Yes- for those keeping score, I fell asleep again last night before I could get on the rollers. There... I admit; I'm getting old. Time for dinner at 4:00, re-runs of Matlock and Murder She Wrote and bed by 9:00. I guess it's all down hill from here... well, until the baby is born.
So, umm, yeah... I was asleep by 9:00, but at least this time I managed to make it to my bedroom first. My neck was killing me, so I tried to lie on the bed with my head hanging to the side- turns out that was kinda comfortable. Oh well.
Today I took my daughter to her dance and guitar lessons- the punkin is too damned cute! Her mother is the one who has set up both the dance and guitar lessons, so I can not take any credit for being anything other than a chauffeur and bystander. Still, it's amazingly cute to watch a room full of 5-9yr old girls doing tap and jazz dance. How I don't get caught giggling is beyond me.
Ann went swimming before the classes, so after we got home from the lessons, I hopped on the bike for a 2hr-ish ride. The weather is starting to turn, since there are storms coming, so the wind was a little bit of a factor... though not that much. The skies were cool and grey, so the temp was beginning to drop as I headed out around 2:00. My legs felt ok- the power was there when I was trying to push the pedals, but I never felt very good overall. My heart rate was consistently too high and I always felt a bit short of breath. Just felt "off" the entire time. My neck and shoulders were unhappy, the cardio systems was wonky... but the legs didn't seem to mind the work. So, who knows... we'll see what happens tomorrow morning when I get out again. Stats; 1:56:32, 17.6av/33.9mx MPH, 34.33mi, 75av/128mx RPM- HR was somehow lost... but the numbers were not favorable anyway. It was nice that I didn't feel even worse after 2 days of not riding and the little bit of leg weights I did yesterday. Maybe I'll survive after all... maybe.
I began the day around 207lbs and was down to 203.8 after the ride. Still not close to my fighting weight... but closer than I was a few weeks ago!
Tim
Showing posts with label Tim is less fat. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tim is less fat. Show all posts
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
A little more love...
Nearly a month ago, I got a totally unexpected package in the mail with the following;
Since it is hard to read here;
Well, I'm not quite to that 20lb mark- though as of tonight, after another good roller workout, I am down to 209.2lbs- I am losing weight and feeling fitter and stronger all the time. Not actually feeling FIT or STRONG yet, but closer to each all the time.
I've still got a bit of work to do, but the finish line is a helluva lot closer now than it was a month ago. Just about 5lbs left to reach my pre-crash weight of 205... though nowhere near the same fitness level.
Bryan and the guys at Renaissance Bicycles run a pretty sweet operation taking "vintage" frames and marrying them to modern components to create neo-classical rides. They've got a few sweet beauties worthy of your slobber... so go get your bib and then check out their site. Better yet, stop in the shop and say howdy.
Thanks again Bryan and Renaissance!
Tim
Since it is hard to read here;Hey Tim,
Here is a little extra motivation for losing that "winter weight", an XL T-shirt.
When you lose that 20lbs, we'll send you a large JERSEY.
Keep up the fight (because we are in the same battle).
Thanks for all that you do,
Bryan
Well, I'm not quite to that 20lb mark- though as of tonight, after another good roller workout, I am down to 209.2lbs- I am losing weight and feeling fitter and stronger all the time. Not actually feeling FIT or STRONG yet, but closer to each all the time.I've still got a bit of work to do, but the finish line is a helluva lot closer now than it was a month ago. Just about 5lbs left to reach my pre-crash weight of 205... though nowhere near the same fitness level.
Bryan and the guys at Renaissance Bicycles run a pretty sweet operation taking "vintage" frames and marrying them to modern components to create neo-classical rides. They've got a few sweet beauties worthy of your slobber... so go get your bib and then check out their site. Better yet, stop in the shop and say howdy.
Thanks again Bryan and Renaissance!
Tim
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Rollers
The thing with riding rollers is that there is absolutely nowhere to hide any imperfections in the way you ride. It's kinda like standing naked in front of a full length mirror with really harsh lighting.
It's been about a year and a half since I've ridden on rollers. Mostly because I've been too lazy to go get a replacement belt for my old rollers and I've been doing lots of ILT (Isolated Leg Training) exercises on my stationary trainer. ILT's are really great for improving your hip flexor muscle strength- which really increases your power at the top of your pedal stroke, which is great for improving your climbing power. So I've been doing lots of riding on my stationary trainer with fluid resistance unit. The only real negative to stationary trainer workouts is that you don't improve your pedal stroke or overall fluidity and you can even dig yourself a hole with your technique.
Yesterday I finally cracked and got roller'ed-up again. So last night I got out and rode the rollers for nearly an hour, for the first time in about 18 months +/-. For those who don't know from experience, riding rollers is close to a 1.5:1 ratio- an hour on the rollers is like an hour and a half on the road (or so). I was happy that I hadn't forgotten how to ride rollers and that the form wasn't all that bad. I did manage to get out of the saddle and ride without riding off the drums, as well as being able to drink from my bottle, wipe my sweat off with my towel and change position on the bike. I didn't go full bore in my seated sprints, but I did get the legs going at a good turn of speed.
The bad news is that I found that it has been too long since I spent time on my rollers. I was riding my fixed gear, which also highlights your pedal stroke deficiencies, and at speed I was bouncing enough to make me worry about riding off the drums. I didn't, but I had to pay attention. The one time I did ride off the drums, I was wiping my face with my towel and had my eyes closed and couldn't see that I was drifting across the drums. Fortunately, I just rolled off on to the frame and then caught myself on the fence next to me. But, it does mean that I have to work on my form again... so it's good that I am on the rollers now.
And, that 50+ minutes on the rollers had me "sweating like a redneck at a spelling bee". Afterwards, my bathroom scale claimed that I weighed a mere 198! That's even lower than the 199 I saw a few weeks ago for the first time in about 10 years. The weight is coming off, the legs are feeling good and the power is coming back. April 1st is the beginning of Tuesday Night Racing here at the San Diego Velodrome... and I'm trying to bring the heat this year. I was pretty far off the pace last year, so I'm hoping this year is better because I'm hunting for medals at the State Masters track championships in the Kilo, Sprint and Team Sprint (maybe).
Ok, time to get a few things done here and then it's off to the gym. Then I need to write some new copy for the catalog- I had to change a few things from what I wrote earlier.
Enjoy your day!
Tim
It's been about a year and a half since I've ridden on rollers. Mostly because I've been too lazy to go get a replacement belt for my old rollers and I've been doing lots of ILT (Isolated Leg Training) exercises on my stationary trainer. ILT's are really great for improving your hip flexor muscle strength- which really increases your power at the top of your pedal stroke, which is great for improving your climbing power. So I've been doing lots of riding on my stationary trainer with fluid resistance unit. The only real negative to stationary trainer workouts is that you don't improve your pedal stroke or overall fluidity and you can even dig yourself a hole with your technique.
Yesterday I finally cracked and got roller'ed-up again. So last night I got out and rode the rollers for nearly an hour, for the first time in about 18 months +/-. For those who don't know from experience, riding rollers is close to a 1.5:1 ratio- an hour on the rollers is like an hour and a half on the road (or so). I was happy that I hadn't forgotten how to ride rollers and that the form wasn't all that bad. I did manage to get out of the saddle and ride without riding off the drums, as well as being able to drink from my bottle, wipe my sweat off with my towel and change position on the bike. I didn't go full bore in my seated sprints, but I did get the legs going at a good turn of speed.
The bad news is that I found that it has been too long since I spent time on my rollers. I was riding my fixed gear, which also highlights your pedal stroke deficiencies, and at speed I was bouncing enough to make me worry about riding off the drums. I didn't, but I had to pay attention. The one time I did ride off the drums, I was wiping my face with my towel and had my eyes closed and couldn't see that I was drifting across the drums. Fortunately, I just rolled off on to the frame and then caught myself on the fence next to me. But, it does mean that I have to work on my form again... so it's good that I am on the rollers now.
And, that 50+ minutes on the rollers had me "sweating like a redneck at a spelling bee". Afterwards, my bathroom scale claimed that I weighed a mere 198! That's even lower than the 199 I saw a few weeks ago for the first time in about 10 years. The weight is coming off, the legs are feeling good and the power is coming back. April 1st is the beginning of Tuesday Night Racing here at the San Diego Velodrome... and I'm trying to bring the heat this year. I was pretty far off the pace last year, so I'm hoping this year is better because I'm hunting for medals at the State Masters track championships in the Kilo, Sprint and Team Sprint (maybe).
Ok, time to get a few things done here and then it's off to the gym. Then I need to write some new copy for the catalog- I had to change a few things from what I wrote earlier.
Enjoy your day!
Tim
Friday, January 25, 2008
Another day in paradise...
Today, after all the rain of the past few days, was a beautiful day. It was still windy, but not as bad as yesterday. Most importantly though, the rains had done their usual magic and washed the skies clean and clear for that impossible blue sky and wonderful clarity that we really only get here after a rain.
It's official- I've got a cold during my little "vacation". However, I haven't let it completely steal away my riding. Today I went for a shorter 1hr 45min ride on my Speciale Fixed. I spent much of the morning actually "working", answering emails and working from the "virtual office". By just before 11:00, I was finally out on the road for a steel-fueled blissful ride.
Here's a view from the end of Point Loma, near Cabrillo National Monument. This overlooks the ocean on one side and the San Diego Bay on the other. This is looking towards the city, from the opening of the bay and the edge of the ocean. Downtown San Diego is down in the middle.
Point Loma is also home to the Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery.
I visited my grandparents today. I stop by now and again and say hello and tell them that I love and miss them. They were great, great people who taught me a lot about life.
Both of my grandfathers were veterans of WWII and both taught me a great deal of respect for the military. Agree with current national policies or not, hate the war or not, we all owe every man and woman in uniform a huge debt. They protect our rights to be a Democrat, Republican, Independent or non-voter. If it wasn't for the sacrifices of the men like my grandfathers, I would not have had the privilege of registering to vote as a Communist when I was 18. I would never have been able to so blatantly and angrily argue with the system of this country. I would never have been so free that I could take freedom for granted each day- none of us would. Each time I visit my grandparents and I see that sea of white grave markers, I get pretty choked up by the magnitude of the prices that have been paid for our freedoms.
Here's another shot of the bay and downtown... obscured by my fat head. Speaking of fat, for those keeping score and playing the home game, I am hovering right at 200-201 today. I knew the 199 was going to go away after I got some dinner and some fluids replaced.
My legs were feeling pretty worked over from yesterday, but they turned the cranks over reasonably well up all the hills to Cabrillo. The ride down the main hill was pretty fun- the 46x16 gear was suddenly feeling mighty small as my legs became a blur on the way down. At one point, I was going a little over 40mph and was passing cars obeying the speed limit. I flew by one woman who was driving along, not expecting to be passed by some 6'3" cyclist with legs spinning at an obscene cadence, weaving between slower cars- the look on her face was totally priceless... and it looked like she dropped her soda in her lap.
I'll probably take the ride tomorrow kinda easy and try not to flog myself too hard. I might even skip riding on Sunday in favor of resting before going back to work on Monday. I'm feeling mighty congested at the moment, though my lungs feel and sound clear still. So far it's all in my sinuses, but I want to keep it out of my lungs.
Ok, it's time to drag my tired, sniffling, congested carcass to bed and get some rest.
Tim
It's official- I've got a cold during my little "vacation". However, I haven't let it completely steal away my riding. Today I went for a shorter 1hr 45min ride on my Speciale Fixed. I spent much of the morning actually "working", answering emails and working from the "virtual office". By just before 11:00, I was finally out on the road for a steel-fueled blissful ride.
Here's a view from the end of Point Loma, near Cabrillo National Monument. This overlooks the ocean on one side and the San Diego Bay on the other. This is looking towards the city, from the opening of the bay and the edge of the ocean. Downtown San Diego is down in the middle.
Point Loma is also home to the Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery.
I visited my grandparents today. I stop by now and again and say hello and tell them that I love and miss them. They were great, great people who taught me a lot about life.
Both of my grandfathers were veterans of WWII and both taught me a great deal of respect for the military. Agree with current national policies or not, hate the war or not, we all owe every man and woman in uniform a huge debt. They protect our rights to be a Democrat, Republican, Independent or non-voter. If it wasn't for the sacrifices of the men like my grandfathers, I would not have had the privilege of registering to vote as a Communist when I was 18. I would never have been able to so blatantly and angrily argue with the system of this country. I would never have been so free that I could take freedom for granted each day- none of us would. Each time I visit my grandparents and I see that sea of white grave markers, I get pretty choked up by the magnitude of the prices that have been paid for our freedoms.
Here's another shot of the bay and downtown... obscured by my fat head. Speaking of fat, for those keeping score and playing the home game, I am hovering right at 200-201 today. I knew the 199 was going to go away after I got some dinner and some fluids replaced.
My legs were feeling pretty worked over from yesterday, but they turned the cranks over reasonably well up all the hills to Cabrillo. The ride down the main hill was pretty fun- the 46x16 gear was suddenly feeling mighty small as my legs became a blur on the way down. At one point, I was going a little over 40mph and was passing cars obeying the speed limit. I flew by one woman who was driving along, not expecting to be passed by some 6'3" cyclist with legs spinning at an obscene cadence, weaving between slower cars- the look on her face was totally priceless... and it looked like she dropped her soda in her lap.I'll probably take the ride tomorrow kinda easy and try not to flog myself too hard. I might even skip riding on Sunday in favor of resting before going back to work on Monday. I'm feeling mighty congested at the moment, though my lungs feel and sound clear still. So far it's all in my sinuses, but I want to keep it out of my lungs.
Ok, it's time to drag my tired, sniffling, congested carcass to bed and get some rest.
Tim
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Time off!
Man, it's great to take a few days off from work. Don't get me wrong, you all know how much I love my job, but I NEED a few days off. All work, no play, yadda, yadda, yadda...
Woke up this morning with a sore throat and a runny nose... and it was raining still, but not dumping the high speed, sideways stuff like last night. Still, it was not the best start to a four day weekend. I mean, just because I'm not doing that 3-day stage race I was talking about, it didn't mean I wanted to get sick and stay in bed for 4 days.
Eventually the rain stopped long enough for the roads to dry off and the temperature to get a bit warmer, so I slipped into my Super Suit and went out for a nice 2hr 45min ride along the coast. It was cold and windier than heck- sustained winds of 20+mph and gusts well over that. I was getting blown around pretty good at times, but the ride North was super fast with the tailwind. Sadly, that meant that the ride South back to home was dreadful. The wind was really tough, especially with legs that were fading. But I soldiered on and even went out of my way to find a couple extra hills to climb on the way. All in all, it was a great ride. My legs felt far better than I figured they would, since I've ridden so little in the past few weeks. I rode my cross bike at work yesterday for about 45 minutes and was tired after that, so I had little expectation for my legs.
Best news of the day though; after my ride I weighed myself and I'm down to a scant 199lbs. People, I haven't been under 200+ lbs in about 10 years. That's amazing to me. Sure, it isn't like it's all muscle, but it's less fat than it used to be! I'd be happy to weigh 215 if I could keep it under 10% body fat, but for now I'm gonna stay happy with 199... even though now that I've had dinner and have been replacing my fluids I'm probably back to 201. Small details. Made myself a nice turkey sandwich and a salad for dinner though... just in case.
Going to try to get to bed earlier tonight so I can get some good rest to fight off this cold. Slamming lots of multi vitamins and drinking lots of water. I ran out of Wellness Formula and Airborne, so I'm just taking my multi vitamin for now. Hopefully a good diet, some rest and lots of water will do the job.
Ok... bye for now.
Tim
Woke up this morning with a sore throat and a runny nose... and it was raining still, but not dumping the high speed, sideways stuff like last night. Still, it was not the best start to a four day weekend. I mean, just because I'm not doing that 3-day stage race I was talking about, it didn't mean I wanted to get sick and stay in bed for 4 days.
Eventually the rain stopped long enough for the roads to dry off and the temperature to get a bit warmer, so I slipped into my Super Suit and went out for a nice 2hr 45min ride along the coast. It was cold and windier than heck- sustained winds of 20+mph and gusts well over that. I was getting blown around pretty good at times, but the ride North was super fast with the tailwind. Sadly, that meant that the ride South back to home was dreadful. The wind was really tough, especially with legs that were fading. But I soldiered on and even went out of my way to find a couple extra hills to climb on the way. All in all, it was a great ride. My legs felt far better than I figured they would, since I've ridden so little in the past few weeks. I rode my cross bike at work yesterday for about 45 minutes and was tired after that, so I had little expectation for my legs.
Best news of the day though; after my ride I weighed myself and I'm down to a scant 199lbs. People, I haven't been under 200+ lbs in about 10 years. That's amazing to me. Sure, it isn't like it's all muscle, but it's less fat than it used to be! I'd be happy to weigh 215 if I could keep it under 10% body fat, but for now I'm gonna stay happy with 199... even though now that I've had dinner and have been replacing my fluids I'm probably back to 201. Small details. Made myself a nice turkey sandwich and a salad for dinner though... just in case.
Going to try to get to bed earlier tonight so I can get some good rest to fight off this cold. Slamming lots of multi vitamins and drinking lots of water. I ran out of Wellness Formula and Airborne, so I'm just taking my multi vitamin for now. Hopefully a good diet, some rest and lots of water will do the job.
Ok... bye for now.
Tim
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