Prof40's Group -- Technically full but ... (Page 54)

If you're a good swimmer, the wet suit isn't going to make you feel much different in the water. However, if your form could use some help, the buoyancy of the neoprene will lift your legs higher, which may make a big difference in the swim.

Good story about your run. Any idea where the women army recruits train? I'm thinking maybe MARK and I will get out on that same trail!

Not that I'm much of a trance dancer or bargain shopper, but I am so jealous of your day. Nice workout.

I vote for 1 and 2. Never hurts to get checked out. And when the doc says all is well, the feelings of doubt and worry will disappear. Personally, I'd like being told I'm okay.

Besides, going to the doctor for a check-up does not mean you're filing a lawsuit. It just means that you're worried and want to ensure that you're fine. And it's normal to go a few days later. Your body probably hurts more 2 days after the accident than it did the first few minutes after the occurrence. Hence, the doctor's appointment.

I'm with prof on this. Priorities are to look after yourself and look after your baby (PS congrats, don't worry, I haven't told anyone). Being told you're ok is usually the best medicine that you can get.

Mark.

Quick update for you all.

I got back from Hong Kong just in time to visit Spain for a couple of days and then an overnight visit to St. Louis Park, MN which I am guessing is in the vicinity of at least two of you. Unfortunately not pleasure as we have a business there and I was working otherwise I would have got in touch, maybe next time.

Back to the UK at the beginning of last week and have yet get back into the groove properly although this morning I did take part in a 10k race at the local stately home. Had no plans to do so but Satan took the kids off for the day (made it clear I wasn't invited) so I did that instead. 48mins for 10k cross country so pretty pleased.

I promise to get back in the groove and start logging properly again. I have realised that I have not posted my stats for the end of the weight challenge (which is frankly a bit poor) so...

Weight: 184 lbs
Fat %: 23
BMI: 25
Waist: 34 inches
Resting pulse: 45

I have realised that Sean's approach works for me. Eat well and often, exercise after eating (I do breakfast, cycle to work, lunch, swim or run, afternoon snack, cycle home, supper, stretching or weights) and if I'm really hungry, I have a glass of warm water with a glucose tab in it. Bingo, 19lbs in 6 weeks.

The BMI thing is a bit misleading as I have beefed up and changed shape quite a bit but I included it for consistency. No idea what my BP or cholestrol figures are now but I'm not dead so that is good. I am ignoring the fat% and instead will get a caliper test at some point.

In summary, a big thanks to Sean for the idea. I'm working on shifting another 10/15lbs or so before the beginning of September but for now, the lifestyle change means the pressures off.

Oh, the other thing that worked for me was staying off the scales and, when I did get on them, not being bothered if the change wasn't as I thought it should be.

Anyhow, I'm taking the bike out this afternoon so I best dash and get some work done.

Toodles

Mark

Okay Mark--Let's see a pic of you in some new speedos!! Let's all vote: everyone that wants a bragging pic of Mark, POST YES! Congrats, congrats!! No small feat! Hey, I'm tempted to post a pic of me in my new HOT jeans that were marked down $102 under tag. According to the clothes department I am at least 3 different sizes, depending. I was tempted to go figure out my size in men's clothes and just go pick things up without trying them on like men do from now on....it's very traumatic to be a size 10 AND a size 6! At least for those of us with scewed body image issues! I'm sticking to the calipers for now. I like those things Cuz anything under 20% for a female is ATHLETIC! (so, I'm close!)

And now I'm gonna brag, just a little......look at my log for last week---almost 900 minutes, and 10 hours of solid swim-bike-run. And the swim was 100% in the LAKE! Off to go pick up my kids now. They didn't miss me at all, at least according to my mom.......

Happy Father's Day, Mark! (And Mr. BGT!!!) And yes, next time you are in the midwest, for God's sake, let us know!! Can't you imagine how fun it would be to be in the presence of three lovely ladies in some quaint little bar (gay preferably as they have better music to dance to!) in Minneapolis???? Androgenie and BGT are right there, and I'm not that far away! I'll go just to hear the accent And the world travel stories.......from HongKong to SPAIN and then Minnesota.......amazing!

IM having my pre-race coffee, trying my best to not be nervous. I spent yesterday feeling like I was coming down with the stomach flu so Im just happy today to wake up and not feel gross. And, the forecast was callingn for RAIN which is nothing new around here but I actually have never raced in the rain so I was terrified. Its looks like the last of the showers are hopefully moving out and I might be lucky- it will be colder than I wanted (high 50's) but as long as it doesnt rain I will take any temperature.
Glad to hear Mark is back in action. Congrats on the weight lost! Do you feel faster? I forgot about the weigh in- I should tell you all Im happy but not satisfied yet, Ive beenn at 195.5 all week, thats down about 8 lbs. I think it makes me believe that 10-15 more is possible. Thanks again to all you guys for motivation!

yes tomorrow I will be making two appointments, one to see my doctor and one to see a specialist Pene recommended.

Watergirl: You will do great-TAKE A DEEP BREATHE and smile.

Mark: I could spit from my house to SLP (St. Loius Park MN) as we call it around here. i know you were not here for a social call, but I know you swim or ran while you were here, I would of met you for that. No excuses next time or I will kick your little red bike.

Prof: How are you, need to read your race results but sounds good for here.

Pene: thanks for all the support.

I did an open water swim pratice today on the same lake the tri is in. It was cool cause we had other swimmers kicking me and we praticed getting in and out the shallow water. Anytime you want to go Androgenie let me know I am game. I had to get a ride out there so I did not get to bike and I did not print the map so we did not even drive the bike route.
Silly girl. Time to shower off swimmer itch. nasty stuff.
BGT

ok, back from the race finally. I am exhausted but not too bad- i finished! And I wasnt last! I will try and do a race report when I get the results. I think I did around 3:15 for total time, I know my swim was about 30min (my goal) and my bike was 1:26 or so ( I think i did 17mph) and then my run was SO HARD- I started out too fast; we had to do 4 loops of a trail and the first 2 I did in 15 min and then the last 2 took me about 16 or 17min.... I need to work on pacing! Anyway,overall, I cant believe I actually did it. Oh, and it was raining for half of the race, and not too warm- My feet were ice blocks when I started to run. I just am glad I didnt get a flat, for some reason I was petrified of it. Unfortunately, my best friend who was doing the Duathlon got 2 flats!

time for a nap.

Watergirl--Congratulations!! Those sound like wonderful times to me! Looking forward to your race report for all the details! So, what is next for you now??

BGT--Congrats on the open water swim! Was it hard for you? Are you using a wetsuit? Keep up the good work. Just don't overdo

WOW!!!

Simply amazing. I'm guessing someone needs some new suits.

Good job. Feels great to get it done, doesn't it?

So I'm reviewing a race application for a 1/2 marathon I'm contemplating next month, and the category section catches my eye. Sure, I can race in my age group -- 41 to 45. But the Clydesdale men start at 180 pounds. And Clydesdale women start at 130 pounds.

Anyone else shocked by these weights? I'm guessing most of us could race as Clydesdales.

So much for me feeling as if I'm in great shape!

Yeah Prof, I'm with you here! Now that I've gained all this muscle, I know I'll never be under 130 again. Unless I go starvation and eat up all that hard earned muscle--been there, done that! I remember weighing 110 when I was 19 and stupid and didn't eat much of anything for over a year, except lettuce and sugar free jello! I was a "vegetarian" then, which was code for, "hey, I really have a problem here, and don't want to eat anything, so I'll pretend I'm just a superior being that doesn't find the food here acceptable". So, naturally, I didn't eat any protein to speak of and lost weight, but still felt flabby! Partly because I had loose skin and partly because I was too weak to get out of my bed most days. Now that I've got all this tight muscle that allows me to do things I never thought possible before, and I'm not very flabby, I could give a rat's redbike what the stupid scale says! And the race directors can kiss my tight little redbike, too! Those weights are unrealistic and unhealthy unless you are under 5 foot tall!! So there! You are in incredible shape, Prof! For heaven's sake, you just swam across shark-infested freezing redbike cold water, then biked through San Fran hills with potholes, and ran through a sand ladder!! I'd say you could argue that anyone any skinnier than you would have bonked 100 y out in that water!!! So, who do we complain to?? The Rebel in me is really miffed now--and here's an actual CAUSE! I wonder if Watergirl and Mark actually just entered a muscle building phase and that's why initially they stopped losing weight. It definitely happened for me. I think once you are done gaining the muscle, then you really can lose fat because there is more muscle to increase metabolism. As long as you don't regain fat in that phase due to depression about the scale going nowhere in muscle rebuilding phase....... Maybe I should do a poll on BT and write a book and make a bunch of money???!!!

Yes Prof as a big girl I am almost a double athena, and here is another clictch, why are you guys a fast horse and women are the goddess of wisdom ( I think it means we are smart enough not to push our bodies in a harmful way as noted by Pene)? It make no sense to me. the last time I was 130 lbs was in the 5th grade. I wish they has the athena for women 130 to 180 and a another for Big girls like me who get out and kick red bike when we are over 180!
Ps I made an appointment with my regualr phsyisian and plan to call Pene's friend after my first OBGYN appointment next week.
Also we have a fourm page for the upcoming tri, I told them about my car accident and someone offerd me ride to get up to the tri, what a great community. We are also doinga 26 miel bike ride on the couse on sunday, I am hoping to hitch a ride to that event too. Androgeni, not sure if you heard about it think about koining us, it should be a good time.
Quiana BGT

BGT I love reading your posts. I used to have a Clydesdale and he was no fast horse. Arthur's preferred gait was a barely perseptable forward motion interspersed with long periods of grass eating which he preferrred to do with his red bike out in the traffic, stopping all the cars. He was the kindest and gentlest old chap I have ever owned. Athena, in the UK, is a store that sold posters largely like the one of the tennis player lifting her skirt to scratch her red bike! Not a bad image if you don't mind me saying!

Sorry I didn't call in when I was in MN. I had no idea that you were so close but I really was in and out overnight in any event so I wouldn't have been much fun. I am trying to get a longer visit planned for the autumn so I will definately give you some good notice and we can go out and do whatever you guys do when the nights draw in (Fudruckers challenge maybe!).

I believe it was Homer Simpson that said, "I'm in shape, round is a shape"!

Don't believe everything you read. You have just done the Alcatraz race (admittedly you were beaten by a 12 year old boy) and you are thinking of doing this 1/2 marathon. You must be in great shape. I have worked out that I am the right weight for someone who is 6'5" so I'm pleased. I just need to grow another few inches as I'm only 6' at the moment!

Toodles

When do you work? My roommate and I are both doing that race as our first, so we both could really use the practice!!

casey: I work a 9-5ish in DT mpls. As for the swim, I can not remember where swimming in MN is Okay and where it is not, I will look on the MN fourm pages for some clues. But if we can find a spot and get one or two in before the minne man I am game.
As for Sunday's bike ride, let me know and I will get you my address. I am not sure you can legally swim out there, they got permit for te clinic 6 mo ago.
Quiana/ BGT

Yes those numbers are way too low, I am 6'0 and almost double athena.
The worst part is finding dress shoes in a mens 13.
My little sister is 6 inches taller, she is all skin and bones and the bmi says shes overweight.
Now thats just plain crazy!!!

I tried swimming in Lake Michigan at a beach and the lifeguards hate me.
There is a wading beach and the rule is you can be in water that is to your chest deep.
Well since I am tall I can go out father and swim the length of the beach. THe guards yell your too far out but then I stand up and I am fine. At one point I was swimming and the depth of the water was so shallow that I hit my hand on the bottom, swimming in a straight line the other side is chest deep.

The most challenging part is when a motor boat goes across outside the swimming area creating good sized waves that push you inland. Any advice on how to compensate for the waves? So your not swept into the beach area and much shallower water?

And that's my point. Personally, I'm in good shape -- not a superman's build, but with 18% body fat, I'm not a round guy, either. I can see my toes, and on a good day I can not only touch them, but stand right back up again with minor creaking.

But imagine if you've trained all winter for your first long road race, are weighing in at 210ish and hoping to average a 10-minute mile, and I'm next to you. And if I run the race I want, I'll hit 8-minute miles. Technically, at my weight of 184, I'm in your group. And so is the very tall Robb, who's been working like a fiend lately. Is that fair?

Is this an effort by the organizers to welcome all runners? Or to streamline the "serious" bean-shaped runners into the age groups and let us alleged horses of various weights battle amongst ourselves?

Don't get me wrong, I am not alleging any ill will by the race organizer. I was just truly shocked by the low weight threshold. When I think of Clydesdales, or Athenas, or some other nomenclature, I'm thinking of weights heavier than 130 and 180.

Sounds like you are, too.

Okay, for the offical record, let me state that the little brat beat me in the swim, but I caught him on the bike. And I passed the 14-year old girl on mile 6 of the run. And I'm pretty sure I finished ahead of the 76-year-old woman. Sheesh.


Edited by prof40 2007-06-19 6:43 PM

Part of the problem is sighting -- sounds like you don't have something tangible to swim to, so the waves just add to the problem of going off course.

You know I'm going to say to keep practicing, don't you? And that's about all I can suggest. The more swimming and sighting you do, the better you get at swimming in a straight line. And it IS easier said than done.