Chapter 2

Chapter 2

So off to capitol I went. I was looking a some mountain bikes. I didn’t feel that a road bike could hold up under my excess weight. Dean talked to me and I started to buy a Specialized Hardrock. It was an entry level recreational mountain bike. But from the time I 1st looked to the time I came back to buy it and take it home I had changed my mind and I went the next level up with a Rockhopper.

August 3 was the day. I brought my bike home and got ready for my 1st ride. That was an adventure in itself. I rode a whopping 3 miles in 30 minute. I felt like I was going to die. I did start to do one thing. I used an online workout log from Bicycle.com to track my rides.

That week I rode my bike five times for 22.4 miles in 2 hours and 45 minutes. My body felt like hell and I was ready to quit.

One of my biggest critics of my weight had been my Dad’s mom. Grandma Maxcell was a tough woman. She didn’t believe in sugar coating things. She would tell me “looks like you gain some more weight”. I lost her to cancer in 2002. She was like my mother. (My mother suffered with MS for 23 years and had very bad dementia) Her loss really left a hole there for someone to keep me in check.

After her passing my Dad took up that banner. He was always on me about losing weight. When my dad gets on me about things the Jackass in me comes out. I dig in my heels and I fight like hell. I know he just wanted the best for me. But I am a very stubborn person sometimes. Pig headed too.

So with that background I will continue. I started to text message my dad with ride reports. I also included one of my best friend’s Theron. I figured a little accountability would help keep me going.

My dad has been riding bikes since the early 1990’s. He really surprised me this time. I have tried many time to lose weight. Only to drop it when times got hard. This time he has been a big advocate and when I forgot to text him for a couple of days with my ride info he would check up on me by texting me back by saying “You going to ride today?” He also had been on a break from riding and he started to ride again so he would start to text me with his ride info.

Theron and I met at Fort Riley Kansas in the winter of 1992. He and I became roommates. Little did I know that a friendship would form which has be a gift from god to me. Theron is my anchor. He will support me and ground me when I get way out there. He knew the way I use to be. I was 165 pounds while I was in the Army. So he too has been a regular text report too.
I know that both my dad and Theron both thought “how long will this last?” But they have both supported me. I to them I am very grateful for their support.

Another person who has become part of my support group has been Dean at the bike shop. I know Dean was like my dad and Theron. How long will this one last. Dean has been there to answer the endless stream of questions I have and to give me advice on how to train better. He has also become someone I can talk to about this journey I am on.

As some can tell I can ramble on about things. But I feel I need to document this journey I am on. So just bear with me!

The month of August was very hard. Here is my training log for that month.

8/3/2009 3.00 Mile 0:30:00
8/4/2009 4.25 Mile 0:34:00
8/5/2009 3.35 Mile 0:26:00
8/7/2009 4.50 Mile 0:30:00
8/9/2009 7.25 Mile 0:45:00
8/10/2009 8.50 Mile 0:45:00
8/12/2009 6.25 Mile 0:31:00
8/13/2009 7.30 Mile 0:33:00
8/15/2009 10.25 Mile 0:55:00
8/17/2009 5.75 Mile 0:30:00
8/18/2009 7.50 Mile 0:37:00
8/19/2009 11.40 Mile 1:00:00
8/21/2009 6.25 Mile 0:30:00
8/23/2009 9.75 Mile 0:50:00
8/25/2009 7.80 Mile 0:39:00
8/26/2009 7.80 Mile 0:38:00
8/27/2009 7.80 Mile 0:40:00
8/28/2009 7.80 Mile 0:38:00
8/30/2009 11.70 Mile 0:58:00
8/31/2009 9.50 Mile 0:49:00

Not really setting the world on fire but I was up and I was finally moving.

Well enough for now.