Keeping Up … And Slimming Down?

I call 'em "Cheaps Ahoy!" and I love 'em, but damn ...

After a weak June, I rebounded with a solid July: 24 rides for a total of 742 miles. That effort got me to August 1 with 2,310 outdoor miles, year-to-date, exactly the same total with which I began August 2022. I finished last year with 4,190 miles, my lowest total since 2013, so I’m not celebrating my current status. My goal for 2023 is not to match 2022, but to reach 90,000 lifetime miles. I need to finish this season with a total of 4,422 to get there. Obviously I am not on that pace, but I’m not far off.

Training will change this month. My endurance rides will get longer. Cyclocross practices will force me to do intervals. I don’t know if I will find time for mountain biking—Saturdays are my only good options—but in general I will be doing a better mix of workouts on the bike. I will be getting back into home gym workouts too, not just for strength, but also for flexibility and mobility. Since returning from Pennsylvania last Friday, I have been using my foam roller again, and the results have been surprisingly painful. I have a lot of work to do in all phases of my fitness plan. Luckily, my main cyclocross goals are in October. If I’m a good boy, then I can find some kind of good form by then.

Body weight may be the bigger challenge. I started August 2022 at 198 pounds and dropped to 196 by September 1. Today I am 203 pounds. That’s only a 1-pound drop since May 1, the date of my previous weigh-in. Being at Mom’s house for 10 weeks provided many opportunities for treats I would not have had at home, and I didn’t try very hard to resist them. I’m home now, though, completely in charge of what I eat and drink. August will be a month without Coca-Cola or cookies, and the elimination of those empty calories should have a measurable effect. Can I lose 7 pounds in August to finish the month at the same weight I recorded on September 1, 2022? I think so. That’s a good goal.