February 14, 2007Will a looming triathlon motivate a fitness turnaround?I went to my doctor Tuesday morning for a regular check-up. It wasn't pretty. First, I had to step on a scale. I was 210 pounds. Some of that was clothes and shoes, but I'm still over 200 pounds. I'm 6-foot-2, but given my gangly frame I should be between 170-180, according to my doctor. "Even 190 would be OK," he said. My clothes have been feeling tight. This confirmed that the clothes weren't shrinking. Next came the blood pressure test. My BP has been borderline for a few years. Tuesday morning it was beyond borderline. I also had blood drawn for a cholesterol test. Don't know the results yet, but I'm not hopeful. I've never watched what I eat, which meants I get too much salt (BP) and fat (cholesterol). So I'll have to watch that, now. But the bottom line is I'm just in bad shape, which not only elevates those bad numbers, but just doesn't fit well with the stuff I like to do. So I'm going to try turn this around. I've always found I do better with this kind of thing when I have a specific goal. So not long after that appointment I got on line and signed up for the Smith Mountain Lake triathlon, which is May 5. The race is a 750-meter swim, 20-kilometer bike ride and 5-kilometer run. Back when I was doing triathlons regularly, that would have been cake. But that's been 15 years. Still, as long as I stick with my self-imposed program, I'll be alright, although I might not be ready by then to be seen in public in a Speedo. I started Tuesday night with a 400-yard swim session. I had to stop twice. But it was a start. |
About this blog
While growing up in rural Southern Oregon, Mark Taylor developed a passion for the outdoors while he and his younger brother tagged along with their father on fishing, hunting and camping adventures. Graduating from Northwestern University in 1988, Taylor spent four years as an officer in the U.S. Navy based in Norfolk before moving into journalism. After five years writing about the military for a Norfolk-based publishing company, he became the outdoors editor at The Roanoke Times in 1998. He lives in Roanoke with his wife and twin daughters. .....Advertisement.....
|
...Advertisement...
...Advertisement...
Comments
[February 19, 2007 12:43 PM]
Wylee : →http://wyleesworld.blogspot.com/Will a looming triathlon motivate a fitness turnaround? Man, I hope so. I'm doing my very 1st this year for many of the same reasons. Good luck to us both.
[February 20, 2007 11:41 AM]
Mark TaylorYou will do great, Wylee. I sneaked a peak at your blog and you are on the right track with a great attitude and lots of training support.
Right now I'm hestitant to do anything but train solo because I'm in such bad shape. But it really is the way to go. Group bike rides are about to get rolling down here so I'll probably try to do at least one a week. Also, a co-worker is trying to talk me into joining the masters swim program at the Y, and that structure would probably help me a bunch.
My one bit of advice for you is to get out and do some open water swims before the race. Way back when, that was the most intimidating thing before I did my first tri and getting out in the open water made me much more confident come race day.
Oh, one more. Get the best bike you can afford. It's a lot more fun to put in miles on a bike you love than on a clunker.
Please keep me posted.