1 Year Blogging my journey!

 1 Year of blogging my exercising!

I started this blog 1 year ago today and I was not fully sure that it was something I was going to really keep up with but I have kept up with it well enough. I was over weight, not getting out of the house, and could not fit into pants that I used to go to work in every day. I was also not feeling myself in just about every way as I used to like to go to the gym or hike but it was years since I had done any of that stuff. 

Today one year into the journey I have changed all of the bad things and I feel better than I have in a very long time about myself. I still have work to do and things I want to accomplish as far as exercising goes so this blog is still going to get plenty of updates. I also gained a few pounds over the winter where I was only able to ride my fat bike and over ate. One of the things I did not expect was I was going to get so obsessed with cycling. I thought that the treadmill was going to be a better purchase than the bike but I would MUCH rather get out on my bikes than run on the treadmill. 

   

My starting point of this year for weight is 155.8 and I am happy with this. I might have put on some weight along the way but I have not gotten much fatter. I still fit into all my pants with plenty of room to spare and my belly looks about the same as the last time I took a picture of myself. I feel like this is a perfect place to start year 2 on the journey and I can focus on other things like riding faster, getting a place to swim, and not about losing weight or focusing on belly fat. My plan right now is to get ready for a triathlon. I have no issues running and cycling the miles needed and I think I found a place to get my swimming in order so I just need to work on speed. I do not expect to rank high if I end up joining it but I do want to not be last either. 

How the exercising is going.

I have kept up with my cycling over the winter at least enough where I can pull the kids in the charriot for 20 miles and still walk to the store instead of driving there. Since I started really getting into exercise I have been choosing to do my chores either by bike or by walking to places. I started that last year and it has been such a good idea. I also started to notice that on days where I can not get a bike ride or a good run in I am less happy throughout the day and into the next day. Because of this I decided to make the effort to do everything I can by cycling or walking. If I have to get a gallon of milk I am cycling to the store for example. It only takes a few minutes longer and I feel so much better than if I were to just get into the car and drive there. Its one of those things I would recommend people at least try if where they live is okay for it. I know there are some places that you have to take a car or there is a freeway or something you just cant pass or something. Either way the exercising has been going well and I am able to go all day with out issues. Last year I would go all day with things like two 15 mile bike rides in a day but it would get to me a bit by the end. Now I feel just fine doing something a little over the top like that and its exciting to me that I am not a couch potato any longer. 

The equipment status

I have been riding the Ozark Trail G.1 Explorer for most of the year last year and I love that bike. Its still not the best bike on the market sure but I abuse it a bit and do not really care becuase it was cheap. It takes what I put it through with no problems aside from normal wear and tear. The quick releases have some rust, the front fork has some rust, the back tire is almost bald, and I had to replace the break pads this morning. I have not put any money into new parts yet and it needs some but for what it cost it was well worth it. It even took a stick in the rear derailleur rubbing the chain for a mile or two this morning. 

I had not had enough coffee to realize that I was slow because a stick got lodged in the derailleur. I am not sure how I did not notice this because trying to peddal was hard like I was in mud but I just put it out of my mind and kept going until I finally stopped for a second and looked back there to see a stick. I ended up taking it out and bending the cage a little bit back as it got bent in the process of taking the stick out. It shifts fine and the chain seems like it is moving properly on that cog so its fine. It did make me test out the rest of the bike and figure out that the back break was not slowing the bike down at all. After looking it was far too worn to be use and needed to be replaced. The one I took of the bike is on the left and on the right is the new pad set. I got about 1000 miles of the pads I had to replace so I would say those are well worth the money I paid for them. 

I also got the charriot and Ozark Trail Ridge out this past weekend to take the kids for a ride. That bike is doing well and the charriot will need tires soon but they are fine for now. After looking at how many miles I have on that I have 500 miles on the Ozark Trail Ridge and 600 on the charriot. Both of them are running perfectly well and I have not had to replace anything on either of those. I will say though I wish I picked a bike with a different way to attach the charriot as the quick release on the Ridge is either too tight or a bit too lose and going to end up damaging the quick release so I will need to replace that at some point. Either way that set up is fine for now. 

The treadmill I bought that was cheap is still running fine for the miles I have put on it. The motor makes a bit of a noise now. I have been oiling it as the instructions say to but it is still a bit loud. It was a 400 dollar treadmill some noise after a year of use does not seem all that bad to me. I would post a picture of it but like its a cheap treadmill and there is nothing really to see about it. 

What does year 2 have in store for me.

I am planning to keep on keeping on with all of this. The exercising, the blogging, and all of it. The biggest thing I want to do for this year is the triathlon. I might end up backing out of it becuase I over think things but I really want to do it and not over think it. I also would like to get going on vlogging or what not. I have been very much over thinking that and though I have it all set up I just have not done anything with it yet. No matter what though I will be exercising and cycling every day that I can. I also will be going back on a bit of diet and trying to just trim the last little bits of fat I have. I still do not care all that much about like 6 pack abs or what ever but I do not want belly fat mocking me either so I will be trying to solve that. Also I will be documenting and enjoying repairing my Ozark Trail gravel bike. 

I am off to prepare for the next year of exercising. Thank you very much for reading have and wonderful day!