bryanstrawser.com

Lest you think this is becoming a cycling log - despair not!

I am in the midst of the most significant change in my personal life in many many years.

When I was in high school, I was a 140 pound speed machine. I ran somewhere around 6-8 miles daily. From June through October I played 2-3 hours of Tennis at least once a day - and often more. I swam laps like there was no tomorrow while lifeguarding at the city pool. Most nights I umpired two softball games. Starting the Monday after tennis season ended, I hit the weights and started running - and that didn't let up until track ended in June. I did that for four years.

Then came college, the discovery of beer, and a stressful job and suddenly I weighed 230 pounds.

Last year, I did a modified Atkins diet and lost thirty pounds over two months. And then I gained it all back.

Three weeks ago I finally decided that I had enough. I started a food diary and discovered I was overeating by about 1200 calories each day. That was fairly easy to trim down. I just changed what I was eating - how I was snacking - and cut out all of the crap (like ice cream).

I do miss ice cream!

Then I started running. First outdoors, then on the treadmill - and then I broke out the bike.

Now my bike was 12 years old - I paid $80 for it at Target to have for college. The new bike is a world of difference.

My goal is to get to 170 pounds and do a century ride (100 miles) by October 1st, 2005. I believe this is completely doable.

My reward is that I'll let myself purchase a nice road bike - like this Trek 1000. Until then, I'll buy nothing. No computer gizmos, no new gadgets, no new golf clubs, nada.