Update 10/18/08

Here's my weekly update. I was sick last weekend, so I didn't do my running on Sunday. I started "Week 4" of the Couch to 5k on Tuesday. Up until this point, I've been struggling with shin splints, arch cramps, and calf pain. With the help of some friendly folks, I've discovered why. I was running wrong. I was stretching before I warmed up at all, and that was part of the reason I was in pain. I've started walking for 2o minutes before stretching, and that has helped a lot. I've also revised my running form according to this article. My feet are still cramping a little bit, but it's nothing I can't push through.

Tuesday, I was able to run a total of 10 minutes, and yesterday I finished the whole run (a total run time of 16 minutes, broken up into 2 3-minute runs and 2 5-minute runs). To add to it, I'm going to walk at least 40 minutes on the days I don't run. I think I'm going to splurge on a fitness mat so I can start working on my crunches/push-ups/stretching. The one I want is $20. It may be worth the expense.

Other things in my life that I'm improving on: I'm doing pretty well at keeping my calorie range between 1300 and 1700 (according to SparkPeople, it's supposed to be 1200-1550, but I'm not that good yet). I created a budget and weekly meal plan today, as well. My life is on the track it should have been on all along. I'm pretty proud of myself at this point.

Reading: I'm about halfway through To the Shores of Tripoli. Marines in 1800 were as bad-ass as they are now. My next book is going to be First to Fight or Generation Kill. I haven't decided yet.

It's time.

It's time I did what I have always wanted to do. I am going to become an officer in the United States Marine Corps. I have a lot of work to do and it looks like a long road, but it's going to happen. As of right now, I am hoping to ship out for OCS next summer.

I have just completed my third week of regular exercise. In week one, I was running a total of three minutes out of my thirty-minute walk. As of today, I am able to run 15 minutes out of thirty-five minutes (I added an extra .2 of a mile to my regular path). According to the running schedule I am following, I should be running 16 minutes, but for being so overweight and avoiding all major forms of exercise for the past eight years, I think I'm doing pretty well.

I've been looking over MOSes that I could be interested in and I am really leaning toward Intelligence (including Signals Intel), Linguistics, MAGTF, or becoming a pilot (it's a long shot, but it's nice to dream). I plan to start learning what I need to know before I even sign a contract, so that I can be on top of my game. My goal is to go to Quantico with a 300 PFT to begin with, so that I can focus on what I am unable to master ahead of time.

Stats as of 9/27/08:
Weight: 205 lbs
Height: 5'4
Walk/run time: 35 min/15 min
Crunches: 10 per rep
Push-ups: 2 (I'm a weakling right now. This will change.)
What I'm reading: One Bullet Away. This is quite a motivating book. Nathaniel Fick did an amazing job putting his experience into words, and the book is very well written. I have purchased To the Shores of Tripoli, as a reward for completing three weeks of exercise.