Panola Mountain

Last Friday I went to Panola Mountain for a little ride (20 miles). The trail there is a lot like the silver comet, it is two way paved trail. That is where the similarities end.

The Panola trail is hilly. Leave your lungs at the bottom of the climb, hilly. It also has a real rural section that you have to watch out for the residence.

On one of the downhill sections I almost hit one of the residents, a young boy. I have no doubt that he would have kicked my ass if I had hit him (he was a big boy). I was going at least 25mph down a hill when the boy ran out in front of me. I hit the brakes hard and avoided hitting him by a measly 10-15 ft. He just ran off like nothing happened, but I got a good look at him.

To help my fellow cyclist, I have a artist rendering of him (see below). Be on the lookout for this reckless youth.

Weigh-in Wednsday

What the fµ©%!! In the last week (since the last weigh in), I've cycled 15 miles (1 hour) at a high Heart Rate and burned over 2000 calories, hiked 5 miles (2.5 hours) up and down a couple of mountains burning over 2500 calories, ran 7 miles (2 hours) on mountain trails burning close to 3000 calories, and cycled 30 miles (2 hours) at a aerobic Heart Rate burning over3500 calories; and I only lost .6 pounds.

Again I say, what the fµ©%.

Masochist

Masochist is defined as a person who gets pleasure from being hurt or humiliated.

I’m not so sure that would be what I am. I don’t get pleasure from being hurt, but I keep on hurting myself. Here are three examples of my hurting myself:

Last Thursday I hit the silver comet trail. I had wanted to go for an easy, but long ride. Unfortunately, I didn’t get out of work early enough for that, so instead I went for a 1 hour hammerfest. For most of the hour, I kept my heart rate in the high threshold level (see above). Even when my calves started to lock up (cramp), I kept going. For hours after the ride, I waddled in pain. Do you think that this would stop me from causing myself anymore pain, at least in the near future? No

Saturday I went hiking Kennesaw Mountain and Little Kennesaw Mountain. The Hike was 5.5 miles long. That was not the painful part. The painful part is that you climb almost 700 ft in a mile (see above). The total elevation gain during this hike is 1,384 feet. This was not a hike for the faint of heart.

Yesterday I decided to do a little trail running (trudging). I had been thinking of doing a ½ marathon the day after my 43rd birthday, but I haven’t been getting the miles in. My thought is that if I could get to 10 miles, I could do the half marathon. Yesterday was the first major increase in mileage and trail difficulty (the ½ marathon I am thinking of is a trail run). I ran for 2 hour (7.5 miles) through the Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield (not the mountains). I started at Cheatam Hill and ran to Burnt Hickory Rd and back(see above). I was wiped out by the time I got back to the car.

I’ll have to rethink the marathon; I’ll do that on my bike ride today. Hmmm, maybe I am a Masochist.

Weigh-In Wednesdays

I am starting a new thing, and I am calling it "Weigh-In Wednesdays". Every Wednesday, I will post my weight. This will allow my friends and family to openly mock me when I gain weight (more motivation to lose weight).

Let the mocking begin.

HTFU

I’ve adopted cycling saying as my mantra, HTFU. I even have it posted on my desk.

It is a cycling saying, that stands for “Harden The F#©% Up”. In cycling, you say it to the guy at the back of the pack complaining (this climb is too steep, you guys are going too fast, I just coughed up something that looks like my spleen, etc…) or the guy who is making excuses (it’s too hot out, it’s too cold out, I’m getting married in a half an hour, etc…).

Yesterday I said HTFU to myself. I had gotten home late (I had been sick Monday and Tuesday with the Flu (I didn’t say HTFU for that) and had to catch up at work). By the time I got home, I was making excuses; it’s raining (and when it stopped), I need to fix my phone (and when I had fixed it), I’m hungry, it’s cold, it’s late, etc…any excuse, or combination of them would do. But, sometime around 8:30pm, I told myself to “Harden The F#©% Up”, and I threw on my running gear and went for a run.

So for all of you sitting around and reading this blog, HTFU. Go out and do something.

No More Procrastination

Last week I had a meeting in Tampa; Tuesday and Wednesday. I had decided to drive. This way I could take a day of vacation and drive over to the east coast and visit my mom. Even though I was working, or on vacation; I decided to stop procrastinating so much, and start getting in better shape (more oval and less round).

The week began with a drive to Tampa on Monday. The morning was full of dropping the dog at the vet, setting off bug bombs at the house and meeting my friend for breakfast (we caravanned down to Tampa). By the time we got to the hotel and had a bite to eat, 24 was on. So Monday was a wash (OK, I procrastinated a little).

Tuesday and Wednesday I woke up in the morning and ran 2 ¼ miles each morning. (HA! Procrastination, I laugh in your general direction.)

On Thursday, I spent most of the day with my family. My mom and I had lunch with my aunt. This left me with very little time, but I was able to squeak in a short hike at the Savanna Preserve State Park.


On Friday, I went mountain biking. I know what you’re thinking, “Mountain biking in Florida, isn’t that an oxymoron?”, and the answer is yes. But, I rode the Ft. Pierce MTB trail, and it was sweet. I did start off in the wrong direction, riding through sugar sand on an ATV trail, but a couple of other mountain bikers pointed me in the right direction. I did about 5 miles of twisty single-track. (Only 1 wreck.)



On Saturday, I went back to the Savanna Preserve State Park for some kayaking. The park has guided tours of the marsh for $10 (that included the rental). The tour guide took us around, telling us about the different wildlife and plants (we didn’t see any alligators (it was too cold), but I did get to see a bald eagle fly overhead). The tour took about 3 hours, with the last hour going against the wind. It was a good work-out.



On Sunday, I drove back home. It took all day (a very, very, very long day).

On Monday, I recovered from the drive (slept) and picked up Allie from the vet (OK, I procrastinated a little more).

On Tuesday, I walked Allie in the morning, and rode 5 miles on my bike during lunch. (Some of you may be wondering why I only did 5 miles, instead of my usual. I will tell you. It was because it was cold. I was getting an ice cream headache without the pleasure of eating ice cream.) On the way home that night, I stopped and bought a under the helmet beanie. I was not going to let the cold beat me.

On Wednesday, I walked Allie in the morning, and ran (trudged) 4.5 miles. I was stupid on the run. I hadn’t eaten anything since lunch, and I didn’t bring a snack with me. About a 1 ½ miles in I started feeling weak. By the time I finished the run, I was spent. (Just a note, the beanie worked well.)

Today I walked, but that’s it. I am doing a double today, so tomorrow when I’m off, I might go mountain biking.

I am a fat guy

I am a fat guy. I know this. I don’t say it to here people say things like; “No, you’re just big boned”, or “you don’t look fat, you look healthy”. I state that I’m fat, because I’m fat. I have proof. I bought a scale that measures your fat content.

Even though you may be fat, sometimes it doesn’t concern you. You read the numbers on the scale and you think of them as just numbers; you see pictures of yourself and you say you’re just big, you think about how much you exercise; you run a couple of times a week, you cycle during lunch, and you’re always going hiking.

Nothing brings you back to the fact that you’re a big fat guy as a hotel bathroom. At home, my bathroom has a small mirror in it. I only use the full length mirror when I’m dressed. Because I don’t ever see myself in my au-natural fatness, I sometimes forget how fat I am. But, seeing myself in the mirror of the hotel has made me think that I need to stop procrastinating (I’m a procrastinator), and get in shape.

Maybe tomorrow.