The Problem With Packing It On

Late-April

Any rookie lifter can tell you “you can’t cut weight and powerlift at the same time.” And yet, I (and almost every other lifter out there at least once or twice) find myself breaking Rule #4 of lifting.

I’m trying to cut weight for running. Even a lean (which I’m not) 240lbs is a lot of pounds per inch on my feet and joints. So I decided that I could knock it down to 215-220lbs, near my old fighting weight. And for those of you out there who don’t think 25lbs is a lot of extra to run on, try running with 25lbs of gear on your back next time out.

But then something strange happened, just as I was starting the new diet and upping my activity I noticed something… I was making huge gains. And I had been making gains for a few months, but my squat was jumping 30-60lbs a week, I was starting to max out the machines.

Being the addict I am, I just couldn’t quit. After 3 weeks my clothes were looser in some places, yet I had trouble fitting into my suit jacket (which was fine because I looked enormous in the vest alone). However, my body was still taking a pounding every time I ran, because I had only lost 1.5lbs.

The meathead within told me that running can wait, and that I need to get bigger now. But the rational adult within realized that if I was going to take this running thing seriously (like I promised myself) then I would have to put lifting on the back burner until after I can make some serious running gains. (especially when my free time for workouts is limited). I have a pretty packed race schedule through mid-June. As of now I plan on focusing solely on running, then I have a 3.5 week hiatus before the Edgewood Fourth of July 5k Race. Last year I set my current PR at the Edgewood 5k, and this year I plan on breaking it there. So perhaps I’ll spend that first week of my hiatus on muscle building and just rest the legs.

None the less, it still sucks walking into the gym to run on the treadmill and/or cycle and/or swim and walking past all those weights. Hearing them call to me “Michael, Michael, come over here, lift us, get huge…”