Time for the monthly update...weighed in at the gym, 260lbs. The total is finally back over 60 pounds and the goal is only 38 away. That is the first time in a long time that I have seen so much progress with the weight loss. When I hit the scale two weeks ago before the Tough Mudder, I weighed 267, so that makes this a monster two weeks. What is even better is that the week after the Mudder, I did very little from a diet and exercise perspective as I was nursing some injuries and licking my wounds, but I dialed the focus back in this week. Not a missed workout and not a single, even marginal, moment of cheating on the diet this week and BAM, we have some results. I have every intention of carrying this on and on for the next couple months as I prepare myself for the triathlon.
Training for the triathlon has been going just fine. Today (Friday) I swam 800yds, the close approximation to the swim distance in the tri, with minimal breaks. Swam 2 - 200yd sets then 4- 100yd sets after warming up. I gotta start working on extending my non-stop distance, it seems as I get past 125 yds or so I start to lose my form and I get sloppy. Sloppy = wasted energy! I'm encouraged that I'm a getting better each week. Mother Nature is certainly not helping the bike training. I wanna get out on Kick Ass so bad but I don't have cold weather gear (nor do I wish to buy any at the moment). I've been out twice when it SEEMED nice, but let me tell you 55 deg on a bike cruising at a good pace is kinda cold! So I'm stuck listening to Mary and Jessica (Spin instructors) bark at me while I pedal my ass off on a bike that doesn't move while I wait for warmer, drier weather. hmmm I wonder what a Spin class would be like if the instructor was more yoga instructor rather than drill instructor or yoga music played instead of J-Lo? BTW Just teasing, Mary!
Couple weeks ago the second Tough Mudder event was held at Bear Creek. After last year's event many folks complained that it wasn't tough enough. Well the folks at Tough Mudder apparently took those complaints to heart and they raised the bar, SUBSTANTIALLY! For starters they added about four more miles to the course. Then with the help of Mother Nature, condition were ripe with peril and challenge. For starters, we had to run down the STILL snow covered slope. Mud was so thick at spots sneakers were getting pulled off people's feet (I was smart and taped mine on). The water in their ponds was so cold people were being treated for acute hypothermia. Plus there seemed to be a lot more up and down the mountain in this years course. Oh yeah, there was a jabenero pepper eating challenge, I nearly threw up. Unfortunately, I was unable to complete this years course. I was having serious cramping issues in my calves after the first dip into ice cold water, and this was maybe 5 miles into the event. Knowing that they weren't gonna go away I threw in the towel and became a spectator. I was disappointed that I didn't make a better showing, but it was the wise thing to do. Injuring myself was a major concern for me from the starting smoke bombs. With slippery conditions, bad footing, and polar bear water temps, I was so worried about slipping and pulling a hammy or snapping an ankle. So I took my time and was very cautious. I have invested to much time and money into this triathlon pursuit that injuring myself and missing training time was the last thing I wanted to do. Maybe next year I will try again, we'll see.
