First Training Session - Crunch Fitness

First Training Session for Weights Toda

It seems like every day is blending into the next day.  So much to do - and only so many hours in the day.

I had it on my list to sign up for the gym near my office and schedule some training sessions.  I walked into CRUNCH in the early afternoon - and felt a little like I was being sold a car.  I excused myself and said I would be back later in the day.

After running errands and meeting clients - I was a bit angry at myself for not just pulling the trigger while I was there.  This QUEST I am on is going to take a huge investment of time.  I have to manage my time better and make decisions more quickly.  There really aren't any decisions that cannot be undone - and I just need to start checking items off my list of things to do.

The gym is great.  It was a bit intimidating to see all of the hard core folks there - but I am looking forward to get started.  I scheduled my first training session for later today.  2pm!

I am going to go easy - and take it slow.  While I am excited to start - I am not looking forward to the pain!

Scary Pictures - First Weigh In

OK - so you have all been warned.

Yes, I am in pain.  Not enough to deter me from my goal - but enough to have me accept reality.  Although in my head I am still a smart, capable diver with a 29 inch waist and 42 inch chest living in 1980 - time flies.

When you take off your shirt and take photos - it is hard to hide what 30 years away from the diving board will do.  The waist slowly expands - the muscle definition starts to wane (I am being nice) and the beer, wine and rich food takes its toll.

I think the photos will ultimately be good for me.  It is a bit difficult for me to look at them now - as the photo evidence over rules whatever fantasy world you can hide in.  If I were looking to start training for a marathon or road race - it would not disturb me nearly as much.  Hurling myself off a One and Three meter springboard is a different story.

For better of for worse - here is where I am on this day.  I hope to God that things progress well and I can start seeing some progress in my waistline and my weight quickly.  I am ready for the hard work - but I am a creature that likes to chart my progress along the way.  I really should have taken a picture of my daughters face when I told her why I needed these photos.  She may rethink supporting me in this quest.   Here we go - hopefully I can laugh at these photos as months go by......

Walking before I Run....

OK - So I couldn't wait to get started - so I walked 3 miles yesterday.  I got through the walk feeling great - but as the day progressed - I knew it was going to haunt me this morning.

No pain, no gain - right?

This morning I was debating whether I should walk again - or take a break.  I decided that the easy decision was to wait till tomorrow.  The hard decision would be to get dressed and get out on the road.

If  I am going to get where I am going - It will not be an easy road.  I did the 3 miles.

It felt better than yesterday - but I can certainly feel it.  Stretching before and after made a difference.  I have to force myself to make the time to stretch.  I am going to get my first photo today - I promised myself I would take a photo each week to log my progress.  It is not pretty. You have been warned!

Uh, Oh...... Reality Bites....

                       You Want to do WHAT?

Well, making the decision was the easiest part of this process.  The next step was to make a plan.

When I sat down to figure out how to get from point A to point B - the old theory about a straight line being the shortest way - may not be the smartest way.

At 52 years old - I have become an expert at eating and drinking things that may not be so good for me.  As a result - I realize I have very little muscle where I need it - and a nice layer of fat that is going to make it very difficult to fold into a PIKE position.

Holy crap...  What have I done?

I got on the scale this morning and weighed in at 188.6 pounds.  This is approximately 30 pounds heavier than I was when diving in my college years.  Do I have to lose 30 pounds?  I don't think so - but I will certainly have to lose at least 20.

Sadly - if it was just a matter of losing 20 pounds - I could do it by cutting off the beer and sugar - and sticking to a Atkins Diet which works quite well for me.  The 20 pounds has to come off while at the same time adding at least that much in muscle.  I now know I have to get someone that knows what the hell they are doing involved in my quest.

In the meantime - tomorrow starts the QUEST.  I am going to start easy - walking every morning to try to get into some type of shape and burning some calories.  I am going to modify my diet - no booze or sugar.  I am going to log in my weight each week - and take pics of how I am doing.

Next week - I am going to head to CRUNCH FITNESS and sign up for weight training.  I have none of the strength I will need - and have a long way to go before I can start getting on a board and throw dives.  The last thing I want to do is hurt myself early.  Make a plan and stick to it.  Slow and steady wins the race.

This weekend I am going to POTOMAC SWIM AND TENNIS CLUB to spend a half hour on the board. Not to dive - but to get a feel for the board and try a few hurdles.  It will be important to start getting my feet conditioned to the board - and start to get them a bit calloused.  The little things mean a lot.  Sore feet are not something you want when you start to train.

Flexibility?  Oh my God....  I am not sure what I am going to do.  Yoga?  Any suggestions?

OK - scary photograph coming tomorrow.  First day of training.  Here we go........

It has to be a family decision....

Diving In Once Again

I had a long talk with my daughter Brighid today regarding me getting back into the pool to dive.  She was nervous when I said I wanted to talk to her - like any teenager - she was concerned she was in trouble for something.

I told her I was considering making a year commitment to qualify for the Nationals and potentially the World Championships and she got a bit quiet.  I was worried that that I was about to be shot down.  I felt like a teenager asking a girl out on a date.  I really wanted that positive response.

She thought for a moment - and said  - "Really"?

When she saw I was serious - she said "Of Course Dad...that would be really cool"!

Now it was my turn to smile.  One down - two to go.

My eldest daughter Sean was my next target.  When I finally could get the iPod ear buds out of her ear - I asked her what she thought of me getting back on the board.  Her answer was quick - and sure.  She said "It  is what I would expect you to do Dad".   I asked if that meant she was supportive - she smiled and said "Of course".  Secretly - she was thinking that her little sister would be occupied and out of her hair.  Whatever the motivation - that was 2 in support.

The last was my wife Nancy.  I asked her what she thought - and she too said it was fine.  She knows that Brighid and I have a connection - and some of the same personality traits that can sometime drive her crazy. I think she is happy to see me make a commitment to get back into shape.  I only hope that the time commitment does not change her mind along the way.

So - I have an all clear from my family.  After much thought - I am ready to make a commitment.  I am excited, anxious, motivated and happy with my decision.  Now the journey begins.

I was very excited to find a website dedicated to OLDER divers continuing to compete in a Masters program.  Organized competition - broken down by age groups.

FANTASTIC!

I am hooked.  I know when I am having trouble sleeping - that I have to figure out how to get back in the game.  Improbable?  Yes.  Impossible?  No.

I have to speak with my family to determine if they will support me getting back in the game.  It will be a big commitment of time - and a lot of energy.  My life will change -as I know it.  I have to be sure I can organize my life to find time to train - and continue to improve my business.

My goal?  Overweight, out of shape, but motivated - going from the couch to the National Invitational in one year?  Can I do it?  I don't know..... but I learned a long time ago that if you don't set goals that are easy.  Sometimes you can do the impossible.

Judging at the Summer Divisional's

Brighid Practicing before the Divisional Meet

The summer dive season is incredibly short.  The practices for diving start the day school ends in June - and the first Diving meet quickly follows.

Unless kids are diving over the winter it is really tough to perform at a high level during the summer season.  After watching a few meets you quickly realize who is diving year round and who is just getting into their summer groove.

It is incredibly hard for me to watch kids dive.  I instinctively want to coach them and make them better.  I participate during the summer by judging at most dual meets and also at the Divisional and All Star events.

I was really taken aback this past week at the Divisional meet.  I was judging some of the older kids and I was one of 5 judges giving scores.  On a particularly sloppy dive - my score was a few points lower than some of the others.  One of the summer divers was within earshot and was commenting to their friend that I obviously did not have any idea how difficult the dive was.  I am pretty sure they knew I could hear them - and it ticked me off.

Later in the day I was trying to understand why I allowed his comment to get to me.  After all - he was just a kid.  All he saw was a 52 year old Dad throwing up scores that he did not agree with.

In my head I am still a diver.  I know how the dive is supposed to be done - and how it feels.  I have a somewhat visceral reaction every time I see a kid dive.  When the dive is announced I am already playing through my head the steps.  Hurdle, reach, throw, spin.......extend and  REACH for the bottom.  I can hear the muffled applause from under water and the excitement of breaking the surface to see the scores.

This return to diving has me restless - and thinking about getting back into shape. Can I still dive?  I have a lot to think about.  Stay tuned.

Confessions of an old Diver

Back in the day.  With a full head of hair and a 6 pack!

I was a springboard diver for as long as I can remember.  Starting at 10 years old - I put swimming on the back burner - and learned how to use the fulcrum at West Nyack Swim Club outside of New York City.  Diving was a hell of a lot more fun than swimming - and was the cool alternate to lap swimming.

If you were ever in a competitive sport you already know the drill.  You start competing and over the years you move up the ladder in competition.  At some point you discover you have what it takes to become an elite athlete or that  you don't. I was blessed with good kinesthetic sense and quickly moved up the local rankings.

I ended up diving at St. Bonaventure University in the late 1970's.  It was a small Division One school that is now part of the Atlantic 10 conference.  I held school records there for many years and upon graduation put diving on the back burner as the real world and paying bills became a priority.

What brings me back to diving over the past year or so is my beautiful daughter Brighid.  She is 13 years old and will be starting her Freshman year of high school in a few weeks.  Like me - she took a liking to the diving boards during the summers.  Over the years she has competed on a high level in soccer and Irish Dance.  This fall she told me she would give up Soccer and Dance and move exclusively into diving if it was OK.  Was it OK?  I was ecstatic.......

This past winter we drove twice a week for lessons with the Montgomery Dive Club.  She loved it!  This summer she attended three weeks at Indiana Diving Academy with Indiana Coach Jeff Huber.  She improved a great deal and only became more excited about the prospect of increasing her skills and becoming an elite diver.

As I got more and more involved with her diving - I realized how much I missed it.  While there are lots of crazy ideas floating around in my head - this blog will give me an outlet to share my experience.  If you found me - you probably know me or have some connection to diving.  I hope you will enjoy my perspective of a grown up kid - getting his feet wet once again.