My Progress Report

I have made progress, whether you can tell or not. When I started on my trek I weighed a whopping 254 pounds. As of this morning, I was exactly 240. Yes ladies and gentlemen, look at those pictures closer and you will see 14 pounds less of me in the black skivvies.




I give the majority of the credit to my work outs because I have not been holding to a strict diet. I have cut back on what I eat, and I eat WAY less junk food; but I could benefit from holding to a stricter diet. That is my next step in this process.

Triathlon update: I think between now and the race I'll get strong enough in the swim to be able to complete it. It won't be pretty, but I will finish the entire race. Yesterday I was able to swim 24 laps. That was 8 more than any other day. Tomorrow morning I'm actually going to swim in the dark. I'm kind of intimidated by the thought of swimming in the dark. People that swim in the dark are SERIOUS about their swimming, and I'm not those people. But Dixie has been doing it and I can't let her have all the fun.

So, ba dee, ba dee, ba dee, That's All Folks!

Panick Sets In!

After a few weeks of running and cycling I was starting to feel pretty good about my odds of finishing my first triathlon. Not only did I think I'd finish it, I was beginning to have illusions of gandeur and thought I might finish close to Dixie.

HA! I laugh in my own face. Today was a day of reckoning and a serious WAKE UP call!

I finally broke down and bought some new swimming goggles. I went to the YMCA this morning and dedicated myself to the swim portion of the triathlon. HOLY CRAP! I suck. Let me say that the swim portion of our triathlon is only 400 meters. That is 16 laps in a competition pool. Also I should point out that my new goggles were lovely and didn't leak at all. Now, on with the story.

When I got into the pool I noticed two "heavier" girls swimming laps. They kept a steady pace and seemed to be on a chain as they went back and forth in their lane. I figured that if they could do it, so could I, NO PROBLEM. Ha, I laugh in my face again. My goal was to swim 16 laps, and maybe more if I was feeling good. I finished 4 laps before I had to stop and gulp as much air as I could to keep my brain from shutting off due to a lack of oxygen. 4 laps, are you kidding me? I did this three more times before I called it quits for the day. So, technically I finished 400 meters, but there were frequent and lengthy waits inbetween sets. This is no way to complete a triathlon.

Even though today was a RUDE awakening, it showed me that I still have a LONG way to go before I'm really ready for this triathlon. It also showed me where to put my focus for the next month. I will try and get my swim in EVERY morning and then do an alternating run and bike in the evenings. I refuse to be that guy that stands in the corner catching his breath, or gets scooped up off the bottom of the pool when everyone else is finished with the race. I have one month to get my lungs and muscles in decent enough shape to finish this "SPRINT" triathlon strongly.

Progress

Sometimes progress seems slow and unnoticed. But then there are times where progress is rapid and shows itself very clearly.

I was looking through some pictures of my last trip to China and Hong Kong. I was heavier then as you can see by the picture above. Since working out and focusing on my diet I have made progress. I had to give us Sumo Wrestling because I just didn't have the weight to push around anymore. Instead I've replaced it with training for a triathlon with my little sister Dixie.

Today she publicly stated that she is going to kick my trash in the race. (Probably right, but we aren't going to let her believe that.) We have always been a competitive family. No matter what the situation we always seem to compete. To me that is great! Even though Dixie is in better shape than me, I will do everything I can to beat her in this triathlon. I am confident that my cycling is stronger than hers, but her run and swim are WAY better than mine. So, I may have to run her into a few parked cars early in the race, and flatten her tires to make this competitive.

At the end of the day, all of this competition and trash talk is fun because it keeps me focused on my goal of true physical and mental health. I appreciate Dixie's motivation she provides and look forward to completing my first triathlon with her.

I Live

So it's been a while since I've written. That's what happens when you are traveling all the time and working 15 hour days. Somethings got to give...and this was it. However, I am pleased to say that I have continued to work out nearly daily.

I worked out yesterday inspite of a very sore back. It kept me up much of the night. When I woke up I didn't think I could do much of a work out, but figured I could at least ride the bike. So, I went to the gym. I saw Dixie running her guts out and promptly gave her the bird because she could run and I couldn't. After stretching for a second less than an etirnity I mosied over to the bikes.

I rode 13 miles. It sucked. Dixie came by and wished me well and then she was off. Admittedly, the ride itself was not horrible. I need to pick up my pace a bit, but 13 miles didn't kill me. It wasn't until I was trying to get off the bike that the real problem came to light. My back had been stuck in that bent over position for 44 minutes and with the preceding soreness, it didn't want to let me stand up. I kid you not, it took me over a minute to ease up into a standing position.

Needless to say, I didn't go to the gym this morning. In lieu of that I stretched my back a number of times today. It is starting to loosen up and feel a little better, but I am not going to push it just yet. Tommorrow may be another long bike ride.

I'm hoping to start the swimming by Thursday. That is far and away my most weak portion and most intimidating portion. Fortunately it's in a pool, so they can fish me out after I drown.

Renewal

After 2.5 weeks of dedicated effort and careful dieting I slipped. I had about 4 days where I just didn't eat well and I worked out little or none. It's amazing how quickly things can slip if you are not careful. I got a bit complacent and poof, I was on the lazy train to no where.

So, I took this new day and grabbed it by the horns and decided to have a Renewal of my plans, goals and journey. I hadn't slipped too far, but it was enough. I struggled to get out of bed this morning, but I did it. It was hard to run 2.5 miles, but knowing that Dixie was doing it gave me the extra push I needed. And, the biggest motivator is knowing that I already paid for the triathlon in late November.

Renewal has begun and the path is clear.

They Come in Threes; So Am I Good?

They say bad things or disasters come in clusters of three. I remember hearing that when I was a kid and three airplanes had crashed in a 1-2 month period. I remember hearing that when tornado's hit towns in OK one right after another till three successive tornadoes had torn apart the region. I was reminded about that again last night by Jody.

Driving home from a dinner party at our friends in Carefree, AZ we had a blow out. We were heading South on the 51, in the far inside lane, when I felt and heard the thud thud thud of a flat tire. By the time I pissed of 3 drivers by cutting in front of them to get off the freeway my tire had shredded and pulled away from the rim. I could hear the grinding of the metal hitting asphalt and it made me cringe to think of the damage it was doing to my rims.

I didn't even have to look at the tire to know it was toast. I immediately went for the high quality jack that was sold with the truck. I got the jack placed under the truck after a bit of work and began jacking up the truck to get the darn tire fixed. While trying to jack up the truck Jody reminded me that bad things happen in series of three. Over the past 2 months we have had 3 tires blow between her Jeep and my truck. That is three more blown or flat tires than either of us had in the preceding 10 years. It must be so; bad things happen in threes.

So, to wrap this saga up I'll tell you the rest of the story. (I'm sorry, I don't have Andy Rooney's ability to story tell as well.) The lovely, "Strong" jack that came with my F-150 truck broke. We could not get it to jack up the truck, thereby rendering us useless and stuck on the side of the freeway. We debated calling AAA until we realized that we don't have the service. We debated calling a tow truck, but the idea of spending $150 to have some dude named Claude come do $5 worth of work wasn't sitting well with me. So, we called some other friends that live close and asked if they had a decent jack. Providence smiled down upon us as they not only had a jack, but offered to come rescue our sorry butts.

After a brief, but lovely wait on the side of the freeway our friends showed up, jacked up our truck and helped us change the tire. Firstly, we're grateful for friends that would come save us at 10:30pm, and second we're grateful for working jacks.

So, what did I learn from this ordeal. 1. Buy AAA, it's worth it even if you only use it once in 5 years. 2. Don't put off getting new tires when you see your tires wearing out. 3. After the second bad thing happens get ready...they come in threes.

It's ON!

The triathlon is on. I am going to do it. I have not figured out how I'm going to do it, but I'm doing it.

This morning when I went to the gym I figured I'd have some mental solitude amongst a crowd of people. I get that way when I am listening to my Ipod and working out. That wasn't to be the case.

I had just finished stretching when I saw this tight bodied lady stretching on the treadmill. Fortunately I recognized who it was before I let my mind wander. I walked over and got onto the treadmill beside Dixie and got her attention. It was just what I needed to get enthused about doing this triathlon.

We ran together (2 miles) until I couldn't stand the fun any longer. Dixie continued another 1.5 miles after I quit her. I went over and did my best Arnold Schwarzenegger impersonation and pumped up my arms and shoulders. I worked in sit ups and leg lifts for a solid work out. When I was finished it looked like I had swam a mile, while Dixie looked fresh and at ease. It's not fair.

When I came home I told Jody about the chance meeting and work out with Dixie. I told her that I felt pretty confident on the bike part of the triathlon, but the swim and run part have me nervous. I told her my goal was to keep up with Dixie for the 2 mile run because I think I can hang with her on the bike, but KNOW that even if I was a mile ahead of her after those two legs, I'd still loose because she is a mermaid. Funny thing is, I don't know who I'm kidding thinking that I'll be able to keep up with Dixie for more than 100 yards. She'll probably be putting her bike away when I'm finishing the run.

So, Day one of the triathlon training has been completed and my feet hurt.

The Gauntlet Has Been Thrown Down!

Dixie did it. She threw down the gauntlet and called me out. The challenge? A triathalong for Thanksgiving. I'm trying to think of every reason I can't accept her challenge, but in the back of my mind I hear a crazy man saying, "Sure, it'd be good to have something like that to push me." SHUT UP!

Although I have not figured out how I'm going to do this triathalon, I am going to accept Dixie's challenge and begin working for that goal. I'm hoping it's one of those Mini mini triathalon's. You know the kind: 50 yard dash swim, 1 mile bike and .25 mile run. I may be able to finish that one in a few hours.

I have some other challenges to completing in this event.

1. I don't have any goggles for swimming. I can't swim without goggles. Also the goggles need to work with my contacts.

2. I don't have a bike. OK, I have a bike, but it is in serious need of euthanasia. It does a much better job as a spider web holder than it ever did as a bicycle.

3. I don't look good in speedos and biking shoes, individually or as a combination. Although, it may not be a bad strategy now that I think about it. I can get a good head start on the bike because the rest of the contestants will be on the floor laughing.

As you can see I have lots of serious obstacles to overcome to actually compete in this event, but I am going to try. Wish me luck; I'll need it. Also, have a defibrilator close by.

Good Times

Last night marked the end of 2008 Phoenix Runway. Jody had been the face of this charitable event over the past 5 months or so. The event was a series of runway shows showcasing local and some national designers, boutiques and even some novelty dog fashions. (Jody didn't model the dog fashions.) Jody was in both nights shows modeling dresses from Randall Design, a local designer that created the dreses worn in "Dancing With the Stars."

On the first night Jody walked the runway durring the "Celebrity" portion of the runway show. Before she came out they introduced a number of local celebrities, like radio show hosts, Tim Perry from Channel 3 News, some local singers, etc. Each one was introduced with what they do they makes them a celebrity. I was curious to hear what they were going to say about Jody. When it was her turn they introduced her, "And 'Model,' Jody Shumway, representing Randall Design." It was simple, but the impression was set that she was a celebrity model. I failed to point out that the first part of the runway show featured young children, most of whom stayed to watch the remainder of the runway show. When the entire show was over for the night and everyone was getting ready to leave, Jody was mobbed by most of these yound kids to get her autograph. It was so cute to see these young 8-13 year old girls asking for Jody's autograph. They saw in her what each of them wanted to become. True to form, Jody was sweet and gladly signed an autograph for anyone that was asking.

Day two was more of a traditional runway show featuring fashion designers and their works. These fashions ranged from Urban Chic to period piece costumes. Some were absolutely stunning while others were...less than stunning. The same could be said about the models. Jody again modeled dresses for Randall Designs. The first dress she wore was a bubble gum pink waltzing gown with the bottom hemmed with "boa" feathers. They were flying all over the place durring her walk. I have to admit I was not a fan of that dress. However, her second dress was a white and black number that really showed off Jody's figure and had some unique feather treatments along the collar. Jody did a great job working the runway and it was clear she was having fun.

Although Jody is still an unsigned model, she had a LOT of fun being part of this event. It has opened some opportunities for her to do more local modeling. She's been asked to model one designers clothes on Channel 3's morning show in the upcoming weeks as well as his upcoming print add. Who know's where it will lead...as long as Jody is having fun we don't care.

Being with Jody in this fashion environment was another good spur to keep on the path to physical fitness. Who wants to be the fat guy with the sexy model? Not me.

A Cure for Stress

During these trying times the stress level is at an all time high for many of us. I know it has been for me. Between the economy being in the crapper, political strife throughout most of the world and monies drying up, it's easy to understand why people are at peak stress these days.

Due to some late evening e-mails I received; last night was a very stressful and fitful sleep. I kept thinking about how I could influence these situations to help turn them around and get things back on track. I worked through one scenario after another and no matter what I came up with I never felt comfortable that it was the right thing for the situations at hand. The nervous energy has been coursing through my veins all night and when I woke I could feel that I was on edge. I'm sure this describes most people I know these days.

To combat these negative emotions I am turning to the treadmill and weights. This energy is crying to be used. I can burn it spinning my wheels trying to solve problems I have no control over, or I can apply it where I'll get physical benefit...my work out.

Who knows, if things continue like they are and I have to keep fueling my work outs with negetive energy, or nervous energy I should end up looking svelt and in great shape. I sure have enough of that energy to go around these days.

Today is back to the gym hitting the lower body weights and riding the stationary bike. YeeHa!

Sometimes Traveling for Work SUCKS!

I just got home from a 2 day trip to the Bay Area. The weather was beautiful, and I got to spend time in Santa Cruz, which I had never done before. But that is where the good times end and the sucky part begins.

When I travel for work it is anything but a picnic. I pack in as many meetings as time will allow so that I maximize my time away. We usually start at 7am and have meetings with clients or prospective clients till 5 and then I have dinner with my reps...which really is another way of saying, MORE MEETINGS! By the time the day is finished it's nearly 9pm and I'm tired.

Having a day that filled certainly makes the time go by fast; which is one of the reasons I pack my days so full. But there is a real downside to days like I outlined. Because we start so early I don't have time to get a good work out in early, and by the time I get home I'm too tired to get a good work out in later. So what usually happens is I do some token push ups and situps and give up. I did better than that on this trip, but only slightly better.

It helps that I'm comitted to this journey; I was able to push my self a bit harder than normal. I did my obligatory push ups and sit ups (enough to break a sweat and have a sore stomach,) and then I ran the stairs outside my hotel room. After the second time up I thought that they had lenthened the rise of the stairs. They seemed so much longer and taller than I remembered them the first time. I thought I'd never reach the top again. I ended up doing 5 sets of the stairs and decided that I'd had enough of that fun, and went back to my room.

I sat on my bed contemplating my navel and thought how much easier it was to get my work outs in when I'm at home and how much more I disliked working out while traveling. My whole routine gets screwed up when I travel. As I sat there complaining to myself about how much it sucked, I kept thinking..."But you travel for a living." That certainly creates a conundrum. I had two choices...1. stop traveling so I can focus on my work outs, or 2. change my attitude and learn to get good solid work outs in while on the road. Being a step above an idiot enabled me to quickly recognize that Number 1 was not going to work, so I'd better focus on Number 2. (No, we're not talking about poopy, people.) So, I'm working on my attitude because I have LOTS more trips over the next 3-4 weeks and I have goals to reach for this journey.

Although my main thoughts centered around my work outs and traveling it made me realize that this lesson can be applied to many areas of our lives. We don't always get to stay in our comfy routine. Sometimes we have to adapt and get creative, or fight through the changes and keep focused on our prize. Work through the challenges and when we come out on the other side it will be that much more sweet.