Day 8 Training

My weight is now down to 234!  Thank you myfooddiary.com.  I sound like a commercial, but nutrition is the main tool I'm using to lose the initial weight.  I even have to eat more calories than I would on a day where I work alot.  Another advantage is it keeps accurate count of my sodium intake.  It wouldn't surprise me that by lowering my daily sodium intake, my body releases excess water.  

I need to re-adjust my mindset.  I wanted to end 2008 weighing around 233 lbs.  I have eleven days left in the year, I am going to think about weighing 229 for the new year.  Once I get below 220 I will most likely start biking or light running, being careful with my knee.  I should be swimming in January.

Day 6 Training

     Just steady and consistent.  I now weigh 236, down 5 lbs.  Alot of that is vacation fat, but I credit the loss to proper nutrition and moderate exercise.  I spent 20 to 30 minutes a day either walking or on my Nordic Track skier.  I keep my heart rate between 115 and 120 bpm.  Very moderate for me, since I usually overdo it and take it up to 145 bpm, which is too high for a 41 yr. old.  Slow and steady.  

     The Ironman started on February 18th, 1978, when members a swim club and running club in Hawaii were debating on who was more fit.  U.S. Navy Commander John Collins said that the winner would be and "ironman", and the name stuck.  Gordon Haller won the first Ironman with a time of 11 hours, 46 minutes.  It is a amazing that today the pros finish the race at around 8 hours, and many amateurs finish in under 12, even 11 hours!

Day 4 Training

I now weight 239lbs.  Down 2 since I started, 5lbs since returning from the Busselton Ironman in Australia.  My food diary online is bad ass!  It gives me alot of information regarding my nutriton and exercise.  Also, it motivates me.  I went for another 30 minute walk today.  I have 3 hours of cleaning to do for my business.  My knee feels good.  I am just going to remain the course.  As I lose weight I can add more walking/running/biking without hurting my knee.  First I will be in that swim class on January 4th.  That should really turbo charge my weight loss, along with good nutrition.  Also it can prepare me for the swim.  No way could I swim even 1/4 of the 2.4 miles right now.  Hopefully after 2 months of lessons and training I will have made much progress toward that goal.  

     (The end of the Busselton Jetty in Australia is all the way at the top right hand corner of this picture.  You have to swim around the end and back for the Ironman.)

Day 3 Training

Up at six am.  Searched the web and found the name of a coach at the Brentwood Recreation Center who teaches swimming for a triathlon class.  Coach Ashley.  I sent and email and found out a new class begins January 4th.  The cost is $175, which gives 9 classes in January.  The next class is in February and is $150 for the month.  This class concentrates on stroke work and fine tuning.  

I went for a 30 minute walk today.  The knees feel good.  Just taking it easy.  My weight this morning was 240.   

I found an awesome nutrition site which I can log in my daily diet and it computes calories, fat, saturated fat, vitamins, carbs, etc, etc.  I also log in my exercise and it will track calories needed to burn or eat each day to maintain weight or lose weight.  It is very thorough and meticulous.  I decided to try it.  "Slipshot methods bring slipshot results".    The site is at myfooddiary.com and cost $9 per month after a 5 day free trial period.  This is also easier and faster than writing everything down.  It has over 50,000 foods already computed.  Food from restaurants, cereals, etc. 

Day 2 Training

The Beginning

Why would anyone volunteer to swim 2.4 miles in the open water, then ride their bicycle 112 miles on hot, black pavement; and finish with a 26.2 mile marathon to cross the finish line?  More importantly, what makes me believe that I can?

The fact is, I don't believe I can.  Belief is sold as a magic ingredient to any endeavor.  It's not.  I didn't believe I could quit drinking, but I followed a plan; I took the actions necessary and I quit.  All it took was one day.  Then repeat.  Repeat.  Repeat.  Learn from my mistakes, and repeat.  

How do you train for an Ironman?  One day.  Just train one day.  Then repeat.  Repeat.  Over and over.  Improve.  Repeat.  That's my theory, anyway.

  

This is day 2.  

Inventory:

-weight: 241 lbs  (244lbs yesterday)

-smokeless for the last 14 days

-right knee pain.  It has subsided the last 2 days

-no road bike

-no real swimming experience

-no knowledge

-have watched the Australian Ironman in person last week.

I plan on using this site to track my nutrition and exercise:

https://www.myfooddiary.com/main.asp

Monday, 12/15/08, I will start preparing myself on learning how to swim properly.