Alien Pedagogy

I have finished another 10 kilometer race. My time decreased from 55 to 50 minutes.

I ran really hard during the first 5 kilometers, which made the second five kilometers truly draining.

Sadly, this run was far less surreal than my first 10 K run. My sister says I’m “chasing the dragon.”

I’ve switched to endurance training because a coworker and I have entered a ten kilometer run, which is apparently not even a half marathon.

For the first time in my life, I am able to run eight kilometers straight. It’s killing my knees and I may have to get a brace.

Running is far nicer than weight training because it’s very hard to cheat at running. There’s a distance and a time. One of my fellow weight lifters pointed out that I was cheating in my endurance lifting because I wasn’t fully bending my arms (I was only bending ninety degrees, which I’d thought was pretty solid).

I think I’ve lost weight since the start of this program, but I haven’t really monitored it.

Some benchmarks:

• About three months in.
• Top bench weight – 180 lbs. A lot for me.
• Triceps have almost doubled for top weight.
• I’m currently lifting for strength, but will begin lifting more reps of lighter weights for longer-lasting muscle.
• I’m no longer getting ravenous hunger from weight lifting.
• Ran 4.8 kilometers yesterday. A lot for me. I usually run 4 km, and felt the last 0.8 all the way through.
• Knees were sore last weekend, but they’re already recovered from yesterday’s running.
• Calculated my BMI (~26.5) and I am in the overweight category (25 – 30), which I also read is an “advanced risk category” for type 2 diabetes.

Most of my fitness program goes on at the school. I occasionally run with the running club and other times am running while they’re in the park. I’ve been playing more volleyball and 3v3 basketball. A student told me yesterday that I’m no longer just a nerd: I’m becoming athletic nerd.

My fitness program continues:

• I’ve been pushing myself since we returned from break. I broke my previous bench record and am approaching my body weight.
• Knees are very sore from trying to find my limit on leg press and squat.
• A coworker and I have signed up for a 10 km “marathon.” This will not be easy for me because I get bored of running after 20 minutes. But we’re going for it.
• Ran with the running club and then joined the staff and students for 3 on 3 basketball and then volleyball after school on Friday, a great finish to a pretty decent week.

I don’t own a scale, but people say I’m looking pretty decent.