Rebuilding an engine

Last week I posted a feature on Triathletemag.com describing my experience being tested at Cadence Cycling and Multisport in New York. http://www.triathletemag.com/Departments/Features/2007_Features/Report_from_Boot_Camp.htm

I mention in the article I came home with a packet of detailed information. I also spent time last weekend talking with Rebecca Marks Rudy, a nutritionist with Trismarter.com. I presented Rebecca a multi-day food log. We talked for a while about sports nutrition in general, and she took an initial look at my food log. She asked detailed questions about exactly what foods I ate, when, and how much. I also had a fresh set of numbers from Cadence---in one of the tests, Chad Butts, the Cadence exercise physiologist, hooked me up to a device that ran an electric current through me and generated a report about what's going on with the 202.4 pounds I currently way. It was not easy information to swallow, but it's always good to know exactly where you stand when you start the new year and embark on a training mission. Rebecca took the numbers and my food log and spent time this week crunching detailed numbers.

The Cadence body composition report went like this:

Age: 44
Weight: 202.4
Height: 72 inches
Body fat %: 28.0 (!)
Weight actual fat: 56 pounds (!!!)

Boy, I knew I was in rough shape, but the image of hauling around 56 pounds of fat every step I run is--no pun intended--depressing. But the great thing about getting the picture of truth is that you have something to measure progress by. I recall years ago hearing about a study that showed how keeping a detailed log and charting objective, specific data clearly was an advantage as compared to those who didn't keep track of objective information. It seemed like the charted progress, incremental though it may have been, gave test subjects a feeling of satisfaction. And ultimately momentum.

I came back from New York last Sunday night. I've had a good week of training and am looking to do the same this weekend. Bring on the momentum