How To Be An Ultra Runner and 2014 Biometrics

Let's start off with the most awesome video EVER MADE!!! (from trailandultrarunning.com)



SO Much fun to make that.

Okay so it's again time to update my Biometrics!

I've included the past 2 years for comparison, it's interesting to see how things change. With a family/genetic history of heart disease - I think it is important that I stay aware of what is happening with me and try to do what I can through diet, exercise, and overall lifestyle to completely avoid problems!

• September 2012 Results 
• Blood Pressure: 117/65
• Total Cholesterol:213
• HDL: 44
  
• Triglycerides:125
• LDL: 144
• Glucose: 100
• Heart Rate: 59 beats/minute

• May 2013 Results
• Blood Pressure: 119/63
• Total Cholesterol:209
• HDL: 50
  
• Triglycerides:112
• LDL: 137
• Glucose: 94
• Heart Rate: 68 beats/minute

• April 2014 Results  (Today!)
• Blood Pressure: 129/74
• Total Cholesterol:203
• HDL: 50
  
• Triglycerides: 89
• Cholesterol Ratio: 4.1
• LDL: 135
• Glucose: 85
• Heart Rate: 46 beats/minute (!)
• BF %: 11.9%

Blood pressure has gone up some... but so has my caffeine intake due to the increased running! I also think the practice of taking BP after poking the finger in a painful spot doesn't help! I may try to retake my blood pressure sometime in the next few weeks to check that out. Other than that, I'm happy with the direction things are going, ESPECIALLY glucose and Triglycerides! Both well below 100. Nice. I added the cholesterol ratio and the Body Fat percentage. Body Fat was taken holding a thing with sensors like you see on treadmills for heart rate. They are often inaccurate. I am fine with that BF%, but I might be +/- 2 %. Someday I'll have to do the BodPod or a water displacement bodyfat measurement!

Okay. That's that. Now to figure out what race I'm paying for next.

I'm looking to improve so I'll be trying some new things!



The NEXT race I'm doing is the BoSho Marathon - a bandit fun run 10 days from now! Should be fun, and it will be the first time actually shooting for Marathon distance as a goal!

Long Runs and Biometrics

Saturday morning I ran almost 30 miles. 27.73 is actually my 2nd longest run ever - but I haven't run more than 15 since the Buffalo Run, so the last 6 miles were especially hard on my legs and hips, even though I felt great otherwise.

Matt and Craig almost halfway

I definitely wasn't planning on that type of a run! But I'm glad I was able to do it.

23 miles in

It was a beautiful day and I used sunscreen so I amazingly didn't get FRIED like I normally do, even though I was out in the sun for 5 and a half hours!

Olympus in the background!

Took things pretty easy on Monday, had a decent yoga session. I had a better attitude about yoga, so that helped, but I still need to figure out what I want to do with it.

Tuesday things went downhill and now I feel sick. Blah. Doesn't help that our AC is somewhat out.

This morning I had a biometric screening again - it had already been 7 months since my last one - wow!

• September 2012 Results 
• Blood Pressure: 117/65
• Total Cholesterol:213
• HDL: 44
  
• Triglycerides:125
• LDL: 144
• Glucose: 100
• Heart Rate: 59 beats/minute

• May 2013 Results (this morning)
• Blood Pressure: 119/63
• Total Cholesterol:209
• HDL: 50
  
• Triglycerides:112
• LDL: 137
• Glucose:94
• Heart Rate: 68 beats/minute

Awesome improvements in most areas! Blood Pressure and heart rate are probably higher than last time because I'm still a bit sick, but even that isn't bad at all.  I was happy to see my Glucose back down (I think that 100 reading was a bit off) but I was really happy my HDL went up and my LDL went down! Nice to see things improving.

Next up - figuring out how I want to modify things for the physique contest!

Biometric Update

Did a Biometric screening this morning because I wanted to see how things have changed since March.

Here are the earlier results

• March 2012 Results
• Blood Pressure: 111/56
• Total Cholesterol: 214
• HDL - 32
• Triglycerides: 97
• LDL: 163
• Glucose: 90
• Heart Rate: 62 beats/minute 

 And this morning's results

• September 2012 Results 
• Blood Pressure: 117/65
• Total Cholesterol:213
• HDL: 44
  
• Triglycerides:125
• LDL: 144
• Glucose: 100
• Heart Rate: 59 beats/minute

Blood pressure is basically the same, not really a big surprise there. I think it was higher because I was thinking about the poked finger on the same side as the pressure cuff!
Total Cholesterol went down one point, hooray! My HDL went up - which is great - it's back into the range where it should be. My LDL went down a bunch, which is fantastic, although it is still 'borderline high' according to the CW values, I'm not too worried about my cholesterol at this point, especially since things seem to be moving in the right direction.
The Triglycerides jumping from 97 to 125 is a bit weird, especially since it is higher than it was in 2011...
And Glucose up to 100? That's the very bottom reading for Pre-Diabetes... yikes. I don't think I need to worry too much, but I could probably use a refocused effort at not cheating with soda and/or candy and maybe even doing a week or two of 100% Primal to kind of reset.

Feeling a bit of a downer mixed with a general apathy today... I think the high Glucose and TRG has at least something to do with it, although it probably shouldn't. Also I'm wishing we had more money for Halloween endeavors. I might just put up a pallet Pirate Ship in our yard this year!

I am looking forward to a running night tonight.

Biometric Screening 2012

Last year we had a "Prevent Event" contest that we are doing again this year.

Basically they are trying to increase your awareness of your health and gather information for insurance purposes... They will have a drawing for some very nice prizes for people who get a biometric screening or physical, and fill out a health assessment survey through our insurance provider.
Here's last years:

• 2011 Results:
• Blood Pressure: 111/69 - Normal is below 120/80 so that's good!
• Total Cholesterol: 204 - 'Desirable' is anything below 200 - Closer!
• HDL: 42
• Triglycerides: 116 - Normal is below 150 so I'm really low on that
• Glucose: 89 - Normal is 70-99

And this years:

• 2012 Results
• Blood Pressure: 111/56
• Total Cholesterol: 214 - went up a bit! Due to my current diet I'm not that surprised - but I'm not worried
• HDL - 32 - according to today's science this should be optimally between 40 and 60, so I'm low, and probably not good that I am 10 lower than last year!!
• Triglycerides: 97 - Dropped even lower. TRG's are the baddest according to some, so that's good that it is down
• LDL (again gotta find last years results) - 163 - according to CW (conventional wisdom) this should be below 100, so I'm on the HIGH end which supposedly isn't good.
• Glucose: 90
• Heart Rate: 62 beats/minute

Overall from what I can tell I haven't changed that much.
My Diastolic Blood Pressure went down a bunch, I have NO idea what that means.
My Total Cholesterol went up which probably isn't good - but "I'm not dead yet!" I need to find last years HDL (*Update: Found*) and LDL (Still need to find) for comparison.
My Triglycerides went way down - that should be good...

My ankle is still recovering so I won't be able to go to Crossfit today. I'm sad about that. However it is doing significantly better today compared to yesterday - so hopefully it won't keep me down too long!