Running Down A Dream

I have to say that one of the songs that ring in my head each time I go out for a long run or bike, or even have to face a challenge when it comes to food is the Tom Pettey song "Running Down A Dream" I love the line, "Running down a dream that never would come to me." I take that personally, my weight loss never would just come to me as much as I wanted it to for so many years, my health would never just come to me, as much as I sat around and thought of myself as fit, the numbers at the Dr were alway different. Good health is really one of those thing you have to "run down" or bike down, or swim down, or walk down, or aerobics down, or boot camp down. Whatever it is for you, you know what you like. I get kind of mad when I hear that song now, not an angery mad, but a "I will show you!" Kind of mad, I will run down the dream of health, of triathlon, and now of the magic 200 pound mark. That song went through my head Saturday night as Kim and I ran our 13 miles in preperation for Chicago, it was the most humid night I can remeber running in, in a while, by the time I was finished the sweat had run down my legs into both shoes and socks so much it felt like I had been running through puddles. I was tired, somene stole our first water stop, and we had a lot of reasons to just say, "let's skip this week" "let's put it off for a while" but we were running down our dreams, and at the end of that workout Saturday night, I felt better than I had all week.

Picture

Here it is the one picture I have as proof that I did the BMW Chattanooga Waterfront Triathlon. Trust me when I tell you if I had a more flattering picture I would have used it, but the pictures Kim took of me at the transition and on my bike got shipped off to Apple when her IPhone messed up and the they just sent her a new one with no pictures. I have never been to an event where they did not at lest get one picture of you crossing the finish line, I know I smiled for at least 3 cameras on the course, but nope, this is the only one they offered for me to buy.

On another note, Kim and I ran our long run of 12 miles on Saturday night this weekend and it went really well. I had a ton left at the finish and am looking forward to a good week of workouts and of eating well. I have really stuggled with eating well since the triathlon for some reason. I think some of it has been the travel, and some of it has been that I have not been feeling real well and food seems to settle my stomach, but I am sure I am eating too much of it and the wrong types. I got my latest issue of Inside Triathlon and it is the nutrition issue. I am pumped up to finally break the weight barrier I have been at and get as close if not to 200 pounds by the Marathon. I am a little competetive and now realize I will probably nver be able to compete with these little 160 pound guys that go up hill beside me on the bike like I am standing still. But I think I could be very competiitve, especially if I get my swim time down in the clydesdale division (200 pounds and up) So that is my new weight goal 200 pounds. Now being fit and getting in shape and all of that is still how I will judge my success, but there is nothing wrong with having a number to shoot for.

Official Chattanooga Waterfront Triathlon Report and Commentary

I got up around 4:30 Saturday morning and had a Cliff bar and started drinking water. I got the transition area to set up around 5:15 and it was dark. Most the people must have realized it was going to be dark because they had these little lights strapped to their head so they could see what they were doing. I on the other had had my cell phone that I used to illuminate my area until the sun started coming up. I went over and got marked and got my timing strap and went back and set up my transition area. I just stood there and stared at it for a while going over and over again in my mind what I would do each time I came through and make sure I had everything there. At 6:00 they called for my bus to leave to head out to the swim start, I missed it. Not to worry I caught the next one.
The swim start was a mile up the river at the University of Tennessee Chattanooga rowing center. It was just beside the football teams practice field. I just laid around on the field with everyone else waiting for the start of the race that was delayed 30 minutes because all the traffic cones had not been set out yet, and the USTA won't allow a race to start until everything is set (just one of the many little USTA rules they were really strict about)

It was a time trial type start they led you down to a dock 25 at at time and then 10 at a time jump in the water and go down till you get to the end of the dock where they check you number and tell you to go. I was off. I got about 200 yards out in the ocean sized river and realized I was kind of scared. My breathing was off my heart rate was high and I was worried, but somehow I relaxed myself and just kept saying 1 ,2, 3 , breath, 1,2,3 breath and I did and I just started going. I got passed by a lot of people and I don't think I ever passed anyone. Everyone has said there was absolutely no current and that under the bridged the chop actually made it feel like you were swimming against the current. But I finally heard the roar of the crowd and I could see them pulling people out of the water at the dock. It was a weird way to get out of the water. You swim up to the dock and raise your hads and these guy yank you out of the water and then you take off up the stairs and across the street to the transition area. It took me 45:05 to finish the swim, much slower than I had wanted.

The transition went great and my brother-in-law and his wife where already thee yelling for me. The bike course had some serious long hills. It was much harder than I thought it would be and my stomach was hurting a little and I had to pee, so at the turn around I had to go to the bathroom and wasted some time there, but I was feeling much better after that. The hills were tough but I actually passed some people on the bike and at one point got up over 40 mph going down a hill, unfortunately the lady in front of me put her brakes on and I had another bike on my left and a motorcycle filming the race on his left and we all almost wiped out and had to slam on our brakes, it was a little hairy, but we made it. The bike took me 1:34.

The transition to run went well I started off and immediately was big hill, my heart rate got up and I could not settle into a good pace till almost mile 3, but after that I was clear sailing I was passing quite a few people on the run and was feeling really good about it. I got plenty of fluids and even picked up the pace at the end. The only problem at all was my left quad started cramping that last 200 yards or so, but it was nothing real serious.

The whole family was there at the finish and we all had lunch together at the North Shore Grill and they got there before I did and were all clapping for me, it made be feel really great. I am for sure addicted to triathlon and look forward to the next one, I think I am going to do the Chattanooga Sports Barn Sprint Tri in August with Kim, it will be her first.

This weekend our long run is 12 miles in preparation for the Chicago Marathon, my weight right now is about 240 and I hope to be really close to 200 by the Marathon. I have said that 220 would be where I stopped, but I realize if I do it correctly I can be very healthy around 200 and that will allow me to be much more competitive in triathlon. I may never place in my age group or win a race or anything like that, but I see this a lot like golf, I want to do everything I can to get better next time out. Time is a great way to measure that with these races and the only person I am really competing against is me. I have looked back at my blog over the last couple of years and have read about walking 4 minutes and jogging one and being really excited about 14 minute miles. I am beating that guy, but I am so glad I can still read about him.

I hope to have some pictures soon.

Race Report

I have now completed an olympic distance triathlon! I made it through the mile swim, the 25 mile bike, and the 6.2 mile run in good shape. It was really a whole lot of fun. Other than some panic in the water during the first part of the swim, and a near wreck going down a hill at 40 miles and hour, and the fact the bike course is what I think of when I hear about the mountain stages in the Tour de France, it was a blast! One of the most exciting things was having my family there to support me. Kim, Kiley, Robyn, Susan, Larry, Jacob, and Minda all cheering me on through the transitions. I am not sure of my times as they have not posted them yet to the website. But I do know I'm no speed demon. This triathlon was a qualifier for 2 different world championships, the calibur of athlete there was certainly higher than any races I have seen previously. But that's really a good thing because it inspires me to continue to work harder and lose a few pounds to get a little faster. As I was telling Kim the other day, I am very competitive. But oddly enough I'm not competitive against other people in triathlons but I am very competitive with myself and hope to beat me next time out. Thanks so much to everyone for your calls, thoughts, and prayers and comments on my blog. We are still traveling, I hope to write more soon.

Game Week

Well as my dad would say it is game week. The triathlon is Sunday. I am going into this week feeling GREAT! This past weekend I rode about 30 miles on my bike and ran 2 miles on Saturday in what is called a "brick" workout. On Sunday morning Kim and I got up and ran 10 miles for our marathon training. Both workouts went great and my eating has been going really well since the 4th also. This week's workouts are nothing big, just getting out and keeping the blood flowing, if by this point the physical conditioning is not already there it's too late, but I know it is. My lungs and heart and legs have felt great this past week, the only that is left is to mentally prepare and make sure I get all my equipment where it needs to be and in working condition. I think I will take my bike in for a little tune up today.

My father-in-law who lives in Chattanooga called yesterday and said that there was a big write up in the paper about the triathlon. They said it is over sold with between 1200 and 1500 racers registered, they are not allowing anyone else in. They had a big map with all the street closures and are needing more volunteers to help with the race. Kim has emailed to volunteer to help with the swim start. It is a little early to be getting nervous, but I must say I enjoy the hype. Now if I can just not drown!

Biggest Weakness

I feel really good about many of the things I have conquered on my weight loss journey. 1) I can go out and eat and not get the best thing on the menu and "experiance" great food everytime out. I can eat just a salad or veggies or shake. 2)I can eat at home with Kim and the family and eat one of my meals or shakes while they eat Pizza. 3) I can fit working out into almost any day and have done pretty well and not making excuses. 4) I don't feel the need to get a mocha frappacino and cheese cake or brownie everytime I go the bookstore or Starbucks.

I say all this to say I know no matter how far I have come I still have one really big weakness. I can't do the party thing and control myself right now. Yesterday I pumped myself up and ate energy bars and drank a lot of water and was going to do real well at the 4th cookout at my house, but when all the food was laid out and I started cooking on the grill I might as well had been the "old Brad" as my father puts it sometimes. I am not sure how I am going to combat this. I am looking at the bright side of things and realize that parties don't come everyday. Parties were not a big deal in the decesion free part of the program becasue everyone knew and expected me not to eat, but now they know I can have anything I want so there is no feeling that I shuld not eat anything. My friend Jason did a great job yesterday and brought his food because he can only eat certain foods.

With freedom comes great responsability, I have not learned to be very responsible with mine yet.

I had lost some weight till yesterday and my workouts are going very well, so I am not all down and depressed and realize that I am at a much better place than I was last year at this time, but I want to be able to feel free and enjoy the "party" and still eat well. Sadly my idea of a good party is how good the food and drink is, I am not sure how to overcome this paradigm.

I am just rambling today, thanks for listening.

1200 Meter Swim Today

The training has gone well this week, and my eating is really back on track. For the first time ever I have now swam over 1000 meters at one time, 1200 today. The swim in Chattanooga will be 1500 meters, so I am actually feeling pretty good about it. I did not get to weigh in officially last night because Kim had a meeting and I had to watch the kidos, but I think I stayed pretty much the same last week. I have two weeks before the Triathlon and will eat very well between now and then.

I can really tell when I hang out with people who try to eat well, it is easier for me to eat well and vice versa. I have a brick workout tomorrow with an hour and a half bike and a 30 minute run and then a thirty minute bike and an hour and half run on Sunday. I am looking forward to a good weekend.

Thanks to all for your continued support and comments, it really means a lot to me. I am now finding a lot of encouragment from people like Dabbie and Toby who are working very hard on their weight loss journey, and the others who have posted comments that I have never even met. This struggle is like none other, and just becaue I have come so far, I realize how easy it would be to slip back into all the really bad habits.

Not Expecting Much This Week

It was a great weekend. We went to Chattanooga and played on the lake and I got to swim with Kiley and Robyn and Kim and we climbed cliffs and jumped in and had a blast. Stuff I would not have done 100 pounds ago. But on the negative side, I did not eat real well and did not get in my long runs or rides this weekend. I have a lot of catching up to do, but it was worth it.

On a more positive not I saw a couple of friends today who are amazed at my new physical apperance. They hit me and poked and prodded on proded on me, and in a very manly loving way let me know they were happy for my new found committment to fittness. And said, "I guess you are actually in pretty good shape" I know I have a long way to go, but on a day like today when I was down on myself for the way the weekend went, it was a good pick-me-up.

Real Good Week

This past week I lost 5 more pounds and hope to be at my all time (adult) low soon. Although I am excited about the weight loss I am more pumped about my workouts. I have swam over 900 yards in the past week, I biked over 50 miles at 20-23 miles an hour. That was almost too much for me, if it had not been for the 15 guys I was riding with and my pride I don't think I would have made it. Then the next morning I ran 7 miles. Yestarday was my rest day and today I swim 800 yards.

I am really enjoying the workouts and look forward to the triathlon in Chattanooga on July 15th. Getting the fruits and vegetable in are a big key. I am realizing just how much food I like to eat, I beleive they call that being a volume eater. I am learning to to eat more healthy foods. I still love the pizza and cookies and brownies, and all that stuff that is really bad for me, but I find we I look at food for fuel for my workouts and try to stay full on more healthy foods it makes it much easier.

Better So Far

Thaks to all of you who commented with words of encouragment. This week has gone much better and I hope to have lost a little weight my the time I weigh in Thursday. I think that vacation was like a drug addict going on a binge, and it is not so easy to just say, ok that's over, back to normal today. It has taken some will power and since I am in the maintance phase of the weight loss program I am having to make some decesions that I am did not have to make in the weight loss phase.
My work outs are going great and I hope to do be ready to swim a whole mile by July 15 in Chattanooga then bike 25 and run 6.2, the only problem with all the training for that is it makes me hungery, and I can justify eating more becasue I have worked out more, the problem is I usually eat as many or more calories than I burned.
The bottom line is I feel that I am back in the swing of things and looking forward to getting under 1) Getting under 220. 2) Completing my first Olympic distance triahlon. 3)Running the Chicago Marathon with Kim in October

What Happened?

My weight went up about 10 pounds or so on vacation and some of that came off really quickly, but I am still a few pounds above the 235 I left with. I have continued my workouts and my commitment to 220, but I am having a crisis of will power!! It's like my body decided to stay on vacation.

Let me give you an example. Yesterday I had a great day, I swam in the morning, I had an organic breakfast cookie, I drank a lot of water and I had a couple of shakes during the day and another bar, some nuts and raisins and some salad. But last night we cooked out with our house church and I lost all control! My sweet tooth is what is killing me. There were brownies and cheesecake (my two favorite things in the world,do not get me started on brownie cheesecake) anyway I never really sit down and had a lot but I got a little here and there all night and I know I had more then I should of. What is concerning is that I really want to lose another 30 pounds or so, but I can not get back into weight loss mode. I have held what I have for a couple of weeks, but not going down again yet.

I am telling you this so you can help me stay the course. I have a bad habit of doing really really good, or maybe too good and starving myself and then eating a roll of cookie dough. This is not good, it makes me a little lethargic on my workouts and tired in the mornings. I am committing to eating more vegetables and less sweets. I am not sure how I am going to conquer the sweet thing. I am an extremist as most of you know, so I may just have to draw a line in the sand and say, NO DESERTS FOR 4 MONTHS, there I just said it. I can't believe I said it. But that is what I am going to do, I will not eat a cookie, a brownie or a piece of cheesecake till after the Marathon in October. I have lost 120 pounds and did not eat anything but shakes for 12 weeks, why does this seem so hard?

UPDATE

This week is going well, I have actually lost weight each day and should be back at my pre-vacation weight by my meeting next Thursday.

I am getting excited about the triathlon in Chattanooga on July 15. I think it will be the biggest challenge I have faced up to this point with a mile swim 25 mile bike and 6.2 mile run. My training is going great. I love the plan from www.trainingpeaks.com, it emails me every morning with my workout for the day. It is a great website, and easy to use.

My long runs will start preparing me for the Chicago Marathon starting next weekend and I am really looking forward to going to back to Chicago and doint that race with Kim. It should be a blast.

Last but not least I got on the Florida Ironman website this week and signed up to help out with the race this November in Panama City. My plan is to go down and volunteer and experiance the Ironman atmosphere and sign up for the 2008 race while I am down there.

Back From Vacation

We rolled in last night around midnight from over a week on the road. We spent 7 days in Florida and a few in Chattanooga with Kim's parents on the way.

Let me get to the numbers first. I had a great week of working out. I made all my workouts which included a couple of 2 hour bike rides and a couple of long runs of over an hour. I am very much on course for the triathlon in Chattanooga on July 15. On the eating side of things, I blew it. I ate like I hadnever eaten before and have some work to do to get back on track. But that is the beauty of the maintaince phase of this weight loss program. I know how I gained weight, and I know how to lose it.

The greatest part of vacation was that I was not worried at all about what I looked like with my shirt off. I was glad to hang out in the pool and the ocean and even got a little bit of a tan. I usually stay under the shade with my shirt on and am not much fun. The weight loss over the past year made this the best vacation ever. I will try to talk more about this when I have more time, but this was another experiance that made me ask myself what else I have been missing because of my weight?

DOWN 120 POUNDS!

I have not been arond to wiegh in officially at the hospital in a few weeks (4 to be exact) so I went last night. I have not been too concerned with weigh loss over this time perid because I have been much more involved in training. However I lost 1.8 pounds over the last 4 weeks to bring the total to 120 pounds and some change. I started the program two weeks before Thanksgiving at 355 point something and weighed in at 235 on the dot last night. I have to say this seems like a lot of weight. I hope to lose some more by next Thursday becasue I leave for vacation on next Friday. I am going to allow myslef to enjoy some foods on vacation that I have not had in a while and I hope to not gain a ton, but know I might gain a little. The important thing will be not starting vacation early as far as eating goes (I do that sometimes) and getting back on program the minute I get home or before and not allowing myslef to fall back on old habits. Since we are going to Florida I hope to eat a lot of good seafood (not fried) and we are taking our bikes so I hope to continue my training.

Speaking of training I ran 5 miles yesterday and swam this morning and have a great training plan from Joe Friel's website, www.trainingpeaks.com for the Chattanooga triathlon coming up on July 15. I will try to post a link to it and to the Chicago Marathon.

I am a TRIATHLETE

About two years ago I was in Barns and Noble in Atlanta. I was standing in line to order a quick after dinner snack, a mocha frappacino and piece of Cheesecake Factory cheesecake. I also had two magazines in my hand and was going to pay for it all there in the cafe and just read and eat there. I put my magazines down and ordered my snack and the little girl behind the counter looked at me like I was buying porn. Now I had check out people look at me funny before, but they never just came right out and said anything like this girl. She looked at my magazines and she looked at me and she asked. "do you actually do this stuff?" It was almost like she had never waited on a 380 pound guy buying triathlon magazines and cheesecake. I was taken a back and a little embarassed to tell you the truth. I had to tell her, "well no, not really, but I have swam, and I own a bike and I walk and run some, and someday I am going to do this." She said, "cool" and I took my cheesecake and mocha frappacino, along with my newest issue of Triathlete and Inside Triathlon and now too embarassed to eat and read there, I went to my car and ate there. I even shed a couple of tears in my car that night.

Yesterday I swam 500 meters, biked 13 miles, and ran 3 miles in completing my first triathon. What a difference a couple years make. The journey is far from over and I have more goals to accomplish, but TODAY I AM A TRIATHLETE.

It was AWESOME

I got an email from a director with Fox Sports South last week that told me they had read some of my story of weight loss and stuff I had given the Country Music 1/2 marathon. He asked if I could come by there room at the expo center and do some on camera interviews about it to be used in a telecast of the run on Comcast Sports and Fox Sports South in about two weeks. It was really cool, it took about 5 minutes and I just answered some questions, they asked some pretty good questions. The best one was, "how could someone else be motivated or learn from your experiance?" I had to think on that one for a while.

Then at the race expo I talked with John "the penguin" Bingham, a writer for Runner's World and author of a book that I had read a couple of years ago called "The Courage to Start" We had talked last year before the race and he said he remebered me, but I am sure he says that to everyone. Anyway we talked a little about my weight loss and running and he encouraged me to share my story with as many people as possible, because that is the obligation of someone who's life has been changed that much. I thought about what he said, and I guess I am kinda doing that with the blog.

On Yeah, I ran in Nashville too! I took 51 minutes off my time from last year going from 3:09 to 2:18!! I averaged 10:36 a mile. A whole 12 minutes better than my goal of 2:30 or under. I was very very pleased with the outcome. Greg ran the first 9 miles with me and Kim ran the last bit with me. I am so blessed to have such supportive friends and family.

This week I will be preparing for the triathlon on Saturday at Craighead Forest. I just hope I don't drown.

Feeling Great

I had my final run yesterday in preperation for the race Saturday. I ran 3 miles in 28 minutes and felt pretty good. I weighed in this morning with my lowest morning weight ever recorded during this process (I usually weigh a little less in the afternoons for weigh ins) So I will go into the race at my lightest, right around 235 or so. I have really taken the emphasis off of losing weight the last couple of weeks so that I could have enough energy for my long runs and the race. I am really happy to see that I have not gained any during this time, and have even lost a little. Next week is the triathlon and after that I am going to push hard to see the 220s by vacation on the 21st of May.

You can check out my race times at the 5K 10K and finish line on www.countrymusicmarathon.com

Thanks again for all the support and the well wishes. I look forward to shaing the experiance with you on the blog when I return.

This is the week

This week is the big 1/2 marathon in Nashville. I had a big workout weekend. I swam on Friday Morning, I biked around 40 miles on Saturday, and I had my final long run of 10 miles on Sunday afternoon. The eating has gone pretty well over the weekend other than the big big meal in Memphis Friday night, but I think I should for sure not gain weight this week.

They say you should always be planning at lest 2 goals ahead to stay motivated and this weekend will be the end of a goal I have been working out for the last 12 weeks or so, and then immediatley after that the next weekend will be the triathlon here in Jonesboro. So today I am posting the next goal. On Monday of last week I signed up Kim and me both for the 30th running of the Chicago Marathon on October 7th. This will be her second marathon and of course my first. I have hear there is a big difference in training for 26.2 and 13.1, I guess I will find out first hand. I will post a link to that training plan after in the next couple of weeks.

Big Week

This week it looks like I lost about a pound and 1/2 and in the 235 range, but I am really trying to concentrate on my long run this weekend of 10 miles and then eating well and getting all my short runs in leading up the 1/2 marathon next Saturday. I swam this morning, will bike tomorrow morning and run my 10 miles Sunday. Wish I had more time, but this week has been BUSY and I have some papers to write and get turned in by Monday.

11 Miles

Sorry I have not posted in a while. I was out of town on the weigh in day last week, although unoffically it looks like my scales are telling me I am still going down, I will have a new offical number on Thursday.

My trainging plan called for 9 miles Sunday and when I finished Kim showed up and wanted to run 2 with me, so since we don't get to run much together I decided to give in and it went well. 11 miles in all, and still one more long run (10 miles) next Sunday and the 1/2 marathon will be the next Saturday April 28. I am really looking forward to it. I ran 9 miles on sunday in 1:32, so I am just over 10 minute miles. I have told myslef if I can average 11 minute miles in the race I will be real happy.