Time for a Gut Check!

I got a text from my brother Jonny Rocker this week checking in on training for Cycle Oregon...



And then another...



And I thought, "Wow, he's kicking my butt." 

Time for a "gut check" on my training progress, literally and figuratively.

In my last post -- on March 5 (I know, I'm a terrible blogger) -- I talked about the need to lose my winter weight and set a goal to lose 15 pounds by May 15th. So how did I do? Terrible. I didn't lose a single pound! In fact, I think I gained a couple. I felt like a failure (which is probably why I didn't post an update then).

It's not that I didn't try. I did. I rode 255 miles in March, 188 in April and 260 in May. I used MyFitnessPal to track calories and based on the numbers I should have been losing weight. But I wasn't, until this past month. 

Patty's brother Tim Blach sports a
Patty's Pack 10th Anniversary jersey.

I logged 312 miles in June, including 150 miles on the Colorado Bike MS ride with Patty's Pack this past weekend, and finally feel and see my body returning to summer shape. As of this morning I've lost half of those 15 pounds I wanted to be gone by May 15.

As for mileage, I'm doing better than I thought. I've actually logged 1332 miles to date in 2016, not that far behind Rocker. I don't think I'll hit 3,000 by the end of August (the ride starts September 11) but 2,500 seems doable, given my travel schedule.

I hoped to get in a good long ride today but the weather is not cooperating. Rain and thunderstorms forecast all day. Bummer. But I'll never complain about rain, especially July 4th weekend. Helps keep the fire danger low. :)

Speaking of which, Happy Independence Day!

Ride on...

Daren