a_welch503 WORKOUT JOURNAL

[tim_mcf]

Nice job. I bet it feels great!

[.V.]

Thanks ya'll - actually today it feels...sore.

And nope I didn't know he was going to be there. I did learn a bit about why I'm such a bad runner while he was with me too - I don't lean forward enough, I'm running with my hips straight forward too much - keeping them stiff and moving my upper body wrong.

When I was of the appropriate age, the military didn't want me due to my medical history. I had no idea how much knowledge a drill instructor - let alone a Ranger instructor could 1-teach you very quickly and 2-motivate you to keep going.

It was really a cool experience. People who I'd met only the day before and some only that morning - ones who'd just handed me my ass in competition saw me having trouble walking when I got off the bike - bilateral glute/ham spasms are pretty tough to deal with - were all shouting encouragement to me and to him saying, "run him Ranger, push him through it". And to me, "come on - you can do it!!" Some of the ones who actually won ran the last 1/4 mile with us to push me on towards the finish.

[MostMuscle]

A BIG CONGRATS to you man!

Make sure you take some time off and heal up.

[.V.]

Thanks man. I'm definitely doing NOTHING at all today. And I slept all afternoon yesterday. Then last night - I slept some more. This morning - I slept even more.

[etothepii]

Great job!!!! Next time I need some inspiration, I'm going to this about this!!

[CF-OC_gal]

Great job Andy! You made it through and it was no small feat!

Congratulations! : : :

Hi Andy,

Here is my belated congratulations on a job well done. Obey your body because it is tired. Nothing wrong with a good 3 days of rest or just some walking. Your performance as you return to the iron will be much better if you do this.

How about a little more detail, like the distance and your times for each part of the event.

Enjoy your rest and bask in your glory, because you did it and finished it and that is great.

Have a great day!

[ajarvis]

Congratulations!!! AWESOME JOB! : All your hard work paid off - like we new it would! Sounds like an amazing experience.

[sunmedicFL]

OH MAN!!! that must've been a thrill of a lifetime!!! OOOhh I envy you!
As if finishing isn't reward enough, you did it with you're little brother stepping up & egging you on. AWESOME!!

For what it's worth, we're almost strangers, and I think I speak for most of us that've followed your journey... I'm proud of you.

[Klinger]

Well done Andy - I and all your fellow DFers are damn proud of you, brother!

[seraph]

nice job, i'm pysched for ya!! : :

[.V.]

Thanks ya'll. You are very kind.
I'm happy I finished. Now I've got to have some new goals like get as strong as possible (for me). I also plan to do another sprint possibly this fall or next spring. If I keep being blessed with improving condition I'll shoot for a 1/2 ironman next year then by 40 a real one. I know some new hills to train on - rolling up and down including "the beast of the east" - it's a pretty steep, long climb - my first time riding it ever...kicked my butt. I made quite a few beginner mistakes and I know how not to make them again. Each one compounds into the next one.

Lesson 1 - more martial arts practice so I can get by with wearing bike shorts in public.

Lesson 2 - attach a leatherman tool to the bike to make adjustments when things go wrong.

Lesson 3 - more practice for the first transition...the cold isn't as bad so I'll just wear 1/2 wetsuit next time.

Lesson 4 - don't be in such a hurry changing that I put a wet, muddy swimsuit back on instead of running shorts then have to change again (no problem next time wear bike shorts for the swim).

Lesson 5 - make sure no one decides to be nice to me and pack my stuff back into my bag so it doesn't get lost while I'm swimming. Socks, underwear, running shorts, shoes DO NOT BELONG IN THE BOTTOM OF THE BAG UNDER ALL MY OTHER STUFF.

Lesson 6 - avoid people with viruses the week before a competition - nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, chills take a lot out of you and adversely effect performance.

Now I know I can do it - I've got to learn to do it better.

I had thought about lifting today - but I was still sick until afternoon so I just took another day off. I'm making sure this virus is fully gone before doing any other exercise. Oh and those that told me the duathalon was equivalent - were absolutely full of SH*T. It was nothing close to the same.

[.V.]

05-20-2006

Weights
Deadlift............275x4
....................295x1
....................305x0
Cable Crunch.....100x2x20
Pullup...............25x4
BB Curl.............105x8
DB Curl..............45x8

Nutrition - as planned/on schedule

Comments
Felt good to be back in the gym, but something just wasn't right. I like the idea of 2X a week workouts for the extra recovery time, but I hate being in the gym for 2+ hours each time. I like to get in, get done, get out. The happiness of lifting just wasn't there today.

Deadlifts didn't go as planned, on the 4th rep, my left hamstring gave out on me - similar to the pain from last week. So I did singles to failure instead. Didn't take long to fail. Couldn't quite lock the top of the pull. This leg thing eliminated GHR's for today. At least I got a nice shrug at the top of each deadlift.

More stretching, more resting, next time will be better.

After the high of the triathalon and the beauty of competing outdoors, it may take you a time or two before you get jazzed about being back in your iron dungeon.

Enjoy your weekend!

[.V.]

Yeah, may take a time or two. But I actually loved being out there. Just not feeling the "joy of lifting" like I usually do. I absolutely love picking up heavy stuff and moving it until I can't.