149.5-Getting Close to My Original Driver's License Weight

Yes, I stepped on the scale this morning after an uncomfortable six mile run, and it read 149.5! When I got my first driver's license in 1980 something at the tender and innocent age of sixteen, I weighed 140 pounds. I know because I still have the license around here somewhere. Whenever I come across it I'm reminded why I never feel nostalgic about high school. That's the mug I had to contend with? With that thought in mind, and the fact that I'm only nine and half pounds from high school, I enjoyed a 20 ounce bottle of Coke today.

Speaking of enjoying things, I contended with other triathletes last Saturday during the Windsor Tribute Triathlon. That part was fun, but I consumed one of those Gatorade Prime deals before hand, and then I ate one of those Hammer goo packs at the start of the bike. They started warring with each other in my stomach and I really wish I could've evacuated them. If you're not familiar with the Gatorade Prime, it's a sloshier version of the Hammer goo stuff. Consult your doctor before you begin using any weird nutritional supplements.

Tomorrow I hope to ride a few miles, but I'll also need to do some work. It's nothing but hot and dry around here right now. I literally can't remember the last time I had to mow the grass. The reservoir is the lowest it's been since they dammed the river, probably. So if I'm going to ride, I should start around 4AM, that way it'll only be 89 degrees when I start. I better take some Gatorade.

Windsor Tribute Triathlon-2nd Year Run

What did I do last weekend? Well, for an hour and forty minutes of it I competed in the Windsor Tribute Triathlon. How'd I do? Twenty-second over all, out of seventy-one males and females. Two girls finished ahead of me. I finished third in my age group, unless you count the forty year girl that beat me, then I finished fourth. If none of that sounds impressive, consider this, five guys older than forty-five beat me, including a sixty-one and sixty year old!

But really, I did as well as I should have.

Swim

The water was very wet this year. If you didn't keep moving, it would've been very easy to sink beneath the surface. I employed a strategy of thrashing my arms and legs about until I reached the other side of the lake. That took about ten minutes. They tell me it was five hundred meters, which I guess is about five hundred Canadian cubits, but no one really knows.

Bike

No training wheels, but my dad did give me a good push. Eighteen miles and an hour and one minute later I found myself putting on my running shoes.

Run

Five Kay run, which is roughly four Spanish furlongs. The run was just like the bike, except you do it without a bike. I rode the run in twenty-five minutes and fourteen seconds.

While we were standing around making excuses, Micah and I decided to do the Branson Mountain Man Triathlon in Branson, Missouri, USA next month. That bike course takes you on the same route as the seventy point three event in September. I believe I have Micah talked into doing the half Ironman. He's a very good racer, but he's not in my age group.

Here are some pics. I had to attend this event sans family, and I hired the worst photographer in town. I didn't end up in any of the shots!

Oh wait, there was a pic of me.

Losing Weight

Just a little update on my weight. I know everyone is wondering.

Last year about this time I stepped on the scale and it read 152. I got on a few days ago and saw 150. Over the winter I was hanging around 166. At one point I was up to 168. (5'11 3/4", just so you know.)

Where did all the pounds go? I suppose my body consumed most of them once I started running, riding, and swimming more consistently into the Spring and Summer. For the most part I don't mind being so light. It seems like it would be easier to run, ride, and swim when I'm not dragging around eighteen extra pounds. However, some of those pounds may have been made up of muscle mass. I quit lifting in May and started logging more endurance miles. I'd prefer to maintain what strength I have, but I see very few big runners.

Diet wise I did make a little change about a month and a half ago. In addition to taking in a few more grams of protein in the form of protein powder, I've cut back on carbs. I'm not a teetotaler mind you. I did, however, give up sweet drinks of all kinds (for the most part), and I quit eating breakfast cereals, which are very carb-laden. So instead, for breakfast I try to get in my protein with eggs, sausage, and cheese. In the evening, after supper, I'll mix up a protein shake with some frozen fruit of some kind. A lot of evenings I'll even throw in some ice cream (I'm not a teetotaler).

For the last couple of weeks I've been very consistent with training, and I did a triathlon in that time. I only say that to say this, for whatever reason, for the last couple of weeks I've been voraciously hungry. I don't generally get hunger pangs throughout the day, but I've felt them recently. I don't snack on a regular basis, so it's not like I've given something up, and now my stomach is growling for it. Should I take in some more calories? When my weight drops to 149 I'm going to start throwing in an extra scoop of protein.

SM Tri-Part II, and Bike Shorts

I forgot to give a shout out to the organizers of the Shawnee Mission Triathlon-2011. Very well organized, a lot of good volunteers.  The volunteers even cheered for me as I came around, and that says something about their dedication!

I didn't mention in my earlier post about how this almost didn't happen for me. The thing is, I forgot my bike shorts at my in-laws house (yes, I only have one pair). So on Saturday I had to buy a pair at a, gulp, store. If you're like me, you only buy items that will reside in close proximity to your crotch from some unknown seller on the interwebs, and trust me, I only trust the provenance of my groin coverings if it's been verified by three stars or more.

Have you seen what they charge for bike shorts at Dicks? Why would I drop that much dough on an article of clothing that my family will laugh at me for wearing, accentuates my skinny legs, and has a built in Depends diaper? Anyways, you can find them cheaper online.

Oh, and btw, you can't just run over to Wal-Mart and pick up a cheap pair for the day, cause they don't sell them. I did end up getting a pair at The Sports Authority, I think, on 95th, over there buy Sam's Club. They were thirty bucks and I felt ripped off. However, I do have to admit, they are way nicer than my ebay find. Way higher quality and more comfortable. I believe the brand is Canari.

So there you have it, disaster averted. Why couldn't I just wear a pair of gym shorts? C'mon, how often do you get to wear lycra?

Me and my new bike shorts

Try a Triathlon!

If I can finish a triathlon, I'm sure you can too!

Every once in a while someone will ask me about training for a triathlon and they seem interested in doing one, so I say, "Sign up for one." They generally say something like, "Oh, I couldn't do that. The (swim/bike/run) would kill me."

Well, I'm here to tell you, if the safety swimmers aren't being careful, the swim could literally kill me, but I do it anyway.

Heaven knows I'm not an athlete. Just look at my times! But thankfully with most events you don't have to qualify, you simply have to sign up. It is true that there are a lot of athletic-y people that race, but there are a number of folks like me too, people just trying to stay in shape. We won't win, but that's cool, we're just there to have fun.

So what's your next step? Get on the inter-webs and find a race in your area, probably one that doesn't have "Ironman" in the title, and then sign up. There's nothing like paying your entry fee that makes you want to go train.

Shawnee Mission Triathlon-2011

Yes, we were able to finish this year! No lightening!

The day started at my parent's house. We stayed over the night before since they live in town and we live an hour and a half south. I woke up about 3:30 AM, dozed off and on until 4:50 AM when I got up. My wife and son got up and we headed over to the park.

I checked in. The Shawnee Mission Tri uses Tri Tats, so I already had my number on, but we had to get our age group mark. They initially marked me with and "F" for the 35-39 age group, but evidently since I turn 40 in September, I was put in the 40-45 age group, so the volunteer had to draw a "G" over my "F". So even though I'd aged up, they switched the groups around, and I had to start with the first wave at 7 AM again.

My swim sucked buoy again, though I felt better about it this year than I did last. I did very little breast stroking. It wasn't an option for me, just like when I swam in high school. The swim is 1000 meters, and somewhere around 750 meters I dropped anchor. I tried to look up at the finish, but couldn't see it because my goggles were all fogged up. Then I got off course and the kayak girl had to whistle at me to get back in line. I did finally get out of the water. I think my fingers were all wrinkly because I was in so long.

Got on my bike and started getting passed, and I didn't pass too many other cyclist. I enjoy passing fellows with expensive bikes, but that happened far fewer times that I would've liked. On the dam hill I passed a fellow with a very expensive looking bike and tri suit, because he was having mechanical problems. The next time I came around he was walking his bike back. I felt bad for him and prayed my bike wouldn't break. I felt worse for him when I saw the results. There were two men with DNFs. One had a swim time of 13 minutes! I assume it was him.

Please pass on the left! Not like this one knuckle-head who tried to pass me on the right, went off the pavement, and then knocked me and two other riders over when he tried to get back on, crashing himself at the same time. I wasn't hurt, but my chain came off. So now my hands are greasy and I'm wearing a white shirt. Not cool, knuckle-head dude!

Started running and passed a few people, but did get passed once or twice. I didn't get to the run course last year, so I was not familiar with it. The 4.5 mile run takes you down some trails below the dam, and it's a very cool run. At the finish I gave it a kick and crossed at 2:13.

So, I'm disappointed with my results, which you can see here, but hey, I took up this sport last year and this was my third triathlon ever. If I could ever learn to swim it would help, but honestly, my bike is pretty weak as well.

Had fun, and that's what counts, right?