kaqphin (Super Cat's) Mentor group - CLOSED (Page 5)

yeah definitely get their opinion.

The more, the merrier IMO.

good good, i'm all for it.

i actually managed a core workout this morning, but trying to do crunches with a one year old (OMG he's going to be one in 3 days!!!) sitting on your stomach is harder than it sounds!
other than that, not much. i haven't been running at all in forever, i'm kind of giving myself december off, since it seems like almost every day i've got something going on. plus Christmas, and about 20 family birthdays!

my baby is turning one on the 21st and it's wigging me out! having a b-day party for him on Christmas Eve. that'll be weird.

how's everyone else doing? i've been on here, and am interested in the heart rate monitors as well, so let me know what the collective opinion is. i've looked at them a little bit, but other than keeping track of heart rate, what do they do? are there other cool features like a gps or something?? cuz that would rock. what are we talking $$ like $300? or like $1000 cuz i'm kind of saving up for a new bike.

i like having it too, gotta start sending out the inspires every day. motivate motivate motivate!!

Hey everyone! I'm the new member Cat so graciously allowed to join. I was working insanely long hours last week and had missed seeing all the new groups start up. Thanks for letting me in, Cat. You rock!

I got really busy this afternoon after Cat PM'd to let me know I could join, so I'm just now getting back to post. Unfortunately, it's also WELLLL past my bedtime. I'll post my story/details tomorrow.
Ok, off to bed for me ...

Oh, and in case you haven't figured out, I'm the Bunny known about BT for all my silly emoticons.

yay melissa!! welcome to the group! you gotta teach me how to do the emoticon thing, i think they're hilarious!!

You do? Was I there when I agreed to it? LOL

Actually, I'm sure I did.... It's been a long day, so I think my brain is friend.

Anyway, I'm online now. Give me a min to update the links and repost.

Updated!

Super Cat's Mentor Group kaqphin - Cat AmbulanceDriver - Kelley barqhead - Pam excited2tri - Dia hollybushellehill - Holly lyssa-gator - Lyssa Out4atime - Jeni rgattis - TexasMPGal - Britt BunnyB - Melissa

Edited by D001 2007-12-19 6:47 PM

Thanks Dee - you are the bestest!!!!

As promised last night ... errr, in the week hours this morning actually ... here's my story:

NAME: BunnyB/Melissa, but I also answer to Mel

STORY: I'm a 43yo originally from Tennessee, but now living in the greater Los Angeles area after having moved here 11 years ago. I work as a computer analyst in the aerospace industry.

I ran during high school and early college years, but got away from it as my life got complicated and busy (long story). As a result, I ended up gaining a LOT of weight (more about that later). Over the past 3-4 years, I've completed several 5k races and a few 10k races as a walker. At one point I was training with Team in Training to walk a half mary, but ended up getting sidelined due to a very nasty bout of PF.

No sooner had I gotten over the PF when I started having severe neck, upper back, and pain in my right arm. After months of shuffling from doctor to doctor trying to figure out what was wrong, I was finally referred to a neurosurgeon who realized I had 2 herniated cervical discs and a compressed ulner nerve. In early spring of this year, I had a multi-level spinal fusion and ulner nerve decompression surgeries. Early this fall, the doctor cleared me to get back to exercise and resuming my "normal" life. Terri (MrsUSMC) had already started posting here and told me about it. I've been here ever since and LOVING it!

I'm a newbie to the triathlon world, but have had a desire to finish a tri for many years. The biggest thing I let hold me back was not knowing how to ride a bicycle. Well, I guess I've crossed that hurdle somewhat now since I bought a bike a couple of weeks ago. Now I just have to learn to ride it.

I also hadn't done any "real" swimming since about middle school probably. Most of my time in the water as an adult involved laying on a floatie or innertube while drinking an adult beverage. I took a beginner's adult swim class at the Y in October and November just to get myself used to being in the pool and actually swimming again. I'm still really slow, but I'm working on it.

FAMILY STATUS: Divorced. All of my biological family still live back in Tennessee, so I'm blessed to have such awesome friends (like fellow BT'er MrsUSMC) to be my extended family.

CURRENT TRAINING: I'm in the December swim challenge, so I'm spending a couple of days per week in the pool. Since I just got going with swimming again, I set a time goal of 4 hours in the pool for myself. I'll probably end up surpassing that by about an extra hour, but I wasn't sure when I set my goal how much time I would get in the pool in the first couple of weeks of the month due to a massive project I was finishing up at work.

I'm signed up for a 5k race on Feb. 3, so I definitely need to step up my walk/running time and distances again. I did a Turkey Trot race on Nov. 22 with MrcUSMC and I would really like to better my time at the next event.

THIS YEAR'S RACES: As previously mentioned, I'm signed up for a 5k on Feb. 3 and another 5k on April 6. I'm fortunate that there will be other BT'ers at both races. I don't have anything else scheduled after the April race yet, but I've been looking for some races. I'm not sure I'll be up for doing a tri this season since I'm just now learning to ride the bike, so my goal is to do a sprint distance early in the '09 season.

TRAINING GOALS: Uhmm...is "get better at everything" too broad of a goal?

Seriously, I guess I would like my training goals as follows:

1. Increase my running intervals in my walk/run workouts.
2. Work up to swimming 1500 yds (currently doing between 500-600 yds).
3. Learn to ride my bike.

WEIGHT LOSS: Well, this could be a whole post all by itself. About 5 or 6 years ago, I weighed almost 340 pounds. My parents started having health problems (high cholesterol, hypertension, Type II diabetes, etc.) and it really shook me up. I was fortunate that I hadn't really had any ill effects as a result of my weight since I had put it all on after college. It made me realize that if I didn't want to have my future full of health concerns that I needed to do something about it. I started my weight loss journey about a month later when I went and joined Weight Watchers.

Over the next 3 years, I lost a total of 138 pounds. I had made it into "Onederland" (under 200 pounds) and was loving life! Unfortunately, I then went through a VERY nasty divorce which was quickly followed by my spinal problems. I've ended up regaining about 50-60 pounds while dealing with all of that. I finally picked myself up a couple of months ago and decided it's time to start moving forward again! I've rejoined Weight Watchers. I joined a gym. I care about myself again.

My goal for this final couple of weeks of the year is to survive the holidays without gaining any weight. If I actually manage to lose a bit, I'll be thrilled, but I'll be happy to maintain. Watch out come January 1st though because 2008 is the year I get off the pounds I've regained and hopefully a few more to go along with them. I would love to lose 60 pounds in 2008.

Well, I guess that's it from me. If you're still reading this, wow, you must not have much going on in your life tonight.

Hi Mel,

Wow it sounds like you have overcome a lot! Congratulations on sticking with it through everything... amazing!

It sounds like you are making amazing steps with your swimming - a LTS start was the best start and it will have given you a great base to work from with good form so I am sure that by sticking with it you are going to see some amazing improvements quite quickly!

Like yuo I learnt to ride a bike as an adult... it actually wasnt too hard to find my balance but my bike handling is still iffy and i have had some interesting falls. A couple of suggestions Ive had is to go with a more upright position on the bike initially as it helps with the centre of balance and even have the seat a little lower that is optimal as it mean you are able to put your foot down easily if you get into trouble. I got into clip in shoes really early on and if you have the chance I actually prefer riding with them than without (well starting and stopping is interesting but thats ok). I have a lot of faith that with a couple of tries you will be LOVING to ride... its a phenomenal experience!

Your goals are awesome - the walk/running you are doing should see results for you just plug away at it and you have an advantage too... your body will remember how to run so no matter how icky it may feel sometimes just stick with it!

Huge congrats on the weightloss to date, it seems you will fit well with this team in that a few of us are in a holding pattern until the new year before kicking off a renewed focus on healthy eating.

In the next couple of weeks I will encourage everyone to share their eating plans as it helps to get ideas and support from each other. Weightloss like training is about consistency  and with yuor superb achievements so far it sounds like you know what its all about!

Roll on 2008 - sounds like you are on the path for an awesome year!

Cat

Edited by kaqphin 2007-12-19 9:31 PM

such a good idea jeni!! i'm totally going to try that!!!
yay mel on the weightloss!!! you're totally my hero!!
so i'm just sitting here having a glass of wine, and some dark chocolate (good for the heart, i can tease myself into believing it's healthy for me tee hee)
my whole entire family is asleep, it's been a LOOOOOOONG and terrible day, and now i'm all relaxed and loose. yup. things are all ok again.