Clyde/Athena Tri-N-4- Weight Loss Mentor Group -OPEN AGAIN!! (Page 2)

I would like to join this group as well please -

NAME / username: June / plargomar

STORY: I have been heavy most of my life and have had the eternal battle against gaining more weight. 3 years ago I lost about 45 lbs doing 5K races and several miscellaneous things (step aerobics, occasional biking, P90x 10 min trainer series, etc) but with the increased demand of working full time, going to college in the evenings part time, and having a family, I was unable to keep it up. I have put 18 of those pounds back on . I have always had the fantasy of doing a Tri and I needed something to motivate me as the usuals (health, looks, my kids, my husband) were not working anymore. My husband has lost 70 pounds and is HUGE into bicycling now. He has done several 100mile rides, a couple of criterium races, a series of cyclocross races and shows no signs of stopping. I NEED to get this weight off and get fit. Our ultimate goal is to go hiking, campling, kayaking and the such with our kids...I need to be able to keep up.

FAMILY STATUS: Married 18years, two children DS 8yrs, DD 10yrs

CURRENT TRAINING: ackk....nothing.

2013 RACES/ results again...ackkk...nothing.

2014 plans and RACES: Plan to use Michael's 22wk training plan to train for the 7/26 Dream, Achieve, Believe Sprint Tri (Dorr, MI)

WEIGHTLOSS: Yes, I need it. Currently I weigh 248lbs. The lowest I have ever seen is 230lbs. Highest was right after my son was born at 275. I know initially I will probably see a gain for the added muscle weight, but would love to see myself under 200lbs. At 5'7" and very large framed, my doctor said I would be fit between 175 and 190 so that is my ultimate goal.

Would love to join this group!

NAME / username: Ceril/ckslowpoke

STORY: About 3+ years ago I caught the triathlon bug as I was about to turn 40. I was athletic in high school, but not much between then and when I turned 39 (2 kids later!). Before I started triathlon training I thought that walking 1 mile was asking a lot! Around then I found BT and I was really hooked! At least for a couple years. I did a few sprint triathlons and then I started having foot issues. Bunions, plantar fasciatis and finally got orthotics but last season was non existent.

I've never been a runner, but I'm really hopeful to be able to really run this season.

Currently - trying to get back to some consistent diet/exercise plan - just joined weight watchers with a friend.

FAMILY STATUS: very amicably divorced last year (after 16 years) 2 kids 15yo daughter and 12yo son. Just got engaged to my girlfriend around Christmas so will also be getting 2 stepdaughters 14yo and 11yo.

CURRENT TRAINING: ramping up from just walking several days a week. Hoping to add in spin class twice a week for January and get back to swimming in February.

RACES: 2011 Nj state triathlon

2012 Belleplain sprint triathlon

2013 foot issues - no season

2014 plans and RACES: New Year's Day 5k - resolution run, escape the cape sprint

Weight loss? Just been yoyo- ing the same 20 lbs back and forth - hoping to finally lose it and keep it off.

Glad to see we're getting quite a few people joining us! Looking forward to getting to know everybody and hear about your experiences!

Still down with this stomach bug, and to top it all off, I've got a nasty toothache that kept me up all night. Hopefully I can get in and get it looked at today. This week has pretty much been a bust. However, with 2 kids in daycare, I have just accepted that I will be getting sick all of the time.

Happy New Year everyone, excited to be on board!

NAME / username: Peter / Diablo243

STORY: I have hovered in between 245 - 260 for prob 16 years and at 40 am ready to get rid of it! I seem to carry my weight well most people are shocked when I tell them what I weigh, but I am sick of this spare tire and virtual toddler (weight wise) hanging around my mid section. I have always been very active, accomplished competitive sailor and skier, avid outdoors man and camper, biker and all around life liver. A cpl years ago a got a wild hair to do something towards fitness and got a team together to do the Niantic Bay Triathlon in Niantic CT. I did the bike leg and finished mid pack but decided my goal was to do it all on my own. I get bored easy so the challenge of a multisport competition is ideal to keep me motivated and focused by training and refining my ability at 3 sports instead of just 1. Well needless to say last year came and went and I didn't do much of anything until about 2 months ago when i just had it! Decided this was it and started to hit the gym and train for my first full tri. I am shooting for an indoor tri that is timed instead of distance mid January, I completed my first 5K in Dec and I am working towards an actual USA triathlon sanctioned event this summer (Niantic Bay Triathlon). I do well with the support of a team and am hoping to get some guidance and support here through this mentoring forum. Look forward to being an active contributor and provide encouragement and support wherever I can.

FAMILY STATUS: Girlfriend

CURRENT TRAINING:
Gym 2 days a week - varied activities
Pool 1 day a week
Planning on following the 12 week training plan defined in "Your First Triathlon" by Joe Friel. Great read if your looking for a beginners guide!

2013 RACES/ results
Ugly Christmas Sweater 5K Run - 35mins flat

2014 plans and RACES:
Tri To Help Connecticut Indoor Triathlon
Run for Refugees 5K
O'Niantic 5K
Color Me Rad 5K
Niantic Bay Triathlon
(still looking for another tri in the fall and maybe a dualathlon)

WEIGHTLOSS: Looking to loose 30 to 40lbs but not that focused on the actual numbers more than burning fat and building muscle.

May I join your group?

PROFILE INFO: My younger-than-me husband and I have 2 daughters ages 9 and 11. I'm 48 now and it's time for a new fitness goal. My last fitness goal was to teach aqua classes which I did for a couple years before all the starting then stopping got my former dancer's arthritis aggravated. I want to tri just for me this time--don't care how I look doing it...done performing (or poseuring as the case may be/done teaching (for now)...have 10 lbs+ to lose (changed a LOT during/after pregnancies) and will wear hot pink to the gym. (OK, but not the thong leotard...yet Bwaahaha!)

Welcome to our new members! Mike and I will close the group when we hit 15 members. So, we have room for 4 more.

Here are our members so far - first is the username here on BT, second is real first name if provided. Please let us know if you don't know how to access your training log or don't plan to use it. We hope to check in on your training that you enter and use the inspires on there to help keep you going! Feel free to do that with each other as well.

Fechter99 - Randi (co- mentor)
mfechter67 - Mike (co-mentor)
Aud14 - Caleb
DBGlobal - Matt
tgishe01 - Terri
May4 - Mariane
RandyP1964 - (I'm guessing it's Randy? although love the profile name of Zen Beast!)
Flip18436572 - Phil
Chirunner134 - Todd
Plargomar - June
CKSlowpoke - Ceril
Diablo243 - Peter
Carolinetris - (I'm guessing Caroline?)

Ouch, sorry to hear about the toothache on top of the stomach bug. Hope you are feeling better soon!

Ceril, looks like we might meet up at some local races sometime in the future. No plans to do NJ State again this year?

June, glad you are here and glad that you have picked a race to train for. It definitely helps to have that as a goal to keep you motivated,especially once you plunk down the money to pay for it! My suggestion for now is to work exercise into your schedule now, making yourself a priority. It can be anything at all but just get into the habit of exercising on specific days and times. It will make sticking to a training plan much easier.

Sounds like we are going to have some fun! Love your "yet" added to the end of the thong leotard comment.

Todd, glad you crossed over to this group to join us here!

Welcome to all the new members!

Sorry for the delayed response, but today was my "back to work" day after my holiday vacation break.

This group is shaping up nicely. It sounds like we've got common goals and are all motivated to make strides in our training and racing. I'm looking forward to hearing all of our progress.

Thanks. Like I said I need this. I want to get back to my 2008 shape.

Motivational fact of the day.

Did you know for every lbs you lose you roughly become .02 min / mile faster?

From my experience I think effects are great with more weight you lose.

If the group is still open, I'd like to join.

User name is LJonesCPA - Larry

Family Status - Married for 27 years with three children, 24 (daughter), 22 (son), and 17(son).

Story:
I'm almost 50 and live in Michigan and work in the Detroit suburbs. I began tri's two years ago after watching a friend finish one. I have run 9 races so far and I typically finish in the middle to the back of the pack. Since I began racing, my daughter and her new husband have completed a couple of races and my wife has run a 5K and 10K.

I typically train 3-4 times per week using one of the BT programs. Although, my job requires a fair amount of travel which really wrecks havoc with my training.

This year's races are:
Ann Arbor Sky-Tri (April)
Holly (June)
Charlevoix (August)
Tawas (September)
I'll also run a couple 5K's during the summer.


Weight Loss:
I was very active and never was concerned about my weight when I was in my early 20's. As kids came along and job demands increased, I gained weight until I hit 279 and saw a picture of myself. In addition, had a health scare. My current weight is 250 and I would love to drop another 25-30 pounds. About six months ago, I changed diet and eliminated about 95% of fast foods and recently eliminated all processed foods.

Welcome to the group Larry! Glad to have you join us.

So after being seriously lazy today and enjoying being snowed in, plan to get a long run on the treadmill tomorrow and hopefully a swim in on Sunday. Still need to get myself motivated to get back on my bike on the trainer but really need to do it. What does everyone else have planned for the weekend I regard to training?

I'd like to join your group. I am completely new to triathlons. I just learned to swim and will be doing a bike training class and a C210k running program starting this week. I'm interested in support from this group because I am overweight and a recent cancer survivor. I'm really starting from scratch and didn't think I would blend in well with athletes with more experience on the bike and running.

I've signed up for a few indoor TRIs (10 min swim/20 min bike/ 10 min run). I plan to keep training using a zero to 1mile swimming plan, doing a computrainer bike class twice a week and using the running app three times a week. My goal is to participate in the Chicago Lifetime Olympic distance in August. I'd really like tips on developing a good nutrition plan for the 8 months of training.

Thanks!

No plans for me other than laying here in agony over this stupid little tooth. Won't be able to get it fixed until Monday. They started me on antibiotics and gave me a prescription of pain meds, but so far neither are helping. I guess it's better that this is happening now rather than in the middle of training. Hopefully next week will be better.

Cold Saturday here in NJ. Wind chills are in the teens. That's too cold for me to run, not to mention we got 8 inches of snow yesterday, so roads and sidewalks are a mess.

Ran just over 4 miles on the treadmill.

Now it's time to relax and watch the Eagles beat the Saints tonight!

I hope everyone is up and about. Some of the best workouts are only 30 minutes. So let's hear it... What are you doing today?

Hi,

Was wondering if I could join this group.

I haven't done any triathlons yet but have signed up to complete a sprint this June. Was supposed to do it last year but had knee surgery instead It is fine now and I did 2 half marathons in December. I am so excited to try a triathlon. My fitness level has been increasing but I still have a fair amount of weight to loose...and/or a lot smaller to get although I have lost 60lbs so far, probably have the same to go again. I do have motivation as I turn 4-0 this July and would like to be smaller than I am now by then!

I was about half way through my triathlon training last year when I had my knee surgery and it was going OK. My only problem was sea sickness when doing swimming drills. I get sea sick very easily but never through swimming before. I don't have the fear of the swimming element that many people have as I've just always been able to swim. The beach was less than a minute walk from my house when I was growing up (in England, I'm English - moved to the US 5 years ago) and I don't remember learning to swim. BUT my technique is rubbish, I have never been able to do front crawl/freestyle very well and always did breast stroke and never put my head in the water so I still have a lot to learn there.

My running is currently 2;1 (minutes) run;walk that I was doing to get back running again so now am working on increasing that time and speed up to a 5k distance.

Just before my knee surgery I did replace my 25 year old mountain bike (that was second hand when I bought it - they actually laughed at me at the bike shop when I took it in to see if it was usable ) with a hybrid which is soooooo much nicer to ride and I got a turbo trainer and shoes and new clip in pedals for Christmas.

I'm looking forward to having a year without injury and achievement but have a long way to go!

Thank you

Clare

NAME / username: Linda

STORY: I've struggled with my weight all my life, with my weight ranging from 120 - 185 pounds. I'm currently at 178 and miserable. I got married a year and a half ago and somehow the honeymoon lasted for a very long time. Which means I stopped watching what I eat and/or working out. I gained 50 pounds. I'm 51, my body hurts and I know if I don't get this under control I'm going to shorten my life and limit the life I live. Not acceptable.

I live in a beach community on Cape Cod and last year I watched the Escape the Cape triathlon that goes right by my house. It was contagious. The first heats were professional athletes. They were breathtaking to watch. Then there was everyone else. Many participants were people like me. The last man to finish was over 75. I was mesmerized.

Both my husband and I have been athletes or some level or other during our lives. We started talking about doing this triathlon for 2014. Last summer we started walking, biking and in his case running. I've lost 6 pounds but can honestly say I haven't really committed. I have my own management consulting company and work a lot of hours. It makes it easy to have an excuse not to work out.

On Monday we are signing up for the triathlon and I know I need a more formal plan to get going. I'm excited to find this group that is focused on weight loss and using triathlons as fun goals to help get there.

FAMILY STATUS: Married for a year and half with 3 kids and 1 grandchild between us

CURRENT TRAINING: 60-90 minutes at the gym 1-3 times a week doing elliptical, treadmill, weights, bike and yoga.

2013 RACES/ results: None.....I'm assuming races to the frig for snacks doesn't count.

2014 plans and RACES: Escape the Cape May 31

WEIGHTLOSS:

I've lost 6 since the summer and need to lose another 45.

Linda

Got back in the groove today :-) my husband and I went to a local bike shop and did a sufferfest trainer ride for an hour. I made it the whole hour! Then my son and I ran over to the local high school pool and bought my membership for the swim training! And we did swim for a bit too. I am getting so excited :-) Feeling good so far...hoping nothing is sore tomorrow or the dreaded day #two.

Looks like we are full! Hope that all of you actively post to the group since that is the best way to get the most out of the mentor forums. Welcome to our newest members Larry, Kimrivh50, Clare and Linda! We are glad to have you join us.

Fechter99 - Randi (co- mentor)
mfechter67 - Mike (co-mentor)
Aud14 - Caleb
DBGlobal - Matt
tgishe01 - Terri
May4 - Mariane
RandyP1964 - (I'm guessing it's Randy? although love the profile name of Zen Beast!)
Flip18436572 - Phil
Chirunner134 - Todd
Plargomar - June
CKSlowpoke - Ceril
Diablo243 - Peter
Carolinetris - (I'm guessing Caroline?)
LJonesCPA - Larry
Kimrivh50
Cmcampbell - Claire
lhannon - Linda

Woohoo! Not sure I would make a full hour of sufferfest at the moment. Well done and sounds like you are moving forward and glad you are excited, and that we can share that excitement with you. It is definitely contagious.

Your story of why you decided to give triathlons a try sound very similar to my own. It is really amazing when you find that inspiration from ordinary people and just think how many other people you and your husband are going to inspire to give triathlons a shot. Now is time to take a look at the training plans and pick one - the couch to sprint is a good place to start! I highly recommend it for anyone who is new to triathlons and even working out. Mike and I both used it for our first race season and we successfully completed our first. Just be prepared to look for a second or even third race in 2014 because I bet once you do your first, you will be like me and looking at the calendar for another one to complete before the season ends!