Never Qut Tri'ing: The Journey....Bobito battles back

back in saddle!

2011-04-12T12:37:00.004-04:00

Well folks. Its been almost a year since my last post. I did some intense rehab last summer and took some shots of sinovisc in my knee. Things are a little better.

Biked 30 miles on sunday and ran today for 3 miles. whooohooooo.

I get in the pool later this week.

Back in the saddle beotches!

B

setbacks....and re-evaluation

2010-05-12T17:59:00.004-04:00

Hey folks....just a quick update. I have a quite a huge setback lately. Since I've had this surgery, I've had pain on the inside of my knee. Its never gone away. I kept telling myself....its just post surgery pain and it will go away. Well its not and it's been getting worse. I started running back in march. Slow and staeady but still pain. I did 4 miles a few weeks ago and the pain is much worse and swelling too.

So i go back to the ortho...funny (but quite ridiculous) experience. Had the obligatory 2 hour wait(why the apptmt)...then got to see the PA who i have battled with on many occasion.....she starts reading my chart talking about my MRI in November and already wants to give me anti-inflamatory. I inform her that they operated on me in Dec and maybe she should take a moment to familiarize herself with my case before she prescribes anything or doles out her normal generic and useless advice(her best gem is "everybody heals differently). I am amazed. She tells me she will get the doc...i tell her that would be a good idea. So the doc comes in and basically tells me...i dont know what is wrong with your knee and i need another mri. Amazed again and now really losing confidence in this idiot.

MRI results....fully thickness fissure in my kneecap..thing that gets me is that it never hurt this bad before the surgery...hmmm..I get a message from the doc on my voicemail saying i have a kneecap fissure and i should call if i have any questions to call him....The only question i have is how fast can i get another appt with a new ortho cause i am done with this guy.

Been really fighting depression and sadness over this. Running has been really theraputic for me and i've come to really enjoy it. Its fucking spring and i cannot do anything let alone run

I kinda decided to start my own therapy in the meantime. I'm taking anti-inflammatories(also icing) and gonna take a week off the gym or any other activities...knee feels great when i do nothing...too bad i will go crazy if i continue doing nothing..lol

Anyway i am not sure where this leaves me...maybe i just swim and bike and never run. I dunno but the pain in my knee is pretty bad when not all upped on anti-inflames....any ideas send over a comment...

peace love and soul

b

north carolina...cisco

2010-03-18T19:21:00.005-04:00

So here i am at cisco in beautiful spring like north Carolina. It is pretty cool. Long long long work hours but i am learning a lot. I really wish i could be home with Lena but duty calls. The other problem I have is i was set up to do a trade for print photography gig and now it is looking like i may have to stay here....ugghhh. I really hate bailing on Bob McK but there really is nothing i can do. I am trying to get a friend to substitute for me but i am not sure if he can do it. Even if it costs me some money, at least it wont cost me in reputation. I feel so bad....really bad.

Anyway, back to training. My knee is pretty good lately. Its been much less sore and swollen lately so i think it is healing. TJ, the PT, gave me the thumbs up to try a light jog...I have to say i am nervous....really nervous..i know i was told that i cannot hurt it more but man i am afraid to run. Swimming was going well(till I left to working 11 hour days....) When i get home i will continue the training and should be on-track for the April triathlon. I biked 20 miles last week and not pain in my knee.... so little by little...slowly by very slowly.....i am on my way back!

post surgery....xmas...new year ahead

2009-12-31T18:28:00.007-05:00

Well the surgery(Monday 12-21) went well. They removed the tear and it was less than a third of the thickness of the meniscus. 1st day and a half were great....not much pain, but then the surgical drugs wore off....4am on wed...holy shit....it sucked for about 12 hours. I dont do well with pain meds so i was stuck. It was funny i pressed on my knee and it was making some interesting gurgling nosies.....gross...Thursday, xmas eve, i felt pretty good. Walked slowly and with a limp 1/2 a block. Pain had subsided to a dull ache.
Xmas eve was great. Lena and I just had a simple dinner. I've realized that i dont need to be in a big family party to feel like the holidays. I think that night was a perfect as it could have been in its love shared and simplicity.
Spent the xmas day at my cousin Joe's. Great time....so much fun. Love them all. They were so good to Lena and I.

One week later, I went to the doc and he removed the stitches. Said i am looking great and was good to go. My physical therapist was also impressed with my progress and range of motion. It aches but overall it feels good. Doing my required exercises and taking it slow(this is difficult..the slow part).

Learned so much this year....mostly about me...who i am...where i want to be....what i want to be....good stuff....

have a great new year.....

Day 0: knee scoping

2009-12-21T17:38:00.004-05:00

So here I am, sitting on the couch. My knee is packed in ice and i am watching Friday night live season 1.

The surgery: Really went well. knee cap was better than originally thought. Meniscus flap was removed. Doc says that it was a small piece of cartilage and i should be back on track soon. North Shore surgery center was fantastic. The people were great.

I am very thankful for Lena and my Dad. I am tired and feeling grumpy and snappy at Lena......feeling a little guilty about it.

hey hoooooooooo

2009-11-28T15:04:00.006-05:00

Hey peeps!

Things are great(sort of). So letsssseeeeeeeeeheeerrrreee....lemme catch you up.

Last year this time(11/15)....lost my job. Freeeked out then calmed down....

Biggest thing about losing my job...i thought i was gonna get kicked out of my place and kicked to the curb....not true.....after much pants shitting i realized i just needed to get a plan in place. I sold off my 401k from the temporary job and cut a deal with my landlord. Then i figured since nothing would happen work wise till the next year I would go on a road trip. It was awesome. Went to DC for Turkey day, then hiked in shenendoah national park, then headed to knoxville,TN and hiked the great smokey mtns.....then drove to Florida. What a trip.....Something i will never forget. I can honestly say i never felt so free and it was great. So got back and then went to brazil for 2 weeks(Paid before losing job) and got to spend xmas and newyears with Lena...the love of my life. She is amazing.

January and Feb proved to be tough months. I learned alot about myself during this time. I realized that the only person that holds me back is me. And i bring me nomatter where i go......and my crazy head. But that was a gift. I always blamed my circumstances on my job or someone i would vilify. Its simply not true. Its me who needed to change. It was my vision and my perspective that needed to change. I also worked some humbling jobs and found humility..I got to Project manage building a hooters..there i learned that i am capable of far more than i think...nooone there even knew i never really worked in construction(cept home depot)...and then worked as a laborer at a plastics factory(fucking humbling part)..I also learned that its ok to accept and even ask for help from time to time. That was a tough one. But i took it knowing i would pay back or pay it forward.

March was interesting. My buddies at Thomson were trying to get me back in the door. I was interviewing. And my friend mike got married and i went to costa rica. Interesting trip considering it was for a weekend. Mike and Andrea are great. I took photos of the wedding and gave them a beautiful album as a gift. Between this trip to costa rica, i went on a 2nd interview and expected an offer...the offer never came through but i got on a TR. What a gift. its almost as if i was given a 2nd chance to right some of the wrongs i did there...not really wrongs but maybe just mend some fences and to the right thing by people. I am still there today. I am still a consultant and still take it one day at a time.

So triathlon.....things have been crazy but good. I am down very close to the 100lb mark in my weight loss and feel pretty good. This past summer i did a bunch of 5k's and even my first 10k. The 10k was humbling...finished last..literally....lol...but i finished beotches...stopped swimming for a while cause of my shoulder but soon i will jump back in the pool. I am going to take total immersion swimming lessons and work wth my chriopractor to see if we can work through the shoulder issue. So this week came another issue....i found out i have a torm meniscus....knee has been swelling and painful after running and getting worse...finally got an MRI and i will get surgery soon....hopefully before the end of the year. I plan on re-entering the tri world this spring....pending shoulder and knee outcomes....either way i will find some way to work around these issues.

Lena....i met lena a while ago.....at first she was just some chick who asked me english usage questions on the internet......and we always would chat here and there but nothing serious...just answer english questions and small talk.....well i got divorced last spring and she happened to be exiting a relationship. I invited her to come visit and sleep on my couch. She did for a few days and over that week we got close.....it was amazing...and still is.....I went there for xmas and new years....then we decided that maybe she would come for and extended stay...try things out so to speak.....well she is here and is not going home...i am so blessed to have her in my life.....she is amazing, kind, caring...and a crazy brazilian....oh and she cooks great....lol I love her and hope to marry her soon....

I turned 40 this week. I realized something pretty big...We (i) make our world...our reality. Our perceptions and expecttions change how we see this world....mine thankfully have changed for the better......i am grateful for my simple life..

Back again...still trudging the road to happy destiny

2009-11-15T12:43:00.001-05:00

Hey All!

Its been about a year since my last blog....so much has happened....so much growth and change....

More to come....

Fall folliage tour 2008

2008-10-20T09:19:00.005-04:00

Soooooo I did my 5k Friday night and I followed it up Saturday morning with a nice 3.5 hour hike through beautiful Lake Minnewaska(New Paltz, NY). It's about a 2 hour drive from my house. What a great day! The hike was tough cause my quads were pretty fatigued from the 5k and then all the up and down hills were reeking havoc on my legs....but man was it worth it...felt great....

Participating in activities like running and hiking makes me truly understand that we are not supposed to be in a big building running on a belt driven contraption...we are meant to be outside...doing it....nothing beats getting outside and moving..no gym no treadmill no spinbike....

MAKING PROGRESS

2008-10-17T23:34:00.002-04:00

Sometimes progress comes in big chucks....big changes....sometimes smaller changes...ones you dont notice until one day there just is a difference....

So in February I ran the republic leapyear 5k at 45:05.

Today I ran the same 5k in 42:50(unofficial). Over 2 minutes faster.....and I never stopped to walk the whole time.

TODAY I ROCK

TODAY I WON THE RACE (actually came in like 3rd to last but I won...believe me I won)

TODAY I AM A RUNNER....

The Road Back

2008-09-24T12:51:00.006-04:00

Hey folks,

It begins.

What you may ask?

My road back to life and triathlon. Been through a hell of ride in my personal life and i think i am finally coming to terms with the fact that i am single again and i live alone. No its not a vacation from my old life....this is my new life. I guess the gift is that it really is MY life. I can do with my life as i wish....this is daunting sometimes because i find myself falling back into old patterns and i forget that i can change my world whenever i want and i am not stuck. You see...i feel stuck sometimes and it is tough to get out of. I think its remnants of how I used to think. So I am working on making changes to make my world better. One of the things i am doing is getting more organized. Stuff and life organization. Each night i set aside some time to organize a few things. Organizing and decorating my apartment and making it a home is first on the list. Organizing my financial situation. Organizing my life:) Part of this change will be figuring out my training schedule and while i am on the subject of training...setting up a road map for next triathlon season.

So hereeee we go:

du/run schedule for the remainder of this year:

10/17/2008 Run 5K Republic Airport Not So Midnight 5k
10/19/2008 Carl Hart Duathlon: Sunday
11/9/2008 Duathlon Sprint Schiff Scout Mountain Bike Duathlon(maybe)
11/30/2008 Duathlon Sprint Turkey Du - Duathlon

no 2009 dates yet but tentatively:

april: mini might man sprint
july: mossman sprint
september: mighty hamptons tri (oly)

Peace love and sooooooullll

Bobito

Tough decisions

2008-08-22T14:04:00.004-04:00

hey everyone.....

It's been a rough couple of weeks. Been sick (and still have a bad cough) the last 2 weeks. No training at all. No pool work for at least the last 3 or 4 weeks since the pool meltdown.

I have decided to not do the tri I have scheduled for this weekend.

I have gone back and forth over this decision a million times this week. I just don't feel ready nor do i feel healthy enough. I need to take care of myself. I have not been taking very good care of myself the last few weeks. I've been burning the candle at both ends and I think I'm paying the price. So its time to regroup. I need to get back to working on me.

Once I am 100% healthy, I am gonna start working on swimming. I need to straighten out the issue that I am having with motion sickness. That is a big issue for me. At the same time, I need to get back to cooking at home. I've been eating out waaaaayyyy too much. Its just not the same. I need to get a set workout schedule. I've basically been squeezing it in wherever the last few weeks and that is just not good enough.

So there it is folks....think this re-vamp has been coming for a long time.

Wow and I just found out(2 minutes ago) i may be going to Colorado for a few weeks...If that is the case, I am shipping my bike to TEA's house(lol).....

B

Life and how it gets in the way(sickness and other things)

2008-08-15T06:46:00.005-04:00

Hellooooo folks.

Last Saturday, I woke up. Had a frog in my throat. Went for a 35 mile bike ride. It was epic. My legs felt strong...really strong.....was torturing one of my friends and felt so good i could have gone harder.....Since having my swimming issues, i've gone at cycling with an attitude. Like i have a bone to pick with the sport gods....trying to torture the bike and the bike gods until they submit. Of course we both know that the only person being beat up is me.....I feel a certain amount of shame and lameness about this swim issue. I dont like giving up on something, anything ever.....and yes i have not done anything related to swimming for 2 weeks now....cant really explain other than i felt like a failure(and some fear) in the pool...The sudden sickness scares me especially in open water..and also it makes me not want to do it cause well it sucks..this is supposed to be fun......sooooo(getting over it) i went out and bought waterproof ear pluggies....this weekend i am gonna get the seal googles and try that too....I will not give up without a fight...

Getting back to my story: Went biking saturday with a frog in the throat. By Sat night, I was very ill....bad sore throat.....feelling ultra crappy....This ILLNESS(aka the black funk) took me until today to feel better. I am still a little congested and coughing but I feel much better. Man it sucked. But maybe it was God's way of telling me to slow the f@ck down and regroup. So i am glad i got sick. I realized that I was running from this swim issue and hiding behind it. I think I fear open water swims and this has been a easy out. Well folks, I am not going down easy. I love this sport and I will not go out like that. So I am gonna try different goggles (seal style), ear plugs, nose plugs, one of those magnetic thingies, maybe even drugs(dramamine).

So this last week i have gone through a sort of mental meltdown. Sitting home for long periods of time tends to make me dig inside and figure out whats going on upstairs...and its time to figure out what the "next 10 years" plan is for my career. I have not been very excited or satisfied with my current one and i am thinking about trading it in for a new one. I needed to sort out my financial situation....once i get that sorted out, i can do whatever i want for work......and i am trying to get some sort of a social life......i am not even sure where to begin....starting over like i have in the last few months....you begin to feel a little like a college kid who just got his first place....I am still sorting out the things at home cause its the one place that i avoided being for so long. I am not sure where i am going but i know its time to work on this old apartment and make it Bob's NEW home. Its time to put the recent married past to bed and start carving out the new me. A good friend says everytime you get sick, you shed off some of your old self. I think its true....i am shedding the old me and carving out a new me:)

So I have a message for someone in blogland(you know who you are) that i care about very very much:

ALL BAD MOMENTS PASS! I KNOW THE PAIN AND IT DOES PASS. (call me, please)

I AM SENDING A BIG HUUUUGUEEEE HUG OUT TO THEM!!!!

Peace, love, and souuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuul

Bob

swimming problems

2008-08-07T11:18:00.004-04:00

hey folkies....

I am considering postponing the tri at the end of august until I get some kind of resolution on the "when I swim too long I puke" issue. I know this is a form of motion sickness but i can only go for 25-30 minutes and then I wanna barf.

YES B-A-R-F

And it feels really bad....head gets cloudy and stomach hurts ....I just want to lay down...

THIS SUCKS

THIS SUCKS ASS

I am frustrated cause I am the best shape of my tri-career and my swimming was coming along.

ANYONE...ANYONE who has any ideas to remedy this issue, please let me know.

B

Motivation or lack thereof :)

2008-08-01T11:51:00.004-04:00

Hey peeps:)

Since my 3.5 mile run on Tuesday, I have been suffering from a major lack of motivation. I really don't know what is up. WTF??!!! Alarm goes off at 5:30 and I fall back to sleep or just lay in my comfy a/c cranking 40 below zero bedroom under the covers...LOL....

We'll just call it a small hiatus.

Oh this little issue will be over soon.....REALLY SOON!

Got a little hike on Saturday(New Paltz) and a bike trip on Sunday(can you say HILLS).....

Have a great weekend.

B

Corporate Challenge 3.5

2008-07-30T11:44:00.004-04:00

So I did the Corporate Challenge at beautiful Jones Beach yesterday. My time: 49:49 for 3.5 miles(not the usual 3.1) . I was kicking ass up (13:00 /14:00) for my 1st 2 miles and then this guy drops in front of me. So I stopped to see if he was ok. He definitely was not doing well. Looked like he was seizing. There were many people around and some were screaming out things like "start cpr" but folks...in case you didn't know this....do not do cpr if you can find a pulse......its bad....So they kept him as comfortable as possible until the medics came. I then continued my run. It was very hot and humid and not enough breeze for 7000 people. So the race was fun but i am a little disappointed cause i was trying to finish under 40 minutes(for 3.1 not 3.5). Oh well. The guy dropping was definitely a wake up call to my priorities. This is just fun and thats it. Not life of death. And for that guy it very well could be. Hope he is ok. I am praying for him.

Some notes of note:)

Kept my HR in the 155-165 range and felt really good. In fact, just before the incident, my HR started to drop and i was running harder....I think this is a good sign.

B

Swimming and biking

2008-07-26T16:00:00.005-04:00

Ok folks. I took a week off. My nephews were in town(and they are the coolest {5 and 7}). I spent time with them.

Anyway back to training:

i swam last night. I am working on bilateral breathing. it sucks. I try to breathe on my left and it feels like i am choking. My form is crap. And i am constantly sucking water. To make it worse, it seems like i keep getting motion sickness. not sure why but it really sucks cause now i stop swimming not because i am tired but becuase i am gonna barf. MAN DOES IT SUCK. I left the pool pretty down last night cause if i cant figure out a solution, i am not gonna be able to go long distances swimming. If anyone has a solution, please let me know...I will try just about anything.

Biked about 30 miles today with some hills. It was great. Lower humidity and noone even tried to hit me with their car....I can hear ice-cube singing ,"today was a good day".....loved it. I really love biking and i think i am gonna try to bike a century by the end of the summer. End off the summer by biking out to montauk. I think it would rock.

Anyone in the Long Island area who wants to join me....just drop me a line. I am thinking the week after labor day....

Tomorrow I would like to run at Long Beach.

By the way, I love training alone but i am really wanting to be challenged. I think I am gonna seek out some riding/running mates....need to challenge myself.

Peace, Love, and SOOOOOOUUUUUUL

I'm out beotches

Bob

vineman 2009.....some crappy news(some not)

2008-07-11T07:47:00.003-04:00

Man I am a little upset. Been talking with some friends about doing the Vineman as a group thing. I have to admit i was really psyched. I was already telling some of my friends about this race. And I thought it would be great to meet some of my coolest tri friends.....soooooo......for various reasons (all valid)the peeps my little group have all bailed out.

I

WAS

PISSED!

Actually I am just disappointed. I wanted to hang with my tri-buddies. I thought it would be cool to do my first HIM with some friends. But I guess it will have to be another race. I am sure we will all meet one day:)

Oh and 1 more thing:

I AM DOING IT ANYWAY!!!!!

I am already in training for this race.. Shit i have been training for this since i started 1.5 years ago.....And its just a stop along the way to IM

Oh and i did run 4.4 miles yesterday and only stopped to walk 3 times(1 to 1.5minute recovery). And lost 5lbs in the last week or so.....

swimming

2008-07-08T09:11:00.001-04:00

See that picture of the pool to your left....yep that one....swam in the babylon pool today...

1st time this year. My good friend, Shawn, is generous enough to get up early and open the pool from 6-7 on tuesdays and thrusdays. I LOVE IT.

Shawn is a great swimmer and my incognito swim coach. We are working on me bilaterally breathing. Breathing on the left is not easy folks......proved by me drinking half the pool. No need for any kind of food or drink cause my belly is full of chlorinated pool water....mmmmm yummy.

There is a triathlon in CT this week. Its the mossman. I did it last year. maybe.....not sure yet but maybe......

correction 45:53

2008-07-07T10:22:00.001-04:00

Here is the "official time" (don't forget I didnt get to time in on the mat cause i was 4 or 5 blocks away and they already removed the timing mats.

FName	LName	City	State	Age	Sex	ClockTime	Overall	SexPl	DivPl	AgeGrade	Divtot	Sex Total	Pace
ROBERT	MYERS	COPIAGUE	NY	38	M	45:53	790	503	48	29.3%

ROBERT

MYERS

COPIAGUE

45:53

790

503

29.3%

Firecracker 5k 46:11

2008-07-06T18:37:00.006-04:00

So yesterday I go to my favorite running shoe store, Runners Edge, to buy some socks. I walk in the store and there is a table set up and they are giving out race packets. So nosy old me inquires about the race. Its the Massapequa Firecracker 5k. Cost 20 bucks. hmmmmm I think I am in. LOL

#477

So I signed up for the race.

Last night, I went to a wedding and didnt get home until 2am. Woke up tired and cranky. I forgot I have to help a friend move. UGGGGHHHHHHHHHH so I become the sherpa today and move my friend. Its 4pm and I am scrambling to get the last pieces into his apmt. The race starts at FIIIVEEEEEE pm and I still need to go home and get my gear...rush rush rush...I hit every traffic light on the way....get home....change quick....back on the road....4:45...ok have 15 minutes till race start...WE CAN DOOOO THIS

Finally make it and the directions say it starts in the park. so i start jogging over to the park and some kind soul says...the race starts about 4 blocks to the center of town...I say thanks and turn around to get to the start and I hear the start gun...OH SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT

So I say F__K IT....I start my race what feels like a half a mile early. by the time i get to the official start the start mat is gone and I can see the police car marking the last runner about 6 blocks ahead...so I kick it up a notch and start running harder....breathing hard...a litttle flustered.....i keep going.

Finally track down the policewoman(hottie i might add) and I give her a big sweaty smile. So now i am officially in the race. So I walk a bit and catch my breath. The people along the course were fantastic. It was hot....humid....oh did i mention humid. So the lovely residents along park blvd had out hoses and were spraying everyone...THANK YOU VERY MUCH...and the lovely cheers were great. I kept saying thank you and giving thumbs up.

So I blogged a while ago that my good friend Bill took his life in April and he did it in Walker park. I am running and we turn right into walker park. I came past the spot and and I started to get choked up and imagined that Bill was running with me. It gave me some extra energy and I put my mind into Bill instead of running and the HEAT and HUMIDITY..cause it was hot. Miss Bill..miss him alot....

So we came through the park and hit the trail back into town. I was sure to thank the EMT on the bike checking on everyone. Everyone was great. Passed quite a few people and some passed me but i came from behind. Finished with the official clock saying 46:11 so it must have been 42 or 43 I would guess but i ran alot more than in the past and rested/walked much less.

What a great day...so proud of myself....i CAN do this....I AM ON MY WAY....

Swimmer....ME??!!

2008-07-02T14:22:00.004-04:00

It has been a crazy week. Work has been nutz. I left last night knowing I needed to swim. No....I wanted to swim. So far with my shoulder, I have not gone farther than 50 meters at a time (before resting). But last night...LEMME TELL YOU....i found the inner fish.

My first lap was a 300 meters and i wasnt even feeling tired....HOLY SHIT....the most i have ever done consecutively in the pool....excluding an actual tri in which i usually sub the backstroke when i get tired.....(and yes i am sure alll the fish out there will laugh but i am new to swimming).....then i followed it up with a bunch of 200's and 100's....nothing less that 100. Man i felt sooooo good. I am fighting with the water less...I actually eased up on how hard I pull through in the water and I think i am faster?...I dunnno but it feels better.

First i say that I could be a runner...now could it be that i am gonna call myself a swimmer....hmmmm good things on the horizon....

So I am not a runner....yet.....

2008-06-26T23:22:00.005-04:00

A really good friend gave me this advice....train for your weaknesses and race your strengths.....

So I have made a concerted effort to really try to become a better runner....regular training on the treadmill....

So once a week I drive to Long Beach to run on the boardwalk. Its about 5 miles and I love every second of it. The ocean is just a few feet away....salt air.....cool breeze....helps clear my head.

I started this crazy journey running 1 minute and walking 1.5 minutes....I remember feeling like i was going to collapse after finishing the whole thing.....and feeling amazing cause i never thought i could do it....so tonight I did it again...and i have a secret....

I think i am turning into a runner......DONT TELL ANYONE......

My aerobic fitness is getting better....I can jog for 5-7 minute intervals AND i am able to start recovering while jogging instead of walking.....so much less walky much more runny,...bobbby like....yes bobby like very much....

While i was running...i felt soooo good.....and i got to my usual interval time where i would walk and I said to myself...just keep going....you arent even breathing hard.....it was great...just kept going....much longer than i ever have....

SO TODAY I AM PROUD OF MYSELF...YEP ME MOI BOBBITO

And when i was done...I JUMPED IN THE OCEAN....A W E S O M E

Never thought i would say it but...I am a runner.

IM CDA and MILE 20

2008-06-17T16:10:00.005-04:00

I just want to wish everyone participating in IM CDA good luck.....I am there rooting you on.

So about a year ago i met this blogger named TEA. She was a new(yet not as new as me) triathlete. I would read her adventures and before i blogged i shared my 1st tri and (mis) adventures with her. Slowly I got to know Sherpa, Jman, and AK. I feel like Tea has been with me though many of the ups and downs of my life(divorce, moving, selling house, shoulder injuries) always there reminding me to never give up and things will get better. So to a good friend and her awesome family.....

TEA KICK SOME IRONMAN ASS!!!!!!

MUCH LOVE AND RESPECT

BOB ' tri-bobolicious" Myers aka MILE 20

ps I signed up for the Tobay sprint Tri on 8/16:)

New stuff...lots of it....

2008-05-30T09:42:00.004-04:00

Hey blogland,

Hope everyone is doing well. I just got back from vacation in Florida. I spent a few days in Fort Lauderdale(at the beach) and then a few days in Ft Myers(with my brother). It was a great time. Got to workout most days and swam in the ocean some. Ocean swimming is tough.

I started a new job this week. So far so good. Seems like a great bunch of people. Looking forward to contributing to the team.

So i am thinking about doing the miami oly tri in November 9. I just joined beginnertriathlete.com and downloaded a training plan. I will try it and see how it goes....looks like fun:)

Today I swam for 30 minutes. Did 50's for 500 meters.....felt ok some shoulder soreness but not too bad.

See ya:)

Shoulders and Bikes

2008-05-01T17:43:00.007-04:00

2 tri related happenings:

Shoulder is a bit sore today but my Dr. says to swim in the morning and come in for therapy. No sharp pain, just aching and some soreness.

Bike issues: I had an issue with my clipless pedal when i was out today. As usual Mike took care of me. Slowly I am dialing in "Momma Love" and getting her setup just purrrfect.

Special thanks to Mike and the BABYLON BIKE crew for all the adjustments, advice, and last minute changes. They stand behind everything they sell. In an area with huge cycling competition, Babylon bike always is head and shoulders above the rest. They surpass everyone else in the department that matters most....making sure the customer is HAPPY:) Also I am grateful to call Mike a friend.

Everything keeps changing...so very fast

2008-05-01T17:28:00.004-04:00

So.

I have a secret.

I accepted a job offer today....hehehehhahahahahahah

I

AM

VERY

EXCITED!!!!

and a little scared

More money, 15 minute commute(was 1.5 hours each way), huge opportunity....

Its been 13 years since i change companies. I am just going to pray for the best and see where this takes me.

An email from a friend

2008-04-30T07:23:00.002-04:00

Hey folks. I just received an email from a good friend. Although we have never met, we are both fans of each others triathlon (and life) accomplishments. So here is the email:

___________________________________________________________________________________

Hey Bob!
Have you figured out your racing schedule this year?

Also, for 2009, I'm looking at doing Vineman. And you are being formally invited! :) I'm hoping to ask a few of my favorite bloggers and maybe we can do a meetup in sonoma county! WOO HOO!!

Tea

_______________________________________________________________________________

Wow a HIM....

At first I sat back and thought...

I am not sure i can do a HIM

ITS TOO LONG

TOO HARD

...before I had a chance to object my alter ego, TOUGH, chimed in......

TEA

YOU

ARE

ON!!!!

YYYYYEEEEAAAAAHHHHHH BBBBBBBBBOOOOOOOOOYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEEE

This is enough time to train and get ready for this race. I am down 65lbs and hopefully by race time i will be down some more. Besides, I really wanna hang out with Tea and Sherpa and familia.....

Bob

TODAY IS A GREAT DAY(wanna know why?)

2008-04-22T10:33:00.002-04:00

Cause

I

SWAM

WITH

NO

PAIN

WHOOOOHHOOOOOOOO

450 meters.....no pain...mostly freestyle.

Spoke to TJ the ultimate PT and he said i am good to go.

I will start off slow....not too much too soon...2 times a week....and will work on form for the next few weeks.

I am sooooo happpyyyyyyyy.....tri season is still on:)

Isn't she puuuuurrrrrrdddeeeeeee

2008-04-21T22:52:00.009-04:00

I think i will call her
MOMMA LOVE

CHANGES: BAD AND GOOD

2008-04-17T11:09:00.009-04:00

RIP: BILL PFENNING

My good friend, Bill, died last thursday at 10am. I miss him terribly and loved him very much. He was crazy fun all the time. In the summer he would have bbq's and pool parties. In the winter we would watch the JETS and football every Sunday...

Very sad...very very sad....

Onto the good news:

ATTENTION ALL KMART SHOPPERS:

THE HOUSE IS SOLD!

I am very relieved about this. No more huge mortgage each month(for now). I will pay some bills and probably buy a condo or a town home.

THE BIKE IS ALMOST READY!!!!

So after closing yesterday, all i could think about was getting my new bike. WOW am I excited like a little kid or what:)

My new GURU VENTUS will be ready on Friday(oh and its blue not red).

MOVIN OUT

2008-04-03T17:37:00.002-04:00

Hey Everyone....

The day is coming. I am officially moving out this Saturday. YUP...Moving out. This week has been tough emotionally and somewhat physically but

I

CANNOT

WAIT

My shoulder has been holding up pretty well. Been icing up a storm every night cause i have been moving boxes like a sherpa on everest.

Hopefully my new bike will be in soon.

The food plan has been going pretty good...eating lots of "rabbit food" and its been working out pretty good. I am down to 324.5(down from 385).

I can't wait for my new life to begin:)

Bob

spinning and running(sort of)

2008-03-18T22:46:00.008-04:00

Ok folks.....Been spinning 3-4 days a week. I bought new bike shoes(specialized BG Comp MTB) and it was the best investment. I stopped spinning last year cause my feet hurt and my achillies tendon kept getting irritated. New shoes = no pain. Also got a new pair of bike shorts...comfy butt rules:) So I get up at 5:30 and spin at 6. I have been running on my off days but have been slacking on the running...maybe 1 or 2 days a week....need to work on THAT.

Got some really good news today....TJ the PT said," Oh sure you can start SWIMMING." Oh my God. Did he just say what i thought he said....SWIMMING??!!???

My shoulder is still a little sore but he says i am ready to give it a try. I mean worst case is it hurts again and then i milk it until the fall and get surgery. So we will see.

nutrition

2008-03-04T16:34:00.004-05:00

Ok folks. Finally broke down and went to see a Nutritionist. She confirmed that i was on track but i needed more fiber ,more water, and more fruit. The only thing that really sucks is that I have to limit my cheese intake(only 2% or less fat-like Alpine lace swiss). So my food plan will look like this:

breakfast
1 egg and 5 egg whites (holy shit thats a lot of eggs)
1 cup veggies
1 thomas' whole wheat english muffin
1 bananna

Lunch
6 oz turkey
1 oz swiss
1 salad
1 cup chicken soup
1 cup grapes

Dinner
6 oz grilled chicken
1 cup soy pasta
1/2 c marinara
1 cup broccoli
1 apple

Wow that seems like a lot of food but it will definitely increase the fiber.

So the current weight is 333.

I have been spinning/running on alternating days. Feel pretty good. I am making progress on my shoulder too:)

GUESS WHAT I BOUGHT TODAY!!!!

2008-03-02T16:49:00.006-05:00

Yeah boyeeeeeee

Custom made Guru Ventus

I spent 3 hours with Mike at Babylon Bikes. Mike fit me on this bike fit contraption. Checking and rechecking, adjusting and more adjusting....I have been dealing with Mike since 1993. He is the best bike guy I know. Not only is he a great bike guy, but he is a good friend.

I should have it in a month or so. I will wait until the house is sold to pick it up but if all goes well, i will be riding my new baby in May.

HEHHEHEHEHEHAHHAHAHAHAAHHA I am soooooo excited. Some guys get divorced and get a motorcycle, I buy a tri-bike:)

Republic Leap Year 5k at Midnight

2008-03-01T01:40:00.000-05:00

45:05

Yep folks just did my first 5k of the year. It was windy, snowed and then poured rain for all 45 minutes but it was awesome. I had a great time. We got to run on the tarmac of Republic airport...pretty cool not that i noticed cause of the windy rain in my face. I thought I was gonna finish in last but i finished ahead of 2 or 3 people. I met this cool woman, Heather, who kicked me in the ass and kept me running (and not walking). Also thanks to Michele, Paul, Jen, Patricia, and Chris for cheering me on.

Tonight...I am the coolest...just for finishing in the crappiest weather i have every run in and for just showing up at midnight to run around an airport with 500 others.

Bob

DRAT....tagged by tracie:)

2008-02-24T06:59:00.000-05:00

So I have been tagged by the 7 things about you thingie:

(1) I have always loved biking. When i was a kid, I used to pick up old bikes and make a new Frankenstein bike out of all the old ones. It was fun taking the bikes apart to see how they worked and then putting them back together again.....funny how i always had an extra parts box. Today I never touch my road bike. It's almost like i am afraid i will hurt my baby:)

(2) I got bit in the face by a dog when i was 5. To this day I can see the dogs mouth as it bit me. And the fact that i ran to the girl with the red shirt on....Back in those days, we went to the doctors office. It was at his house. He stopped eating dinner to stitch me up. No plastic surgeons no hosptial. I remember laying there and being soooo scared. On the good side, i remember getting carvel ice cream (w/ sprinkles)and sitting on my swing set with the huh-huhs....its amazing the details i can recall about that but if you ask me what i did yesterdayyyyyy???????

(3) I took typing class in 12th grade, never knowing how much i would use it today....

(4) I am a triathlete. I know you all know this. But when i share this fact with non-tri peeps, sometimes you would think i said that i have 4 heads. I joke and tell them that i always win my weight class:) The same thing happens when I share that I teach a class at the local gym. People: big guys can tri and teach fitness classes too:) Junk in my trunk does not render me useless. It really makes me even more determined:)

(5) I am the 2nd of 3 kids. Growing up I was very close with my older brother. We used to do everything together. And i do see picts of us where my mom dressed us alike...ugggghhhh Since we are 20 months apart, I would get thrown on my older brothers sports teams. This sucked at the time but it taught me to never fear anyone. In fact, I would always go after the biggest guy on the team...sometimes to my demise.

(6) I am a kid magnet. I am not sure why but children are attracted to me. Maybe its cause i am big and they think i am a big play toy....not really sure why. Love kids. They are fun and they also say exactly whats on their mind. Honesty: whether you like it or not:) And who doesnt love a kids giggle.....

(7) I play bass and guitar. When I went to the University of Buffalo, I played bass in a band called Caution. I learned to write my own music and that while playing covers live is fun, playing your own stuff live is amazing. Every year we would have this huge bash in South Buffalo, and my claim to fame is Robby (bassist) from the Goo Goo Dolls came to the party. So you could say that the Goo Goo dolls were into Caution..LOL

Thats it folks....I am tagging:

Joe
J-man
trininja
The Kahuna
Ironwil
triturtle
mike

SHOULDERS SHOULDERS AND MORE SHOULDERS

2008-01-25T17:05:00.000-05:00

Ok folks. Most of you all know about this nagging shoulder injury. I have not been in the pool since last september. Every time I think i am better rotator cuff tendonitis keeps coming back. I had an MRI last week. Slight labrum tear but no significant rotator cuff damage. Good news...yes. BUT.....I got another shot in the joint. If it doesnt go away this time, then i will have to go in for a shoulder spring cleaning. Overall the news is good but I JUST WANNA GET IN THE DAMN POOL.....

Thinking about doing a 1/2 marathon this may.....maybe.....

Been spinning and running intervals on the treadmill. Miss the pool very much.

I guess the man upstairs has other plans for me. We'll see.

Everything else is ok. May have good house selling news soon...keep your fingers crossed.

Bob

Running and intervals and life

2008-01-16T19:05:00.000-05:00

Hey all,

Hope everyone is knee deep in tri-training....spring Tri's are on the horizon:)

I get a shoulder MRI on Friday. Hoping it will not require surgery.

Ran intervals at Long Beach yesterday. I think it was my best time yet. Been on the downswing with weight so maybe its making a difference. Also the cold and wind was a big motivator to get my tired, sweaty butt back to the warm car.

I watched the Bucket List yesterday. I liked it a lot. Here are some of the things on my Bucket list:

Iron man finisher
NYC marathon finisher
learn to surf
Hike the Appalachian trail
Get a boat
see a sunset or sunrise in every country in the world
climb a mountain(really big one)
Ride motorcycle cross country
skydive(if they make parachutes that can hold a tank, they can make one that holds me)
Play bass on a stage again

More to come:)

Bob

2008

2008-01-01T22:32:00.000-05:00

IS MY YEAR!!!

2007: Well...overall its been a good year. I think the struggles were equal to the Highlights.

Highs:

Lost over 50 lbs
learned to swim
2 (count'em) 2 triathlons completed
Became friends with many in tri-blog land (especially Tea and Duane)
Over 80 days of abstinence from compulsive overeating
sobriety....yep folks no more booze either
sanity...yes folks I feel better than i have in a long long time....

Lows

Divorce after 6 years of marriage
selling house
hit my bottom....(atlthough i think its the best thing that happened to me)
injuries (shoulder/knee/back) seems neverending....

This year i would like to keep taking life 1 day at a time. I would love to be able to compete again this summer but we will see what life brings. I have to give other isssues a higher priority for now. This whole divorce thing is just temporary and the selling the house thing will pass too.

I continue to work on ME. I am building a better Bob.

Like the 6 million dollar man...i am going to be better, stronger, and faster:)

Bob

Merry Xmas

2007-12-20T14:52:00.000-05:00

Hey Everyone in tri-blog-land.

Things are going ok. I have not been back to the doctor but my shoulder and my knee have been ok. Not great but ok. So I will take it as progress. I started spinning on Sunday(15minutes) and today (15 minutes and felt pretty good.

I miss my bike.

I am getting the urge to go back to the pool again. I may go check it out in a week or 2.

Thanks to everyone for the kind words and support throughout this crazy-ass year. I am very grateful. I have been going over the last year and shit....I DID 2 TRIATHLONS!!!!! Now if i was ever feeling bad about my situation...just that alone is enough to shut my lame ass up:)

Oh and I promised my friend, Janet, that we would do the LI 1/2 marathon this year...so here goes...its on my blog...I gotta do it:)

And let me say...I cannot wait to put this year behind me.

Damn gimpy shoulder

2007-11-14T19:41:00.001-05:00

Hey all. Hope everyone is doing well.

I am good. I have been back on my food plan. Lost about 13lbs since the last weighing(a month ago).

My offseason tri program is on hold indefinitely. My shoulder is becoming a HUGE problem. Had a cortisone shot...did no exercise for a few weeks and it still hurts. Probably an MRI in my near future. The xray shows a bone spur in the joint so that could be it.....well i guess we will see. I will focus on losing weight and all the other craziness in my life right now.

Tina and I are separated and living in the same house. Weird. Hurts. But due to financial constraints, neither one of us can move out. House is going on the market and hopefully we can sell it in a reasonable amount of time. I will miss my house....I did a lot of the work myself and I am proud of it. It's a weird situation for sure. Part of me wants the freedom (both financially and physically) but part of me wants not change.....I dont know....

Peace out

Bob

Working my way back....

2007-10-29T13:51:00.000-04:00

Hey Folks,

Things are actually going pretty well. Tina and I are getting separated. I am still working on me, the inside parts.....I have been working my food plan for about 15 days now. My head feels pretty good cause i have been talking with a professional.....very good...I highly recommend it. I have not been training at all lately and really don't expect to for another few weeks. The reconstruction of bob has begun and I need to work on the foundation before I can work on anything else.

We are selling the house. And I am moving into another bedroom. I have been working on clearing out this bedroom(formerly storage). My shoulder is sore from lifting the boxes but we will see how it feels in a week or 2 when I go back swimming. Cleaning up boxes from your past is kind of like the cleaning i am doing with my head.....its sucks to do but ultimately it helps you later.

I have not weighed myself in a few weeks on purpose. My focus is not on the food its on my head. I am following a simple food plan. 3 meals a day nothing in between and 1 day at at time. The meals are balanced: protein, carbs, and fat. That's it. I have a few red-light foods:

nacho chips, taco bell, cheese and crackers, any kind of dip.

So for now i will avoid any of these foods until my head gets a little clearer.

Thanks to all my peeps for all the kind words....i will check in again soon:)

Bob

hi-deeee hi-deeeee hoooooo

2007-10-15T17:51:00.000-04:00

Hey everyone. I just wanted to say HI. As you all know i have had some trials and tribulations in my personal life. All I can say is i am working on it. I am calling this PROJECT BOB: THE RECONSTRUCTION. I am in the process of reconstructing me. I am tearing a lot of crap down and throwing it out and I am going to build ME back up. Been some low points this past few weeks but I think mentally i am coming into a clearing. SOOOOOOOOOO

I am going to try to get back to the pool this week. Test out the bum shoulder and see if its ready for some swim-fun.

I also have been itching to get out on the bike again. I did that 50 miler a few weeks ago and i have done zero riding since.

Congrats to TEA on a marathon well done!!!!

On the weight front, I put on a few more pounds but I am back working the program. What else is there to do when everything goes to shit but pick yourself up and start again:)

Peace love and sooooouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuullllll

Getting back to what is IMPORTANT

2007-09-27T18:38:00.000-04:00

ME

That is what is important. If I don't take care of myself, then I will not be able to handle everything else. Sooooo today I am going to focus on taking care of myself.

I went to the gym. Ran for a little while...intervals....not too long but I will build on it. Then abs...

Work has been pretty crazy and so has home so I need to make sure that I am taking care of numero uno:)

5-0 thats right 50, and I dont mean the artist

2007-09-16T13:47:00.000-04:00

50 miles

That's right folks....biked 50 miles today. I know some of you its like a walk in the park but i never biked this far.....IT WAS GREAT....

Started out a 6am with some friends(4 to be exact). It was dark and chilly (50) but clear and the wind didn't seem that bad. I have to say that biking into the sunrise is amazing. I don't have too much technical data on this one cause i didn't think i was going to make it last night. But the biking gods shined down and i woke up on time...hehehe

The first 35 was great....felt great and then i hit the wall. The last 10 or 15 was tough. Painful and tough. I was alone cause we all spread out. I was not fast enough for the 2 fast guys and i wasn't slow enough for the 2 in the back. I was pretty happy cause i just kept telling myself that I can do this. Just keep putting the hammers down and i made it.

It took about 4 hours(including some rest stops).

And just one shout out:

GO TEA GO.....

and now its time to watch some FOOTBALLLLLLLLLL

And now for the quickest reversal of all time

2007-09-14T08:18:00.000-04:00

So I posted yesterday before we went out for drinks and some dinner. We get to the restaurant and we started talking. I have to say the last few days have been weird. She has been trying to be the loving old Tina but I still feel like part of her still wants to be something else. I am sitting at a bar in this restaurant and the answer comes....its over. Not in the sense of hatred and nastiness that usually comes with breakups but the love one has for another person to let them go and explore the world in the way that they need to. I will not hold her back and she will not hold me back.

thats all....i am a little scared cause i dont know what is next but i will do what i do in triathlon when the going gets rough....just put 1 foot in front of the other......and it will get better....

Just a quick update

2007-09-13T13:36:00.000-04:00

Thanks to everyone for the words of encouragement. Tina and I have decided to try and work things out. I am not sure what the future holds but for today we are trying and that is all I have ever asked for. We will seek out a therapist to assist us in sorting through our issues. Today I spoke to a woman who was married for 54 years and she told me about some of the trials and tribulations that she faced. Similar issues and they made it...hopefully we can make it too. If it winds up not working out, I will be able to say that I exhausted all options.

Food has been pretty bad.

I am going to make an appt with an orthopedist to get some advice on my shoulder.....been rehabbing for a while now and still its not feeling better.....

Bobito

TODAY IS A GREAT TRI-DAY

2007-09-09T21:31:00.000-04:00

Congrats to DUANE!!!!! He came back to revisit the site of his first tri and kicked some major butt!!! I am looking forward to racing with you in 2009.

I also have been tracking Iron Wil in her 2nd attempt at IM Wisconsin. The big Kahuna and Iron Wil are the 2 tri-geeks that got me to jump in the pool. She is an inspiration. She is also the first person that I emailed and revealed my tri-dreams...and she emailed me back and no she did not laugh but instead she encouraged me. Today, I have been tracking her blog and so far she looks great....sounds like she will hear the famous words:

Iron Wil, YOU ARE NOW AN IRON MAN!!!!

I hope to hear these words one day......

I also want to thank everyone for their support and kind words (especially Tea and Duane) in this really difficult time in my life. It has been tough and not everyone at home understands but its always nice to have some friends that unconditionally love me and keep me afloat.....

Bob

9/8/2007

2007-09-08T23:14:00.001-04:00

It is an important date in my world...Kind of the day my world just fell to pieces. Its been a really bad week...and its culminated with Tina and I agreeing to separate. God I feel like shit...
We are both not happy but she is done with us. I am not going to sit around passively and be this door mat to just wipe your feet on. I also realized something very important. I have spent a lot of time in the last few years trying to keep other people happy but i never seem to take care of myself. Well GUESS WHAT......

This is going to be my time.....

I will ride the wave and see what happens.....I know that emotionally and financially this is going to be really tough on me. And i am going to get back on track.....

Bob

The value of the written word

2007-09-05T18:05:00.000-04:00

I really believe in writing down my thoughts each day. Instead of letting all the crap in your head build up and reek havoc, I like to take a few minutes to write down what is on my mind. I did this today but for a specific purpose......my marriage issues. I think it was a good thing. I am actually writing a letter to my wife kind of explaining how i feel. This way she can read it, digest it, and then respond. Since this is so close to the heart, we usually get either defensive or heated or both when we talk. Hopefully she will hear what I am saying(want to work it out not divorce).

No exercise today or yesterday. Had other stuff on my mind. Food has been ok. Not great but ok. Got to an OA meeting today....this helps a lot. There is nothing like sitting in a room with people who have similar food issues.

Shooting for a bike ride tomorrow.

Over and out:)

Weekend ramblings

2007-09-03T18:33:00.001-04:00

This weekend has been kind of rough. I am dealing some things in my married life that I never thought would come up. Its been tough going for a few months now and its getting time to make some serious decisions. I did not get married to get divorced but I feel like only one of us is willing to sit down and work on our issues and the other one is emotionally (and physically) absent. Its heartbreaking. It sucks.

Went for a kick-ass mountain bike ride yesterday(2hours). It felt great because it was the first time that I've been on serious trails in about 6 years. WOW what a rush.......

Saturday I went to the beach and spoke with my cousin. We had beers and hung out all day. The weather was perfect then we got some chow....really good day but no Tina(wife).....she was out with her friends all day...

I am not ultra religious. But i do believe in a higher power. I do pray. Its funny...I used to pray like I was ordering Chinese food. I want a number 1, 5, 7 , and 15......I still pray but I am just praying for guidance and to make the right decision(either way).

Take care

Labor Day

2007-09-01T07:39:00.000-04:00

Hey Everyone:)

As part of Labor day weekend, I will......Labor....I have to work...can you believe it. Big corporations these days hold nothing sacred. Anyway most of today will be spent working. If I get done early, I am going to the beach.

Maybe get a bike ride in.....tomorrow i think i am heading up to new paltz. Home of the shawangunks...great hiking.....we'll see how it goes....

Not much today

2007-08-30T22:54:00.000-04:00

I work evenings(1pm - 9pm). Today I had to come in early to meet my new boss. The day was really hectic but I thought I gave a good impression. My food was good until dinner. I ate a steak sandwich and fries(and 2 scoops of vanilla ice cream). I never am home for dinner so Tina and I went out and well....I went a little overboard. I am not going to make a big deal out of it. It was a nice date night and it was something that we needed. So tomorrow I go for a nice bike ride to repent for my sins. 1 meal does not make a week. I just need to get back on track tomorrow.

ok see you tmro:)

DAY 3 - GREAT WORKOUT DAY

2007-08-29T20:17:00.001-04:00

Well boys and girls if you look to the left corner of your screen, you will see that I have posted my weight loss ticker. I will update it each week. So today was a great workout. I rode about 20 miles in an hour and did some aerobics. It was great. Felt really good. This "feeling good" starts to happen for me when I start eating right. Speaking of which...food was good today too :)

I was also very happy to get my mountain bike fixed today. Had some work done on it cause I wanna get back out on the "real" trails near me. I have been sticking to flat off road for a few months but I think the changes i made will make me more comfortable.....

Also i will keep you posted on more IRON related posts....waiting on a few friends....hehehe

Food:

1 light yogurt
1 high fiber muffin

6 oz chicken grilled
1 salad
2 oz dressing

Grilled chicken pasta salad(with some mozzarella).

3 sushi rolls (tuna, soft shell crab, eel)

I really wanna come in next Tuesday on the lower end of the scale.....REALLY REALLY WANT THIS

Day 2

2007-08-28T19:37:00.000-04:00

Day 2 has been good. Food was good. Workout was good. I missed my PT appointment because I overslept. I spoke to TJ(the PT) and we will meet on Friday. I did a great step-aerobics class today. My HR was in the 145-155 range almost the whole time.

I went to another OA meeting today. Meeting was good. I love to hear other peoples experiences and hope. If they are kind enough to share their story, then the least i can do it try to learn from it.

Food is good.

1 weight watcher 2pt bar

1 6inch subway turkey and swiss
1 small bag of light chips

3 chicken legs
1 cup of grilled veggies

1 turkey, swiss, lettuce, pickle, mustard on whole wheat wrap

Feel good. I had too much diet soda today....need to drink more water......

I am so happy to hear other's triathlon stories.....I read Geek Girl's story of her Kentucky Ironman victory....in my eyes finishing any Ironman is a HUGE victory.....I don't know her yet i feel very proud of her....yes proud....love rooting for the underdog......she finishes just before the cutoff.....amazing....I am humbled reading her story. Hopefully you will read my IM story in 2 years....

ACCOUNTABILITY

2007-08-27T20:47:00.000-04:00

Today is day 1. Decent day food wise. Stuck to my plan and I feel good. I have to be vigilant tonight and not give in to my evil urges(food/take over the world/ depends on the night haha).

I went to a OA meeting today. It really felt good to go back. I swear it's the one place I go where I can truly feel comfortable.

Now its time for accountability:
So let me fill you in on this past weekend. Friday: I had a really crappy week at work so I went out for a few drinks. Which was A LOT of fun but i eventually ended the night eating chicken fingers and sweet potato fries at the Pisces cafe. Great food but not so good if you are trying to lose weight. Bad choice...had a nice buzz and gave in....

Woke up Saturday and trained. Did plyometrics and some weights. Food ok. Finally took a big step in organizing my tool area in the basement. Sat night went to a party but no drinkin and ate well. But then got home at 11pm and ate a pbj and chocolate milk.

Sunday: I did kick-boxing class at 8am. Felt great. Ate pretty good but had chinese for dinner. Although it was on my plan, it made me feel bloated and crappy this morning.

Monday morning: Trained my back and shoulders(light weights). Felt good but shoulder is still sore even with little or no weight.

Food today:

1 light yogurt
1 high fiber muffin

2 slices pizza
1 salad
2 oz balsamic dressing

1 cup of chicken and broccoli
1 cup brown rice

1 chicken burrito (no cheese no guac)
15 chips
salsa

I have to watch my portions. 1 less slice of pizza and no chips with the burrito.

Special thanks to TEA for kicking me in the ass to get back online:)

peace out

The season is over

2007-08-23T18:17:00.000-04:00

Yep folks...my tri season is officially over:(

With some advice from friends, I have decided to focus on rehabbing my shoulder(and other ailments) and target coming into next season in better shape with the hope of not going through the injury bug....

So tomorrow starts my off-season training. I go see TJ the PT and he will determine my fate. Most likely i will not do much for the next 2 weeks and start taking anti-inflammatories(as much as i hate them).

Like my friend Duane, I too will start posting my weight and food. If i start messing up, i expect you all to jump on me and whip me into shape:)

Goals for next year:

(1) Lose 100 lbs (come in at around 240)
(1a) I want to be able to fit into a wetsuit. Thus part of goal #1...hehehe
(2) Complete a OLY tri in the beg or mid season
(3) Ride a century (100 miles) on bike
(4) Complete a half iron by end of the season ***BIG GOAL****
(5) I want to hike the part of the Appalachian trail. We are not talking day hiking...i want to camp and make my way across VT and NH. This includes going thru the white mountains.

In some ways, I feel like my weight issues has kept me down for too long.

This is gonna seem like a rant but here I go:

Food for me has been a drug. I use it to cover up my feelings. I use food the same way other addicts use booze or drugs. I bury my feelings down but the problem is it is only temporary. Sooner or later you are forced to deal with your feelings. If I bury everything down, it usually comes out as anger or depression. I feel like i have wasted a good 10 years of my life sitting in front of the TV eating tortilla chips, cheese and salsa at 11pm. I work evenings so when i get home at around 11 I usually want something to make me feel good or something to make me tired so i used to choose to stuff food down and then pass out. The next morning is spent being tired and cranky. If I am beat then i dont want to workout or do anything else. And this begins the cycle i was caught in for the last 10 years or so.....

It permeates everything i do.

This is my cross to bear.

I think I am gonna cut this cross up and make a campfire out of the wood cause I dont want/need to carry this with me anymore. NO MORE.

Ok so now you think i am crazy but that is how i feel today......

Life is a pain in the......

2007-08-21T18:47:00.000-04:00

SHOULDER. My right shoulder is pretty sore. I think its bicep tendinitis. Its really sore and it sucks cause that means that i cant swim in the last last outdoor swim of the season:(

I called my physical therapist and i want to start therapy asap. I need to get this fixed.

As far as exercise goes...yesterday i did a kick ass step class and today i did abs and shoulders(no weights).

Food has been up and down. I need to re-commit myself and get back on the program. I am not sure why but i tend to sit in this "in-between" world food wise. I dont really eat bad but i dont really eat good. It stinks to be honest and i dont like the way it feels.

Changes are a-comin

Katlin Boyle Memorial Bike ride

2007-08-19T19:37:00.000-04:00

So today I planned to do a leisurely bike 7 miles mountain bike ride....Fundraiser for a friends daughter that died from meningitis at 21 years old.....

Leisurely....I am not sure what happened but I got on my bike an man did i light it up. I know it wasn't a race but i set a pretty fast pace and was the first one finished....I felt so good. And to think that last winter I struggled finishing this course....I just hammered from start to finish.

Maybe it was breakfast...got up and made pancakes from scratch....only had 2 but it was yummy and I had great energy.....

I am a semi-pro photographer so I took a bunch of pictures.

TKA

2007-08-18T22:22:00.000-04:00

Congrats to my tri-friend TEA for a PR in the rattlesnake OLY triathlon. She is going to do a sprint tomorrow and hopefully become the proud owner of the rattlesnake belt buckle.....

I had a great day today. I have the pleasure of training high school age kiddos. Its so much fun. Basically it helps the kids get stronger for the sports they play in over the year. I really enjoy it. And I do a lot of the exercises with them so i word up a good sweat too:) My specialty is plyometrics and agility drills. I try to mix it up so we never do the same thing twice. I want to keep them challenged.

Tomorrow I am doing a memorial bike ride for a friend. I may hit the water tmro too.....we will see:)

Ciao for now

NOT TOO SHABBY

2007-08-16T23:09:00.000-04:00

Had a great training day today. I got in 700 meters swimming and a 20 mile bike ride. Man I felt great. I was able to get up at around 6am, got to the pool at 6:15, swam, and then got a nice ride in.....

My shoulders are sore tonight but other than that i feel good.

Over and out:)

moving and shaking

2007-08-15T18:56:00.000-04:00

Yep folks....i am moving and shaking...bobbing and weaving......at work.

Work has been nuts. There was a big corporate re-org. I am not sure what my new responsibilities are but my old boss seems to be very good and keeping me busy. One thing at a time.......just like running....1 foot in front of the other.....

My food has been OK the last 2 days. I weighed in and lost 6lbs. This is a good thing. This loss is just gaining ground i lost(cause i have gained about 15 over the summer).

My shoulder and knee tendinitis has been bothering me but i have been icing. I may go back to PT for both if it will help.

No formal tri training this week. Cross training mostly. I did a kick ass step class on Tuesday and a fun interval training class today. Man that stuff kicks my butt. I rate it on how much i sweat. Both days i sweat through my shirt and 3/4 of my shorts......love it....too much fun.....

I will try to make swimming tmro morning. It is hard because i get home very late some nights(midnight) so getting up at 5am is tough.

Words of wisdom for today:

Sometimes in life we need to have blinders. We need to focus only on the thing that is in front of us. Focus is key in this world. Get the 1st thing done and then move on the next thing.......sometimes its that simple.

1st day back to work from vacation

2007-08-13T23:27:00.000-04:00

Well vacation is over:(

Back to work...work work and fitness/diet work.

Plan on swimming tmro as long as my good friend, Sean, opens up the pool at 6am.

No workout today. Cooked food for the week this morning.

I decided to pass on the job opportunity that came my way. The green wasn't green enough. I am a little disappointed.

todays food was ok. did great until later in the evening. I really should not eat anything after 7 or 8pm.....

breakfast 9am
3 egg whites
2 oz turkey
1 oz swiss
2 sl whole wheat bread
water

lunch 1pm
4 oz turkey
1 oz cheese
1 whole wheat pita
1/2 cup german potatoe salad(no mayo)
1 cup grapes
water

dinner 4pm
5 oz chicken
1 cup of string beans
diet coke (can)

snack
1 rice crispy treat 6pm
hand full of tortilla chips 11pm
some pretzels with peanut butter 11pm
diet sprite (can)

Obviously the snack thing got out of control. I had the right food all day but (as usual) i always want to fill the emptiness(or whatever is bothering me) in my world with food. I have to stop this...it doesn't make me feel better.....

anyway tomorrow is another day and a chance to get it right and get in some training:)

There are people that train the way they want to and people that train the way they have to.

2007-08-12T20:40:00.000-04:00

Reality check time!!!!!

My good friend TEA said this today and these are words that I NEED to live by. I have been training how I want to but not how I need to. I have been ignoring my diet. When I start messing up my food plan.....my training is not far behind. I am going to start posting my food on this blog everyday(at the end). This is for me because I really need to commit my food each day and not deviate from my plan. This is how i get into trouble.

SOOOOOO

Onto this weekends events: I had the funnest most bestest weekend. We had our annual block party on Saturday and what a great time it was. Lots of friends came over and it was a blast. We were in the pool. We had pie in the face free-for-all...dancing....water balloon fights.... All sorts of craziness......

Then today I had a bunch of people over to finish off the food we didn't eat yesterday. It was great to relax and hand out. Cooked up burgers and dogs. and just relaxed.

So as you can tell my food this weekend was horrible. But i am going let it go and begin again tomorrow.

keep putting one foot in front of the other.....

Rainy days.......

2007-08-10T15:24:00.000-04:00

Hey everyone!

I am happy to announce that I still have a job. Althought my title has changed (yet again) I have a feeling i will still be taking care of the same old stuff.

I think I ate bad chinese food on Thursday night. I was up all night with montazumas revenge. I was tired and beat up all thursday. Still feel crappy but a little better. Moral to the story: bring my food in from home and i almost never get sick......

I did some weight training today(chest and tri's).

I took today off to get my yard ready for the big block party tomorrow but it is raining right now so I am cleaning up inside the house. Tomorrow should be a lot of fun. We (the block) have a water slide, martian walk(bouncy thing), and many other activities(pie in the face contest). The kids (ie me) love it.

I may go back to the gym later for a great step class....we'll see how i feel.

Okey dokey smokey...i am out:)

hot hot hot

2007-08-08T14:05:00.000-04:00

It is in the high 80's and very humid. There was a tsunami-like storm this morning and there are no subways running downtown in Manhattan. So after a 1 hour train ride into the city I had to wait a half hour for the subway in what felt like 100 degree temps(its always hotter in the subway...you would think it would be cooler underground but its actually hotter) we got kicked off at 14 th street and i had to walk out in the oppressive heat for a while. Oh well.....life goes on.

Worked out today. I did a cardio-interval class at my gym. The owner/teacher, Corrine, is possibly the best fitness/aerobics teacher in the world. She is uplifting and fun. And you never do the same thing twice so you never catch on:) Its great cardio. My heart rate is always in the 140-150 range for over an hour. And did i mention fun.....

It feels really good to be in the air-conditioning. On a not-so-good note, we are about to hear about he company "re-org". I hear they are chopping heads...hopefully i will survive the cut:)

Bob

Monday for me....tuesday for everyone else:)

2007-08-07T17:27:00.000-04:00

Today is my Monday. The first Monday back from vacation. This sucks. 1800 emails. And tomorrow they announce the latest company re-org. But i may have some positive career news soon...keeping fingers crossed.

No workout today. Too busy dealing with life issues and i have a cold.

I did learn a few very important things:

(1) Everyday I need to make sure that I take care of ME. If i dont take care of me, i wont have the energy to help out anyone else.

(2) I am not in control of the universe(God is). I am overly religious but i do believe that there is a God out there and more than anything.....I am not in control:)

(3) If i get my food for the day right, everything else seems to fall into place. I am a compulsive overeater. I eat when things are good, bad, or anything in between. So i need to always be vigilant in monitoring my food intake. Besides i am tired of winning super-duper clydesdale category in triathlon (over 300).

(4) Life's gains are made in small increments. One of my friends calls this little by slowly. We make progress on God's time not ours.

I am really beginning to like this blogging thing......

PERSEVEREANCE

2007-08-06T17:55:00.000-04:00

I am the type of person who seems to perceive everything in the extreme. If a little is good then a lot is better. If the news is discouraging, then the end of the world is near. Or as i like to say, " I throw all my toys out of the playpen." Life is about perseverance. Life is about getting better a little a time. Sometimes the little bit is so small you don't realize it but it adds up over time. Triathlons are a metaphor for life. When my friend TEA blogged about her run that was a total mess and the range of emotions is unbelievable. Tea is my tri-mentor and friend. I learn about life and triathlons through her writings. The biggest part of her story that she told was that she regrouped and started putting 1 foot in front of the other. Life is this way for me. When everything starts falling apart, i usually need to step back and regroup. But ultimately i need to keep putting 1 foot in front of the other and persevere.

Today i went for a walk/run of 5 miles in the rain at the long beach boardwalk. I love the boardwalk. Makes me feel like rocky or something. Plus who does not love running at the beach with the smell of the salt air and sounds of the waves crashing....very cool.

So enough waxing poetic

2007-08-05T17:49:00.000-04:00

Ok enough re-hashing the past. Its already behind us. Althought it was fun now onto new adventures.

No training today. Put up fence. Hard work but not too bad. Weather is great today. 80's with lower humidity and cool breeze. I have all the windows open to get some fresh air in the house cause the AC has been on all week.

I am going to join beginnertriathlete.com. I need to get be more focused with my training. I have been nursing a few injuries(piriformus inflamation, patellar and bicep tendonitis) so my training has been on the light side. But i am feeling better(85%) and i am tired of not doing anything. Overall I need to be more focused. I want to complete an olympic tri at the beginning of next year so i need to start getting focused(both diet and exercise).

I need to get out on my bike either tonight or tomorrow morning.

that all folks:)

Race report of 1st sprint triathlon

2007-08-05T17:47:00.001-04:00

Here is my race report from the mossman triathlon....my 1st sprint (with the flu)

I DID IT!! My first real sprint tri:)

2:15 (1/2 mile swim, 15 mile bike, and 3 mile run)

It was the toughest thing i have done so far.

I got up a 3:30am today to drive the 1.5 hour ride From Lindenhurst,
NY to Norwalk, CT. I had everything prepared and even bought a new
insulated bottle for my bike. I drove up...no traffic...I know you
are saying its 4 in the morning but driving near NYC you see traffic
at all times. I got up there and checked in. The weather was
perfect 72 degrees, sunny, slight breeze. Not too humid. Its 95
right now so the weather was very very nice.

They gave me a yellow swim cap and i didn't realize that it determined
what group you went into the swim with. So i was walking over to the
start and i hear them saying 30 seconds for yellow to start. So i ran
over but missed my group so i started 5 minutes later. I think that
was the best thing that happened to me cause i wasn't thinking about
swimming. I just ran in (it was cold-66 degrees). I started swimming
freestyle but keeping my head out of the water cause I kept
involuntarily gasping. But mentally i was ok- the important part. I
just kept telling myself that i will get used to this and I will do
it. So i finally made it head-in into the water and for a while i
alternated freestyle and backstroke. So the swim was a 100 meter
swim out to a big yellow buoy across like 600 or 700 and then another
100 back to land. So there we 3 buoys only i didn't realize it so i
am crawling along an my pace and i see the 2nd buoy but i really think
its the 3rd. And i am like, " this is a piece of cake!" but when i
got closer i realized that no one was turning..hahahaaa.. This 2nd
buoy was more or less the halfway point. So i told myself the just
keep doing what you are doing. There were volunteer lifeguards on
board and kayaks and they were so awesome. Asking politely if i am ok
or just encouraging me. It was great. I would give them a thumbs up
to let them know i was ok. When i turned the last buoy i was really
tired and i was a little off course so this 70 year old woman in a
kayak tells me to start nosing over and tells me i am doing great. I
am not sure if these people know what that does when you are tired and
starting to question why you jumped in 66 degree water to swim a half
mile. So i correct and i go another 50 meters and i look up to see
if i am on course and there she is yelling at me to keep going. I
look at her and say hey didn't i pass you back there or am i not
moving:) So at the end of the swim i went hard. The problem was that
i started feeling queasy. When i got out of the pool i was dizzy and
nauseous. I just walked over to the transition area and tried to get
my head on straight. Changed quickly. And then started riding. My
legs felt pretty bad. I actually thought i had a flat (haha) cause my
legs weren't working right. I told myself to just ride easy for a
bit. I did and i turn this corner and there is a short steep hill.
I is nothing on fresh legs but i was tired. Got up it and turned
another corner and there was a long steady climb. I swear i could
have taken this with no problem but my legs were jello so i went into
mountain biking mode and just took and easy gear and spin spin spin up
the hill. I was sipping on my new insulated 10$ bike bottle and my
liquid was nice and cool. I go to put it back in the holder and
ka-plunk...it goes falling across the street...needless to say it was
a donation and i hope that some local kid got a new water bottle.
This sucked cause i really needed the fluids but forget the things you
cant control(and i am NOT going back for it). Oh did i tell you there
is another loop. Yep short hill and heartbreak slow climb another
time but I felt better so i think my 2nd lap was better. Passed a few
and got passed by a few. Again people encouraging us all the way.
Only one negative issue was some "uber" athlete yelled at me for being
on the left even though the race people were telling us to get left.
So I thanked him in the NY way and kept racing. Finished up the bike
and the run transition was great but...you guessed it....wobbly legs.
So i walked for a bit and scarfed some water. The run was hard. Just
plain old hard. I was really tired so i just ran and walked according
to how i felt. I walked too much but i am ok with it cause i was beat
by that point. But let me tell you about the finish. I ended up
running more at the end of the race. Coming into the finish line they
announced my name and let me tell you..
I have to tell you I got choked up when they announced me coming in to
the finish. Life has been tough lately, not just injuries, but
everything so this finish meant more to me. So i finished 2:15 . I
do not have my splits yet but should have them tonight.

This race is representative of how all tri's should be run. They
were excellent.

Oh and i won a portable foot bath for answering this trivia question:
what were the names of both Rocky's fishes in rocky 1? (cuff and
link) hahaha

My story...continued

2007-08-05T08:20:00.000-04:00

So in April I did a small triathlon. It was great. I was so freaked out a the beginning of my swim that I almost quit. I wanted to very badly but something inside me said something very profound:

BOB TURN ON YOUR BACK AND JUST BREATHE!!!!

Wow whoever gave me that advice was a saint. I did the backstroke and caught my breath. I felt like as a swim went on I got faster. I was swimming with a few other newbies and I waited for them at either side of the pool telling them WE could do this....only a little farther. Little did they know i was pretty freaked out but encouraging them helped me. I was 4th from the back of the pack out of the pool and that was a major accomplishment.

The bike went great. I got a huge rush coming out of the transition with everyone cheering. I passed a bunch of people. Since it was only 6 miles, I went all out.

The best thing i did on the run was i stuck to my plan. I just did my intervals(1.5 minutes running/1 minute walk). The finish was amazing. Everyone cheering and encouraging us. Very cool. AND.....I FELT GREAT!!!!!

Well that was the beginning.

Since then I did a sprint triathlon (with the flu). I will post my race report from that later.

a lovely self portrait of Tina and I

2007-08-05T08:19:00.000-04:00

The phoenix rises from the ashes......

2007-08-04T15:13:00.000-04:00

Well folks. Here it is. My blog.

A little background info:

I used to weight nearly 400 lbs. I have lost over 50 since last year. I have been on a journey of sorts. Trying to figure out my life, my head, and where i fit in this world. I spent about 1o years compulsively overeating which lead to my huge waist and some really terrible feelings. So one day i was lucky enough to wake up and decided i didn't really like wallowing in my own crap....

My wife and I joined Weight watchers. we go every week and we stay for the meetings. We always get something good from the meetings. By the way, my wife has lost over 80 lbs.

I decided to get more into fitness cause one day i had to run for the train and i was so out of breath. I took 15 minutes for my heart rate to get back down to normal. So i started at my local gym (Fitness Incentive). I am very lucky because the people at the gym are fantastic. I have so many friends. Today these people are part of my extended family. I progressed from beginner classes to expert.

A few years ago I saw the Ironman Hawaii on TV and i was amazed but I thought I could never do it. Two years ago i saw a triathlon magazine and bought it. I was always a strong bicyclist. The run i figured that I could always run/walk(which i later found out are called intervals). But I did not swim. I kept saying "all i need to do is figure out how to swim." In April 2006, Tina and I went to Fort Lauderdale, FL. Fort Lauderdale just happens to be the home of the swimming hall of fame and has one of the coolest outdoor swim facilities in the country:) It is located on A1A. The tri gods must have known. I walked in and set up a lesson. It was started. I had my lesson with Dan the swim coach. He helped me out and i actually was able to swim 25 meters without dying or drowning. The quest had begun......

Shoot forward to this past January. I did not swim much since april. Wanted to but never happened. I am one of those people who has excuses. I made every excuse up in the book not to swim. One day my friend Derek proposed we meet and swim and he would give me a few tips. It went pretty good so we started meeting every sunday and we would swim for an hour or so. I saw a small tri (mini-mighty man) that was something i thought i could complete(without drowning). I finished the mini-mighty (400m,6miles,2miles) in 1:07:59.

More to come:)