Don't make me angry. You wouldn't like me when I'm angry.

Tomorrow is March 1st.

For faithful readers of PR. Differently, you remember what I went through last year when I trained for the NYC Marathon. I started around early June, and went through until the marathon, dry, without any alcohol, training, running, lifting, boxing, etc. And it paid off, with a sub-four hour 3:58:02.

Of course, in the world of PR, you're only as good as your last hit, and in running, you're only as good as your last PR.

During my "off season," of these past four months, I drank a bit, ate really good food, and in general, didn't work out so hard, to let my body heal for next season. The downside of that is that I put on about 10 pounds since November.

When I'd finished the marathon, I went to Dr. Daniel Hamner, a well-known sports medicine doctor, who trained Flo-Jo and a bunch of other serious runners. Much to the dismay of everyone who knows me and has to deal with my upcoming insanity, he told me, after a thorough examination, that my muscle structure was such that if I got down to about 175/180 pounds, I could easily run a 3:30 marathon.

My mom summed it up best: "He couldn't tell you to try for a 3:50? Give me his number. I'm going to kill him."

So I did some homework, and figured out what it was going to take to run a 3:30 marathon, and to get down to 180 pounds.

Current weight: 210.4. Goal weight: 180. Time: 249 days. Or, just over eight months. I've gotta drop 30 pounds in eight months. That's roughly a pound a week. That's actually doable, and doable in a healthy way.

Instead of waiting until June like I did last year, I'm simply going to start on March 1.

I'm going dry again, no alcohol from tomorrow until after the marathon.

Here's the kicker, though - what's different between this year and last? (and hence the title of this post): I'm giving up refined sugar.

Consider this fair warning to stay away from me until at least March 20th. My body chemistry should settle down by then, and I should no longer want to kill everything in sight.

See, refined sugars, as I'm finding out, are simply evil. They don't occur in nature. I'm not talking about the sugars found naturally in fruit - I'm talking abut high fructose corn syrup. This stuff is freakin' EVERYWHERE. It's in everything we eat, virtually. It's in ketchup. It's in bread. It's in Twinkies. Ritz crackers. It's in Slurpees. It's in pasta sauce. It's everywhere.

And well, it's really, really, really not good for you. So I'm gonna try and give it up.

I have no idea how well it will work - But I'm going to try. And you know me - if I say I'm going to do something, no matter how insane it is, I'm going to do it, and stick with it.

Of course, running a PR firm that requires meals out at least three times a week should prove a fun little hurdle. "Hi, can I have the vegatables? Steamed? Yes, that's my main course, you sarcastic waiter. How's your acting career?""

Anyone out there ever gone sugar-free? I'd love to hear from you, how you did it, if it turned you into the video below.

Fingers crossed. A 3:30. Wow. If you ever told me I'd run ANYTHING in 3:30, I'd think you were insane. So the fact that I'm even trying for it, well, I suppose it's a good thing. I've been told by members of my running club that it's possible. But I've gotta drop the weight to make it happen. By June, I should be running upwards of 45 miles per week. By September, closer to 60.

Plus, about three weeks ago, I bought a road bike. That's something else to add to the mix. So who knows. Maybe it's possible.

180. Damn. I haven't been at 180 since high school. Actually, even then I think I was over 180. Perhaps Junior High. Actually, I think I was born at 190. My poor mom. I was a C-section, though - that could explain it.

Leave me a comment, and if I make it to 180 by the marathon, I'll send everyone who's left me a comment a t-shirt or something.

180. Yeah. This is gonna be fun. A 3:30. Why do I do this to myself? Sigh.

I'll keep you posted.

Comments

[AP]

I have all the faith in the world that you will do WHATEVER you set your mind to. And maybe this marathon season we'll go for more than one run together! :)
xoxo
AP

[Bob LeDrew]

Nice wheels, Peter! Why don't you come up to Ottawa some time and I'll hook you up with some crazy cyclists and we'll go for a ride.

It may not be the fastest ride ever, but it might be the funniest -- and the funnest.

Good luck,

Bob.

[Muli Ben-Yehuda]

Good luck, I'm waiting for that t-shirt :-)

[Michael Griffin]

You'll do just fine!

[Caroline]

I have faith in you. You've done everything else you've set your mind to...

And high fructose corn syrup is evil. Read "The Omnivore's Dilemma" - you'll never want to eat anything but locally grown produce, whole foods, and other natural farm products ever again. Makes you look at people in the checkout line in the supermarket and think, "you going to eat THAT?! Are you kidding me? Do you know what's IN that?!"

I don't know what program you're going to go with, but I am on Weight Watchers Online right now and having great success with it. I was convinced it wouldn't work, and I was way wrong. It's all about eating the right way... and, they design the program for you to lose about 1-2 lbs. a week. I'd recommend it.

Good luck!

[Pamela Parker Caird]

Hey, congrats to you for committing yourself to this... and we all know that when you commit, you do it. Road bike will be great for triathlons, y'know? Will be watching your progress!

[samantha]

I"m mostly sugar and salt free and live off a diabetic diet although I"M NOT DIABETIC, but am very easily affected by sugar ... .. there is special everything you can buy without sugar..... it takes some searching.
(stay away from all processed foods)

I prefer to eat for my blood type, seems to help better than any diet I've tried.

The gym I work at sells the diet plan called THE ZONE, you work with a balance of protein, carbs and fats... based on your IBM and your food choices. Its online too.

I have no doubt you can do everything you set your heart too, just dont cut too much sugar out, it would be bad.

and yes... killing people in the first few months is possible while going thru withdrawls.

p.s you DO NOT look 210 lbs.. you carry it very well

good luck luv, keep us posted.
xoxo

[toby]

If you re-read that San Francisco Chronicle article again, you'll notice that the author doesn't cite a single primary source (doctor, nutritionist, etc.) who agrees with her claim that HFCS is categorically bad for you.

You should try to monitor your consumption of both sugar AND high fructose corn syrup. Neither is any better or worse for you than the other. There is no conclusive study in the world that has determined sugar is better for you than HFCS. So try to monitor both, not just one.

[Marc Snyder]

Having lost a little more than that much weight in a little less than that much time, I can tell you that it can be done. Lotsa work, but can be done.

[Scott]

I don't know if you'll lose the weight (though I'm rooting for you), but clearly, you've lost your mind.

Good luck!!

[Rachel]

Hey, I just discovered your blog via your "how not to behave on a date" entry. Great material you have here!

[alice]

Okay, the offer of free stuff has inspired me to do my periodic delurking. Because I know that you *will* do this, so it's really a sure thing, isn't it?

Be sure to have a lot of fruit, milk and other blood-sugar boosters available in those first few weeks, though - the amount of mental fatigue that comes with going low-sugar is astoundingly harsh.

[Rachel]

Hey Peter, good luck on making it towards your goal. At least you have a great goal to strive towards, whereas many people set out to lose weight without a specific goal and then fail because of lack of motivation. I know that the weight loss can be done though, as I lost 50 pounds in three months (granted, it was shortly after graduating college) by following a vegetarian south beach diet plan. Cucumbers and homemade hummus is good when you need something "crunchy" and organic tea is a great placebo for coffee. Good luck!

[Jillian]

Peter,

My friend Laura developed an allergy to corn when she was 22. She couldn't eat ANYTHING - especially things with corn syrup.

She dropped so much weight in just the first month, that she looked all gaunt and waify.

Good luck!

Jillian

[Joel]

Don't spend too much time on the Felt--you'll give up running forever. The bike is better for your knees. It's a better cardio workout and you'll spend more time on it than you will running. You'll also find clubs to ride with and long ribbons of road that make you feel like you're flying. Biking saved my life--13 years ago I was a pack-a-day smoker until my (then) girlfriend bought me a bike. She's long gone but the biking bug is still strong with me. I'm sure you'll dig it. Want a challenge? 'eff the marathon....find a biking club that'll help you train for a century ride near you and see if you can do one of those in under five hours.

All the best,
Joel

[Caroline]

Also, check out Wasa crackers/flatbreads. Also good for when you need something crunchy. Throw on a little fat-free cream cheese & Healthy Choice turkey slices, and you have a great snack!

[Karen]

I guess we'll have to postpone lunch a little longer... :) Good luck with the training! I might see you on the course this year! But, you'll be way ahead of me with a 3:30!!

[Leah R]

I went totally sugar free last year the very week of Thanksgiving. By Christmas I had lost 34 lbs. Good luck, Pal!