Back in the 190's

The title says it all. I weighed in today at 198.8 pounds. I'm back in the 190's, no longer a Clydesdale again. That's good because the 3 remaining races I have planned for the season are the 5430 half Iron this weekend. The Enchanted Circle Century Sept 6th, & Ironman Arizona in Nov. The longer your race distance, the more important it is to be light.

The only possible bad news about dropping below 200 is that I already emailed the 5430 & asked them to move my registration to Clydesdale under 40 I don't think that will be a big issue though. I usually weigh in first thing when I wake up on an empty stomach, before a good B.M, & but naked. I'll just eat something salty the night before the 5430, eat a decent breakfast & drink an entire bike bottle of fluid before I'm forced to weigh in. I should be above 200 this Sunday, even if only slightly. That gets me pretty pumped up! I was usually pretty competitive in the Clydesdale division, and my usual 70.3 race weight has always been between 227-240. At just below 200 & doing a taper I ought to smoke some fools!!! My PR at the half distance is 5:58. That was on a really fast & flat course The 5430 is a more difficult course, it will be much hotter, & in Boulder Co. the altitude will be about 5500 ft higher than where I PR'd. But regardless, I'm shooting to beat my PR. Sub 5:58. Last week I didn't feel very good & wouldn't have thought it possible. But this week I'm feeling great! Like a race horse biting the bit & stomping his hooves waiting on the gates to open. I am light, I am fast, & I have something to prove.

There is a reason for my recent motivation to jump back on the weight loss wagon. My cousin & cycling extraordinaire Greg has planned a trip to visit in Oct. Anytime he comes down he, my other cousin Chris (who is also a fierce cyclist) & myself always go for at least one very long bike ride. The ride has always had the same outcome. Me barely able to hang with the 2 of them on the flats even if I stay in their draft zone. And as soon as they get on a hill they scream up it & are forced to wait on my fat butt to arrive, usually many many minutes after they've hit the top. Not this time dang it. My legs are more powerful than theirs because of my slow metabolism & because my legs are used to carrying around a 225 plus pound frame. This time I plan on riding with them at around 185 while utilizing my natural strength. 185 would be 40 pounds lighter
than any ride I've ever done with them Now lets get realistic here. Both of them are seriously talented cyclists Even at 185 I won't be able to throw anything at them that they couldn't easily throw back at me with some left over to teach me a lesson. But I'm at least hoping to have a good enough day to take a few leads on the draft line & be able to hammer hard enough that they can actually feel like I wasn't just slowing them down. Greg will be here from Oct 6th-9th. Should be
fun. It always is even when I'm unable to hang with the 2 of them.