socialy retarded

I gained some and lost a lot

Posted on 28. Jul, 2010 by Derrick.

I was faced with a decision that has put me in inner turmoil. I’ve always been goal orientated and when I’m not able to achieve that ambition, I don’t take the disappointment all too well.

3 weeks ago I went on a 12 mile run, and on the way back the last 3 miles I experienced pain in my right knee. This is the same knee that I have an audible click in when I squat down. This is also the same knee that my orthopedic surgeon pronounced to be “worthy” of an arthroscopy to partial or subtotal menisectomy and debridement.

I did my usual procedure of ice bath, ibprophen, and recovery shake. The swelling normally goes away in 3 hours and my legs feel fine in 24 hours, but this time the pain lasted 3 days. I decided to go to my Ortho (who happens to be a runner and triathlete) to get his opinion.  He said that from my initial visit in January, that the 60+ mile running weeks have created floating or displaced tissue, and that “IF” I continued for the next two months of 70-80 mile running weeks I would do enough damage to require surgery in mid to late October.

The procedure and recovery time would be dependent on how much damage I’ve done over the last 5 months of training since he gave me the initial a-o-kay in March. His estimate without having to do another MRI is that I’ve shortened the time from 5 years to within the next year  that I’ll need surgery. He did opinion that if I went ahead with my half ironman and continued to train that the floating debris may continue to make my knee inflamed and or prevent me from fully extending or contracting my right leg.

I’ve been spending countless hours training for this half ironman. It has been a goal of mine since I competed and trained last summer for my first triathlon season. Even the entrance fee for the race is non refundable and only transferable to myself for future dates. I almost feel like my blood sweat and tears is what has led to my ultimate seasons demise.

Since my visit, I’ve had to sit with friends and family to discuss my option. Continue and guarantee myself a date with the scalpel, or stop training and maybe with some cycling and low impact stuff I’ll prolong the possibility of surgery. My family and I have not had the best luck with “routine” surgeries. After talking with my little sister, I’ve decided to quit training and bow out of my first half ironman bid.

BUT! All is not lost. I’m an optimist and look at the silver lining in this situation.

When I started this project of slimming down in 08’, I weighed in at 222lbs. That was the beginning. Since that time I’ve lost 69lbs and as of writing this blog weigh in at 153lbs. Don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t all flab. I was a meat head that went to the gym every day, but still carried a good spare tire of fat (or beer) around my mid section. I’ve lost a ton of fat, but along with that a ton of muscle mass in my shoulders, legs and arms.

At the beginning of last season I weighed 205. I lost 20lbs last summer and in September of last year was 185lbs. I’ve lost an additional 33lbs and I feel amazing. I’m in the best shape of my life since I was 19 and feel blessed that I can still keep up with people 10 years my junior.

These are the before and after pics, same jeans.

I’m now going back to being a meat head. I like that I’ve accomplished a lot, but I’m way way to skinny for my own good right now. I’d like to be back up to 190 but maintain my level of cardio so as to not gain my muffintop again.

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The Rooks

Posted on 20. Dec, 2009 by Derrick.

Every once in a while it’s good to get away from my sister and her band of merry snowboarders. I love riding with them, but I have a tendency to want to race Soren down the mountain. This is a bad thing, he is a better boarder and I should not be trying to race anything on a board.

In comes the rooks! Floyd has been riding for all of 2 and half years(though he is quite good for only going about 15 times total), Will hasn’t rode in 5 years, and Q, well this was his second time ever. I got to ride nice and slow, take a bunch of pics, enjoy the company of my socially retarded friends. Ohhh…. and cupcakes!

Last but not least…. The video!

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Photographing cold wind

Posted on 14. Dec, 2009 by Derrick.

I invited Hyon out for some back country snowshoe photo shooting.  We combined for around 500 photos and went through some of the nastiest blowing snow I’ve had to go endure. But even after all that, I ended up with some decent shots. Hyon has some excellent ones over on his site turbopotato.com

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Never to early to go snowshoeing.

Posted on 26. Nov, 2009 by Derrick.

With the amazing winterey season shaping up to being one of the best in years, instead of heading up for yet another day on the slopes. I took Guinness up for what I can only describe as his favorite thing of all time. Or in dog talk “wag wag wag wag, SQUIRREL, wag wag wag”. For a dog who was born in July in the melting heat of the Phoenix sun, he is a child of the snow.

Without being anthropomorphic about my dog, I can imagine that running through the snow is a little like when I get a fresh track on some recently laid pow day, or when I stick a sweet line through a technical downhill on my mountain bike. Esctacy. I have so much fun just watching him run from huge snow drift to huge snow drift. Shoving his face into drifts, looking for hidden pine-cones, elk poop, and tree branches.

Our destination was one of my favorites, Indian Peaks Wilderness Area. Specifically, the Hessie trailhead.Right when you get into the hike, these little cabins tag the mountainside. Perfect for photos.

As you get further towards Devils thumb trail head, you will run across several small streams. I love photographing when its just warm enough to show the running water under the ice.

Guinness finds everything under the snow. Right when this picture was taken, he was eating a pine-cone.

I loved all the aspens in the area. I’d love it more if I could have gotten some decent lighting. All I can say is sometimes photography makes me go grrrrrr.

Great day for snow….

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Day 5, where the Bongmonters rome.

Posted on 20. Nov, 2009 by Derrick.

This was my 5th day up boarding, 2 more times and my “colorado pass” has been paid for. I started my day early with a 5:30am wake up call. I knew I was going to get 5 inches of the fresh stuff.

It was an odd day. Forcasted to have 4 inches of snow, but we had partly cloudy sky’s.

After a short while the “Krew” arived and we sang “On a boat m’er f’er”

All in all, a good day.

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Crashing down Green Mountain

Posted on 13. Nov, 2009 by Derrick.

On Saturday, The guys and I decided to ride Green Mountain. It was a beautiful day and what a better way to celebrate Colorado then to go enjoy the outdoors, on a bike, with friends.

Because non of us have been on a bike for any good rides in the last months, we decided to do an easy ride. When we got to the base of the trail head, about half of Denver decided to do the same.

On the way up Justin got a flat, thankfully giving us a nice rest and gave Hyon and I a chance to do some photo shooting. (All the pics taken are courtesy of Hyon and are Copyright © Hyon Sim, to check out all the pics, click here)

Gave me a chance to play with my iPhones panorama feature. I love that phone!

After some figuring and laughing at Justin’s expense we made it to the top.

And leaving the best for last…. The crashing part. Start to pay attention at about minute 1:45. In my mind this was an epic fall. The reality? I just biffed it, mildly. Its still funny though.

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