My athletic background, part I

Current weight: 185 lbs; goal weight: 175 lbs
Supplements: NewChapter Wholemega fish oil, 4000mg/day
Pure Intensity Pure Burn (all ingredients verified to be WADA legal at www.globaldro.com)
Kirkland Signature Premium Performance Multivitamin

One of my purposes for writing this blog was for accountability and input. So, to be honest, this has been a very inconsistent week for training. I was on the bike for only 3 hours when I have been getting a good 6-8 hours in. I did get my Tues and Thurs core workouts in however.

Because my schedule only really allows for early morning workouts, sleep is at a premium in my life. Add that to a 2 year old who still doesn't sleep all through the night and there are some days where I justify and extra hour and a half of sleep vs. a 1.5 hour bike ride. Any input on overcoming a 4 hour night's rest to hop on the trainer would be helpful! I look forward to a new week to get back on it.

I thought today I'd start to share a bit of my athletic background.

As a kid, I took very quickly to swimming. I was doing laps at the local swim and tennis club at age 5. At 8, I started swimming competitively, winning every event I entered until high school. I spent every summer day at the pool. Add winter club swimming in there and I made for one chlorinated kid! I played some of the stick and ball sports as well. A few years of little league, soccer and Boys Club basketball, but I enjoyed the uniqueness and physical challenge of competitive swimming most. It was also what I was best at.

As many swimmers did, I began life guarding and coaching swimming in high school along with a more focused training regimen with the West Mesa High School swim team. I excelled at district level meets even as a freshman. Unfortunately I had a bit too much freedom and not enough responsibility my freshman year and let my grades slip. So much so I was booted from the swim team until I could pick up my grades. It was devastating and eye opening at the same time.

I did get my grades up to finish the season with the team and even qualified for the state swimming championships. One of only a few freshman to do so, I made it to the consolation final in the 50 free.

For the rest of my swimming career, I made a name for myself as a sprinter, focusing on the 50 and 100 free. I was unbeatable in district meets and held my own at the state and regional levels. I ended up 4th and 5th respectively at the high school state championships my senior year.

It had been my goal throughout my youth to swim in college but I think some burnout and immaturity kept me to the club level after high school. I think back on that many times with regret. But the choices I made led me in new paths. Maybe some of my drive currently is to make up for decisions I could have made 15 years ago. Regardless, new doors were opened.

The years of my youth were also peppered with cycling and sailboat racing, additional activities I became very passionate about. We'll look at that history in part 2.