javaruck Member

I think everyone gave you some pretty solid advice. One exception, if your going to be on streets, ditch the mp3 player - it's much safer to hear what is coming behind you. I don't know what kind of bike you have but if it is a road bike with the traditional road style seat, splurge for a really good pair of bike shorts.…

Runners World has some great plans. If you have an iphone, check out the Addidas micoach application. It is free and actually provides voice coaching to guide you through your training plan. I've used it with good results.

I've taken a number of yoga classes most all of the time, men have been there as well. If you happen to be in a class that is all women (I've had a few), I've always felt welcome. My advise is take the class and enjoy. Yoga is a lot tougher than it looks so you don't need to feel embarrassed if you the only guy!

I'm not personally from Poteau but I have family there and I come out to visit from time to time. My mom was born in Shady Point so I'm pretty familiar with your neck of the woods. A lot of pretty country around Cavanal Mountain - my cousins live on my grandfathers original farm property out on Calhoun Road. I'm related to…

The advice to check your shoes would also be my first suggestion. Go to a good running store and be willing to pay a bit more for really good shoes that are properly fitted (and the right type for your gait) and you should see an improvement. I also find that mixing a lot of cross training into my training helps a lot.…

If you have an iphone, you might want to check out the Addidas micoach application. It is free, and will develop a training plan that is customized to whatever your current ability level is. It uses GPS and talks you through an assessment workout. Based upon your current fitness level, it structures a training plan that…

Exercise will help bring the levels up. In addition, niacin supplements (in the form of slow release nicotinic acid) can also bring up the good cholesterol readings. This is available over the counter but check with your doctor before adding this to your supplement list. Niacin can interact with other meds so it is best…

This is a great site with terrific people. I'm new to myfitnesspal but I used a similar site and dropped 65 LBS going from barely able to walk to the end of the block to now participating in triathlons and marathons. I'm now trying to drop even more weight on account of some new health issues but feel like this site will…

You can't go wrong with Polar. Very reliable based upon my experience. I've since switched to a Garmin since I run and like the GPS but if you don't need GPS, I still prefer Polar's heart rate and calorie calculation features.

That's great! Let's see, 7 miles at a sub 10 minute pace.... Sounds like you might be ready for a half marathon! Congratulations on your success.

All the best to you as you go through your recovery. I had my heart attack/cardiac arrest on 1/22/11 and was also fortunate to be near great medical facilities. I'm also on this site trying to get my weight down even more. My damage was also minimal so I've been very lucky to resume my past level of activity very quickly.…

Good for you that you did not let a doctor with a bad bedside manner get the best of you! You have already accomplished a lot in a short time so take pride in what you have done. Don't allow any negatives to set you back and even it you do have a bad day, don't let that define you and allow yourself to get thrown off…

I tend to go with whatever ends up being comfortable. I tend to sit upright on my mountain bike with my weight focused on my "sit" bones. Whenever I am on my road or tri bike, I am more forward with a much more curved spine (especially on the tri bike). I'm not sure there is a right or wrong way. As long as you are…

Feeling the road is normal. As far as your speed, that sounds pretty decent if you are riding a comfort/mountain bike. I have 3 bikes and my average speed varies a lot depending on which bike I am riding. On my comfort bike, I tend to average 12 to 14 mph, my road bike goes up to about 16 to 18 mph and my tri bike runs me…

Congratulations for making the commitment to do a tri! I’ve done the Nautica Malibu sprint triathlon for the past 4 years and had a blast each time as I am sure you will as well. For what it’s worth, here are a couple of pointers from my perspective. The swim can really be a challenge if this is not a strength. Open ocean…

I agree, a heart rate monitor is the only way to go for this type of activity. It will also benifit you on providing accurate calorie calculations for any other activities (including weight training, etc.). Lots of machines at gyms tend to be a bit generous with the calorie calculations so a good HRM solves lots of…

I've had those kinds of days all to often! Chances are this is only due to sitting and/or bad food choices. I've had problems with soreness if I have excess sodium and I swell up from fluid retention. Take a rest day and try again. If it keeps up, make sure you don't have an injury. Good luck with your training. I'm doing…