How to Drill a Hole with No Mess!

Ever drill into a wall and get a nice hole, but lots of drywall dust from the drilling process?  Well I've found a solution that I need to credit to those guys from This Old House.  All you need is a Post-It.

Simply place a Post-It a 1/2 inch below the area where you'll be drilling.  While the Post-It is adhered to the wall, fold it UP in half and you're ready for drilling. If you don't have a Post-It, you might be able to  use painter's tape and slightly thick stock of paper.

The Post-It acts as a mini-catch supporting all that drywall dust from the hole.  Once you're done, carefully remove the Post-It and toss in the trash for easy cleanup.  Thats it.

P90X2 - Week 8, Phase 3

Sooooo, I didn't completely finish the last Phase of this workout.  I decided instead to cut my month workout in this phase to only 2 weeks worth of the P.A.P. or Post Activation Potentiation.  The reason I cut this short was that my workouts in this section cut my effort by 30%.  I believe that these workouts  were created to keep the muscle you had stimulated, but rested more.  Once rested and completing this stage you're done or you can do the entire program all over again, which I'm currently doing now.  The workouts were okay, but meager compared to the previous disks, so its tempting to give up the easy stuff and go to the harder, more muscle defining workouts.  I felt like I've done enough of the PAP section to start all over again.

My body has so far developed very well and my weak areas have improved by 40%!  I could barely squeeze out a rep on the pull-ups, but now I'm much better at this.  Improving and seeing results in the mirror is a definite motivator to keep working out.  My nutrition has changed as well as I use Livestrong.com to follow my caloric intake and making sure I'm getting just enough calories without going over my goal per day.  To record what you eat, makes a great way to figure out what you can remove or add to your diet, while doing P90X2.  Checkout Livestrong.com or jot down what you ate for a week and make those tweaks without crashing your diet and giving up.

Overall the P90X2 program was developed very well, especially its focus on building the foundation of the body, while keeping it on its toes. I've tweaked my workouts as to accomodate my focus, which will be running for the Boston marathon in April 2013.  I believe this program and its prior program are a great way to stay in shape for all levels.

P90X2 - Week 6/Phase 2

I'm well into my 2nd Phase of the P90X2 program.  Phase 1 focused more on Core and Balance, now we're into Phase 2 which seems to focus on muscular development while maintaining that Core.

After 6 weeks I can see myself dramatically changing in appearance.  I can see that my body is getting leaner and my muscles are becoming more developed.  To see myself becoming leaner and physically more "likeable," I've become more motivated to maintain those qualities.

In addition, I've researched on how many calories I should be consuming in order to lose weight, but maintain the energy levels needed on a day to day basis.  The website LIVESTRONG.COM has helped a lot in tracking how many calories I've eaten and whether or not I've gone over my allotted amount of calories for that day.  Workouts can be recorded as well and will offset your total caloric intake.  The site is free to join and filled with lots of great information.  The daily calorie counter is a nice feature as it contains a large database of foods that you'd easily find at any supermarket...even ethnic varieties.

Oh and protein has been a big addition to my workouts.

...to be continued.

12 weeks of P90X2

I began my 12 week journey of completing the NEW P90X2 Disc Set.  It was something I always wanted to complete as I had seen so many positive results from people I know.  I had P90X for 2 years, but couldn't complete the weekly sessions, because it had interfered with my marathon/ultra training that I was involved in at the time. I did try to incorporate them both, but it became too strenuous and tiring.

After completing the 50 miler, and not having signed up to any future races I decided to dedicate 3 months of training to the P90X2 program.

I took a picture of myself without my shirt, looking sad and measured myself inputing all the information into the Team Beach Body website to track my progress.  In about 12 weeks, I'll take another photo and remeasure myself and hopefully I'll be smiling in my pics just like those diet commercials on tv.

The workout is broken up into 3 phases. In each Phase, you complete a workout for several weeks or about a month, then move to the next phase.  The workouts consists of core strength, weights, yoga and plyometrics used to create muscle confusion, which in my opinion is a great way to get your body into shape without the plateau. As with any workout, nutrition plays a key role into weight loss and energy gains. If you want to look good, really look good, you have to watch what you eat. I can't tell you how many times I've seen people working out, but haven't changed their nutrition. I know how hard it can be, but with small changes over the course of your life can make a big impact.  

Phase 1/Week 1:

My body is sore. Its a good soreness and a good indicator that I'm working out the areas specified by the workout. I don't want to say that all soreness is good, but I've been working out long enough to know the difference between good soreness and my left arm is feeling numb with a tightening of the chest. IMO this workout phase consists of movements that work the entire body focusing on balance, while utilizing your core. There's a good amount of yoga elements peppered throughout the workouts. There's also weight training and plyometrics, but I think Phase 1 is to build a solid core foundation, before moving onto Phase 2. Just like building a house...a solid foundation first.

...to be continued. 

Dinner at IKEA's Midsummer Smorgasbord Buffet

When you think of dinner at Ikea, you wouldn't compare it to the likes of TGIFridays or Outback, but that all changed for one night at our local Ikea. My family and I attended the ($9.99) All-You-Can-Eat Buffet at Ikea, Brooklyn. It was our first time at this type of event and was only catered to those who bought tickets days before. 

They had 2 separate dinner services, one beginning at 4pm and the other beginning at 6:30pm.  We took the early bird session and were amongst all the senior citizens who have mastered the art of first come, first serve. Passed the security officer and velvet rope, we were led to a huge buffet table that was loaded with all kinds of food. In addition to the swedish meatballs, there were pickled fish, a huge salmon on display, salad, potatoes, mashed potatoes, sausages, cheese, toast and much more. 

I must have helped myself to 3-4 plates worth of food, definitely surpassing the 9.99 purchase price. Father's Day weekend, I made sure to indulge. Towards the end of early dinner, we helped ourselves to dessert which consisted of swedish chocolates, an apple pie like dish, pound cake with strawberries and cream, mixed fruits and cookies.

The food was overwhelming, especially after 3 plates, dessert and drink. I ended up in a food coma and for a moment I felt like a king, while confused customers who couldn't enter the food court looked on hoping to be let in.  

Review of Schticky

Order:

I received the Schticky As Seen On TV product after researching the product for a week. What I found online wasn't as informative, so I thought I'd add my own take on the product. After placing my order, I received the product approximately one month. It was definitely a long wait, but it was easily tracked through my confirmation email with a link to UPS. 

Unboxing:

I opened the package and found 3 brand new schticky's in varying sizes.  There is a small pocket size version, a hand-held medium sized version and a large floor version. All the versions are plastic with the exception of the large floor model that has a plastic head and roller, while the collapsible shaft/handle is metal. Each schticky has a removable hard plastic cover and a plastic lining covering the sticky part of the roller preserving its tackiness. Once both are removed, the roller is ready to begin cleaning.  

Performance:

We immediately started rolling our wood floors and the Schticky did exactly what it advertised on TV. Its so sticky that it takes a some effort to get the roller rolling. It was pretty cool, picking up everything in its path leaving a clean floor behind. And just like the commercial I threw my Schticky up against the wall and it stayed put, but eventually fell off after a minute or two. We used the Schticky on the carpet and sofa. Again, it did what it promised, but the Schticky quickly lost its tackiness after a couple rolling swipes. The roller picks up everything, so if you have a lint filled carpet or couch, you'll be picking up more than just crumbs. My kids had broken a glass cup on the floor, but I was happy to use the Schticky to clean it up knowing that it probably picked up all the fine glass pieces that I probably missed.

Clean Up:

The Schticky recommends a bucket of warm water with a dab soap to remove any/all debris. Again the Schticky did what it promised, however I also ran it under warm/hot water without the soap and it work just fine. I would suggest using the bucket of warm water so you're not wasting water with each cleanup, plus its much tackier than using plain water. We didn't use cold water, but I'm sure it would still work just not as well with warmer water. Even though the debris will fall off, things like hair or string can get caught up in the roller. Easy fix, the roller can actually detach itself from the plastic frame holder so its easier to slide off the hairs. To reuse, the Schticky must be dry so its good to use a lint-free towel/shammy to remove all water. If you bought the Sham-Wow, this would be a great compliment to the Schticky...go figure. Air Dry is also an option as well.

Final Thoughts:

Just as advertised The Schticky's cleans up anything that's not in liquid form. Just like a tape roller its use can be short depending on how dirty or how much lint comes into contact with the roller. The Schticky allows multiple use without having to buy a new pack of tape rollers so the savings is there versus a bucket of warm water. I would suggest a lint free towel to dry your Schticky, but we're doing fine without one. A couple cons of the device. We felt the plastic handle and frame that holds the roller was a bit flimsy when applying pressure. It would probably break in a year or two, but we're crossing our fingers that it doesn't. Also the frame holding the roller seemed very close to the roller itself, so when you would roll over a slightly bigger crumb, it wouldn't clear the frame and would slow down the rolling action, get caught up in the frame or the debris would fall back on the floor. Use on fabric with lots of lint can reduce its use significantly. My suggestion is to use a vacuum, then the Schticky to do a final pass or just keep a really clean home and you'll go far with the Schticky.

I would highly recommend this product to my family/friends.

Post Northface Endurance 50 miler in Bear Mountain, NY

Finished the Northface Endurance 50 Miler this past weekend...my first 50 miler. Time to reflect and heal, here is what I did and what I plan to do next time

=======================================

TRAINING

WHAT I DID: Followed the 50 miler trail running program from Runnersworld, which included Hill Repeats, Tempo Runs & "Back to Backs" or 2 consecutive long runs close to marathon distance each!

WILL DO: The "Back to Back" long runs should be your top priority! My longest distance was 34 miles and still didn't feel it was enough.  I would also keep the Hill Repeats and add Stair climbing as there were portions that had to be walked.  Walking up hills is important to save up your energy for the long haul...trust me, you'll appreciate it later. RUN SIMILAR CONDITIONS YOU'LL BE EXPERIENCING.

=======================================

SHOES

WHAT I DID: I ran in Brooks Cascadia 6 trail shoes, which were well reviewed and fit my feet nicely.

WILL DO: Look for shoes that fit snug with no slipping and sliding...the less movement, the better. Also look for shoes that have a thicker plate on the forefoot so you don't feel the rocks/sticks with every step. I ended up with literally bruised feet. I also had issues with dirt/small pebbles getting into my shoe.  Gaiters would probably be a good option, however I just took my shoe off and cleaned house at the aid station. Identify "hot spots" or potential blister areas of your feet.  I didn't do that and realized painfully later I should have bandaged them or reapplied "Unpetroleum" Jelly or similar chafing cream. At all cost, avoid water if possible or carry a change of shoes/socks in your drop bag.

=======================================

FOOD/HYDRATION

WHAT I DID: I trained with multiple types of gels, sports drinks and food like peanut butter and jelly or potatoes. I also trained with foods that were listed to be at the race aid stations.

WILL DO: Despite their list, some of the items I was looking for were NOT there. This affected me in the first 1/4 of the race as I was scrambling to look for alternatives with items I didn't train with. After a certain point, I became sick of eating gels and taking sports drinks almost throwing up. Keep a variety of items and try to balance how much you'll be eating/drinking to prevent getting sick. Ginger candy is helpful when your nauseated. Bring special items like coconut water or salt sticks.

=======================================

HYDRATION GEAR

WHAT I DID: I trained with a Nathan water bottle with a hand sleeve and pouch. I debated about using a camelback to keep my hands free, but decided not to use it.

WILL DO: I will continue using the Nathan water bottle or possibly a hydration waist pack. Since the aid stations averaged 6 miles from the next, I noticed my bottle was only 1/4 to 1/2 full when I arrived to fill up. Of course each person is different. Carrying the bottle for 50 miles wasn't as bad as I thought they would be, however I would switch arms at every aid station to give your arm a chance to recover.

=======================================

CLOTHES

WHAT I DID: We had the option to have 2 drop bags along the course. I brought a change of Lightweight Dri-Fit tech tees and hats to change into. Running in dry clothes was a nice perk after 26 miles. I also had extra trail shoes and socks incase I needed to change into them due to mud/water.  I also brought arm sleeves for cold weather, but easily removed during the race and left in a drop bag.

WILL DO: I'll still wear light Dri-Fit gear and bring extra clothes for the course. Also, I may invest in those running vests that you can hold more items to carry food and gels.

=======================================

FINAL THOUGHTS

OVERALL, I HAD A GOOD EXPERIENCE. THE AID STATIONS WERE MANAGED BY FRIENDLY VOLUNTEERS AND PREDOMINANTLY FILLED WITH GREAT FOODS, HOWEVER GELS BECAME SCARCE AT TIMES. IF YOU CAN, VISIT THE SITE DURING TRAINING AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE COURSE. TRAIN HARD TO THE POINT YOUR QUADS ARE BURNING AND/OR CRAMPING. WATCH YOU STEP AND TOUGHEN YOUR ANKLES TO LESSEN YOUR CHANCE OF TWISTING YOUR ANKLE AND DNF'ing. WITH ALL YOUR TRAINING, GEAR PREP AND FOOD IT ALL COMES DOWN TO A MENTAL GAME WITH YOURSELF...GO BIG OR GO HOME!