MARC, MARATHON MAN

First, I will never run a marathon. I do not aspire to run a marathon. I will not jog a marathon. I do not aspire to do that either. But walk....that is a different story. Two months ago, I joined the Chicago Marathon (from the sidewalks) and mirrored their route and completed the 26.2 miles. For the past few weeks I have many times taken a 'power walk' of ten miles or more.  Yesterday, I had a doctors appointment in Skokie. Skokie is not exactly next door. The doctors office is 13 miles from home. I had energy, I had time and I had the wild idea to walk there. And then walk back. And that is precisely what I did. This was the map of the path(s) offered by google.

It is obvious that google has determined that a human being should be able to walk 3mph which is how it is determined that a 13 mile walk should take 4 hours and 20 minutes.  'Athlete' that I am, I was able to make this trek (turned out to be 13.5 miles) in 3:21:25.
4.1mph

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The route that I took home was a bit longer. I was a bit tired(er) and yet my speed was remarkably almost the same as the speed to my destination. On the way home, the trip was 14.75 miles. The  return trip took 3:40:18.

4.02mph

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One would think that after walking 13.5 miles to Skokie + 14.75 miles back from Skokie (28.25 miles total) that one would be through for the day.  One would be wrong.  I decided that I 'needed' to 'break' 30 miles for the day.  A short walk to downtown Chicago and through downtown and back home at a more leisurely pace with my family added an additional 4.5 miles. When the day ended I had logged 32.75 miles.  I don't know about you...but I was impressed with myself. 32.75 miles? An actual marathon is 'only' 26.2 miles.,

One thing that never happens when one walks on a treadmill or works out on an elliptical machine is that new cool things are never 'discovered'.  This is a picture of a subway entrance in Chicago which has been reworked to tout a new Greek exhibit at the Field Museum.  My daughter is in the photo just to give some sense of scale.

TROJAN HORSE SUBWAY ENTRANCE to promote Greek Exhibit at the Field Museum

Your Food Diary For:

Tuesday, December 22, 2015

BREAKFAST	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
Quaker - Instant Oatmeal - Original, 4 packet (28 g)	400	76	8	16	300	0
Red Delicious - Apple, Small, 1 apple (2 1/2 " diameter)	56	15	0	0	1	11
	456	91	8	16	301	11
L U N C H
Starbucks - Reduced Fat Turkey Bacon, 2 Sandwich	460	56	12	26	1,120	6
That's It - Apple & Blueberry Fruit Bar, 1 serving	100	26	0	1	25	19
	560	82	12	27	1,145	25
D I N N E R
Whole Foods - Tuna Avocado Roll, 1 container	420	70	1	18	680	0
WHOLE FOODS - NATURAL WASABI GREEN PEAS, 3/5 cup (30 grams)	216	34	5	7	432	4
WHOLE FOODS 8497 - CHERRY VANILLA GRANOLA, 68.75 g (3/4 cup)	300	50	9	6	75	19
Chick Fil A From Website - Diet Lemonade, 30.6 oz medium	40	12	0	0	20	4
Calbee - Baked Shrimp Chips, 1 oz (28g/About 22 pieces)	130	19	6	2	230	1
	1,106	185	21	33	1,437	27
S N A C K S
WHOLE FOODS - YOGURT PRETZELS, 80 g (approx 8 pcs)	380	56	0	4	360	38
whole foods milk chocolate - milk chocolate marshmallows, 9 pieces	330	63	8	0	30	57
	710	119	8	4	390	95
Totals	2,832	477	48	81	3,273	158
Your Daily Goal	8,341	1,042	278	418	2,300	312
Remaining	5,509	565	229	337	-972	153
	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
	*You've earned 6,411 extra calories from exercise today

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       Your Exercise Diary for:

Tuesday, December 22, 2015

Cardiovascular	Minutes	Calories Burned
Walking, 4.0 mph, very brisk pace	202	2,324
Walking, 4.0 mph, very brisk pace	221	2,537
Walking, 4.5 mph, very, very brisk pace	26	328
Walking, 3.0 mph, mod. pace, walking dog	25	193
Walking, 2.5 mph, leisurely pace	33	227
MFP iOS calorie adjustment	N/A	802
Daily Total / Goal	508 / 30	6,411 / 590
Weekly Total / Goal	673 / 210	8,861 / 4,130

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total calories consumed 2832 calories

total calories burned (32.75 miles) 5609 calories

total net calories 2777 calorie defecit

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fitbit day 111

60006 steps

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

Red Alert!  Tomorrow I post my before and after pictures... I know that I am looking forward to this.

ROOSEVELT ROAD BRIDGE

Lately while crossing the Roosevelt Road Bridge I passed some sculptures which I could not identify or discern their reason for being.  Some googling solved that problem.  

Stegosaurus, Tyrannosaurus & Mastodon refer to the Field Museum

The Dolphins refer to the Shedd Aquarium

The books refer to the UIC Library

Celestial navigation instruments refer to the Adler Planetarium

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The sculptures are not particularly big.

It might be time to shave...

My daily walk was extended to 16 miles yesterday.  The weather was cooperative.  Although it was cold, I wore enough layers.

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Your Food Diary For:

Sunday, November 29, 2015

BREAKFAST	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
Roundy's - No Salt Added Sweet Peas - 1 3/4 cup	210	35	2	14	53	18
Toasted O's, 4 cup	440	88	8	16	640	4
Michigan Apples - red delicious apple, 2 large	260	68	0	2	0	50
	910	191	10	32	693	72
L U N C H
Home Made - Indian Cauliflower Curry, 1 cup	128	13	4	3	202	3
Generic - Whitefish, Lightly Blackened, 6 z filet	183	0	2	40	1,734	0
	311	13	6	43	1,936	3
D I N N E R
WHOLE FOODS 8739 - SUN DRIED FIGS, 80 g (approx 4 figs)	260	84	0	2	0	56
WHOLE FOODS 8497 - CHERRY VANILLA GRANOLA, 68.75 g (3/4 cup)	300	50	9	6	75	19
Chicken Tortilla Soup, 2 cup	300	46	7	14	1,280	6
	860	180	16	22	1,355	81
S N A C K S
WHOLE FOODS - YOGURT PRETZELS, 40 g (approx 8 pcs)	190	28	0	2	180	19
WHOLE FOODS 5536 - YOGURT ALMONDS, 40 g (approx 12 pcs)	220	22	14	4	20	19
Malt O Meal - Honey Nut Scooters, 60 g	240	48	3	6	420	18
	650	98	17	12	620	56
Totals	2,731	482	48	109	4,603	211
Your Daily Goal	4,829	603	161	242	2,300	181
Remaining	2,098	121	112	132	-2,303	-29
	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
	*You've earned 2,899 extra calories from exercise today

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       Your Exercise Diary for:

Sunday, November 29, 2015

Cardiovascular	Minutes	Calories Burned
Walking, 4.5 mph, very, very brisk pace	216	3,040
MFP iOS calorie adjustment	N/A	-141
Daily Total / Goal	217 / 30	2,899 / 590
Weekly Total / Goal	1569 / 210	23,090 / 4,130

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total calories consumed 2731 calories

total calories burned (16 mile walk) 3040 calories

total net calories 309 caloric deficit

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fitbit day 88

35672 steps

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ten mile walking streak reached 21 days.

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by Blair Kamin, Tribune Architecture Critic, Aug 6, 1995.  (excerpts)

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"The most ambitious of the neighborhood projects has produced a new, but entirely old-looking, bridge where Roosevelt Road stretches over the Dearborn Park neighborhood as well as Metra and Amtrak railroad tracks on the Near South Side.

More than 1,500 feet long and decorated with obelisks and sculptures that represent nearby institutions (dolphins for the Shedd Aquarium, books for the University of Illinois at Chicago), the span reminds us how far we've come from the dogma of the modern movement, which likened ornament to a crime.

But their most intriguing project is the $42 million Roosevelt Road bridge. It leads to Daley's new neighborhood, Central Station, and replaced a portion of a bridge constructed in the late 1920s when it was completed earlier this year.

The bridge is an aesthetic flashpoint because of its abundant use of classicism, which would have been unthinkable when architects were under the sway of the modern movement four decades ago.

There are obelisks of three sizes, towering fluted lampposts, finely detailed planters and retaining walls, handrails that incorporate a miniature version of the Chicago "Y" found at Congress Plaza, and sculptures by Miklos Simon, which are (among other things) likenesses of books, dolphins and celestial navigation instruments.

The design, by DLK's Diane Legge Kemp, raises questions about the propriety of employing such forms today. Some in the avant-garde point to their use as a failure of architectural nerve and a tacit admission that American culture has lost its faith in the future.

It is altogether proper, then, that the bridge has unusual features such as traffic lanes reserved for bicycles and that its decorative elements break down its massiveness in a way that gives it a human scale compatible with Dearborn Park.

The many obelisks, which suggest the profile of a suspension bridge, create pleasing rhythms that appeal to both the driver and the pedestrian. And the sculptures emphasize the bridge's link between the University of Illinois and three lakefront cultural institutions that eventually will be part of a museum campus uninterrupted by Lake Shore Drive--the Shedd Aquarium (dolphins), the Field Museum (prehistoric creatures including mastodons) and the Adler Planetarium (a celestial navigation instrument known as an astrolabe)."

It is altogether proper, then, that the bridge has unusual features such as traffic lanes reserved for bicycles and that its decorative elements break down its massiveness in a way that gives it a human scale compatible with Dearborn Park.

The many obelisks, which suggest the profile of a suspension bridge, create pleasing rhythms that appeal to both the driver and the pedestrian. And the sculptures emphasize the bridge's link between the University of Illinois and three lakefront cultural institutions that eventually will be part of a museum campus uninterrupted by Lake Shore Drive--the Shedd Aquarium (dolphins), the Field Museum (prehistoric creatures including mastodons) and the Adler Planetarium (a celestial navigation instrument known as an astrolabe)."

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Roosevelt Road Bridge

DON'T GET A BIG HEAD

Nearly one year ago on December 24th, 2014, I weighed 309 lbs.  These days, when I step on the scale I am under 220 lbs.  I have lost 90+ lbs.  It is true, that the good looking me (better looking me?) that was so successfully hidden for many years has re-emerged.  I do feel good about myself.  I do enjoy wearing nice clothes.  I do enjoy seeing myself in photographs.  I do enjoy my reflection in the mirror.  I do enjoy being able to shop for clothes in any store anywhere.  (Last year I was relegated to shopping at the KING SIZE website) I do enjoy seeing my thinner shadow trailing me when I am outdoors.  I have received many nice compliments from friends, family and customers over the past few months.  I need to remind myself, though, not to get A BIG HEAD.

The expression, 'a big head' refers to cockiness, or big ego. Often 'a big head' occurs when accomplishments achieved and compliments associated with those accomplishments lead a person believe that they are either infallible on a topic and/or can tackle greater challenges for which they are not capable. Often people may be told: "Don't get full of yourself".  Colossal Olmec Heads are something completely different!

Replica of colossal Olmec Head #8.  Head of Veracruz leader, Ignacio Perez Solano
description: STONE: height 7 ft. 3 in., 1700 pounds.
location: Field Museum Lawn, 1400 S Lake Shore Drive, Museum Campus

The ancient Olmec, one of the first complex societies in the Americas, are remembered for their colossal head sculptures, 17 of which have been recovered to date.  Each original head is distinctive and believed to embody the likeness of an individual leader.  Though all of the heads were carved in a sylized manner, Olmec Head #8 is considered the most naturalistic. The State of Veracruz, Mexico donated Ignacia Perez Solano's 1700-pound stone replica to the city of Chicago. (Oct 2003)

A plaque near the replica reads:

This sculpture is a replica of Olmec Head #8 from the site of San Lorenzo. It is one of 17 known colossal heads created by the ancient Olmec people in the states of Veracruz and Tobasco, Mexico. The Olmec flourished in the Gulf Coast region of Mexico from 1300 to 300 BC.  Most scholars believe that Olmec carved these stone heads to commemorate their rulers.

. . . . . . . . .

During this Thanksgiving Holiday shortened week, it has been nearly impossible to secure an appointment to sell buttons or fabrics to anyone.  Most people are getting ready to either host guests or getting ready to travel to be a guest somewhere else.  I do have an appointment today, but yesterday I took full advantage of my 'downtime.'   I had planned on taking my regular 10 mile walk, but since the weather was comfortable (30° F when I started at 8:35AM) I decided to KEEP GOING.  I did not stop until I had walked 20 miles.

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Your Food Diary For:

Monday, November 23, 2015

BREAKFAST	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
General Mills - Cheerios-peanut Butter Multigrain, 3/4 cup	110	23	2	2	130	9
John McCann Steel Cut - Oat Meal, 1 cup	600	108	0	16	0	0
	710	131	2	18	130	9
L U N C H
WHOLE FOODS - WHOLE CASHEWS (RAW), 52.5 g (approx 1/4 cup)	270	12	21	8	0	3
WHOLE FOODS - JUMBO TURKISH FIGS, 4 figs	130	42	0	1	0	28
WHOLE FOODS 9392 - YOGURT RAISINS, 64.0 g (approx 34 pieces)	272	45	11	2	24	40
WHOLE FOODS 8497 - CHERRY VANILLA GRANOLA, 82.5 g (3/4 cup)	360	60	11	8	90	23
Whole Foods 365 Organic - Organic Turkey Jerky, 3 oz	180	18	0	33	810	15
	1,212	177	43	51	924	109
D I N N E R
Roundy's - No Salt Added Sweet Peas - Canned, 1 3/4 cup	210	35	2	14	53	18
Campbells Home Style Soup - Italian Wedding Soup, 2 cup	200	26	5	12	820	8
Hilshire Farms - Beef Polska Kielbasa, 6 oz	540	9	48	21	1,680	3
	950	70	55	47	2,553	29
S N A C K S
Cheerios - Peanut Butter Multigrain Cheerios, 3 cup	330	69	5	6	390	27
	330	69	5	6	390	27
Totals	3,202	447	103	122	3,997	173
Your Daily Goal	5,566	696	185	279	2,300	208
Remaining	2,364	249	81	157	-1,696	34
	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
	*You've earned 3,636 extra calories from exercise today

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       Your Exercise Diary for:

Monday, November 23, 2015

Cardiovascular	Minutes	Calories Burned
Walking, 4.5 mph, very, very brisk pace	269	3,818
MFP iOS calorie adjustment	N/A	-182
Daily Total / Goal	270 / 30	3,636 / 590
Weekly Total / Goal	270 / 210	3,636 / 4,130

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total calories consumed 3202 calories
total calories burned (20 mile walk) 3818 calories
total net calories 616 calorie deficit
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.......................

fitbit day 82

56219 steps

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ten mile walking streak reached 15 days

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During a 20 mile walk...there is always some time to pause for a few moments and have some fun with the iPhone camera and  the 10 second timer.

No, it's not Michael Jordan....It's me... Marc Jacobs. Although me and 'MJ' share initials...We apparently do not share equivalent 'levitating' abilities.

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Perhaps if I had taken my photo with a basketball in my right hand I could have pulled of the Michael Jordan 'look' a little better..... 

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If I was unconsciously trying to emulate the logo of My Fitness Pal app with my flying leap into the air - I think I didn't exactly get that done either.

FEELS LIKE 5°

Feels like 5°?  That was not even the issue.  The issue was that the temperature was 16° when I set out for my daily 10 mile walk yesterday at 7:30AM.  Layers.  I wore lots of layers.  I wore five layers on my upper body and my legs were protected by 3 layers.  My frantic search for my balaclava turned up empty.  Why is it that you can never find your balaclava when you need it?

bal·a·cla·va

ˌbaləˈklävə/

noun

1. a close-fitting garment covering the whole head and neck except for parts of the face, typically made of wool.

I wrapped a warm scarf around my neck and set out.  For only the second time (second day in a row) did I wear my hiking shoes that I had purchased for the Half Dome adventure back in October.  The streets and sidewalks were slippery in some places, but for the most park the hiking shoes gripped the surface and kept me upright.   It was bone chillingly cold outside.  You don't have to believe me, just check with Sue the Dinosaur at the Field Museum.

That's 'Sue the Dinosaur' over my right shoulder, at the Field Museum.  

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It's right there in the Chicago forecast:
FEELS LIKE: 5°

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My ten mile walk ended at Whole Foods in Streeterville.

The perfect place to enjoy a well-deserved cup of oatmeal.

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Your Food Diary For:

Sunday, November 22, 2015

BREAKFAST	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
Market Pantry - Protein Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Chewy Bar, 1 bar	180	17	10	10	170	7
Sage - Red Delicious Apple, 2 medium apple (170g)	190	50	1	1	4	38
Whole Foods - Oatmeal, 1 cup	300	54	5	10	180	2
WHOLE FOODS 5938 - UNSWEETENED BANANA CHIPS, 24.9 g (1/4 cup)	141	13	8	2	4	1
WHOLE FOODS 8739 - SUN DRIED FIGS, 70 g (approx 4 figs)	228	74	0	2	0	49
WHOLE FOODS 8738 - DRIED MANGO SLICES, 30 g (approx 6 pieces)	83	21	0	2	1	15
	1,122	229	24	26	358	112
L U N C H
Campbell's - Home Style Mexican-Style Chicken Tortilla Soup, 2 cup	260	40	4	14	1,700	8
Diet Snapple - Peach Tea, 40 fl oz	25	3	0	0	38	0
	285	43	4	14	1,738	8
D I N N E R
Skinnytaste - Asian Grilled Chicken, 6 oz	296	11	6	40	0	0
Generic - Grilled Brussel Sprouts, 3 cup	195	39	8	17	69	0
Aladdin Food - Cranberry Stuffing, 10 oz	324	74	2	5	280	30
	815	123	16	62	349	30
S N A C K S
WHOLE FOODS 6952 - POP'd KERNS ORIGINAL CORN SNACK, 38.64 g (approx 1/2 cup)	221	22	11	1	221	0
WHOLE FOODS 8497 - CHERRY VANILLA GRANOLA, 63.25 g (3/4 cup)	276	46	8	6	69	17
WHOLE FOODS - NATURAL WASABI GREEN PEAS, 0.40333294271564485 cup (30 grams)	145	23	4	5	290	2
WHOLE FOODS 7700 - ORGANIC DATE PIECES w/OAT FLOWER, 66.0 g (2 TBSP)	198	49	0	2	16	36
Pizza Hut - Personal Pizza, 1 slices	155	17	7	6	385	2
	995	158	30	20	982	58
Totals	3,217	552	74	122	3,427	208
Your Daily Goal	4,589	573	153	230	2,300	172
Remaining	1,372	20	79	108	-1,126	-35
	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sodium	Sugar
	*You've earned 2,659 extra calories from exercise today

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       Your Exercise Diary for:

Sunday, November 22, 2015

Cardiovascular	Minutes	Calories Burned
Walking, 5.0 mph	126	2,081
Walking, 5.0 mph	20	453
MFP iOS calorie adjustment	N/A	125
Daily Total / Goal	147 / 30	2,659 / 590
Weekly Total / Goal	1061 / 210	19,204 / 4,130

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total calories consumed 3216 calories
total calories burned (12 miles, two walks) 2534 calories
total net calories 682 calories
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.......................

fitbit day 81

49350 steps

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ten mile walking streak reached 14 days

This was the logo used by the Rolling Stones to promote their recent European Tour.

I am using it today to celebrate the 14th day in a row that I have walked 10 miles or more.

That's the SEARS TOWER behind me.

You might know that the tower that formerly was called the Sears Tower is now the Willis Tower.

I do not know what Willis is.  And I will be calling it the Sears Tower for a long time to come.

I guess you can say I don't like change.  I definitely did not like 'Hope and Change"

After a long day of rain and snow and ice... 

...the clouds cleared away and left the bluest of skies in its wake.

I could never have worn 5 layers on top and 3 layers on bottom as a 309 lb man...

Where could I have found increasingly larger jackets and/or pants?

As a 309 lb man, I was lucky to find one garment that actually fit.

This photo was inspired by a cool photo my daughter came home with from France.

A group of her friends were all captured jumping 'up in the air' in front a museum.

This was my first effort to use my timer to capture myself jumping up in the air.

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I always enjoy receiving an email from fitbit and/or mapmywalk apps.

This weekly recap came from mapmywalk.

During the week of November 15 thru November 21, I logged 11 workouts (walks)

These walks took a total of 19.99 hours and I logged a total of 90.36 miles.