The athlete thread

[Wh0M3]

I try to be active. I've been into Mt Biking but haven't been out for a few years. I plan on doing it this year though. I'm also hitting the gym 4 -5 times a week doing P90X and spin classes. I figured the spin classes will help me get in shape to ride and not look like a fool on the trail.

 

[motojoe122]

I ran a couple of 5K's for work (USCG), but recently met my personal goal of 20 miles in a week time....3 x 5 milers, a 5k, and two 1.5 mile timed runs(pt test). I dropped 5 lbs that week.:thumbup:

 

[Erci]

I figured the spin classes will help me get in shape to ride and not look like a fool on the trail.

Spin classes are huge help. I've been doing them because the weather has been so crappy here and while I love being outside, I do prefer to spin over road riding in the cold and rain.
My personal record is 2 hours and 45 minutes of spinning in one session :thumbup:

 

[Erci]

always looking for more riders (Erci?)!

Hmm... what's the allocated time to complete 125?

 

[Sotex]

Hmm... what's the allocated time to complete 125?

Very generous: 13.5 hours. The time limits typically become more of an issue when the events get long enough to require sleep stops. The clock just keeps ticking, and so average speed begins to nose-dive the longer you're off the bike.

There are a couple of RUSA regions in your neck of the woods. Once you knock out your solo century (and if you're training for that, sounds like you're already tapped into the rando "aesthetic," if you will) -- think about checking out the ride calendar (RUSA: Rides). A 200K would be a piece of cake after your 100 -- just another 25! Seriously.

 

[CCHOUSEKY]

This was a great idea for a thread!

I used to be an athlete in my younger days (i.e. until I got out of college). Growing up, I played baseball and basketball. When I got to high school, I realized I SUCKED at basketball and decided to focus on baseball and trying to get a scholarship to play in college.

I accomplished that goal, but tore my rotator cuff in a fall game of my freshman year (I'm left handed and was recruited as a pitcher). So, it was either give up the dream of playing college ball (and I still had hopes of getting drafted someday) or go under the knife and get it fixed. I opted for the knife.

9 months of rehab and a new school later, I was back in the game. I played 2 more years of college ball before my shoulder started to go again and I decided to give up the sport that I so dearly love. That was a sad day indeed!

Up until then, I'd always been very athletic. Always slim, but not skinny, and not overly muscular. Heck, when I graduated high school I was 6 feet tall and weighed 155 lbs! Unfortunately, without the structure of the game to keep me in shape, I started slowly packing on pounds until I now find myself where a lot of 36-year old former athletes find themselves...overweight and wondering how in the hell did I get here???

As of right now, I'm still 6 feet tall, but I weigh in at a portly 235-245 lbs. Yep, I've gained 80-90 lbs in the over the last 13-14 years. It's depressing and frustrating and when you're in this kind of shape, you just don't know where to start. I want so desperately to lose weight (ideally, I'd like to get back to between 180-200). I just don't know where to begin!

I've started trying to watch what I eat and now that the nice weather is returning, I'm determined to start exercising. Even if it's just going for a good brisk walk when I get home from work for an hour, it's a start. If anyone else has found themselves where I find myself now and you've overcome the "fat" bug and lost weight, any advice would be amazing.

I really envy all you guys that are so self-motivated to stay in shape. I wish I had that in me, and maybe I do, but I've got to find it. I can't stand the way I look, the way I feel, and how tired I am all the time!

Maybe that's what this thread will do for me...motivate me to find the skinny guy that I used to be.

 

[motojoe122]

Just getting out of the house and walking is the first step...no pun intended.:thumbup:

 

[Erci]

Maybe that's what this thread will do for me...motivate me to find the skinny guy that I used to be.

Set a goal!! That can be huge motivation. I hate failing or giving up, so if I have a goal I'll train until I achieve it or it kills me.. whichever comes first

 

[Taku]

Does watching hot athletes count?



If so then I'm probably a world champion... :BLAA:

 

[CHEMIKER]

If anyone else has found themselves where I find myself now and you've overcome the "fat" bug and lost weight, any advice would be amazing.

Not exactly where you are, but I was unhealthy when I started working out. Unlike you I wasn't an athlete when I was younger. At 26 years old, I had been a smoker for 10 years, and drank a 12 pack a night. Oh my god and the fast food! I ate it for breakfast lunch and dinner, taking in millions of calories and pounds of salt and fat. I wasn't so much overweight, but was way out of shape and unhealthy for sure. A real turning point for me was when a co worker saw me eating my usual Burger King breakfast croissant with an extra order of hash browns and showed me the nutritional information. Holy Moses, I thought I was going to have a heart attack right there!!

About the time I started to think about what I was eating, I also decided to quit smoking (for like the 57th time LOL), and replaced it with working out, so that's where my journey began. I joined a gym and started doing cardio on the elliptical. I didn't have a plan, except to get healthier and replace smoking with some other activity. I could only do like 10 minutes on the elliptical, but that was fine. I upped the time until I needed something more, then graduated to the treadmill. It was probably longer than I remember, but it seems like before I knew it I was running 6 miles a day. Who knew that would happen?? Definitely a key for me was not to dwell on the past or how I got where I was. I just kept looking forward to what I was going to accomplish next.

Don't know how useful this will be to you, like I said I'm not exactly in your place, but I did start at zero. Good luck brother! We're here for you!

 

[CHEMIKER]

Wow, we have some real athletes here! Thanks for sharing everyone! Keep 'em coming.

 

[kdburtch]

College- Crew and cycling; HS- cross country, swimming, tennis; Current....Thinking about training for a triahalon and wondering how I gained 20 pounds.

 

[chaskell27]

Like a lot of people here, I was in great shape in High School. I did pole vault and sprints for my track team and trained hard for those for four years. In my senior year it all paid off when I set a school record and won the state championship :thumbup: It's definitely fun to set a goal, work hard, and finally meet that goal. It makes it all worthwhile.

Then college came and I ran into lots of pizza and beer. I packed on 20 pounds or so. By the time I graduated I was tired of feeling like crap and bought p90x. Holy crap that whipped my butt in shape so quick it was unbelievable. after those 90 days I had a freakin washboard again it was great. That was a couple years ago and I've started to pack on the pounds again. I tried popping in the dvd's again but it sucks cuz I know every word he says and every joke he tells. I'm determined again to get fit and it's just a matter of making time in my life to do it. I'm fairly active otherwise. I downhill ski in the winter, golf, I used to be heavy into Motocross and Trials but knee problems found me.

I'll beat the pounds off. I always do. I just need to put my mind to it.

Great thread. It's got me into the mood to go running. Not many things do that

 

[Erci]

Not exactly where you are, but I was unhealthy when I started working out. Unlike you I wasn't an athlete when I was younger. At 26 years old, I had been a smoker for 10 years, and drank a 12 pack a night. Oh my god and the fast food! I ate it for breakfast lunch and dinner, taking in millions of calories and pounds of salt and fat. I wasn't so much overweight, but was way out of shape and unhealthy for sure. A real turning point for me was when a co worker saw me eating my usual Burger King breakfast croissant with an extra order of hash browns and showed me the nutritional information. Holy Moses, I thought I was going to have a heart attack right there!!

About the time I started to think about what I was eating, I also decided to quit smoking (for like the 57th time LOL), and replaced it with working out, so that's where my journey began. I joined a gym and started doing cardio on the elliptical. I didn't have a plan, except to get healthier and replace smoking with some other activity. I could only do like 10 minutes on the elliptical, but that was fine. I upped the time until I needed something more, then graduated to the treadmill. It was probably longer than I remember, but it seems like before I knew it I was running 6 miles a day. Who knew that would happen?? Definitely a key for me was not to dwell on the past or how I got where I was. I just kept looking forward to what I was going to accomplish next.

Don't know how useful this will be to you, like I said I'm not exactly in your place, but I did start at zero. Good luck brother! We're here for you!

I can relate to this too. Not exactly the same, but...

I got pneumonia when I was 3 years old and shortly after that was diagnosed with asthma. Had pneumonia 2 more times within 2 years and developed chronic bronchitis. Lived with it for ~10 years.. never attended a single gym class. Couldn't run 50 feet without losing my breath and risking an asthma attack. Was always 10-20 pounds over weight.

When I turned 14, I started working out.. just little stuff.. push-ups, sit-ups and noticed that if I concentrated on breathing properly I actually felt better. Haven't stopped ever since.

Every fitness goal has a special meaning now, when I think back to how I used to be before I started working out.

 

[stpetemike]

not really an athlete just enjoy staying in shape.

Things accomplished recently-
couple gncc races
half dozen alley cats
2 cyclocross races

this is Florida so yes we have warm and sunny cyclocross sometimes

 

[CHEMIKER]

Well, it's official, I'm a marathoner! I finished the Big Sur Marathon yesterday in 4hr, 46min. It was a glorious run along the Pacific Coast, right next to the ocean. We could even hear the sea lions barking! The hilly course was brutal, but the excitement of the challenge more than made up for it!

 

[Lefty]

Well, it's official, I'm a marathoner! I finished the Big Sur Marathon yesterday in 4hr, 46min. It was a glorious run along the Pacific Coast, right next to the ocean. We could even hear the sea lions barking! The hilly course was brutal, but the excitement of the challenge more than made up for it!

Well done my friend, well done. :thumbup:

Now let's get back to our regularly scheduled programming and go riding. :BLAA:

 

[lonesoldier84]

LOL....running for 5 hours...holy moly.

I'm typically pretty fit but had a pretty fat years the past 5 years. Weight went up to 285, then down to 215, then back up to 275, and right now I've brought it back down to 235.

Flag football season has started now so I expect that number to drop further and nudge the 215 mark again.

I weight train as well.

I'm 6'4" so when I'm at around 220 I'm doing pretty great.

My fitness goal? Get fast enough to outrun a bear.

 

[Marthy]

Well, it's official, I'm a marathoner! I finished the Big Sur Marathon yesterday in 4hr, 46min. It was a glorious run along the Pacific Coast, right next to the ocean. We could even hear the sea lions barking! The hilly course was brutal, but the excitement of the challenge more than made up for it!

That's great! I got into running last year around this time. I did a few 5K, 10K and my first 1/2 M last month. Not much going on in Florida for the next few months, but I will keep training. I sign up for the West Palm Beach Marathon already, that's my 40 YO birthday present for myself. I want to do a few more 1/2 until then. :rockon:

 

[Erci]

Well, it's official, I'm a marathoner! I finished the Big Sur Marathon yesterday in 4hr, 46min. It was a glorious run along the Pacific Coast, right next to the ocean. We could even hear the sea lions barking! The hilly course was brutal, but the excitement of the challenge more than made up for it!

Congrats!! I'm jealous .. if I run more than 3 miles, my knees hurt for at least a week .. sometimes longer. Thank God for cycling.