Cycling is a tough sport, no doubt about it. It requires that you get the most from your body. This includes proper training, recovery, nutrition...blah blah blah. I'm sure you've heard all that, so i'll skip the basics. This being my first year riding at this level, I've got a lot to learn in some of these areas. I have made changes, some of which a year ago I would be disgusted by. For example: last year I hated the idea of taking the esculator/lift to get up one flight of stairs. Even two flights i'd be reluctant to. I always saw esculators as a waste of time, kind of like a skyscraper of popsicle sticks or a 50ft magnifying glass.
Studying nutrition made me a big supporter of push play. Taking those extra few steps every now and then to fight diabetes, heart disease and all those things that seem to be a popular craze these days.
It wasn't till I started to up my training to the sort of volume and intensity required at this level that I started to really appreciate escalators and lifts. Now when ever I see an escalator I'm one of those really annoying people who try to push their way onto it. Well, not really. I try not to be obnoxious and get in peoples way, but I do always save my legs by not walking. I even turned a few heads at the ADA (American Diabetes Association) conference in San Fran when I was seen taking the bike up and down the escalator (holding it, not riding).
Another thing that I have changed, or am trying to change is my weight. Though I don't have huge amounts of body fat, I am still a lot heavier than a lot of other riders within the peleton. A health check at the ADA told me I need to talk to my doctor about a few things, one of them being my body fat %. Not too high, but too low. The check up also said I need to talk to my doc about my high HbA1c, random glucose and triglycerides. Given I'd just eaten, the glucose and the triglycerides were what I'd expect. As for the A1c, well, yes I am a diabetic.
Before I get distracted, back to the weight issue. Before arriving in the states, I was tipping the scales at around 79kg (174lb). During my first month or two in Boulder, I had dropped down to around 77kg. I had lost a little, but not a huge amount. I was riding pretty well, and feeling good. But then came RAAM. I heard about how I would lose all this weight during the race and that I shouldn't go into to light. Well, this didn't eventuate. Although I didn't try to put on weight before it, I didn't worry about weight. I then managed to lose absolutely nothing during my trip from Ocean to Ocean. The eating and celebrations certainly started after RAAM. By the time I got home to Boulder I had hit the 80kg mark!!! This wasn't good, I had to do something.
The last time I weighed my self was before heading off to MS and TN in late June: I was 80kg. I don't know if I put on weight over the next week, but I certainly didn't lose any. I then came home briefly before heading off to Cascade. It was when I was in Bend, OR that I decided to lose weight. There was no sugar coating it, I had to cut back a lot on my eating.
Arriving back in Boulder I cut back on my eating. For a start I've banned myself from cheese. I've also cut back on margarine and peanut butter. I'm eating a lot less energy than I use to, and my insulin requirements have reflected this. I'm obviously taking a lower daily volume, since I'm eating less, but when I do eat I need less as well.
Now I don't want to develop an eating disorder, and I'm certainly not wanting to lose ridiculous amounts of weight straight off, but I am slimming down. I finally weighed myself and I'm back down to 78kg, so I've lot at least 2kg in not that long, possibly more. If I can keep up this I'll be looking like the guy below.
I plan to lose a bit more, and see how I feel. Then I'll be flying up the hills, and pretty much every time I get on my bike; sweet. well, I'm off to get some food now... I mean some water.
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