Sending Sticks Up The River

For this week's Dr. Oz elimination challenge, I'm going to give up food items with the word "sticks" attached to the end of them. Allow me to describe why I chose this with a story.

Earlier this week I went to Olive Garden. I've not been here in a while, so I just ordered something safe and waited for it to arrive. The waitress first brought out the salad, then sat down a basket of breadsticks.

I thought to myself, "This salad has croutons in it, why would I need breadsticks?" Then I stated thinking about all the times we, as Americans, typically eat breadsticks. We only really have a side of breadsticks with a meal that is already really carb-y. Think about it, pasta, pizza and salad loaded with croutons.

When did this happen? When did people decide that bread as a side with a main course as filling as bread was a good idea? Why is this a thing?

Thus, I've decided my next food item will be all bread-y side dishes with carb-loaded meals. No breadsticks, no cheesesticks, no biscuits and no rolls.

I want to be clear here. I'm not giving up carbs. I don't really want to ever do that. Carbs are good for you provided you can use up the energy the produce. And we all need energy to function.

Farewell Fried Foods

Today I went to Buffalo Wild Wings and ordered 12 boneless wings. I know this seems like a lot, but it was necessary. I was saying goodbye to an old friend. That's right, for this week's Dr. Oz challenge, I'm giving up fried foods.

The truth is, my personal diet has involved some level of fried foods for as long as I can remember. Its hard to remember my childhood without Happy Meals and mozzarella sticks. I've always known they were bad for me, but its almost like they've always been a part of me.

I get that it seems like I'm building this up way too much, but I'm pretty sure that if I don't treat this like a big deal, I'm going to be overwhelmed. This is a pretty huge lifestyle change. The easily eliminates probably about half of the unhealthy foods that I eat.

I'm ready to take on this challenge, its like I'm entering a new stage in this training. This diet just got real.

Getting Off the Gravy Train

Its been a challenge coming up with my next Dr. Oz food item to eliminate. This week is Thanksgiving, so I don't want to give up anything too crazy that I won't enjoy this Holiday season, but I do want to give up something big that will make my diet healthier overall.

After raking my mind, I thought of something that, honestly, I should have given up a long time ago. Something that is a staple in southern cooking that I eat at least three times a month. Something that's ingredient list alone makes you feel like you're gaining weight. This week, I'm giving up Gravy.



For those of you that didn't grow up in the southern part of the country, you may not be plagued by this white devil, but trust me, once you've tasted it, it is impossible to let go. Country gravy is made with grease from whatever you happen to be cooking, could be anything from bacon to sasuage and even chicken. Once you've secured your grease, you put in some flour. After browning this mixture, you then add cream. That's right, this dish is essentials grease and flour, with a little bit of dairy thrown in. Someone should never eat this. The problem? It tastes amazing!

Although I have went through periods of eating well, I've never given up gravy. It is time. I don't know if I'm ever going to eat gravy again, but I do know that when you're training to be a super hero, sacrifices need to be made. Goodbye gravy, I knew you well.

The Dr. Oz Strategy

About a year ago I worked at Autism Services. Even though it was a really fulfilling job that allowed me to really feel like I was helping people, about 50 percent of the job consisted of watching T.V. Whenever I worked the 3-11 shift, it was pretty normal for us to watch Oprah, then clients really seemed to like it.

This is where I saw an interesting way to start eating healthier. For a few months, every week Dr. Oz would come on and recommend changing one thing in your diet. Nothing huge, just something small that could make a huge difference. The logic behind it is if you keep up with all these little things, eventually you'd be eating really healthy, without really realizing it.

I really like this idea and it seems completely doable, thus, I'm going to tell all of you what I'll be changing in my diet, but I encourage all of you to do the same, if you don't already.

This week, I'm going to stop drinking anything that isn't water. It is recommended that we all drink at least eight glasses a day, and many people hardly even drink one. Before you ask, the Dixie cup after you brush your teeth doesn't count. It is important for us to drink water because it can flush out all the other bad things we put into our bodies, among other amazing things it does that make our body function better.




Although training yourself to drink eight glasses a day may be a few months away for some of us, think about if you would replace every other thing you drink in a day with water. I'm sure that would be at least three glasses a day more then you're drinking now, probably four or five if we're being honest with ourselves.

I know that drinking water won't make us lose weight overnight, but it is a huge first step. If you ask any doctor, one of the best ways to lose weight is to drink more water, and its really easy. I know it seems like a huge hurdle to you soda addicts out there, but after you get over the caffeine headaches, you'll be a lot better for it.

The Name Game

Now that I've been getting more serious about my blog, the time has come to think about buying a domain name. With that, I feel it makes sense to rename my blog. I really love the name, "To Train for Comic-Con," because it really encompasses what this blog is about. Getting in shape and pop culture. But let's face it, www.totrainforcomiccon.com is a very long url and I don't know if many people would be willing to type that in their address bar regularly to read my most recent tips and musings.

Which brings me to you, the reader, fan or friend. I need help renaming this blog. There's a lot of subject matter here and its really hard to sum it all up in a few words.

All I know for now is I would love to keep the theme of Booster Gold. He's kinda a role model for me and if there could be a way to incorporate even part of his name in the new title, that'd be amazing. And don't forget, the biggest goal of this blog is to rid the world of the overweight geek stereotype, so think about that when coming up with new names too.

Thanks a lot for any help, leave a comment, shoot me a tweet at @terrybartley or email me. I'd really appreciate any and all suggestions!

A Very Potter Glee Guest Star

I've been trying to wean my way back into talking about other forms of entertainment, since this blog has been a place for fitness tips, then a little bit of comic book analysis mixed in and now I'm going to firmly place myself back into the world of pop culture by talking a little about tomorrow's episode of Glee, "Never Been Kissed."

Glee has a special place in my heart, not only because they're a show about everything I love, but also because their first Comic-Con panel was at my first Comic-Con. It is for this reason that I will always associate them with Comic-Con, no matter how mainstream the show becomes. On top of that, the show is pretty geeky. Pretty much all the main characters are outcasts in one way or another and they find their escape in music. Sure, they're more talented then most of us were in high school, but at its heart, this is a show about theatre geeks, movie geeks and music lovers. A pretty good description of most of my friends.

Tomorrow's episode is especially geeky because it will feature the star of my favorite fan-made musical, A Very Potter Musical. It is a seriously amazing musical and its Harry, Darren Criss, is really talented. Criss has a great voice and is really funny, which makes me very excited to see him on Glee.

However, Criss isn't the only reason I'm pumped for tomorrow's episode. I'm a huge Gleek, but my favorite part about the show was how much story the writers were able to cram into one 40ish minute episode. The first five episodes of this season feels like they've been dragging their feet. I've loved the musical numbers, but the show is so much more then that. But this next episode looks like its going to deliver a very meaty episode I've been craving. In the promo, the narrator even opened with "Glee's got so much action, we don't even know where to begin." That sounds like my kind of episode.

Thus, I have very high expectations for "Never Been Kissed." It features one of my favorite online performers, promises lots of story and has some pretty amazing songs lined up, including a cover of Bob Marley's "One Love." After tomorrow night, one thing's for certain, I'm either going to be very happy, or very disappointed. And by the looks of the already released musical number by Darren Criss, I don't think I have much to worry about.

How to Save the Comic Book Industry

Another great Comic blog, Popgun Chao$!, recently posted an article about the decline of comic sales over the years and what the industry could do to get back to a time when its not bizarre for one comic to sale 300,000 copies.

As a reader, I feel like I'm still getting good stories for my money. Admittedly, I do spend way more on comics then I should, and I only really buy about a fourth, if that, of the titles from one of the major comic franchises. I hate to imagine what a hardcore comic geek shells out per month. With that said, there has to be a way for the industry to pull in new readers without them feeling like they're making a decision between eating that month, or reading comics. Trust me, any real comic book fan can tell you they've been there, whether they're willing to admit it or not.

Which brings me to my main point. As an honest-to-God comic book fan with a little PR training, who is better qualified to give the comic industry advice on how to improve their income. Certainly not the company's actual PR department, they're partially responsible for the shape the industry's in already. Thus, with a little help from Popgun Chaos$'s comments section, here are my suggestions for improving their sale potential.

1. Embrace Distribution of Digital Comics

The key to any successful company is the ability to adapt to a changing market. The landscape of the way people buy anything print is changing to digital. As hard as it is to admit, the idea of people buying a physical book will soon be a thing of the past. Products such as the Kindle make it easier then ever to purchase and read digital media. No longer are the days of having to pack several books before a trip, pack up your e-reader, and you've got entertainment for hours.

I can already hear the groans of comic book fans as I'm writing this. I know what you're thinking. "Reading comics on my computer is horrible, and the Kindle doesn't have the ability to convey the amazing art I've come to expect from my comics." To you I say, you've clearly never seen a digital comic on the iPad. Don't believe me? Go to your local Apple store and hold an open comic book up to the screen of an iPad. See that, almost the exact same size. If more products like this spring into the market, a legitimate platform for digital comics will exist.

Now its time to address those of you who are telling me that DC and Marvel are already embracing this new technology. On sites such as Comixology, you can purchase digital comics from all the major players. But do me a favor. Click on that link and browse the selection. You'll soon notice that there are very few new comics there, I wouldn't exactly call that "embracing new technology."

2. Provide an Cheaper and Easier Way for New Readers to Jump On

This one's tricky. I wasn't really sure what comic book companies could do, outside of making comics cheaper, to make it easier for new readers to dive head first into comics. Then after someone compared comic books to other periodicals did it hit me. Comic books could do something that Manga has done for years. Publish a group of comics in one periodical. Group together similar comics (a monthly compilation of Bat-verse comics comes to mind), and sell them in a Shonen Jump-like format with lower quality paper, maybe less color and a much cheaper price tag.

This would provide a sample of the DCU without breaking the bank. The hardcord fans could still get their amazing art and collector's copies and the casual reader could get the same stories. I'm sure there are other methods for making comics cheaper, but this is the first one that came to me.

3. Change the Public Perception of Comic Books

This is a biggie, and a much more complex issue then I have time to discuss here, but comic book fans have a horrible wrap. When the majority of America thinks about comic fans they picture one of two things. Either the stereotypical over-weight, or under-weight, anti-social guy that lives in his mother's basement or in an even more bizarre twist, children. With the amount of adult content in comics, I'm not sure why people relate kids to comics, but there are always those that do.

Its curious that with comic based movies, such as Iron Man and The Dark Knight, regularly taking top gross in the box office, that these same movie patrons don't feel the need to pick up a comic. I do feel a big part of it is that these people are afraid of being grouped with the previous stereotype.

But what can we do to change this perception? Primarily, we need to stop perpetuating this image. Firstly, it would seriously help if we could all jump on my bandwagon of getting us healthier (think of how much awesome-er your super hero costumes will look with real muscles beneath them!). Secondly, we need mainstream figures to represent us to show we are normal people. It did my heart good when Sam Evans on Glee casually listed comics as one of his interests and I love it anytime Adrianne Curry, America's first Next Top Model, posts pictures of her cosplay. Everytime someone see a non-stereotype do something geeky, it helps our image a little bit more. So, for now, we need to encourage more celebs and media writers to not be afraid to come out of the geeky closet.

That's it for my tips, I'd love to hear anymore you guys can offer. Feel free to light up the comment section below this post.

The Booster Gold Workout Plan: Part 2

Now that I've covered cardio, its time to cover the strength training portion of the Booster Gold workout. He had to get those abs somehow! As I've stated previously, one big goal of the workout programs I've come up with are to be as cheap as possible (primarily free). I realize that not all of us can afford a gym membership and tons of equipment, I've continued this trend with the weight training.

A few years back I heard about this website called One Hundred Push-Ups. Its focus is that by the end of the six week training program, you'll be able to do, you guessed it, 100 push-ups without stopping. After thinking about the kind of training I wanted to do for my quest towards super hero-dom, I knew this should be a part of it. Upon going to the site, I'd realized that the folks over at One Hundred Push-Ups have expanded since last I'd checked them out. They now have programs for Two Hundred Sit-Ups, Two Hundred Squats and a few more.

After this discovery, I had already put together my strength training program. The way these programs are set up involve six sets of the exercise in question with breaks in between. My hybrid program, involving push-ups, squats and sit-ups, is non-stop strength training alternating the sets of specific exercises. This allows a rest period for the body parts involved, without forcing my body to rest and losing that precious, extra, cardio.

Now that I've done this program for a couple weeks, I will warn you. This method gets really intense the farther you go. My most recent workout was Week 2, Day 2 and by the end of it I was sweating buckets. I was able to complete it, but I was near the end of my rope endurance-wise. I think this program will work, but in the very near future, its going to get much harder for me.

I do this program three times a week as instructed. Its very important to follow the program exactly so you don't over, or under, work yourself. By the end of this program I'll be able to do 100 push-ups, 200 squats and 200 sit-ups, this will drastically increase my strength, and with any luck, the appearance of muscles.

Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen

Recently DC comics debuted a backup feature in Action Comics starring Jimmy Olsen. Whether you're a Jimmy fan or not, I'm excited for this feature for two big reasons. 1) I feel that writer Nick Spencer will bring the fun back to comics with the help of Mr. Olsen and 2) This comic features the DC Universe Debut of my favorite Superman Universe character, Chloe Sullivan.

To address my first point, I have high hopes for his comic. In recent years, we've seen the deaths Captain America and Batman, a very clear image of Wonder Woman killing a man and the near Genocide of a new group of Kryptonians. Its time for a comic that doesn't have all that drama going on. Reading about Jimmy taking down a pack of evil cats, or whatever, could be a nice change of pace. That's the great thing about Jimmy Olsen as a character, he doesn't have a ton of baggage. He's a photographer that knows Superman and ends up getting himself into trouble, that's pretty much it. And that's all we need.

In this first issue, we catch up with Jimmy after the events of War of the Supermen. He's in a little bit of a rut, now that the big S has gone on a PR trip around the world and isn't really able to protect his little buddy at his beckon call. It is written very cleverly in that the narration and the dialog has a tit-for-tat kind of relationship. I'd never seen this done before, but it works perfectly. We meet a new cast of supporting characters, including Jimmy's very own arch-nemesis, a big-shot Lexcorp exec which prompts possibly the best quote of the comic, "Right, that's what I'm saying. Lexcorp. . . . Being good at your job there means being bad at your soul."

And while we're talking supporting characters, let's not pretend like this comic is going to be anything but:

Chloe Sullivan is possibly one of the best characters created by a comic-based T.V. show, maybe ever, at least a close tie with Harley Quinn. She is essentially a blonde, unparalyzed Oracle that is Superman's bestie that talks in Buffy-speak. I'm sure the character in Action Comics isn't quite the Chloe we've all grown to love over the years, but we'll get there. I'm sure Superman writers have been watching Smallville waiting for the day they get to play around with this amazing character. This introduction is possibly the biggest thing this feature will accomplish. Whether this particular comic lasts or not, Chloe Sullivan is now firmly placed in the DC Universe. I'm very excited for what this could mean for me, the reader.

Best of all, comixology has a free preview of the 10-page backup feature. Be sure to check it out, unless you hate fun of course.

The Booster Gold Workout Program: Part 1

Since my last couple posts have been very comic-centric, I feel its time for me to post about something health related. As you may recall, I'm training to be a muscle-y Booster Gold at Comic-Con next year. I've very recently started a new workout program to accomplish this goal.

First off we have the issue of cardio. Cardio is very important in any work-out program, its they way you actually lose weight. It is very important to do something that you enjoy and will keep doing regularly throughout the course of the program. You all know I love running, but with the weather getting colder and my sore lack of anything that resembles a car, I've had to turn to something else.

I've racked my brain for something cheap (preferably free) that I would really enjoy and could hopefully involve as close to a full body work-out as possible. One notion that I kept coming back to was taking dance lessons. I've always enjoyed the idea of learning to dance but I could never get myself motivated enough to take a class. Of course, I live in a small town and all the dance classes are full of small children, and I'm not too fond of being considered the "creepy older guy."

Then I remembered a gem I found online after watching the most recent Hanson (yes, the MMMBop kids) video. "Thinking 'Bout Somethin'" is an incredibly catchy song that actually has a not too difficult dance associated with it. With the combination of how fast the dance becomes at full speed, it provides a perfect cardio workout, and do this four minute song five times and you've got yourself a 20-minute full body workout.



In order to combat the problem of potentially getting tired of this, I've been tagging a more difficult dance to the end of each work-out. This is a fun way to challenge myself, while still enjoying myself. And seriously, its amazing how many choreography tutorials you can find on youtube. Recently, I've been learning the dance from Lady Gaga's "Telephone."



I do this workout five times a week, for me this is Sunday through Thursday. This way I have plenty of cardio but I don't tire myself out too much. Be sure to check back in next week for the other half of the Booster Gold Workout Program, and come back later this week when I check out the new Jimmy Olsen back-up feature in the latest Action Comics.

Picking Up The Pieces

About three months ago I was involved in a pretty horrific accident. One that, quite honestly, I'm pretty lucky to have walked out of. My car was destroyed, but little did I know that my spirit took a pretty good beating as well.

It is at this time that I'd like to give all of you a little advice. If you're going through something tough emotionally, do yourself a favor and don't throw getting into shape on top of all your other problems. You'll drive yourself crazy and do a lot more harm then good.

Over the course of the past few months, I've put myself thorough so many things to avoid dealing with the fact that I'd recently had a near-death experience. I've experienced Insomnia, which of course led to oversleeping. I've done a lot of overeating, which, when you're trying to get healthy, is only a gateway drug into bulimia. I've lost that spark I used to have for life and haven't been motivated to do anything. The two blog posts I wrote here during that time are the most creative things I'd accomplished.

It wasn't until today when I caught myself talking about death with my brother when I realized just how far I'd fallen. Today I spent a lot of time thinking about what it really meant to almost die. At the end of the day, I've not done too much to be remembered for. Up until now, had I died in the accident, sure, my friends and family would grieve me, but I would have made no impact on the world. That terrifies me.

If I do one thing with my life I want it to be making a difference. I don't care how or what it concerns, I just want to help make the world a little more self-aware about something and make it a better place to live. That starts here.

So now I'm going to cope with this the way I cope with most everything else in my life. I tell the world about it, dust my self off and get a new goal in mind to pursue relentlessly.

I'm continuing my quest to rid the world of the unhealthy geek stereotype. I'm going to restart my healthy eating routine, not all at once, but slowly work my way back there. I'm going to start sprint training, and write an accompanying blog post about what that is exactly. I'll also be consuming a ton of media and doing what I do best, regurgitating it in reviews full of my Joss Whedon vocabulary and hopefully witty jokes. Take that near-death experience, you can't take me down that easily!

A League of Outsiders

I'll admit it. When I picked up my copy of Justice League of America #44 back in April, I was one of the first to cast a stone or two at the newly formed Justice League. I mean, at first glance, it really looks like a team of misfits. Allow me to break down the team for you:

• Batman, as played by Dick Grayson


• Donna Troy, who I do love, but can only really be described in layman's terms as a B-List Wonder Woman


• A shirtless, blue alien guy going by the name of Star Man, and isn't there already a Star Man that is neither blue or shirtless?


• and last, but certainly not least, a giant gorilla man, seriously, I'm not making this up

I mean, as much as I want to like this team, its hard to deny that it looks like someone just scooped these heroes out of the bargain bin. Needless to say, I was pretty skeptical. Even Etrigan couldn't take them seriously, and I mean, let's face it, he's kinda bargain bin-y himself. However, following the battle with said rhyming demon, the "Justice League" discovered Jade, the recently alive daughter of the original Green Lantern, Alan Scott, that innately has Green Lantern-like powers. They were almost immediately joined by the Justice Society of America and I am then led into a JLA/JSA crossover arc, with a JLA team that I'm not entirely sure I'm feeling yet.

I'm not the hugest fan of team crossover comics in the first place, but two pretty lackluster teams made it ever less appealing. With that said, I'm not entirely sure why I stuck with this comic for the ride, but I did.

The next issues featured a pretty epic fight between Power Girl and, a very welcome addition to the Justice Leauge, Supergirl. Adding an "S" to the group definitely gives it at least an appearance of legitimacy. But then again, it is Supergirl, not the big guy, I think you all know the one I'm talking about.

Finally, after much Green Lanterny-ness, the arc came to a close. On the last couple pages Batman offered Jesse Quick of the JSA an invitation to the League, which she quickly accepted. I'm not entirely sure if Jesse Quick was always a cool character or if they just made her seem that way just before her League debut, but either way, I approve of the speedster.

At the end of a pretty satisfying cross-over, we had the final rooster for this incarnation of the Justice League of America. Let me break it down for you one more time, now with my fresh perspective:

• Batman, still Dick Grayson, apparently that's not changing


• Donna Troy, now kinda the only Wonder Woman, what with Diana going through God knows what in her own comic


• The new Star Man, who I still don't know too much about, but after wiki-ing him up, it could be cool to have an openly gay member of the JLA


• Congorilla, who I'm still not entirely sold on, but he does sorta fit the magical character slot


• Supergirl, personally, my favorite member of the Super family


• Jade, a green skinned hottie that packs a mighty punch, with a giant green energy fist, of course


• and Jesse Quick, she may not be anywhere close to the most high-profile speedster, but she does seem like she'll be a pretty great addition to the team

After I saw the full rooster of this Justice League, I finally realized what bugged me so much about it in the first place. This doesn't at all feel like the Justice League, it feels like The Outsiders. No, not that current batch of losers, my Outsiders, the Outsiders with Nightwing at the helm. That was a comic that I really loved. Which brings me to my final verdict.

At the end of the day, this is actually a pretty well-rounded team. They have their bat, their Wonder, their Super, their Lantern, their speedster, their magic person and their random Hero thrown in for flavor. As long as I can accept that this will never be the Justice League I read that involved the big three, I think I'll really dig this comic. This has the makings to be very similar to the Outsiders comics I read a couple years back, which could actually be pretty amazing. I'm really glad I didn't jump off this ride before it even really got started.

A New Beginning

My name is Terry Bartley and about five months ago I started training to run a marathon. I set this goal primarily as a gimmicky way to motivate myself to exercise and eventually become healthier. Throughout the past several months, I've ran more then I ever had in my life and even successfully ran my first 5k. However, I really didn't appear to be getting in better shape.

Although I'm convinced I'm in better shape now then I've ever been in my life, I still kinda look a little overweight. I've been doing something wrong. After a little research, I found out that, apparently, although running long distances will increase your endurance, they don't really lower your body fat percentage. That comes from a different kind of training. Thus, I've decided to try for a slightly different goal.

Last year, I went to Comic-Con, ya' know, the biggest geek-fest in the world. I really loved it and have already made plans to attend next year. "What exactly does this have to do with exercise?" you may ask. "Everything," I reply.

At next year's Comic-Con, my friends and I have decided we want to dress up as the Justice League International. We've not worked out all the details yet, but we do know that I'm going to be the fame-mongering Booster Gold and my friend Ty will be Blue Beetle (Ted Kord edition).

I'm sure some of you out there still don't quite get how me cosplaying one of my favorite B-List superheroes connects to fitness. To you, I respond, "Have you even looked at Booster's abs? I mean seriously, look at them!"

In other words, the most important part of my Booster Gold costume, and consequently the hardest part, is getting into Super Hero shape. Which brings me to what this blog will be turning into. I'll be chronicling my first ever foray into real fitness, weight training and all, and also keeping you up to date with my other Comic-Con "training."

Between now and next year's Comic-Con, I hope to be adding more writers to this blog, which can only be described as something that has never been done before. I'll be putting together two things that I love, fitness and pop culture reviews. A place where readers can get opinions and rants on the latest and greatest T.V., movies and comic books, among other things, and work-out tips. If nothing else, I'll be firmly discrediting the "unhealthy geek" stereotype. I hope the world's ready for another Super Hero, or at least someone that looks like one.

Falling Off The Wagon

For the first time since I've started this blog, I've went for a solid week without running. I would love to say that even though I didn't run I still maintained a healthy lifestyle, but I think you all know that I don't lie to you.

I recently started a new job and I've had to get used to a new schedule. I'm pretty sure that's what caused the lack of running and healthy eating, but I really need to stop blaming these things on outside forces.

The truth is, I didn't run and I didn't eat healthy. There is no way around that. It was all me.

With that said, everyone has times when they get less motivated then they once were. It is the responsibility of that person to recognize it and get back on the health train. That's what I'm going to do. I'm taking responsibility and taking control of my exercise schedule and healthy diet.

Starting Monday, I'm going to set a schedule for running and stick to it, no wavering from here on, that is of course until I have another post oddly similar to this one. Until next time, happy running.

Photographic Evidence

Here's a picture of me crossing the finish line at the WV 5k Championship.

My First Race

Today I ran my first race ever. It was a 5k, which is typically considered the shortest race, and a good starting point for me. I was really excited about it, the motivation of watching runners around me giving it their all, the accomplishment you feel when you actually cross a finish line and even the way it was set up felt really official and it made me feel like I was a part of something important.

I got to the race, pinned the number on my shirt and started doing my stretches. It was crazy as a beginning runner to watch other runners get ready around me. This was a real race, these were real runners. As I warmed up I realized I had no idea what I was supposed to do. The thing about running your first race is that its, well, your first race. I never took the time to ask anybody how to warm up for a race. So I jogged around some, I walked around some, did some more stretches, I guessed that was right.

Then the time came. I lined up on the starting line with roughly 600 other runners, the gun was shot and we were off. I'd been told by other runners not to worry about keeping up with the other runners, these guys would be leading the pack and there was no way I could keep up with them. I told these people that it wouldn't be a problem, I know what pace I can run and I'll just keep it up, I didn't care about the other runners.

I was so wrong. No matter how many times you tell yourself to stay at your own pace, if there are awesome runners around you, you're going to try to keep up with them. I don't know why I did it, it just felt like the right thing to do. As I'd been warned, it wasn't. I quickly ran out of steam and had to slow down to a slow jog. I kept running for most of the race. If I told you I ran the whole time and didn't walk at all, it'd be a dirty, dirty lie. I stopped to walk about three times throughout the 3.1 miles.

My final time was 37 minutes and 56 seconds. At first I was upset with myself. I've ran 3.1 miles in less time then that before. How was it that the time I run the worst is in a race?!? I spent maybe five minutes being upset with myself, but then I realized something. I finished my first race. I ran a 5k, sure with a couple hiccups, but it was my first race and I crossed a finish line. I'll even have a picture to back it up pretty soon.

I've won awards and I've gotten promotions, but there's a feeling you get when you cross a finish line that nothing else can replace. Its a sense of accomplishment. Immediate accomplishment. I know that a year ago, there's no way I would have even considered entering a 5k and now I've finished one. I don't know if I'm going to make it to marathon runner by the end of the year, but one thing's for sure, I'm a runner now, and nothing's going to change that.

To Train for a 5k?

The key to any training program is setting up smaller goals for yourself until you are able to reach the bigger goal. As a runner, I'm in luck. There are several races throughout the year, of varying distances, that I can use to build myself up to a marathon.

With that said, I will be running my first race ever this Saturday. I'll be participating in the WV 5k Championship in Huntington, WV. I don't really know what to expect, but I'm pretty excited about it.

My prediction is that it will be a little challenging, but really inspiring. For those of you that aren't Metric system inclined, a 5k (AKA 5 kilometers) is roughly 3.1 miles. For those of you that have been keeping up with me for a while, you'll remember that 3 miles is a pretty average sized run for me. That really isn't anything huge anymore.

However, even though the distance won't be anything groundbreaking for me, I think the speed will be. With runners of varying levels all around me on the same course, its going to be really hard to pace myself. It will also be really hard to stop myself and not keep up, so I'm really interested to see how this turns out.

For those readers out there that don't feel up for a 5k, I encourage you to at least come out to Huntington, watch the run and cheer us all on. For those of you that feel up to a 5k, come on out and join us, its gonna be a blast!

Motivation

The hardest thing about runner, or any exercise program for that matter, is keeping yourself motivated. When I first started running, my motivation, primarily, was this blog, and the end goal of being able to run a marathon. I threw myself into this public arena, and I feel a pressure to follow through. However, as the blog has continued, my true motivation has changed.

It seems like at least once a week someone tells me about how they started running again because of me. People pretty regularly ask me if I'll run with them. I can't express how amazing it feels to know that I've inspired people to get healthy. It means way more to me then actually making myself healthy. There's no way I'm quitting anytime soon, I want to continue motivating people, and by extension, motivate myself.

However, for those of you that aren't blog-inclined, or maybe helping people just doesn't give you those warm-fuzzies I'm referring to, I do have a few motivation tips for you.

First of all, the best decision I ever made was to run everyday. I used to do that, "I'll exercise three times a week," thing, but that's horrible. I never followed through with the schedule, and it ended up, on a good week, I'd exercise maybe one day. When you exercise everyday, it is impossible to say "I'll do it tomorrow," because you already have to do it tomorrow. You have to do today's workout today, that's just the way it works.

Secondly, you need to make your run an extension of something else you enjoy. When I listen to podcasts or music, that's really what I'm doing. The run is just a side-effect of doing those things. If you like to bird-watch, run in an area with lots of birds so you can do that while you run, if you like to watch TV, maybe you should invest in a treadmill and run in front of your TV. Never allow running to become a chore. You won't want to do it then.

There are many other motivators, but I'll save them for another post. As always, comment, shoot me an email, or hit me up on twitter (twitter.com/terrybartley) if you have any questions or suggestions.

A Blast From My Past

A couple days ago I went back to my old high school to run around the track. Once I stepped on the track, I heard someone say, "Hey Terry!" It was a girl I gradusted with that I haven't seen, probably since graduation day. I gave a quick "Hi" back to her and started to do my streaches.

She continued to jog around the track as I streached, then I began my run. I remember her being in pretty good shape in high school and once I caught up to her I noticed she was sporting a "Lady Skyhawks" jacket, which I'm pretty sure means she played a sport.

Since her pace was somewhere around a light jog, I quickly passed her. Throughout the course of this three mile run, I passed her about three more times. Now I know that men are naturally more athletic then women, and I also realize I have no idea where she's been fitness-wise over the past six years, but it still felt really good to have that much stronger a run then her.

At the end of the day, in high school I was the geeky overweight kid and she wore a letterman jacket and six years later I can lap her three times. I don't care who you are, that's going to feel good.

With that said, I'm really glad that she was out running and is concerned about her fitness. I always love to see someone I know out when I run, maybe next time I'll see you.

A Revolution of Dance

Whenever I first started this whole weight loss thing, about two years ago now, my primary exercise was the Mario version of Dance, Dance Revolution. I wasn't really into running back then and I was slightly obsessed with DDR in high school, so it seemed like a good fit. Eventually, I started doing "legitimate" exercises and left DDR by the wayside. Little did I realize just how incredible a workout it turned out to be.

Recently my brother bought a used DDR game (DDR Max 2 for curious minds out there) and I took it for a spin. I played the Standard difficulty setting, went into Work Out Mode and was immediately impressed at the options for those looking for some good cardio. In work out mode, it displays how many calories your burned, your total calories burned, then it gets awesome. It shows you a conversion rate of how many times you would have jumped rope, how may miles you would have jogged and how may miles you would have swam.

With these new resources at my fingertips, or shoelaces as it were, I danced enough songs to equal roughly 4 miles, a pretty typical run for me. It turned out to be about 16 songs, which was lots of fun, but really exhausting. I couldn't believe how fast my heart was beating, how sore my legs were and just how winded I was. DDR was as much, if not way more, of a work out as running. I started playing it expecting to be better at it with my new found endurance, but I pretty much picked up where I left off.

For anyone who ever made fun of people that have claimed to be exercising by playing DDR, shame on you. Its no wonder so many people lost weight playing it, it is really intense cardio, not to mention,so much fun. Runners out there looking for a creative way to cross-train, pick up a copy of DDR, its amazing!

Running In The Rain

Now that I've been running everyday for a little over a month now, I've realized that one of my favorite things to do is run in the rain. I never seem to get too tired while its raining. Something about the tiny drops of water brushing against me as I run is really refreshing.

That being said, when I say "running in the rain" I mean a pretty light rain. Nothing like a storm, just enough that someone would say "its raining" as opposed to "its sprinkling." Today, I went running during a flash flood watch.

I went outside and it was lightly raining. I was looking forward to a pretty relaxing run. After about a mile, it started to downpour. It was kinda cool at first, I enjoyed the slightly larger drops of water hitting my face, but as my clothes got heavier and the puddles got bigger, it was no longer relaxing.

I'm not saying I'll never run in a heavy rain again. It was actually pretty exhilarating. It was a new running challenge. I still made it four miles and I seriously wasn't sure that I would. It was also much easier to keep running, I really didn't want to walk home in the rain.

I'm a Runner

I've been what I call "kinda a runner" for about a year now. Even after I started this blog, I would still call myself that. I couldn't commit to just saying, "I'm a runner." Its like there was something missing, I couldn't put my finger on it, but I couldn't classify myself as a runner.

However, a few nights ago that all changed. I went running earlier in the day, went to work and got off around 11 p.m. It was a nice night out, so I sat on my front porch for a few minutes. Then it hit me, I wanted to go running. It wasn't because I had to, I'd already gotten my run in for that day. I genuinely just wanted to go running.

That was it, that's what was missing. I couldn't call myself a runner because it wasn't something I did because I enjoyed doing it. It was something I was doing to fill a void. I started running primarily because I couldn't afford a gym membership and running outside is free. Now I run because I like it, because I want to.

When I go outside, I enjoy the way running makes me feel. I like the challenge of pushing myself harder then last time. I love the feel of the wind on my face. And honestly, I appreciate the chance to listen to music or catch up on podcasts for about an hour. Running is a way I relax now, its a form of escape for me.

So I'm a runner, that's all there is to it. Running is officially a part of my personality now, its who I am. I may not be able to run a marathon yet, but I'm well on my way, and I'm really looking forward to the opportunity.

Podcasts: The Running Music Replacement

In my previous post I talked about how I needed to work on finding a way to run without music. Before making the leap to full-on no music, I thought I'd use something else to ween me off my headphones.

I have heard from a few different people that podcasts are good to run to. I never believed them, I seriously couldn't imagine how people talking could be as motivating as music. Honestly, I was still a little skeptical whenever I started the run.

I started up the podcast and began running at my typical speed. I fully expected to get tuckered out after about a mile and without my music to perk me back up, start walking. Much to my surprise, that not only didn't happen after a mile, but didn't happen at all for the entire run. I ran at a consistent speed for roughly an hour and a half without ever feeling super tired, in fact, I'm pretty sure I could have went for longer.

I was delightfully surprised that the podcast kept me running. I wouldn't say it motivated me, as much as it distracted me from how tired the run was making me. Podcasts aren't better then music, they're just different. Music caused me to fluctuate my run. When a song is a little more driving or has an especially catchy bridge, I run faster. If a song my not be quite as driving, I'll slow down slightly. I need the music to motivate me, because overall, I run harder.

So basically, podcasts are pretty great to run to. They help take your mind off how long you've been running. Although I don't think I'd always want to run to podcasts, but they are great at least once a week, when you may want a simpler run then usual. They are a great way to rest up, without having to skip on a day of running.

A Casual Running Partner

So my theme week may not have turned out exactly as I'd planned, it turns out even runners have schedules. Who knew?

However, I did get the opportunity to run with my friend Sean, previously referred to as the casual runner. This is the run I wasn't very concerned about, because I knew he was roughly around my level so it wouldn't be super demanding.

We ran about three miles. I really enjoyed the run, however there were a few factors I didn't count on. It was great to have some conversation in the beginning. I don't get many chances to hang out with Sean, so its cool to think that this could be a new way for us to hang out.

The first mile went by pretty smoothly, I wasn't very out of breathe and I got to catch up with my friend. Then we both started to get a little out of breathe. The conversation lessened the farther we ran and I quickly started to miss my running music. It is honestly ridiculous how much music motivates me. I started forcing songs to get stuck in my head so I could have something. We finished the run, but I really wasn't feeling it. I had to force myself to run as far as I did, then once we stopped, I know I could have ran farther, I just couldn't make myself.

This was a really telling moment for myself. I really need to find other ways to motivate myself. I love to run with music, but thinking back now, I can remember times my blackberry died and I thought to myself, "Ya know, I can walk the rest of the way." If I don't have my music I'm useless. How am I going to run a marathon if my only real form of motivation is the music playing through my headphones?

So that's my next challenge, to find a way to motivate myself that doesn't involve music. I better figure it out fast too, because I'm runner with the experienced runner on Friday.

A Week of Running Partners

After I've started running regularly, I've gotten a lot of questions about who I run with. The truth is, I've never really regularly run with anybody. However, I've wondered if there are any advantages to having a regular running partner. Which gave me an idea for my first theme week.

Throughout this week I'm going to be running with three different people. People at three different skill levels. I'll be running with one experienced runner, one casual runner (roughly at my skill level) and one new runner. Here are my predictions of how I think my runs will go.

When I'm with the experienced runner, I believe he will always be slightly ahead of me, which will push me to keep up. Although, I think I may feel a little like I'm holding him back. I think this will probably be my best workout of the week, because of how hard I'll push myself, but I hope it doesn't wear me out for the rest of the week.

Running with the runner around my level should be fun. I'm hoping it will make me feel like I've accomplished something over the past few weeks. It would also be great if this could turn into a regular running partner. I think this run will let me know if I would want a regular runner partner or not.

With the new runner I'm not really sure what to expect. It will be up to me to motivate her. I think the pressure of keeping her motivated may be enough to keep me motivated, but there's also a chance I won't be able to do as much running as I typically do.

So there's my guesses, check back later this week to see the results.

Growth

I've always been pretty sure I have a mild form of OCD. I've never been actually diagnosed or treated for it, but I have noticed I have tendencies that most normal people don't have, and none of these tendencies have ever actually affected my life.

To give you an example, I always get specific drinks at different restaurants. Whenever I'm at Burger King I get Dr. Pepper, at McDonald's I get Sweet Tea, at Taco Bell I get Mountain Dew and the list goes on and on. I've always done this and never thought anything of it until I started drinking primarily water. Many times I couldn't force myself to get water at these places, because it just didn't feel right. I'm pretty sure this is an OCD tendency.

Another of these tendencies that has affected my running is that I never step on the cracks in the sidewalk. I've done this as long as I can remember. I'm pretty sure this all started with the whole "Step on a crack, break your mother's back" thing, however, I've known for years that doing this probably won't actually break my mother's back, it just didn't feel right to do it.

Every time I've gone running for the past couple of weeks, I concentrate way more on not stepping on the cracks then on the actual run. I never really enjoy the runs, because it feels like a chore. I have to put a lot of effort into not stepping on cracks, especially when I run in a city sidewalk full of cracks.

Today when I went running, I decided I was going to not care and see what happened. I was amazed at how much more fun it was to run! I noticed how bright the sun was shining, how beautiful the blooming trees were and how great the breeze felt on my face. And surprisingly, when I stepped on a crack, nothing happened. I didn't have a panic attack, the world didn't end and my mother's back didn't break, I know because I recently talked to her, she sounded fine.

I guess the point of this article is to demonstrate that working towards a goal, like really working towards it, can really change your life. I never expected to conquer these little annoyances in my life by training for a marathon. I'm so glad I decided to make a blog for this, I'm excited to see what else happens to me along this journey, I really believe I'm going to be a much better person by the end of it.

Maybe next time I go to Taco Bell I can order a water. Baby steps.

Confession

O.K., I admit it. Holidays take a toll on everyone's eating and exercise schedules. I am no exception. This past Saturday was my mother's birthday and Sunday was, of course, Easter.

I visited my family in Boone county with high hopes of eating things, such as Easter candy and birthday cake, with much moderation and maintaining my running schedule. None of this happened.

My grandma made a huge Easter/Birthday dinner consisting of ham, turkey, mashed potatoes, corn, ect., ect., ect. I ate one full plate, then pursued to eat cake and ice cream. My mom bought me a pretty big chocolate and peanut butter Easter egg and a full package of Reese Cups, needless to say, I ate all of it.

To say I cheated this weekend would be a vast understatement. I went overboard. Admittedly, starting to eat healthy just before a family birthday and the Easter holiday probably wasn't the best idea, but its no excuse, I really should have done better. I should have ate the junk food in moderation, if at all, and I should have continued my exercises.

With all that said, its a new day. Tomorrow morning, I plan on getting up at 4:30 a.m. and going for a 4 or 5 mile run. I can do this, I know I can. I'm hoping that over time this blog can be a place for encouragement, that is if you can pick up on my obvious hint, readers.

Wakin' Up With the Chickens

Today was the first time I went running in the dark. I work most every morning at 7 a.m., which means I have to wake up around 4:30 to run before work. For those of you paying attention, that means I'm running roughly 4-5 miles before the sun even begins to rise. I know its more of a mental thing, but when the metaphor for how early it is surrounds you, its a little much.

Outside of the darkness, it had rained the night before. In order for non-Huntington, WV residents to appreciate exactly what this means, I need to explain the horrible drainage system in Huntington. There are places on Huntington sidewalks that are like geographic anomalies. They appear to be the same level as the rest of the sidewalk, and yet, there's a huge puddle there. How exactly does that happen?

With that said, in the dark, these puddle are like snipers. There's no way I can see them coming and then they get me. My feet get wet, it splashes up to my clothes, its not a good time for anybody.

However, for all the bad that come with running before the sun rises, there's a lot of good. There's something about being the only one awake in town that causes you to lose any inhibitions. There were so many times throughout my morning run that I felt like I were performing the songs in my headphones, which made the run go by so much faster.

Also, there is literally nothing better to give you energy in the morning then some cardio and a shower. For the first time in months, I really felt like I was ready for my day when I left my house. Hear that coffee, we're through!

In conclusion, I'm going to continue running before work, provided I can get up early enough, but it is not going to be every day. I'm going to savor the days I can sleep in and run with the sun shining down on me. It's also nice to know that my sleeping habits have evolved so much that sleeping until 9 a.m. is considered "sleeping in" to me.

It Gets Challenging

After a few discussions with my running friends, I've decided that for the beginning stages of my marathon training, I'll be running 3-5 miles a day. I've always ran sorta casually, 2-3 times a week whenever I had time or felt like it, but I've never ran on consecutive days.

Today was day four of my training. It was my hardest day yet. First things first, my legs are getting really sore. This is something I expected, but I didn't expect it to be quite this discouraging. I've been sore after running before, but never this sore.

Secondly, I've decided to change to a healthy diet on Monday, but until then I'm gorging for my junk food swan song. With that said, last night I ate a whole container of two-bite brownies from Kroger, almost a half-gallon of milk and an entire frozen pizza. This was a horrible idea. My stomach was beyond upset this morning and it only accelerated when I ran. As early as the half mile mark I felt like I was going to throw up, it was horrible.

Finally, it was raining this morning. I've never ran in the rain before, this was a new experience. It really wasn't so bad, but on top of all the other stuff, it felt like the universe was against me. It was so hard to stay driven with so much going against me. I had planned on running four miles today. I didn't make it that far, however I was able to run my typical three mile course.

Now, I get that the junk food thing was totally my fault. In fact, I was pretty sure this is the way it would turn out. Honestly, as hard as today was, I'm glad I went through it. I know now why I should never, ever, ever eat this way and I know that I can still run three miles even when I don't feel like it.

To get to the parts that aren't entirely my fault, do any runners out there know any ways around sore legs? It makes me wonder, are runners legs sore all the time? I'd appreciate any advice/tips about this.

The Beginning

My name is Terry Bartley and I am a runner. I am now anyway. This is a new thing for me, I've actually never been too big on the whole "exercise" thing. But now, I aspire to be a marathon runner.

I realize all of this sounds like an episode of MTV's Made. The kid that was always overweight in school spent his days looking up to the runner's dedication and feels that if maybe he could be like them he could take on the world. This isn't exactly like that.

Honestly, I never thought of my weight as a huge problem. I hid it well enough. I was pretty drastically overweight, but I was surprised at the number of people that told me things such as, "I never thought you were that overweight," after I dropped 40 pounds. I pretty much always knew I could take on the world, what I didn't know was just how easy it was to motivate myself.

I was a journalism major at Marshall University with a penchant for all this "New Media" stuff, one day I had an idea to make a reality podcast about myself losing weight. I ate healthy, played Dance, Dance Revolution pretty heavily and before I knew it, got in pretty decent shape. The podcast never actually happened, but whatever. That's when it hit me. If I can convince myself I'm doing something to entertain others, I can get myself to do pretty much anything.

That brings me to now. I've slacked a ton on healthy eating and exercise, but have somehow managed to maintain my somewhat reasonable weight. I realize, however, that this isn't good enough. I want to actually be healthy, not just appear as such. So I devised a new scheme, I would set a new goal: Run a marathon by the end of the year. Which brings me to this blog. I'll be documenting everything I learn about the relatively-foreign-to-me world of running, and hopefully teach all of you things along the way.

This blog is for anyone curious about running, any established runners that would love to point out exactly what I'm doing wrong from time to time and of course, those that love to hear of others in pain, because I'm also sure I'll be going through tons of that. Wish me luck blogosphere, here I go.