A long journey from Fathappy to Fithappy with and Ironman in sight
bradcfairchild
Posts: 74 Member
Ten years ago I did the Coeur D'Alene Ironman. I did good, top 10-15 percent of my age group, but haven't really been in that good of shape since. I was fit and happy hence my fithappy word. My world blew up somewhere in the middle. I got divorced everything changed, but that lead me to my new life and my new wife who is more awesome than I can say. Life is as good as it has ever been. Still I have not stayed in great shape. I've been battling my body. I've been fathappy for 10 years. I have not mastered my eating therefore managing my weight at 10 - 20 lbs over where I want to be. A couple years ago my left foot started showing signs that I had a Neuroma. I finally removed it about a year after it started getting so painful that hiking, skiing, walking and running were becoming a real pain. After the surgery and some recovery time, I did something I'd been thinking about,... signing up to do Coeur D'Alene Ironman again! A ten year check up, so to speak. I signed up about a year and a half before the event, I thought I was on my way to getting into shape, but then something snapped. It end up that I got Sciatica, a pain down my left side that pretty much stopped me in my tracks. I had a tear between L5 and S1, a cyst between L4 and L5, and another smaller cyst between L3 and L4. I'm getting through it but cautious of doing too much. I'm stretching a lot. Recently I ran over 6 miles but ten years ago that was a normal everyday type of run.
I'm writing this as a success story because I fully intend to get into good enough shape to participate in the St George half Ironman in May 2016 then the Coeur D'Alene Ironman in August 2016. I'm not sure what if anything, I'm asking or if anyone else will read this. It's nearly April 2016. I have less that 2 months to get ready for the half and about 5 months to be ready for the full. I have my spreadsheet set with goals and milestones. My goal this time is to finish with a smile. I guess what I need is good vibes and reading other success stories.
I'm writing this as a success story because I fully intend to get into good enough shape to participate in the St George half Ironman in May 2016 then the Coeur D'Alene Ironman in August 2016. I'm not sure what if anything, I'm asking or if anyone else will read this. It's nearly April 2016. I have less that 2 months to get ready for the half and about 5 months to be ready for the full. I have my spreadsheet set with goals and milestones. My goal this time is to finish with a smile. I guess what I need is good vibes and reading other success stories.
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Replies
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Good vibes being sent your way.
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Good for you !!1
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L5-S1 is a *kitten*, I swear.
BUT you're on the road to recovery and you can do this!
Just keep the finish line in sight in the back of your mind and you'll get there.
(Also, ice packs are your friend...) 2 -
Ice pack should be my friend. ibuprofen is my friend. Everyone's stories are awesome. I love that were all trying0
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Wishing you well1
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Got up at 4:20 AM and ran 5.7 miles this morning. I figured it was better than just laying there trying to go back to sleep. Beside I wont have time to work out after work. All my longer runs lately have ended in .7 miles, curious. Does anyone else run early in the morning when they can't sleep? One good thing is there are very few cars on the road.0
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Best wishes Brad. I'm interested in triathlons. I'm not imagining the Ironman, but the Olympic distances sound reasonable to me
I just started working out, and I'm seriously over-weight. I set a goal for 4 weeks to do 3 miles on the stationary bike, 2 on the elliptical and 1 mile in the pool. (I love swimming.) I accomplished that goal in 9 days and now I'm setting a new goal, focused on running.
It would not be a good idea for me to run at my current weight... I'd like to keep my 44 year old knees in workable condition. I am going to run 2 miles on the stepper/jogger in 20 minutes by 4/27/16. I did a 13.11 minute mile yesterday, so I think 2- 10 minutes in 4 weeks is a reasonable goal. I need to figure out the proper name of the machine... I'm not sure if it's an arc trainer... basically it mimics the feel of running without the impact.
My short story is I was an active in HS but gained weight after I stopped playing field hockey. I know I can be successful, and that success is now.
I hope you continue to have success. I love that you have a spreadsheet with your goals and milestones!!! Thanks for your story!!2 -
Good luck to you trish2011. Anything we do to get/stay healthy is worthy of our effort. You are right about taking it easy on the knees. Definitely take the running slow. Swimming is most people's fear for Triathlon's so you have that to your advantage. I wish you all the best.0
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You are one tough son of a gun!
I hope your training goes smoothly as possible and you complete the Ironman with a smile on your face!
I think Ironmans are one of the ultimate athletic achievements!1 -
Cheering for you!1
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I had a successful 10 mile run over the weekend. Feeling strong today.... Except for the extra two bagels this morning and then the free dessert they offered me at lunch. I gave in... to all three. The Strawberry shortcake was good.
The bike ride in and home should help. You know, for me, food is the problem. I'm not strict with my diet so loosing weight is so much slower than it could be. I'm finding the discipline to go exercise, so why can't I find the discipline to eat less, pass on the sweets, etc. It seems that if I could figure out the diet side of things, life would be much simpler, and I wouldn't "have to" exercise as much?
How do you get the healthy diet part to work? I'd like to hear your ideas. Thanks
One bagel should have been plenty and I should have said no to the free dessert.0 -
I really should be taking before and after pictures. I don't see any changes but I ran 13.5 miles and I feel good. The weight isn't melting away yet but something good has to be happening. I know I don't do enough weight training I've gotta figure out a way to do that more than once a week. I'm active, ride my bike to and from work a few days a week. (24 miles) I run 2 times are week. I use body glide machine a couple times a week. I do longer training runs and rides on top of that. I would have thought some pounds would have melted away by now. I already had strong legs from skiing all winter. I'm tracking my calories and activity with MyFitnessPal and on a spreadsheet. Last month I averaged about 300 burnt calories a day. This month I am averaging about 600 burnt calories a day. I know the math works so I must be calculating it wrong or my old body needs to burn a few more calories each day. I wonder how important calorie deficit consistency is? Some days I'm over, not many and not by much. Most days I'm under, some days I'm 1500 calories under. The biggest usage has been almost 2000 calories. My half Ironman is coming up in a couple weeks. I'm using it as training for the full Ironman in 3 months. I have weight goals, they are the only thing I am not achieving - yet.0
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You are going to succeed... I just know it. I like to run/walk very early a.m. on Saturday and Sunday mornings when the rest of the world seems to still be sleeping. I'm in FL so it's cooler then as well. I think you should eat the free dessert, but try just eating half of it? You surely seem to be active enough. Accuracy in weighing and measuring and logging is key. I bet if you start doing that you'll start losing. Good luck! Keep us posted!1
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Yesterday I saw hope in my workout and on the scale. Everyone needs days like that. It was a warm day, in the low 80's. I biked 2 hours in the morning then ran 1.5 hours in the hottest part of the day to get a hotter run in. I don't want to get to my half Ironman and run in some heat without training in it. I did yard work for a couple hours or so. Much of the scale was water loss, but still it's nice to see it down a few pounds. What's really nice is to be in good enough health to be so active. I thanks God for that.
kjurassic Thanks for the encouragement.0 -
My last report, I reported seeing a better number on the scale, when I read it again I wondered what I got down to, so I looked it up on my Spreadsheet. I recorded 203 lbs that day. I've only been recording my weight about once a week. Yesterday was another 3 hour workout and I saw 200 on the scale. I hope this is a trend. Weight is something that has been going up and down a bit in the last year. I've seen as much as 211 and a little as 194 lbs. 211 was earlier this month and the 194 was before the Sciatica hit me about Oct of 2015. The 211 really concerned me because I thought it should be headed down sooner and all it was doing was going up. I'm able to do some longer workouts at moderate levels which is super good. I'm going to give it some time and keep working towards my goal of getting in good enough shape to finish an Ironman with that smile on my face. If I did the Ironman in under 12 hours, that would really put a smile on my face, but just finishing would too. Last month started at 207 and ended at 204. This month went up to 211 and now is ending at 200, hopefully. Maybe I shouldn't weigh myself at all since I'm able to do the workouts I have set for myself. Weighing is just one of the factors involved. St George Half Ironman is one week and one day away. I'm pretty much done preparing now. It'll be interesting to see how I do with 2 months of training.0
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I ran home from work yesterday. It was 11 miles with one stop at the running store to buy some EFS liquid shot and another stop to stretch. The Half Ironman is this Saturday so it was probably excessive, so today I am going paragliding instead of riding my bike home. 0
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bradcfairchild wrote: »Ten years ago I did the Coeur D'Alene Ironman. I did good, top 10-15 percent of my age group, but haven't really been in that good of shape since. I was fit and happy hence my fithappy word. My world blew up somewhere in the middle. I got divorced everything changed, but that lead me to my new life and my new wife who is more awesome than I can say. Life is as good as it has ever been. Still I have not stayed in great shape. I've been battling my body. I've been fathappy for 10 years. I have not mastered my eating therefore managing my weight at 10 - 20 lbs over where I want to be. A couple years ago my left foot started showing signs that I had a Neuroma. I finally removed it about a year after it started getting so painful that hiking, skiing, walking and running were becoming a real pain. After the surgery and some recovery time, I did something I'd been thinking about,... signing up to do Coeur D'Alene Ironman again! A ten year check up, so to speak. I signed up about a year and a half before the event, I thought I was on my way to getting into shape, but then something snapped. It end up that I got Sciatica, a pain down my left side that pretty much stopped me in my tracks. I had a tear between L5 and S1, a cyst between L4 and L5, and another smaller cyst between L3 and L4. I'm getting through it but cautious of doing too much. I'm stretching a lot. Recently I ran over 6 miles but ten years ago that was a normal everyday type of run.
I'm writing this as a success story because I fully intend to get into good enough shape to participate in the St George half Ironman in May 2016 then the Coeur D'Alene Ironman in August 2016. I'm not sure what if anything, I'm asking or if anyone else will read this. It's nearly April 2016. I have less that 2 months to get ready for the half and about 5 months to be ready for the full. I have my spreadsheet set with goals and milestones. My goal this time is to finish with a smile. I guess what I need is good vibes and reading other success stories.
I live in Coeur d'Alene. Thinking about volunteering this year since I only live a couple blocks from downtown. Let us know your race number and I will give you a shout out on the course!2 -
Coeur d'Alene Ironman volunteers are awesome. Thanks in advance. You've made me curious to see if I already have a number. If I have one I can't see it. Thanks to you and all your friends who volunteer.0
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I'm only half crazy. I finished the St. George Half Ironman with a smile on my face. The weather was a challenge. It was cold and rainy. I weighed this morning 206 lbs. although I'm happy that I finished. Did it in 7:01. I feel good on the Monday after. So over all I feel very successful and thankful.
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Congratulations!!! Tough conditions and tough course!1
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Congratulations great job 1
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My wife is like the best hiker, and I almost kept up with her while hiking Olympus yesterday. That says a lot about the shape I'm getting in. When she wants me to go faster she tell me that I'm the best hiker ever.
Also saw 200lbs on the scale. Good day for sure. Now I have to get back on the training schedule for the Ironman. It really is kind of a crazy thing to do, but I was crazy enough to pay for it so I'm doing it with a smile on my face! 1 -
Go Brad go!!!!1
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I hit a speed bump, so to speak, in my training yesterday. Actually it was train tracks. I went out in the street to get a better angle, but tandem bikes are so long and heavy. I probably started straightening out too early so that the back tire fell in the tracks and we went down. My wife is a tough little mama. She just has road rash and a sore neck. I remember bits and pieces, like a dream almost, I remember the tire, hitting the ground, people standing around offering to help, being on the train which took us to the hospital. I remember everything after we got off the train. The results of trying to get into share and loose weight is: a concussion of sorts, road rash, a minor break in my left wrist, and a separated right shoulder. It's the shoulder I'm most worried about. Has anyone had a separated shoulder? Does it heal quickly? Did you need surgery? The x-ray shows about an inch gap where the collar bones should be touching the shoulder. I came to work today because I didn't want to sit around feeling sorry for myself. I doubt I'll make the whole day though. Yike! Life just happened. Next move heal and go forward.0
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I had surgery 4 days ago. I'm healing slowly. Every morning I can tell it's a tiny bit better. The Doc said to move the arm only from the elbow down until I see him again in a week. I've decided my diet is that more important now that I'm limited on moving. It hurts like crazy to move. I went 12 hours between pain pill yesterday. Maybe I can be done with them today. I did see 201 on the scale the other day. I think Ironman is out this year but I can still accomplish some dieting goals.1
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Get well soon! Maybe just a speed bump to an ironman next year? 1
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@bradfairchild somehow I missed this news! I'm so sorry but glad you're healing and that your wife wasn't hurt worse! I hear you on the messed up tri season. I'm in a boot from a broken leg last month that was just a stupid fall. Yes, nutrition now is the thing and let's both focus hard on getting that right - then we'll be extra ready when we can get back to it. Best wishes for speedy healing!1
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@bradfairchild somehow I missed this news! I'm so sorry but glad you're healing and that your wife wasn't hurt worse! I hear you on the messed up tri season. I'm in a boot from a broken leg last month that was just a stupid fall. Yes, nutrition now is the thing and let's both focus hard on getting that right - then we'll be extra ready when we can get back to it. Best wishes for speedy healing!
Best wishes for speedy healing! To you too.1 -
At the Post Op office visit my doctor convinced me to NOT, run or swim until after I heal and the plate is out. I have a titanium plate screwed to my collar bone which is holding up my clavicle which is holding up the rest of my shoulder and arm. Now that I see what he did, I agree that it's best to let this heal with as little bouncing and repetitious exercise as possible. I'm still plotting with Ironman to see if I can still partially do it. This time I'm asking if I can switch to a team with my step daughter doing the swim and the run. She did it last year, she just had a baby but could get in shape again for those parts. This is my last request before I ask for the $150 refund, cancel my reservations and tell my wife to schedule a cruise. On a more positive note. I've been below 200 lbs on the scale a couple times recently. It gives me hope that I'm doing something right with the diet. I would be fithappy to maintain around 190 lbs and race below 185 lbs.2
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