A Confession of Sorts

[submarinesailor]

Well it's time I confessed up to something with you guys.

First a little back ground – back when I was the Command Senior Chief at the Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS, AFEES station for you OLD guys) in Richmond, I always wanted to make sure the younger guys looked up/respected me.  So, I worked out very hard each morning.  Each morning I would get up and run, starting early in my training by running about 3 miles.  After the run, I would do as many push-ups and sit-ups as I could, throwing in pull-ups when I had the time.  After about a year, mid 1988 time frame, I was up to the point where I was running 7 miles each day and could do it in just under 49 minutes, less than 7 minutes per mile.  I was in good enough shape to max the USMC PT test.  And take my word for it, that test is hard.

But, here comes the bad news, all that running had caused some nerve damage in my neck – the jarring from all those miles.  And this damage resulted in the loss of feeling in the lower 3 fingers of my left hand.  The orthopedic doc at Kenner Army Hospital at Fort Lee told me he would have me medically retired in 3 months.  He did not like the fact that I disagreed with him and went to the Naval Hospital at Bethesda, MD for a second opinion.  Well I had 18 years in when all this started and I wanted to retire, not be medically retired.  So I talked the docs at Bethesda to place me on limited duty for my last 15 months and I retired for active duty with 20 years the last day of June in 1990.

After retiring I worked in and out of the industrial service business for service years and as a industrical controls mechanic for several more years.  These jobs keep me moving and active, thus keeping my weight done below 200 pounds.  But after moving up to a white collar job in the government, my weight, blood pressure, cholesterol and triglycerides all sky rocketed.

After that long lead in, now to the confession, starting Late in December 2007 I started walking at work in the afternoons trying to improve my health.  The inside of the building I work in is setup so I can make laps around it.  Each lap is 2241' or .4266 miles.  When I started, it was bad!  The first lap I walked took me over 9 minutes to complete.  Starting in January of 2008, I got real serious about this walking and built a spread sheet to keep track of what and how I was doing.  By the end of January, I was walking 3 laps or 1.27 miles and was averaging about 8:21.5 per lap.  A year later, January 2009, I was walking 8 laps or 3.4 miles and was averaging 6:18.7 per lap.  I remember how excited I was when my average went under 7 minutes and then under 6:30 per lap.  Well, 9 months of walking as hard as I could and steadily increasing the distance, I have my average down to 5:17.2/lap for 13 laps or 5.5 miles.   I now get up at 3:00 AM and do my laps between 4:30 and 5:30.  I moved my walk to this time because I'm walking way too fast and I became afaid that some little old lady would come out of a doorway and I would run her over.  That would not be a good thing.

One of my objectives when I started all this walking was to be able to walk 10 miles in under 2.5 hours.

LAST NIGHT I DID IT!!!!!!!!!!  I knew that I was going to over eat today.  So, I decided to put in a LITTLE extra work and try the 10 mile thing.  I walked 10.6 miles in 2:23:58 or 13:35 minutes per mile.  I made it a little harder by walking a different outside route that was a mixture of major road crossings, sidewalks, dirt paths and all this during the holiday get away yesterday.  Traffic was a bitch at the stop lights.

My next major objective is to walk 5 miles in under 1 hour or better than 5 MPH.  Hope to reach this by my birthday, 30 June.  Wish me luck.

Thanks for listening to my tell of @#$%^&*().

Bruce

[Jeff]

Great job Bruce, but hey, even thought ya might be tempted ta walk now, please still drive to the pigroasts so you can stay longer. ;)

[Tom]

Carry a bicycle and ride it home.  :-\ :D

Sheez! I envy you, but it's still not my bag. 

[Jeff]

I don't think Mrs. submarine sailer would be to enthralled with that.

[submarinesailor]

I would love to get her on a bicycle and have her follow me.  Then she would get some exercise.

[Bibbyman]

Way to go! 

I never could run.  20 yards and I'd fall over from being out of breath.  But I was always pretty good at walking. 

The only "official" walking thing I did was back in the 80's when me, Mary, and the boys did a 10 mile walk for the March of Dimes.  It was up and down the hills of Jefferson City.  A lot of people "dressed out".  I just wore a T-shirt, blue jeans, and my work boots.  Guys said I'd never make it wearing my work boots.  I told them that they fit my feet so that's why I wore them.  We all made it together – arriving about middle of the pack that finished the 10 miles.  A lot didn't make it.  Some fanatics ran the whole distance – some kept up a fast pace and finished well before us.

[WDH]

Bruce, that is impressive  ;D.  keep up the hard work so you can inspire us  .

[fishpharmer]

Way to go! 8)

[Warbird]

Wow.  Congratulations, Bruce.  Something a little extra to be thankful for!  So you are able to walk okay and not aggravate the neck/nerve thing?  And how has all the walking helped your blood pressure, cholesterol, etc?

[pigman]

Way to go Bruce. 8) 8)
I did some walking today; three  round trips from the easy chair to the kitchen table. My house is small, so I don't think I did 10 miles. ;)

Lazy Bob

[submarinesailor]

Thanks for all the kind comments.

Warbird – the blood chemistry has gotten much better, but the blood pressure thing comes and goes.  In the morning about 45 minutes after the walk, my BP has been averaging about 115/73.  But, when I take it late in the evening, it has been average about 137/87.  And that's after I take my BP medicine.   Not real high, not the 207/163 is was before I went BP meds, but it still is TOO HIGH.
 
On the neck, I recently had an MRI of the neck to check and see if there is any more damage.  The funny thing that came out of the evaluation was that there is no arthritis.  That's why I was retired – arthritis of the neck spinal column.   But it did show 2 bulged disks in the neck between C5&6.  These bulged disks make it so I can't/shouldn't run.  I would love to run again.  But they tell me not to.  Walking is OK according to the VERY GOOD doc that I see at DeWitt Army Hospital.
I'm hoping that IF I can get my weight below 200 lbs, the BP will be completely under control.  Which would means NO MORE BP or CHOLESTEROL meds.  I hate the DAMG things.  About 5 years ago, I was up over 242.  I currently am running at about 226 and trying very hard to get it down further.

Bob - I made 3 trips to the stove today.  The smoked turkey was outstanding.

[DanG]

Good on ya for getting back in shape, Bruce!  How about your sodium intake?  I've been watching that pretty closely of late, and it is helping my BP regulation a bunch! 8) 8)

[submarinesailor]

Dan,

I watch it real close and try not to take in too much.

Bruce

[Warbird]

You might want to check into getting/using an elliptical machine.  Not sure if it'd be okay for your situation or not but I am able to use one and it is awesome.

[thecfarm]

That's quite the story.Good for you!!!!! I feel walking is good for us.I couldn't keep up with your pace,probably you would lap me!!! I walk alot but at a slower pace than you.

[scsmith42]

Bruce, that's outstanding (and inspiring too!).  Congrats on the achievement.  Feel free to walk on down to NC some time and spend some time here on the farm  :D  I think that we can find some things to keep you busy  ;D

Scott

[Burlkraft]

Good job Bruce. 8) 8) 8)

I know how hard it is to get back at trying to stay in shape.
I myself must confess that during the summer I gained 15 lbs. I have a cardiologist appointment in January and I don't want to go there 15 lbs heavy cuz I was 20 lbs from where she wanted me before the 15 lbs!     

Keep up the good work and as for me...............

I gotta stay away from the fridge and leftover pies  ;D  ;D  ;D

[Ron Scott]

Well Done!

[submarinesailor]

A little training update for you guys.

Today was my last official training day until next year.  I will be on leave until the 4th of January – worked way too many extra hours and have too much use or lose leave to take.

The bad news is that I didn't make the 500 miles I was trying for this year.  Although, 487.3 miles isn't too bad for 1 year.  Does it count towards the 500 if I shoveled snow for over 10 hours on Saturday and Sunday?  Sure worked up a good sweat each time.  The good news is that I broke one of my long standing times.  Went under 68 (67:54) minutes for 5.51 miles for the first time ever!!!!!!!!!! 8) 8) 8)  That's averaging over 4.87 miles per hour or 12:18.4 minutes per mile.  So, just maybe I can make the 5 miles per hour by my birthday in June.  The annual mileage goal for next year is 750 – shouldn't be telling you guys  just in case I don't make it. : : :

Hey Scott - according to my map software, it's 512 miles to Raleigh, NC and back.  I almost made to your place and back. :D ;D :D ;D :D ;D

Again - thanks for listening.

Bruce