Overtraining

I went in to a bit of overtraining a couple weeks ago which motivated me to post this on my blog.
Overtraining is a danger for any motivated triathlete. In attempting to improve your performance, you progressively increase the volume and intensity of your training. At some point you hit your individual training maximal ability. When you exceed your bodies exercise threshold, positive gains stop and losses in your performance and health occurs.
Individual training thresholds vary greatly among athletes. Training above your body’s threshold level can cause a feeling of exhaustion known as “overtraining”. Although each athlete has a training threshold, this exercise limit can change. Overtime and with proper training, your body will gain the ability to handle higher intensity and duration levels. But if you apply too severe a stressor for too long overtraining occurs. It behooves you to be aware of its signs, so that you can make the adjustments before a crisis occurs: poor race performance. Did I just hear you gasp? Yes, poor race performance is one of the many effects of overtraining. Let’s go over some of the signs of overtraining so that you can take the proper steps to avoid this nasty problem.
1. Lack of motivation: if you start to feel unmotivated, start to dread your upcoming workout, or can’t exercise at a level you previously could. These are some of the first recognizable signs.

2. Irritability: In the beginning of overtraining things that usually wouldn’t bother at all annoy you. If you continue to overtrain your attitude will get worse. A spouse can be a great asset to your training. They can often times be the first to recognize -be the brunt of- overtraining. Allow them to tell you if they think they see the signs of overtraining. Make a conscious effort not to get upset with them when they do this. That could lead to them resenting your training.

3. Feeling tired or sleepy: You feel tired and sluggish throughout the day, even after a good nights sleep. This is an early sign.

4. Rise in resting heart rate: Also an early indicator. A 4+ beat rise in your normal morning heart rate means your body is tired and is trying to deliver more oxygen and fuel to the overly fatigued parts of your body.

5. Steady deterioration of your performance: You get slower despite due to hard training.


6. Inability to sleep: If you are unable to get to sleep and/or sleep restlessly, this should be a big red warning flag..

7. Abrupt weight loss: A 5% loss of body weight can mean two things. Chronic dehydration, or a lack of glycogen during hard training in which can case the body may begin to devour muscle tissue for fuel.

8. Persistent soreness: Constant or persistent soreness in your joints or muscles can mean your body isn’t healing properly from your workouts due to lack of sleep, lack of recovery time, increased levels of stress, or overtraining.

9. Increased incident of illness: A weak body can’t fight off viruses and illness well.

10. Depression: The university of Michigan found that If they stressed the heck out of a rat, the rat will have high levels of stress hormones. The rat’s serotonin receptors become “messed up”. The brain of a highly stressed rat looks very much the same as a highly depressed rat. Depression can be a serious side effect of overtraining. Not only can overtraining affect your health, the depression caused by this can affect your life. You might to start eating unhealthy, looking to food for comfort. You can start having problems with relationships, perform poorly at work, there can be sexual side affects to depression as well -oh, did I find the one thing that means more to you than triathlon?

11. Daria or constipation: chronic fatigue can disrupt your digestive system.

12. Your nail and hair slow or stop growing: At this point your body is overtrained and stressed that your body is having to pull all available energy, nutrients and oxygen from other parts of your body to simply keep your organs working correctly. If you get to this point you are risking more than loss of performance or injury. Your health is now at risk. Your body will make you stop exercising one way or another very soon. Severe overtraining in lab rats causes death! In 1999 I –out of ignorance and bull headedness- pushed myself to this point. I ended up with pneumonia and was bed ridden for weeks. In some cases overtraining syndrome is caused by not consuming enough calories compared to calories used. If you have a deficit for a prolonged period in combination with hard training, your body’s hormonal system undergoes modifications that make your body easily susceptible to overtraining syndrome. If you neglect giving your body enough calories while training for prolonged periods of time your body can get metabolic imbalance. Even if your weight stays the same or only slightly decreases because your body attempts to adjust to fewer calories. In layman’s terms you are forcing your body’s metabolism to slow down. Which may cause severe weight gain issues later on in your life.

Weekly miles

Trained 14 hrs 17 min

Biked 59.64 miles
Run 20.62 miles
Brick 57.75 miles
MTB 5.24 miles
Stairs 2 miles

Gee, I wonder why our country's struggling?

America is taking God out of our country. It's not a coincident that our country is now struggling.

He isn't allowed in our schools any longer either, so it's no coincident that shootings, beatings, crime, and drugs are in our children's schools more now than ever.

I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation that will produce proper fruit. Mat 21:43

We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 5:1

The Lord says, “I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name. When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honor them. I will reward them with a long life and give them my salvation.” Psalm 91 14-16

The Lord keeps you from all harm and watches over your life. The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever. Psalm 121 7-8

weekly miles

Posting this a little late.
Training time 10hrs 49min

Bike 43.11 miles
run 9.57 miles
Brick 53.9 miles
Race 15.72 miles
MTB 5.99 miles

Did no stairs this week to let my body heal a little. Overtrained slightly last week. Did not decrease training on anything other than stairs.

Bad race performances and great team mates

The gallup triathlon was a great triathlon, especially considering it was a first year race. If you include the people who raced on a team 143 triathletes raced. 4 of those were clydes.

I finished the 375 yard swim in 7:11.

Got on the bike and at the 1 mile mark got a flat on the rear tire. I had 2 flats a couple races ago with this same wheel so I new there was a problem with the Wheel, not the tube or tire. I had one spare tube in my emergency kit but knew if I out it on I'd have another flat right away. So I got off the bike and ran back to T-1, got my keys, hauled my bike to the van and put the tire i train with on my bike. As soon as i got the new wheel on I took off trying to make up for lost time. But alas, to no avail. The course was VERY hilly. On my training wheels I use an old heavy wheel with Gator skins, a puncture resistant tube, slime, and Buntager Hard Case tires. Hard Case tires are INDESTRUCTIBLE, but VERY heavy. The tires and all the other tire proofing I put on make it so I never have flats on my training days. I found out it also makes for a very long, slow bike race. I'm a poor hill climber as it is, but everyone was passing me like I was standing still today. I was very glad to see T-2. I completed the 12.4 mile bike in around 58 minutes. Ouch. I know, slow as all get out. But I pushed myself hard the entire bike, refusing to quite, refusing to slow down even though I knew all 3 Clydes were way in front of me and getting farther.

The run was surprisingly hilly. This run had more elevation gained and lost per mile than I believe Buffalo Springs 70.3 does. I came into this race knowing I was overtraining slightly. My resting HR was 6 beats per minute faster than usual. I'd been having a hard time keeping my HR in the appropriate zones while training, and I'd been sleeping poorly. Consequently my run was Horrid! I was giving it my best effort, but I just couldn't get my speed. Run time: 3.1 mile run in 29 minutes. Total 1hr 32 minutes. End result, 35th out of 130 or so. 4th place Clyd out of 4:(

I give no excuses here. Bike maintenance is an important part of racing. Should have checked my wheel better after 2 flats in the same race on the same wheel. I should of known to increase my time running stairs more gradually because stairs are strenuous on the body. Every bad thing that happened today was my doing. But I learned allot and it was great hanging out with all my team mates after the race. I took leave from work to do this race. And a bad day racing with friends is better than a great day in prison I always say:)

Isn't it strange 3

Isn't it strange how $20 seems like such a big amount when giving it to your church but so little when shopping?

Ouch, dissed by Ironman

I just got off the phone with Steve from Ironman. He was very polite, but advised me that it's Ironmans stance that "to insure the integrity of professional athletics we can't lower the standards of Kona or Clearwater by creating another division for genetically disadvantaged athletes." He said the other races like the Tri One O One are grass roots races. They are good for feeling more competitive at the longer distance races, but the quality competitors aren't at those races. The best want to race with the worlds best.

He was polite, but I have to say I was not happy with the response. I think with enough requests there will be changes made. Contact them and request new divisions for the, as they say: genetically disadvantaged athlete. Until then I'll be completely content to do "grass roots" races like the Tri One O One and avoid Iron sponsored races.

Response from Ironman corporation.

Wow, that was quick. I have already recieved 2 responses from Ironman. I guess they do read the emails. So more emails requesting a Clyd and Athena div will be read and will sway thier opinion eventually! Help the big athletes out in a big way, email Ironman and ask for Clyd & Athena div at the world championships!!!! I'll let you know how the debates go.

Hi Cody,

I'll pass your e-mail on to the folks who run the Ironman and Ironman 70.3 series. This has been a long, ongoing debate within the organization.

Thanks for your e-mail, and good luck!

Kevin

And

Thanks for the email Cody. I'll be happy to discuss our categories with you. What's the best number to reach you at?Steve

This is a copy of my first email to Ironman

Reason: Big athletes need love too

To the Ironman corporation,
I qualified and completed the 2006 70.3 Clearwater triathlon as a 30-34 age grouper, yet I am proud to be a clydesdale. Most triathletes major goal is to complete at least one Ironman in thier life. All triathletes want to be known as an "Ironman". Even Clydes and Athanenas. There are hundreds if not thousands of Clydesdales and Athenas who compete in Ironman & 70.3 each year. Our entrance fees cost the same as an age grouper, and our money spends the same. What I am asking is that Ironman recognize Clydes and Athenas as a division. That they hand out awards to the Clydes & Athenas 3 deep just like they do age groupers. That they create a Clyd and Athena division at Kona & Clearwater & that they hand out slots to those divisions at each Ironman sponsored event just like they do for every age group.

There is a new long course triathlon company that is competing for dominance with Ironman. The Tri One O One. They are recognizing Clydes and Athenas as a division and give awards to us 5 deep, they also have the Clydes and Athenas division at their championship race. The Clydes and Athenas may not be as fast of a division, but I think you should look up the numbers of your 70.3 and Ironman and see how many of us there are. If you'd be more willing to recognize us it would be securing loyalty amongst a "large group" literally and figuratively:)

I would be honored if you would respond. Thank you for your time, Cody Hanson

Gallop triathlon

This Saturday is the Gallop Sprint triathlon. It is a South West challenge series race. This is a first year triathlon and is in a place that I'm unsure how many will show to race. On one side of the coin I'm thinking not many people will show for a first year race in Gallop NM, so this may be a cherry picker (a term for a race where there's a low turn out so your guaranteed a higher placing than one would usually place). Let's face it, I don't think Gallop could be considered a destination race. On the flip side this race is only a couple hours away from Albuquerque. Alb is a race starved region let me tell you. There are over 1 million people who live in the Alb metro area, but there are only 3 multi sport races inside the city that I know of.

So far this year I've taken 7 first place finishes in the Clydesdale 39 and under division in the South West challenge series. The South West challenge series is a multi sport series made up of around 26 races spread throughout New Mexico and West Texas. The SW series scores a season by taking an athletes top 8 races of the year. Last year I took 2nd place in the series with 74pts. This year I already have 76 pts. If I could get a top 3 finish in Gallop I'd feel pretty confident I'd get another top 3 finish for the 07 series.

The Gallop tri is a C race for me so I'm not tapering at all. Last night I had a horrible time sleeping, this morning my resting heart rate was 6 beats per minute above where it usually is. These are 2 classic signs of over training. I've also been trying to find a more comfortable position on my bike. When a triathlete messes with their bike set up it usually takes awhile to get their body used to the new racing position. So things aren't looking particularly optimistic as far as getting a high finishing place. But if I raced with my only goal being to finish at the top I'd be a very unhappy triathlete. I race for the love of the sport. I race for the camaraderie. I race to push myself through pain, to see where my limits are and to try to pass that point. I'm really exited about this race because the odds are not in my favor. I love to be the under dog, because I'm a survivor. In my opinion a good race is one where a person pushes themselves through adversity. I guarantee you regardless of if I finish in first place, or last, I will push myself throught the entire race.

If I get a 1st or 2nd place Clydesdale 39 and under I'll only do one more SW series race so I can concintrate on my family, church, upcoming baby, and training for my upcoming 140.6. The other race I'll do will be Bottomless lakes triathlon which is the state club championships race.

I'll give you the post race report as soon as I can. Thanks for tuning in.

Weeks miles

I had a good week of training. I put in more hrs this week than anyother week this year so far. It will just keep going up from here now that I am starting a base phase of my Silverman training.

This week trained 16hrs 21minutes:

weights 1hr 15min
stairs 7.76 miles
mtb 21.79 miles
Brick 41.25 miles
run 19.63 miles
bike41.25 miles

Tips on time management

Triathlon is more than a hobby to me. It is my one true selfish passion. Anyone who has trained for a triathlon of any distance knows what a challenge training efficiently, yet effectively can be. Triathlon takes up more than it’s fair share of that precious commodity called “time”. For me, the most challenging aspect of this sport is finding the time to train with my busy schedule. I’m relatively new to triathlon, but have been fortunate enough to have some great mentors and teachers who have taught me many great things. Everything from training techniques to diet, but the most important was time management skills. I would like to take this time to share some of the best time management techniques that I have learned.

1. The most affective of these being indoor training. From treadmills to stationary bikes. Properly integrated into your training program these workouts can actually provide more effective training overall. Don’t get me wrong; if at all possible the majority of your training should be outdoors. But mixing in some indoor training can help you manage your time better and make your training more efficient. Indoor training allows us to control our conditions such as bad weather or the dark. Indoor training can also increase the amount of time spent with your family. My first year of training for triathlons, I was convinced that training and spending time with family were conflicting goals. It doesn’t have to be. Plus I’d like to think that spending so much time working out in front of my daughter is setting a good example and perhaps helping her build life long healthy habits.

2. Training at lunch time. Most people have 45 minutes to an hour available at lunch. This can be a great asset. If you workout at lunch a person can usually complete 20-25% of their weekly training volume. Since it’s still early your energy is usually still high. This can also be a good stress reducer.

3. Early morning workouts. This can be one of the hardest of my time management tips to adhere to. For me, on the mornings I procrastinate and plan on doing my workout in the evening, something goes wrong. I have company stop by, work calls and needs me to come in, or some such unforeseeable calamity arises. The most certain way to make sure it gets done is to do it early. I have to be at work at 5:45 in the morning. But I am still out there running sometimes as early as 3am. So you 8-4 people cannot complain to loudly. This is especially true for the weekends, when most people do their long days. The best strategy is to get it done early so you are clear for anything that may come up. It is also nice for your family. If they know by mid to late morning you’ll be done and they can have your attention the rest of the day they’ll be much more supportive. The longer you wait the less likely it is to get done!

4. Set up your clothes and equipment the night before. You will be more efficient in the morning and won’t waste time looking for the things you will need. If your obsessive like I am, make a list with 4 categories: swim, bike, run, and weights. Under each have the equipment you’ll need for each event you’re scheduled for that next morning. Once my daughter was born it was more of a challenge to get things in order and organized to be able to workout than it was to actually workout.

5. Schedule training sessions and races in a day planner. Write your workouts into your planner ahead of time. By doing this you’ll always allow for sufficient time for workouts. I even like to post my training and events on the refrigerator so that my family knows what to expect for that week.

6. Make multiple copies of your training plan. I make 4 copies of mine. I put one on the refrigerator, one in my gym bag, one in my vehicle, and one in my wife’s vehicle. That way no matter where I’m at I won’t be stuck trying to remember what I’m scheduled for on any given day.

7. Put your swim workouts in a 1-gallon clear zip lock bag. That way you can refer to your workout while swimming without having to worry about the paper becoming ineligible.

8. Share goals and desires with your family and loved ones. I talked to my family many months in advance before taking on an “Iron Distance” goal. This helps them be prepared for the many hours of training that will come to fruition. Also if you word it correctly they will feel involved and they will feel this is something they are helping you achieve. Make sure to tell them before and after the race that you could not have done this without them. That way they’ll feel a part of what you have accomplished.

9. Sharing parenting responsibilities and household chores, I am home with my daughter Mon.- Wed. And if for some reason I’m unable to do my workout before my wife gets home from work I make sure the house and yard is clean when she gets home. That way when I leave for my workout she doesn’t feel like I’m dumping the housework on her and avoiding my responsibilities to the family. Plus when there is no work to do when she gets home she usually enjoys some special time with our daughter while I train. Hey, if your significant other reads this they might push you to start training in hopes of you getting the housework done!

10. Involve your children. There are many companies that make 1,2, and 3 children strollers that you can push while running or pull behind your bike. They are made very safe and reliable now. You can also take your children to the track with you. They can play in the long jump pit, bring some toys to play with in the grass located in the middle of the track. Once they get a little older they can even do a little track running too. Make a game of it. When going to the pool take one of your children’s friends along to keep them company.

11. Combine races with vacations. Oh Ya! This one I learned early on! If there’s a race that is to far away to justify going to, do a little investigating before you bring it up. Find some events, activities, or sights that will interest your significant other and the children. That’s right, the old hook line and sinker.

12. Commute on your bike. You'll be creating a good base fitness, getting some of your bike training done while saving $ on gas, oil changes, and vehicle maintnance!

The next three aren’t as much time management tools. But they will help balance triathlon and family.

1. Controlling your moods. I have to make a definite effort at this. I can, at times feel a little worn down and a little grumpy after hard sessions or long days. My family has helped eminsly in this category. Tell them why it may happen on occasion. When my loved ones know in advance what is coming, they are much more understanding.

2.Eat nutrient dense foods and get plenty of sleep. This will help you from getting to grumpy, poor diet can lead to poor results from your training & can also cause overtraining syndrone. Sometimes my wife knows before I do when I’m overtrainning. She has gotten good at recognizing changes in attitude, and she is not afraid of letting me know:)

3. Stay flexible mentally. This is the hardest one for me. I’m trying to learn to be flexible when things don’t workout. As I’ve said before I’m a little obsessive compulsive. When something pops up that interferes with a workout I’m learning (ongoing!) to tell others and myself that it’s ok. In the long run this one workout doesn’t matter. I hope these tips help. And I promise that these, just like all skills, when practiced become easier with experience. God bless and happy training

weekly weight

I weighed in at 222.8 this morning. But I worked out very hard last night and then went to bed right away so I'm sure I was horribly dehydrated. Three days ago I weighed in @ 230. Three days before that I weighed 225. Got some huge fluctuations going on here.

Our special world

I've rarely seen anything but tri stuff posted on a triathlon bog. So I may be breaking somekind of BLOG LAW. But I wouldn't be able to spend so much time training and racing if it wasn't for my wifes support, love, and dare I say financial backing. She desrves a little recognition, and some atention. She is shy so I may get an earfull for posting a poem for her on the enternet. Regardless of how much teasing from my friends I'll get from this, here it is:

A special world for you and me
A special bond one cannot see
It wraps us up in its cocoon
And holds us fiercely in its womb.
Its fingers spread like fine spun gold
Gently nestling us to the fold
Like silken thread it holds us fast
Bonds like this are meant to last.
And though at times a thread may break
A new one forms in its wake
To bind us closer and keep us strong
In a special world, where we belong

Thanks Babe. Without you I'd still be fat(ter) and unmotivated.

Got my dream post!!

As long as I have worked at the state penitentiary I have wanted to be able to work VP/Tower2. That is a coveted post so only the officers with the most seniority ever get that post. On Tuesday I was pleasantly shocked that I was able to get that post on graveyard!

Basically that means I''ll be working the vehicle patrol (VP) for my first 6 hrs. On that post I patrol the perimeter in a vehicle and look for any breaches of security, holes in the fences, escaping inmates, unauthorized people on prison grounds, etc. The other 6 hrs of my shift I'll be in the tower basically having the same duties but I will not be in a vehicle. I will be in a tower that is hundreds of feet in the air. No contact with inmates, and limited contact with supervisors, or administrators. I'll have the added bonus of working on nights, I'll be getting paid more for working nights, there's less movement i.e. stress, and when I get off work I'll have allot more opportunities to train for triathlon. When I'll be getting off work the sun will be coming up. No time constraints on working out due to the sun setting. I can workout when I get home, or go to sleep right away and work out when I wake up. I could even work out, go to sleep, and work out again!! My time available to workout will go up from 11hrs a week to a little over 20hrs. Oh how glorious this will be!!! Life is good!

Isn't it strange 2?

Isn't it strange how we send jokes in emails and they are forwarded right away, but when we are going to send messages about God we think about it twice before we share it with others?

Ethics and prison?

As a Correctional officer I often wonder what Ethics has to do with me. After all, I work in a prison; why should I care about ethics? The ones I keep watch over certainly did not care. Why in a prison should ethics matter? Isn't that the chaplains job? I think it matters because inmates watch me 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. My fellow officers watch me 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. My fellow officers do because whether we want to acknowledge it or not, we work in teams. How we relate to each other is a matter of ethics. It is fundamental to being a human being. So, yes, even in prisons ethics matter; it matters even more here than in any other job in America. Ever hear the terms "Fair, Firm and Consistent"? Think that phrase does not go to the core of ethical behavior?

Consistent. To me that means I apply the rules to everybody: inmate or officer; to the staff on the tier, to the office personnel, to the adminstrative staff, to the tier porter; Black, White, Hispanic, Asian, Protestant, Jew, Muslim, Buddhist; I apply the rules equally to each and every one. I try as best as I can to apply the rules consistently, across the board.

Firm. Even in those situations where I feel uncomfortable, where a fellow staff member was weak and fell down and broke a rule and I have to own up to it, I must be strong in my conviction about being consistent. Every time I interact with an inmate, there are a group of inmates watching. In fact, they watch us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. In a sense, the tier is a stage and I'm the actor on it. They are looking for that moment when I am weak. Some watch me to exploit my weaknesses. They are looking to see if I am are weak every time in that situation. They may even create a situation that is similar just to see if that is my weakness. But as a correctional officer, I have to be firm. I can bend, I can have my moment of weakness, but I have to return to that sense of firm as soon as I can. I have to maintain that sense of professionalism in order to be effective.

Fair. We are human. It is hard to be fair. There is the inmate who is always helpful. There are those inmates who get short changed through no fault of their own or anyone elses. But I must be fair. I must treat everybody equally. The only thing that I have going is my word: can I be trusted to do the right thing. And inmates and fellow staff know what is the right thing. When the system fails and fails in a major way, that may be the only thing that may save my life. The inmates will remember that this officer was fair, even when I did not need to be. Fair. Firm. Consistent. When I go out onto that stage, I model for inmates ethical behavior and what is the right thing to do. I want to be a guiding light. I want them to see that there is fruit on this tree, & if I am able to make a good enough of an example I may even be able to lead someone who is lost to Christ. Although I get my check from this fine state I live in, sharing the goodness of God is my #1 job & duty. I am a follower of Christ trying to meet others where they are and lead them closer to Christ. Why else would He have me working in a prison?

What the? I've lost 13 lbs in 4 days!

Yesterday morning I weighed in at 227.8 lbs. This morning I weighed in at 225. Since I was worried I wasn't getting enough calories I logged my caloric intake on http://www.trainingpeaks.com/. I've been averaging 3,500-4,200 calories a day. That's allot of calories! There's no reason for me to have lost13lbs in 4 days. I know when someone who has Celiac disease eats food products w/ gluten in it, it causes pretty severe bloating. Perhaps the weight I'm losing is my body going back to a healthy state now that I cut out the foods like wheat and barley. HHMM, not sure. I guess since I don't know for sure I need to base it off of how I feel: I feel better than I have since last Nov. That's a good sign I guess. I suppose only time will tell if something is wrong or not. But hey in 4 days I went from needing to lose 18lbs to my goal to now only needing to lose 5. Perhaps I'll be able to change my goal weight for my race in Nov.?

Now for me to rant, although I warn you this part of the blog may be boring, but it'll make me feel better....This next week the penitentiary of New Mexico has a major post bid. The post bidding starts at 8am on Tue, the first officer to bid is the one who has the most seniority (the employee who has worked here the longest). Each employee gets 5 minutes to pick their post and days off that they will work for the next 6 months. I usually dread post bidding because I always fear getting stuck in a horrid post or with a horrid officer or my vehicle breaking down on the way there. If a person doesn't bid when their scheduled to, then they aren't allowed to bid at all. They'll be stuck in whatever posts are left after every other employee bids. Every year some poor sap misses their time to post bid and are miserable for the next 6 months. I must say each post bid gets a little easier because I gain a little more seniority. I'll start my 12th year here at the penitentiary this Sept, I am now 25th on the seniority list out close to 225 security staff. We don't have 225 security staff right now. We're over 90 employees short. Nothing new there, there's not to many people dumb enough to work at a max or super max prison. Wait a minute, I just insulted myself. Well if the shoe fits.... Anyways, I have a wish list, but last year I showed up and didn't get any of the 5 posts I was hoping to get. Consequently I've been stuck in dispatch for 6 months, I've been close to changing the saying from "going postal" to "going correctional"! I really hate dispatch. After 3 years now at the level 5 (maximum security) I'd like to return to the level 6 (super max) on graveyard with my R.D.O's (regular days off) being Sat, Sun, Mon, and every other Tue night. If I am able to get onto graveyard my available training time will increase from the 10 hrs now to around 20hrs. I could use the extra time for training with my upcoming Iron I started training for in May. We'll see. I'll let you know how it turns out. I post bid on Tues at 10:10 am. Thanks for tuning in, I'm out!

Problem solved?

In Dec I had started the Paleo diet. It's a diet that you can eat all the lean meats, fruits, & veggies you want with no limits on portions or meal frequency. Limited amounts of nuts. On the Paleo a person isn't allowed ANY sugar, vinegar, dairy, grains, potatoes, corn, or anything that is processed at all. Not even canned tuna, or veggies because that is considered processed. Let me tell you, you lose a TON of weight! Along with the weight loss I also had an inability to think or concentrate well, I was moody, irritable, inability to sleep well, and I had HORRIBLE cravings. I emailed coach Pete and told him the side affects I was having and he replied "That means your missing something important from your diet". Simply put and dang good point coach! I should of realized it from the get go, all the signs were there. I blame my inability to see or think about how badly my diet was affecting me on my poor diet:)

The past 3 days I've decided to add some dairy and brown rice into my diet while keeping as much highly processed foods out. No wheat, bread, pasta, sugar, chips, etc. I'm eating every 3 hrs and if I get hungry in between meals I eat enough raw vegetables to stop my feeling of hunger. The last three days: NO CRAVINGS, sleeping well, thinking clearly, good quality workouts. Hopefully the problem is solved and I'm on my way to a lighter, healthier, faster, Iron me....