You gotta get out of shape to be able to get in shape

It has begun.

I celebrated the start of weight loss summer for Pete and I by delighting in a Groupon-enduced food coma Blanc Burgers + Bottles with BDR on Friday night. Delicious bison burger with aged white cheddar, sweet potato fries, onion rings and peppadew poppers with a refreshing cider beer on the side. Mmmm....

We came home to document starting weights. Me: 167.8

Next step: Me and Pete, together on the scale. He's not so happy about me holding him.

Us together: 229 even.

That means Pete: 61.2. Yikes, even worse than at the vet.

So what now? Marathon training!

We got up and at 'em Saturday morning for some LSD (that's long slow distance) at Shawnee Mission Park. I planned to meet a training buddy at the dam to head out on the Mill Creek Streamway trails for 6-8 miles. He said 6, I said 8.

Well, said running buddy had a little too much fun Friday night at the Sugarland concert and came to the trails hungover. This is how he felt about sweating out the booze:

But me, I was excited, ready to go! It was a gorgeous morning, cool compared to what its been. (Or so I thought!) I think it was 79 and 72% humidity. Well, here we go...

About .2 miles and a walking warmup later, someone bailed on me and I was left with this running buddy:

He doesn't like to talk on the run. Makes things a little boring. Luckily though, he loves to run, doesn't mind the heat and knows how to cool off when he gets warm. I strip off my UnderArmour shirt, Pete hops in the nearest creek for a drink.

We ran a 2-mile loop, hit the water bottle back at the car on the dam, and started the run around the lake. When we got near the entrance, I needed some water and I wasn't about to hop in the lake for a drink! So we turned back and headed to the car. Once we got there, it was all cool-down. I wanted to get 2 more in, but the hills at the park were more than I had anticipated.

I'm out of shape, slow, and don't like the climbs. Pete and I walked. A. Lot. But I have to remember, this is why you train! You have to get out of shape to get in shape. And I'm definitely at the beginning of that equation. Here's our route this morning:

Up next, a Sunday morning something... not sure if it will be road bike, mountain bike, run with Pete or a swim, or maybe a combination. But whatever it is, it will be fun, sweat-enducing and another step towards the KC finish line and our goals.