Assessing the Damage

Yesterday I assessed the damage of the offseason: I stepped on a scale for the first time since September. The last time I weighed myself was the week leading up to Rev3 Cedar Point when I was at peak fitness. The number I saw then: 146.4 pounds. The offseason damage report: 159.6 pounds yesterday morning. No wonder 6min pace was so difficult to hold during my tempo run! The weight is about what I was expecting. What's more is that I'm up to 60 miles per week running and can tell that I've already lost an estimated 5-6 pounds. I still have yet to start swimming or cycling, this week will mark four months away from the bike and the pool. I plan to start swimming this week but it could be another three weeks before I get back on the bike. Three weeks are left in the collegiate swim season and once it wraps up I'll instantly have an extra 3-5 hours each day to train, the time I am currently spending coaching. I'm really not too worried. My experience tells me that the aerobic base I have from running will bring my swim and bike fitness along much quicker than if I wasn't exercising at all right now. Running is by far the most time efficient way to build the aerobic engine (not to mention lose weight) and in past years I've questioned how much I am really gaining by doing 2-3 hour aerobic rides on the trainer. What I'm doing certainly isn't the ideal way to be training right now but I'm confident I'll be in at least respectable shape come May and no reason I can't be coming into peak form in mid-July when I plan my first block of peak races.

A couple pics I snapped of my legs last September, the week of Rev 3









Pic of the same leg today, pitiful