I was going to put my NSV for last month. But last month is old news as of today.
But In October I climbed 30,000 feet. I got the Strava challenge badge for that.
Today I climbed 2,000 feet. I think my Garmin short changes me on calories though.
Garmin says approx 700. I usually give myself 10 cal per minute for regular climbing. That would be more like 1,000 cals.
But if I am in HR zone 4 or 5 I allocate 13. But no way can I climb in those zones for the duration of a 2,00 foot climb.
My wife says I should just take the lowball and that way I will lose faster. I think I want BMI < 20.
I don't go for hard every day. Alternating days my knee needs R&R.
I can still satisfy 20 minutes of activity though.
Climbing today I seen maybe 10 deer and some wild turkeys. If I stop to get a picture they run off before my camera will "boot." If I don't stop they ignore me. I climb at like 4 mph.
I descend at like 25 or 30. I was descending and some deer ran right out in front of me.
It was windy and cold at 10,000 feet. I was soaked with sweat. I have to change clothes in order to descend comfortably. Sometimes I carry dry clothes in my pack. Not the case today.
Best I could do was take my clothes off and turn them inside out. You know what I mean. Dry(er) outer layer goes next to skin. Wet layer goes outside. Put on windbreaker.
Brrr. Windy and cold for my changing.
Pretty fun hobby eh?

-bob

@bocasdelbob wow! that IS a great hobby. and i can only imagine the strength and endurance required to do that sort of activity! here I am working my buns off to get back on track on the elliptical. lol.
Kudos!

I have recently started strength training (10/28/2016) and it has been fun so far. I'm down 4 lbs this first week since last Friday, so I am excited about that.
I have decided to just alternate lower body and upper body 4 days out of the week and do cardio the other days. on rest days, i'll do a minimum of 20 minutes of yoga to make sure I meet the exercise requirement for this challenge.
So far so good.
I was feeling a bit nausea after breakfast, so ended up eating a midmorning snack so my calories are a bit higher than they should be for today. going to try and keep it light for dinner and stay under calories or have to take a PASS :-(. hopefully not. i think i can do it.

have a good weekend!

Climbing, climbing, climbing,
Keep them doggies climbing...

This is an image that is reminiscent of my funnest day this summer. You can kind of see where that slender piece of black top starts in center background. That place is at 12,800 feet. Now this ain't Mt Everest but there still ain't a satisfying amount of oxygen up here for much of any kind of exertion. In July I typically put a tent at 10,500 and spend some time up here doing hill repeats. This hill tops out at like 14,130 feet or so. July challenge, test out your heart and lungs in some rarefied air. You get aerobic exercise up here on less exertion than usual.

On the last hill repeat of this excursion, I started back there at 12,800 and noticed an endurance trail runner getting it together for a run up. This is kind of early in the morning. You have to do it early because otherwise there are cars. That road ain't big enough for runners/bicyclers and cars.
Anyway, I hate getting passed by runners so I grab about a ten minute head start. I plod along climbing at maybe 4 mph, maybe a shade less and sure enough the trail runner catches up.

I think about this often. I think that climbing at high altitude on a steep hill a bicycle is a disadvantage. I mean a runner has what, just a few grams of clothing and maybe some water. My bicycle is 30 pounds and I got maybe 3 pounds of water a sack lunch and a camera. Only advantage my bicycle is good for in this situation is a place to sit. It costs way more energy than a runner has to spend.

So the runner catches up. This runner is a twenty something girl that has BMI of maybe 17. You seen this runner body type before. She looks like she weighs all of 90 pounds. She spends a moment or two in passing and I remark "I hate getting passed by runners." She smiles. It is game on. So off she goes. Now I can't pass her back. Heck, I am an old man. But what I like about the episode is that the road goes into a region of hairpin turns and switchbacks. So I would ride and she would run and she would end up directly above me on a switchback. She would be standing there leaning forward hands on knees trying to get her breathing regulated. I would look up there see her and think "ah, her respiration is blown, I can catch her and pass her back."

So I would get up to the same switchback stretch that she was on, pull within 20 yards or so and she would take off running again. Pattern repeats I don't know how many switchbacks. We got to the top without me ever having caught up or passing her back. I don't know why I thought the episode so fun. Probably because I am an old guy racing a kid in 13- 14 thousand foot air. This weren't no slouchy kid either. She is an athlete. She regularly runs Ultra marathons. So yeah, here is me memorializing the funnest day of my summer and realizing the reward of having invested in my health and fitness. Hey that is almost as good as a pack of Marlboros and a twelve pack of beer.

Pretty weird hobby eh?

I love this story!! Very inspiring and entertaining. I love days like that.

I got my husband into exercising. He stated and he got to the gym atleast once a day and I don't know how to encourage him to go the gym more often. I need him to lose about 200 pounds just to get him to 200 lbs. I got him in the biggest loser to get him active and I think its stating to work. He can't find a place to weigh himself because he is over 450 lbs and we can't afford to get a scales for him so for him to find a place to weigh himself gets him down. I can't wait until he gets to a more normal weight so he can use the scale. That way he can see his progress going down. I know its going to come, I just see the hurt in his eyes when I have to ask him to go weigh himself and he has to go to a special place that is not even really for humans.

I know we are going to get where we both needs to be and its going to take some time.

@tyshieha That is amazing! Just getting him to go at all is a victory in my opinion. He may have a long road ahead of him, but don't underestimate the power of your positive influence. Keep encouraging and setting a good example for him like you already are.
Are you able to go for walks around the neighborhood? Start small and big things can happen! I commend you for being his cheerleader and his rock. That isnt always an easy task, but it sounds like you are ready for the challenge. Keep it up!

sorry I haven't been on for a while I have been really busy all week. Well I have great news.......I have went to the gym this week for 5 out of 6 days!!! I am so excited.

OK so I cheated as well. I am suppose to weight myself every Sunday but I am trying so hard to get to my 20th lb that I weighed myself this morning and I am at my 20th pound. I am currently 208. I hope I can lose at least 1 more pound by Sunday but I am happy. Now I am working on my next set of goals!

Immediate goal is to try to go continue to go to the gym at least 5 days a week. To make sure I drink at least 60 oz of water every day.

My Short term goal has changed. My short term goal is to get to 188 which is 20 pounds down.

My long term goal is to get to my ideal weight of 125-130. I have 80 pounds left.