It's all fun and games until some says 'Morbid Obesity"

So Woggers, I wanted to let you all know how much I have appreciate your support and comments and fun while I embark on this journey to Wog the San Antonio 1/2 Marathon in 3 weeks.

Three weeks!?! How did that happen?

But I digress.

I'm not sure that I am a better Wogger than I was before I started this blog but I think I am probably a better writer and that has to account for something. But what I have also noticed is that I think I am doing better as a person.

Since I have started writing Wogger's World I have started a new job that I find very fulfilling. My wife and I are more on top of our finances. I have been more careful about my diet and I have Wogger more. I also have started using a CPAP machine and am trying to be healthier in general.

The CPAP machine does kinda suck. I mean you try to sleep with this thing on.

But I think I am sleeping better. And my wife says I don't snore while wearing it. It is just taking some lifestyle adjustment.

And that's really what all this is about right? Lifestyle adjustment. But it dawned on me today that while I have been writing a lot about these adjustments I haven't been making the changes as drastically as I need to. Let's just say it is easier to write about them than to actually do them.

But I read something Thursday that I do need to make these changes more drastic than subtle. I mean, I have been losing weight and feel better (current allergy issues aside) but it has been a small change. I think I need to kick it up to radical change.

You see, while I was reading over my sleep study Thursday two words that got used several times lept out at me. "Morbid Obesity"

Look, I know I need to lose weight. But I have never thought of myself in those terms. Husky? Sure. Jolly? Definitely. Lots more to love? You bethcha. Obese? No. Morbidly obese? Definitely not.

I mean, I know we all see our selves differently than how others see us. In my mind I think I still look like I did in my high school graduation photo:

So I guess this journey isn't going to end on November 13th of this year. I guess this may indeed, just be the beginning. A New Era. A new Dawn. A New Dan.

See you Thursday Woggers. And bonus points if you can figure out who my "Graduation photo" is.

And this little 1/2 marathoner went wee ... in the porta-potty

Hello Woggers! I hope everyone is done well and enjoying their autumn.

As the crispness returns to the air (for those in the northern climes yes, we are just now getting crisp air down here on the Gulf Coast) our thoughts turn to college football, pumpkins, the turning of the leaves, and whether or not we should spend money on a personal porta-potty on race day.

What?

That's right. You heard me correctly. Of all the decisions I have had to make in preparing myself for the 1/2 marathon, this may be my most important yet.

One of the things that the San Antonio Rock & Roll Marathon and 1/2 Marathon offers is a First-Class porta-potty experience. Last year I thought this was the most ridiculous thing I had ever heard of. They wanted to charge $100 for you to use a port-potty? Are you kidding me?

That was my attitude, right up until I had the use the the same row of pedestrian outhouses the other 30,000 people were using. then it became like one of those MasterCard commercials: It would have been priceless.

This year, instead of just buying a pass you have to buy like $150 in merchandise. Here is how the race promoters describe it:

Brooks VIP Porta Potty for a Super-Deluxe Start

Brooks' VIP Porta Potty is our way of thanking you for choosing Brooks and Moving Comfort gear, and rewarding you for all your hard work training for your Rock 'n' Roll Marathon or 1/2 Marathon.
To get your race off to the best possible start, we’ll have comfortable, climate-controlled restroom trailers set up at the starting line. Running water, flushing toilets, and some Run Happy® surprises await.
To gain your VIP access, you'll need to head to a participating retailer and purchase either Brooks or Moving Comfort merchandise; or make sure you get to the Health & Fitness Expo before the race and purchase official Rock 'n' Roll Marathon merchandise, Brooks apparel or running shoes, or Moving Comfort apparel.
Either way, you’ll receive a sticker for your race bib. The sticker is your race-day pass to Brooks' VIP Porta Potty, to be expertly staffed by Brooks employees and volunteers from participating local retailers.
Please note: Brooks' VIP Porta Potty will only be available for use before the race. To maximize your enjoyment, total admittance is capped. We strongly recommend arriving early because—trust us, it's worth it!

Yes that's right, you get an attendant and everything. The only reason I am hesitant is because it is only at the start line. To be honest that's not where I needed the nice portable. It was at mile 10. Because it was there I had to take a restroom break (remember as a Wogger I'm at the back of the pack here) and when I got in there all I could think was "Wow, somebody is having a really difficult race today."

And on that thought I wish you all a good night!

One Month More

So the wife and I just came back from a nice Sunday Wog. The weather down here in Houston, boys and girls, is wonderful. It's been what I imagine San Diego is like. The difference is we only get weather like this a few weeks a year, hence the affordable housing here in H-town.

We are one month away from the Rock & Roll San Antonio Marathon and 1/2 Marathon. My wife is a little concerned. As you may have figured out by now, we have not prepared as well as we would have hoped. But as we were Wogging today we realized that we both feel a little better. Perhaps we're not as consistent as we would like, we are however exercising more than we were. I would say most importantly, we have been doing this together and are spending more time together. This may be the best gift we have gotten from me convincing my beautiful bride into doing this with me.

Hopefully this is something we can continue doing and make part of our life together. When we go Wogging together we can plan, talk,hold hands, and be away from life for a little bit. The health benefits are lagniappe as our Louisiana friends might say. Others might call it gravy. I like it when my life is full of gravy.

Sleeping with the Enemy

In terms of health, I did night two of the sleep study. I slept with "the machine" on. For those not in the know, "the machine" would be a C-PAP. Basically you wear a mask while you sleep and it forces pressurized air into your breathing passages and it cures sleep apnea. Once I get used to the mask I should sleep better. This is what the mask is like:

As you can imagine this is not the most comfortable thing I have ever done. Indeed, it reminds me of being in a science fiction movie.

But I actually slept ok. So I can only hope that this is part of then whole "living a better Life" journey I have been on.

Success Story

So I saw an old friend last night and he looked great. I asked him what he had been doing and he said he had been walking and cut his portion sizes in half. This has lead to him losing 37 pounds in 3 months. How encouraging is that.

So if you have been feeling like you can't do it, here's someone who did, and they did it with no bells and whistles. 12 lbs. a month is really a big deal.

Ok Woggers, we will see you on Thursday. I hope I just keep on feeling better and progressing. I'm trying not to focus on what I have not accomplished but on what I have. And most importantly, I've accomplished it with my wife. Yay me!

Water Falls from the Sky?

UPDATE: I have not forgotten about you Woggers. It's just been a very busy week. Tune in for Monday's Wogger's World and I will update you on the Weekend's Wogging and Sleep Study Part 2!

Hello fellow Woggers! I hope you all had a wonderful weekend and that your work week is off to a great start.

I have noticed that there is a difference between Wogging on a treadmill or eleptical and actually going out and pounding the pavement. The actual Wogging is, I think, a bit harded than the simulated. The reason for me is, again I think, because of my weight. I have a lot of weight to shift around and I think that the treadmill helps me negatethat.

My point is this: My wife and I are trying to get out and Wog for distance during the weekends. This is a good plan and last week we had wonderful success and if you recall, I said we thought we had turned a corner in terms of our workouts. If we did we turned down the wrong street.

Saturday was just one of those days where we had so many obligations that the Wogging had to get cut (again with priority issues). No problem we thought, we'll go on Sunday. Well who knew we would get storms and heavy rain all day. We're in the midst of the worst drought ever down here in Texas. Why would I plan on heavy rain all day?

So anyway, we're down a bit on Woggin for the week, however, we both have noticed we are also down on some pounds! We think the better eating habits have helped that. I have to keep reminding myself, this is not just about a 1/2 marathon. This is about lifestyle change. Indeed, we had to go to a birthday party on Saturday and I chose a veggie burger. A VEGGIE BURGER! For those that know me, they can testify, this is a big deal for me.

Sleep with the Fishes

So for those that are keeping score, you may recall that Thursday night I spent the night in a sleep clinic. Well, just to update: I hated it. It was very surreal and I felt disoriented and tired in Friday. The good news is that I get to do it again tonight. Yay me!

You know, there's nothing more relaxing than having electrodes taped all over you and sleeping in an office building. I guess I should just be thankful they didn't need to keep track of my temprature, if you know what I mean. Plus knowing you are being recorded makes it all  the more peaceful. But hopefully they can figure out the problem, fix it and then I will have more energy which will allow me to Wog better  which will allow me to lose more weight. Which will allow me to sleep better. Which will give me more energy ...

Reminds me of the cocaine ad from the '80s.

Ok Woggers. I will see you Thursday and let you know how both the Wogging and the Sleep Study Went. Til then, keep on Wogging.

UPDATE:

Did you her about this woman who had a baby a few hours after finishing the Chicagp 1/2 Marathon? suddenly all my excuses not to exercise have lost all credibility. Even the ones that were credible.

http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/blog/fourth_place_medal/post/Woman-gives-birth-hours-after-completing-Chicago?urn=oly-wp756