of my academic career. I graduated with honors from a Masters Program at New York Institute of Technology. The day was beautiful and not a cloud in sight. The commencement was filled with uplifting words from NY Senator Charles Schumer as well as those honored with honorary degrees. The Class of 2012 had a great time. What a day!

After Two Years, I bid my alma mater farewell. After earning my Bachelor’s from NYIT in 2005, I now hold a Master’s Degree from NYIT in 2012.

As my family and I walked toward our vehicle I thought about the plans for the rest of the day. We left Long Island and headed the long trek back to New Jersey. Before shutting my phone, due to low battery, I once again viewed the phone app. Unfortunately the likelihood for precipitation on Monday reach 70%. At that point I was disappointed. Within the last week I bought running gear from my favorite store, City Sports. It was the first time since last March that I dedicated my resources on running gear (ie, running shoes, shorts, compression socks, dry-fit running shirt, etc). To add to that I even opened the Garmin Forerunner 110 watch I bought last March. For once I was going to put that watch to good use. Unfortunately I was not going to get the opportunity on Monday.

During a wonderful early dinner with my family, I literally came to the conclusion, “why not run today?” Afterall Monday should be a washout. I set out to do just that. However, considering how busy my Sunday went running in NYC would be out of the question. My impromptu fallback plan was to run on a track in my neighborhood.

An hour passed after dinner. The time was 5:30 in the early evening and I went from shirt, tie and slacks to running shoes, running shorts, iPod mini and for the first time, my Garmin Forerunner. I went to the nearby track and ran four laps. After feeling a bit nauseous I continued to run. But after that fourth lap I realized I needed to run elsewhere. Like Forrest Gump I ran because I wanted to run. Unfortunately, while I ran the equivalent to a 5K (3.1 MILES) in 31 minutes, I wanted to hurl. Sorry for the TMI moment. My biggest mistake was running an hour after a filling meal.

After running for 3.1 miles, mentally I felt great. Had it not been for my ailment, I would have ran an additional 3 miles. Despite the ailment I not upset. Yesterday was the first time I ever ran a 5K. I was elated. Afterwards, I walked an additional few miles. How many miles? I do not know, I ended the setting on my Garmin watch. I walked for the pure enjoyment.

I arrived home after a few hours and could not find the strength or energy to shower. After an hours, yes an hour, I gathered whatever strength to shower and ultimately pass out on my couch. The weather that night was calm, serene and peaceful. And yet, I still felt surprised to hear rain drops Monday morning.

So much for my run on Monday – thankfully I went for a run late Sunday afternoon. Despite doing an early morning errand, and getting caught in the rain, I managed to get a workout on Monday. On my way to the gym, I saw this image which I took with my Instagram app. Talk about night and day – yesterday was picture perfect, today was dreary and gloomy. Take a look for yourself.

Downtown NYC – One World Trade Center covered in fog. (May 21, 2012)

In hindsight, today was not a complete wash out. I ran on Sunday and received my Master’s Degree. And on Monday I worked out at the gym and took a really good picture as I was on my way to the gym. All in all – it was a win-win.

Until next time.

Jorge

Where Have I Been?

Hello folks –

The last month has been a blur. Okay not really. Nevertheless I have abandoned this blog due to something called “the real world”. While my career beckoned, I still kept my eye on the prize.

In the time I have been cleared to return to the gym, I have devoted a forty hour work load at the office and also devoted close to ten hours per week at the gym. Needless to say while I feel great I am a bit worn out (physically). Am I doing too much? Maybe. But keep in mind I am close to four months removed from arthroscopic hip surgery. My body is no where near where I want it to be. Maybe this is a reason why Dr. Kelly and Jeremy have been adamant on not wanting to overdo anything.

For the time being I am doing my best not to overdo a damn thing. I do have my good and bad days. There are days when I listen to my body and then there are days when I have a great workout but feel exhausted.

For instance I had a great workout. For the second time this week, and subsequently the second time since December, I used the stair master. On Wednesday I got re-acquainted with the stair master. Let’s just say it took a lot out of me. But today, I managed to hold on and complete over 60 minutes. It felt great.

After my cardio workout I stretched the hip and afterwards did some light weight lifting. All in all I had a great day.

Today I enjoyed the lovely weather in the NY/NJ area. My initial goal was to walk around Hoboken and take some pictures. Boy after a great workout I ended up walking through four cities. As of this writing, my feet are sore.  Why? Since I was wasting the battery on my phone by using Instagram (this is a story for another day), I opted not to use my usual app (Map My Run). However, I just calculated the walk on the app’s website. According to the log I just crated, I walked for a total of 9.84 miles. Am I crazy? I think I am.

Tomorrow will definitely be a low key cardio workout. But Mitch, I am putting you on notice. Let’s rock.

FYI – On Sunday, I will provide you with my measurements. The measurements we took will be used as the barometer of where I hope to be by graduation and then in December.

Until next time. Be safe and well.

Project Graduation

I have not set foot inside a classroom since December; however, I am officially on the road to graduation. On March 8th, I received an e-mail from New York Institute of Technology (NYIT). After two years I completed my masters program – and upon submitting my portfolio and subsequently receiving approval from my advisor, I will graduate with my class on May 20th.

Even though I am not shocked by this news, 2012 is off to a rocking start to the year. For the record I did not mean for the last statement to sound conceited. Fact is I worked hard for this masters degree. For two years I dedicated myself to my career, my education and my health. All three will play an important role this year.

As I continue to recover from arthroscopic hip surgery (three+ months since the surgery), I have received clearance from Dr. Kelly and my physical therapist, Jeremy, to return to the gym. Of course that piece of information is nothing new. What is new, I intend to use my graduation as the motivation I need to get back into shape. Last year, I dedicated my workouts to the NYC Marathon. But around this time last year, my life changed. I was diagnosed with Femoroacetabular Impingement. The diagnosis stalled any aspirations of running the marathon, albeit temporarily.

Three months after surgery, and two weeks after receiving approval for graduation, I am back at the gym and dedicating myself to look good come May 20th. Yes, graduation has become the motivating factor in wanting to be healthy. Do I really need the motivation? Not necessarily. But having this as motivation helps. To add to that I recently re-enlisted the help of a good friend and old personal trainer.

I have known Mitchel Heard for two years. He was instrumental in my good health prior to my FAI diagnosis. And now that I am over with the first phase of my procedure, I am working on getting fit and healthy for graduation. On top of that I will also use this motivation to be as healthy going into my second surgery this December.

Mitch was a trainer at the New York Sports Club (NYSC) for a number of years. I worked with him after my original trainer left the company – and on his recommendation Mitch ultimately became my personal trainer. Over the months we became friends and after a few months of his training methods I noticed improvements. I owed a lot of my initial success to his guidance, advice and methods.

Here we are two years later, and while he no longer works for NYSC, I once again asked Mitch if he still did personal training. He still does personal training. And after a brief discussion we both agreed to collaborate again. Personally, while I am happy with my current gym membership, I feel the personal training staff will not meet my expectations. To re-sign with Mitch was a no brainer. He knows what I am about and I know his methods.

After some back and forth dialogue with Mitch, we agreed to start training today.Project Graduationhas become my rallying cry. Focused on regaining the fitness level I had prior to my surgery is my goal. I know between now and May 2oth I will succeed – and with my friend guiding me on the path to healthy living I will meet my goals.

My day started out at the NYSC doing some light cardio. But once the clocked hit 12:30 I began my first training session. I learned I have a lot to overcome. I do not see that as a hindrance but instead I see that as motivation.

Yes we started out with light weights but in due time the number of plates will increase. I felt great after this first set – and while I used this machine for the first time in months my arms felt like jello. Oh by the way our sessions did not take place at the NYSC, but instead at the Hudson Athletic Club in Hoboken.

I loved the facility. In my opinion the gym is not your typical gym. While they do offer the traditional “gym” membership, they do allow independent trainers to use the facility for a fee. In essence he charges a package which is comparable to other personal training packages but instead of being committed to that particular gym, Mitch and his customers can train at a variety of gyms including the Hudson Athletic Club. I hope that made sense.

Unlike the NYSC, I had the whole gym to myself. Typically I usually have to find an alternate machine to use due to the initial machine I waned to use in use by other members. Mitch and I did not get that at this place. What a great session.

I did not realize how fast the session went. We did a lot and while I am not comfortable working on my lower body, I am content with today’s session. On Tuesday I will ask my physical therapist on my limitations for lower body training. When I am not lifting I am focused on my therapy by doing cardio and therapeutic hip exercises. But come Tuesday I will ask Jeremy and Amanda on what restrictions I have for my hips.

I am back and I am ready for the challenge. This will be a great ride. I’ll keep you posted folks. Project Graduation has commenced.

Until next time folks. Comments are greatly appreciated.

Far From Inspiring But I Will Not Quit

This morning I worked out for the fourth consecutive day. Consecutive workouts are best suited for the seasoned warrior. And quite frankly I really need to build up my stamina. Day four came and went…and well…I was far from inspired. Yes, I did complete 95 minutes of cardio. But while my body trekked from beginning to end, my mind had a hard time keeping up.

The last three days were great. My body and mind cohesively finished each workout. But today, fatigue set in. I completed the first 65 minutes of my workout. While I struggled on the elliptical for that time span, I maintained the same amount of resistance. Then after the first segment of the cardio workout I restarted another segment. This is where I complete the final 30 minutes. But typically I am on my game. Resistance is at or one step below my usual second segment pace. In this case, it was two to  three steps below my usual pace. In a way, I coasted. I knew something was wrong.

No–physically I feel fine. The hips feel great. My right ankle shows no lingering effect from the sprain I suffered two weeks ago. However, mentally I checked out. Damn! One month into my return, I am suffering from fatigue.

Fatigue happens to all of us. And yet I feel discouraged by this. My body needs to recover. My body needs rest. I look at it like this…today was just an aberration. Come Tuesday I will return to my old competitive self. That’s a promise!

My next entry will be the one month countdown to the ING NYC Marathon. 2011 will be a great race.

Until then.

Anxious To Return To The Gym

Since being diagnosed with femoroacetabular impingement in March, my workouts have been nonexistent. After seeing two doctors, enduring physical therapy and a hip injection, I will return to the gym Saturday morning. And while I am not in the top condition I would like to be in, I am excited to return to the place where it all started.

Dr. Kelly, however, has not given me the green light to run. No running? No problem. I will improvise. Ok…it’s not quite improvising actually. Dr . Kelly has cleared me to use the stationary bike and the elliptical. While it’s not the spin bike or the stair master, it certainly is better than nothing.

Through December 18 (day before my hip surgery), I will do my best to get a healthy body heading into the surgery. After I get the procedure I will not see the gym until June at the earliest. The next three and a half months will count more than ever. While I intend on pushing myself to the limits, I will have to do it with caution and care.

In the six months since my last workout, I have gained ten pounds. And yet I constantly get asked if I am still losing weight. My goal up until the surgery date is to lose the ten pounds; but probably gain five pounds of muscle. In other words, I would like to lose five pounds. But for that to occur, my diet has to change. Ok. Since March my diet has not drastically changed. But the lack of exercise has caused my weight to increase.

It’s go time! The start of the school year has some, myself included, excited. My return to the gym has that feel. I look forward on seeing old friends and making new friends at the New York Sports Club (NYSC).

I have 107 days (thank you to this website for providing me the countdown) until the procedure. For those that follow me on twitter remembers the hashtag #Destination2012. Well…Destination 2012 has taken a back set for obvious reasons. Whenever I tweet about my workouts or weight goals through the surgery date, I will use hashtag #Destination155. Destination 155 will symbolizes my ideal weight goals. Let’s see what happens.