I'm sitting in my office right now, with the Outlook Web Access window open on my desktop. Hopefully, I'll be on my bicycle this evening and if I am, that'll be the first time in quite a while. I still need to find a balance that I haven't been able to find yet. I stopped because I was battling a cold, but once you stop, it's hard to get started again. Anyway, I'm mostly just posting to see if I can post from my e-mail program. Here's hoping!
Brian
Thursday, May 20, 2004
Monday, May 03, 2004
I have found the enemy, and it is the TRIPLE BYPASS....
I remember the day I heard that there was an Ironman race coming to Wisconsin... something clicked in the back of my mind, even though I'd never been much of a runner or a swimmer. It was one of those things where you didn't really know if it was possible to acheive it, but that might be more fun than anything to try. It's not quite the same feeling, but I definitely felt pangs of the same thing as I looked at the webpage for the Triple Bypass.
I remember the day I heard that there was an Ironman race coming to Wisconsin... something clicked in the back of my mind, even though I'd never been much of a runner or a swimmer. It was one of those things where you didn't really know if it was possible to acheive it, but that might be more fun than anything to try. It's not quite the same feeling, but I definitely felt pangs of the same thing as I looked at the webpage for the Triple Bypass.
doesn't it look like fun? Ok, maybe fun isn't the right word, but it at the very least looks like something that could be a good kick in the pants for me.
Tuesday, April 27, 2004
The Long Slow Fall Out Of Not So Glory
It's been quite a while since I've posted. Maybe I haven't posted out of a bit of shame. Maybe I've just been lazy. Maybe I haven't posted because of life changes. Whatever reason I have probably isn't a good one, but it's all I have. I was walking through the bathroom of my apartment tonight looking at some bike clothes strewn about the floor thinking that it's been a year and a half since Ironman Wisconsin 2002 and that it's all sort of been downhill from that moment. I don't know that I've ridden more than a couple of hundred miles since September of 2002 and I'm just starting to pick up the pieces. They're depressing pieces. Pieces that are even more depressing when you exacerbate them with elevation here in Colorado where I'm now living. Think it's hard to bike a long distance when you're out of shape? Try biking that same distance while you're out of shape and can't breathe.
It surprises me that I still weigh roughly the same as I did when all of my training went out the window. Should I feel blessed about that? Or should I be ashamed that it's probably just a redistribution of fat and muscle. What can I do to change? Is there hope? Surely there's hope, for if there wasn't, there would be no reason to restart the blog.
What's changed aside from being a new resident of 'The Centennial State'? Probably the biggest change is just that I've gotten married to quite a lovely lady. Everything that you're told about marriage, or at least what I've been told about marriage is wrong. I'm sure there's a part of me, just like there's a part of every evangelical male that gets married for the sex. If you can't have it, you want it... and you go for it the way you know you're allowed to get it. Getting married. Upon getting married, you realize that sex is much less sexy than how it's portrayed in the culture around you. It's not bad. In fact, it's really quite good, but dealing with perceptions and then reorienting and rewriting them to reflect a newly perceived reality is definitely a process. A good chunk of married life seems to be a bit like that. It's not quite as sexy as it's portrayed, but it's also much richer.
But what does all of this have to do with Triathlon? It has to do with triathlon because it changes you. Marriage made me very aware of the attention I was giving to my wife. That I felt obligated to be able to give her my attention when I wasn't at work. I haven't felt (now that it's spring again) that I can leave and go for a group ride once or twice a week. I haven't found the balance between showering attention on my bride, and chasing after another one of my goals.
On Chasing Goals...
I'm also dealing with just what it is I want to accomplish. Do I want to excel at the job I feel God called me into? Do I want to start up this sideproject design company so that my wife and I can stop donating plasma and pay the back taxes that I still owe from my days of freelancing? Life is a balancing act and one that I'm still struggling to walk. But God is a God of grace, and though I know I keep falling off the tightrope, that safety net is there and I can get up and try to walk across again.
More later, but I needed to post something while the muse was in the room.
-Bri
It surprises me that I still weigh roughly the same as I did when all of my training went out the window. Should I feel blessed about that? Or should I be ashamed that it's probably just a redistribution of fat and muscle. What can I do to change? Is there hope? Surely there's hope, for if there wasn't, there would be no reason to restart the blog.
What's changed aside from being a new resident of 'The Centennial State'? Probably the biggest change is just that I've gotten married to quite a lovely lady. Everything that you're told about marriage, or at least what I've been told about marriage is wrong. I'm sure there's a part of me, just like there's a part of every evangelical male that gets married for the sex. If you can't have it, you want it... and you go for it the way you know you're allowed to get it. Getting married. Upon getting married, you realize that sex is much less sexy than how it's portrayed in the culture around you. It's not bad. In fact, it's really quite good, but dealing with perceptions and then reorienting and rewriting them to reflect a newly perceived reality is definitely a process. A good chunk of married life seems to be a bit like that. It's not quite as sexy as it's portrayed, but it's also much richer.
But what does all of this have to do with Triathlon? It has to do with triathlon because it changes you. Marriage made me very aware of the attention I was giving to my wife. That I felt obligated to be able to give her my attention when I wasn't at work. I haven't felt (now that it's spring again) that I can leave and go for a group ride once or twice a week. I haven't found the balance between showering attention on my bride, and chasing after another one of my goals.
On Chasing Goals...
I'm also dealing with just what it is I want to accomplish. Do I want to excel at the job I feel God called me into? Do I want to start up this sideproject design company so that my wife and I can stop donating plasma and pay the back taxes that I still owe from my days of freelancing? Life is a balancing act and one that I'm still struggling to walk. But God is a God of grace, and though I know I keep falling off the tightrope, that safety net is there and I can get up and try to walk across again.
More later, but I needed to post something while the muse was in the room.
-Bri
Wednesday, March 26, 2003
I have to apologize for being completely miserable about posting on a regular schedule. Life has it's ebbs and flows and lately life has been fairly busy. Last time I checked, I'm down to 238lbs, so I only have another 40 pounds to take off and I'll be where I want to be. Though in all reality, I'd be just fine with redistributing that 40 lbs instead....
In the window I'm typing this in, I can see what I dubbed "The Blue Marshmallow" picture from Ironman Wisconsin. I was really bummed when I saw that shot... because in my minds eye I'm smaller than that. Oh well, someday, someday. If it doesn't happen, it doesn't happen.
cycling season has begun again. With this spat of really nice weather, I've been able to get out a couple of times. Took the Fuji into the shop a little over a week ago. It's done, and I want to pick it up, but mid week last week my wallet, checkbook and cellphone got ripped off. The theft meant that I haven't had access to any of my money for the past week. It's been interesting living without buying... and I think that I've come to the conclusion that I'm not very good at it. Not having access to the checkcard that I use everyday has been a really big pain.. and because of a lack of access, my bike remains stuck at the bikeshop awaiting liberation.
anyway, that's the current news. I'll write more tonight hopefully, when I have more time to think about what to say.
-Bri
In the window I'm typing this in, I can see what I dubbed "The Blue Marshmallow" picture from Ironman Wisconsin. I was really bummed when I saw that shot... because in my minds eye I'm smaller than that. Oh well, someday, someday. If it doesn't happen, it doesn't happen.
cycling season has begun again. With this spat of really nice weather, I've been able to get out a couple of times. Took the Fuji into the shop a little over a week ago. It's done, and I want to pick it up, but mid week last week my wallet, checkbook and cellphone got ripped off. The theft meant that I haven't had access to any of my money for the past week. It's been interesting living without buying... and I think that I've come to the conclusion that I'm not very good at it. Not having access to the checkcard that I use everyday has been a really big pain.. and because of a lack of access, my bike remains stuck at the bikeshop awaiting liberation.
anyway, that's the current news. I'll write more tonight hopefully, when I have more time to think about what to say.
-Bri
Friday, March 14, 2003
Stuck in the office making dubs of some products that we need to send to Florida really quickly... there's still a lot of snow outside of the window, but instead of being cold and pallid, I know that it's close to 50 degrees out... the knowledge of this REALLY makes me want to be outside riding. I don't feel so bad about not being out riding right now though because I've kicked back into training and it feels REALLY good.
I was reading the new issue of Bicycling this morning before coming in to work, and there was an article talking about weight loss through cycling and a guy who put himself through hell to go from 250/260 down to 180. Part of me wants to put myself through hell to get to that point by August the wedding. A couple of weeks ago I realized that I needed to get back to work... my pants weren't fitting as well as they seemingly did at one point, and I just didn't feel comfortable in my clothes. I felt the kick in the butt that gets me going again. I had signed up for bicycling.com's online trainer a couple of months ago and hadn't really used it, so I went back and created a new program, and have been on it for about two weeks now. I think I'll start posting each days workouts so y'all can keep track of me. I also need to figure out what rides/races I'm going to do this season. If you have some suggestions let me know...
I missed Wednesday's workout, and did it yesterday instead, so I'm thinking I might double stack and do these back to back today...
March 13, 2003
Any cardio exercise 45 Minutes RPE/HR Goal 6 130/141
March 14, 2003
strength exercises weight reps
Shoulders
Seated Dumbbell Press 45 lbs 8
45 lbs 8
45 lbs 8
Lateral Cable Raises 15 lbs 13
15 lbs 13
15 lbs 13
Trapezius
Barbell Upright Rows 45 lbs 8
45 lbs 8
Barbell Shrugs 115 lbs 10
115 lbs 10
Triceps
One-Arm Dumbbell Extensions 25 lbs 8
25 lbs 8
25 lbs 8
Rope Extensions 35 lbs 10
35 lbs 10
35 lbs 10
Abdominals
Hanging Leg Raises - 10
Hanging Knee Tucks - 20
Flutter Kicks - 20
Incline Sit-Ups - 20
Bicycle Crunches - 20
- 20
Side Crunches - 20
- 25
I really like the weight workouts that the program gives, but it's cardio workouts leave a bit to be desired. I wish it would give me specific program options instead of just Rate of Perceived Exertion goals. Plus, I think their RPEs are a little low for me. In any case, it's a starting point.
I don't know that I ever posted these photos, but I thought I should probably post them at some point.
Anyway those are me... all 240 some pounds.
Hopefully tonight I'll get a chance to sit down and write another entry on depression and triathlon. It's been one of the other thoughts I've been thinking about lately after reading Tina from the IronMOO boards letter in Triathlete (Hi Tina!) I agree with her on quite a bit, now if only I could compete with her... someday, someday.
I was reading the new issue of Bicycling this morning before coming in to work, and there was an article talking about weight loss through cycling and a guy who put himself through hell to go from 250/260 down to 180. Part of me wants to put myself through hell to get to that point by August the wedding. A couple of weeks ago I realized that I needed to get back to work... my pants weren't fitting as well as they seemingly did at one point, and I just didn't feel comfortable in my clothes. I felt the kick in the butt that gets me going again. I had signed up for bicycling.com's online trainer a couple of months ago and hadn't really used it, so I went back and created a new program, and have been on it for about two weeks now. I think I'll start posting each days workouts so y'all can keep track of me. I also need to figure out what rides/races I'm going to do this season. If you have some suggestions let me know...
I missed Wednesday's workout, and did it yesterday instead, so I'm thinking I might double stack and do these back to back today...
March 13, 2003
Any cardio exercise 45 Minutes RPE/HR Goal 6 130/141
March 14, 2003
strength exercises weight reps
Shoulders
Seated Dumbbell Press 45 lbs 8
45 lbs 8
45 lbs 8
Lateral Cable Raises 15 lbs 13
15 lbs 13
15 lbs 13
Trapezius
Barbell Upright Rows 45 lbs 8
45 lbs 8
Barbell Shrugs 115 lbs 10
115 lbs 10
Triceps
One-Arm Dumbbell Extensions 25 lbs 8
25 lbs 8
25 lbs 8
Rope Extensions 35 lbs 10
35 lbs 10
35 lbs 10
Abdominals
Hanging Leg Raises - 10
Hanging Knee Tucks - 20
Flutter Kicks - 20
Incline Sit-Ups - 20
Bicycle Crunches - 20
- 20
Side Crunches - 20
- 25
I really like the weight workouts that the program gives, but it's cardio workouts leave a bit to be desired. I wish it would give me specific program options instead of just Rate of Perceived Exertion goals. Plus, I think their RPEs are a little low for me. In any case, it's a starting point.
I don't know that I ever posted these photos, but I thought I should probably post them at some point.
Anyway those are me... all 240 some pounds.
Hopefully tonight I'll get a chance to sit down and write another entry on depression and triathlon. It's been one of the other thoughts I've been thinking about lately after reading Tina from the IronMOO boards letter in Triathlete (Hi Tina!) I agree with her on quite a bit, now if only I could compete with her... someday, someday.
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