Jim's Place

Howdy doody!

Been a long time since I posted! Seems like all my friends and family are on facebook so that's where I spend most of my cyber socializing time. Anyway, here's a quick summary since my last post. My "good time of year" never showed up - which is usually late summer/early fall. My allergy doc says it was due to unusually high pollen levels which always trigger profound sick feelings/malaise because of the underlying autoimmune disorder. As a result, my fitness program was mostly derailed. I had to bail on my goal of doing the 2011 Tour De Poway.
On a good note, I started an aggressive schedule of allergy shots and they have helped a lot. I rarely have the profound malaise/fatigue/sickness that has been so dominant. The downside is that the therapy has caused chronic tiredness. So I haven't been any more functional but I have felt a lot better!
I've also gotten back into my longtime hobby of flying radio-controlled sailplanes. It's been a real blessing, because many times when I haven't up to doing much of anything, I would just grab my glider, go down the street and fly for 15-20 minutes.
For 2012, my main focus is to continue full-blast with the allergy shots, hoping that maybe this spring won't be rough like it usually is. As such I hope to be back on the bike and once again training like a madman! Happy 2012! BTW - Here's my favorite glider - the Omega 1.8. It has a 71" wingspan and an electric motor to launch it up to altitude where I turn off the motor and catch thermals. Lots of fun!

A quick update

A quick update... I was off and running strong with my Body-for-LIFE challenge that I started January 24, 2011 but by the end of March, illness had derailed it. I had completed about 6 weeks straight of workouts and had dropped 21 lbs. But when the pollens went up, I went down. I couldn't believe how hard they hit me but then again this scenario has played out every spring for at least the last 10 years... Still don't completely understand it. I just know I have an autoimmune condition that takes a common allergy condition to a debilitating level.

I did go camping at Lake Jennings in May and really enjoyed being in my tent trailer for over 10 days. Anyway, I'm finally feeling up to working out and got in a few short rides last week. Hopefully, I'll be on a roll for sometime...

I'm back!

Haven't posted in forever! I pretty much have put all my posting energy into keeping up with everyone on facebook. A lot has happened since my last post in October. I went to Texas for a visit in mid-October. My stepdad Tom passed away in early December and I spent most of the month back in Fort Worth. It was hard to lose him, especially since he had been doing better in the last year. Understandably, Christmas was rather heavy-hearted with Tom gone and this being the first Christmas without Mom.

I've been focused on my Body-for-LIFE program and finally dropped the extra weight I picked up over the holidays. A lot of that was due to inactivity but also because of thyroid imbalances - and I'm sure there was a significant emotional component behind it as well. I still don't feel well, although I'm so much better than recent years. But I just don't have the stamina to put in a "normal" full day more than once in awhile. My guess is that my underlying issue - an immune system in overdrive - still taxes my energy significantly. Going to back to any kind of work seems so far away...

One of my main goals now is to learn to make progress even when I'm sick or inactive for whatever reason. No more sliding backwards... I'm also determined to master photography and Java/Android phone programming. Perhaps, that'll give me options to have some sort of a career again - one that doesn't require consistent wellness or normal functioning.

Anyway, I really miss Mom and Tom but I'm comforted knowing that someday I'll see them again...

Just wrapped up my extended 2010 Summer Body-for-LIFE challenge - 16 weeks. Didn't do that much weight-training but I sure put in some miles on the bike! 1600 miles in 16 weeks! Funny, but even though I'm obviously doing much better I still have a long way to go. Often, when I hop on the bike I don't feel so hot, but then again, turning the pedals doesn't seem to make things worse and building conditioning and losing weight has to be doing wonders for my body! Here's the progress video with before/after photos.

My first 100-mile bike ride since 1999

I've been in pretty intense training the last 3 months, riding the bike a total of 1500 miles. In the process, I dropped 35lbs and Sunday, Oct. 3rd, I finally accomplished a long sought-after goal of doing another 100-mile bike ride - the 2010 Tour De Poway Century. The last one I did was in 1999, and illness derailed numerous attempts to do it again - but not this time...

This music video was made from video captured during the ride.

It was 102 miles, 5500ft of climbing, 6hrs 44min at an avg heart rate of 138bpm. Serious cardio! (especially when you're 55yrs old and weigh 234lbs!)

25.1 miles...

Just hopped off the bike. 25.1 miles.1hr 47min at an avg heart rate of 130bpm. Good avg speed of 14.1mph for moderate exertion in windy conditions. 1473ft of climbing. This is me about mile 10. :)

Hopping on the bike

Hopping on the bike to do 20-25 miles. The plan is to keep the intensity moderate and not too much climbing. I'll be doing my Greenfield loop pictured below.

"What Faith Can Do"

50-70 mile bike rides were somewhat routine for me in 1994-95. But chronic illness eventually made it so that I wasn't hardly riding at all. Year-after-year I was determined to get back on the bike but wasn't able to get in a 70-mile ride until the other day. I hope this video inspires others - especially pituitary patients - to hang in there when it seems there is no hope to get well...to have faith that God truly does hear their prayers...

Testing my TypePad-to-facebook posting

Testing my TypePad-to-facebook posting. Here's an update video on my progress after 3 weeks on this Body-for-LIFE challenge with some video from my 18.3 mile ride out to Mission Trails Park and back.

Jim's most excellent July 4th

Started the day with a short bike ride then watched the fireworks nearby.