Wendy's Transformation

[fengshway]

hey pauline, hey bytsi. yep it was a total blast! I have decided to just do more of them for fun, I miss them!

[fengshway]

the madness continues. I am going to trade my clunky heavy hybrid for a sleeker hybrid so I can jump into a tri and be fast whenever I want to!

[kfisherx]

Oh Wendy you are killing me. My trainer is all over my case to stick with my building goals and I keep wanting to do a marathon and NOW I want to do tris.

I bought a Volpe Cyclo-cross last year for 700 bucks. It has a triple crank and is steel frame but still under 20lbs. The cross bar is flat so it carries well on my shoulder. It goes off road really well and yet still has a good time on the road. It is slower than my real road bike but not significantly like my hybrid was. Cyclo cross would probably be a better option than hybrid.

[fengshway]

oh, I have a cannondale road bike with clip on aerobars. my cannondale has speedplay pedals.

these days, I just prefer a bike that is upright and more of a commuter bike--I like to bike to the ocean, which is just 2 miles away through a gorgeous state park. I like my spd pedals, so if I bike to the beach I can clip out and shop, etc.

I will look into a cyclo cross bike--isn't that a fixed gear though?

[fengshway]

oh, I just looked it up. tires are knobbier. I really don't want or need to go off road. and the handlebars are just like a road bike, which I have.

I really think a lightweight hybrid is the thing for me. check out gary fisher bicycles online, the mendotta. sweeeet!!

[kfisherx]

Ah.... Okay then. I thought you would have to go through trails or some such thing for some reason. I also thought that since you ride road that you would prefer the way the road bike rides. I know I do. It is so much more comfy for me than sitting upright.

Thing is with cyclo-cross is that you can put road tires on them to make them quicker and no they are not single speed. Mine has a triple crank by 9 speeds in fact. I got more gears than I know what to do with. Most of the time I ride on the biggest crank but for those MF hills, I will drop down to granny.

I had a Trek Fx-2 that I recently sold. I hated that bike. It was the slowest bike I think I have ever owned. The mendotta has to be better than that one was.

[missjane]

Wendy, can I move in with you? And bike to the ocean with you? And go on fun runs with you? I'm very little trouble and I come with a very cute dog.

[nutbar]

Oh, Wendy, I just finished reading your blog on the tri! How cool! LOVE the pic of you two!

I almost bought a Cannondale back when I was considering getting into biking -- back when I had both more time and money to spare. LOL

[fengshway]

karla, gonna order that mendota today!!

hey jane, you can move in with me free of charge as long as you take control of my nutrition and cook for me so I can look like you, lol!

hey diane, the little junior necks will be out of the house some day, your day will come!

[fengshway]

I had a great half day off yesterday. bought my new gary fisher high tech hybrid bike, which will arrive late july.

then did paperwork and had high tea at a cool english tea shop and talked to TINK!

then decided that I really needed further defrumping--my work clothes are industrial, baggy, unstylish. my shoes are clunky and functional. this just isn't who I am. for some reason when I gained weight, I failed to continue taking care of myself. I have never been a clothes hound, but I have always enjoyed looking cute and feminine, and somehow with the 80 pound weight gain, I lost that.

so I went to this french clothing store and found these pants called CAPSYL by Lauren Vidal, a french designer--they are an olive color. I feel so audrey hepburn in them--very tapered legs, so I bought two cute pairs of flats, one ballet style in chocolate and another different style with a bit of a kitten heel and buckle in black. the most amazing thing?? they are french sizes, going from T1 through T-7. I am a T-3. and when I researched it online, it is an american size 8!!! scale weight has not changed an iota, but I am just thrilled to be wearing tailored, tapered clothes for a change.

I look in the mirror now and finally see myself again. It is a really good feeling!

I just want to encourage everyone to keep making small steps toward your personal goals. this transformation took me the better part of 10 years, so it hasn't been instantaneous. just small baby steps forward, along with quite a few giant steps backward I might add....


on the workout front: treadmill 1 percent incline

1 mile at 5.4 mph
1.5 mi at 6.4 mph
0.5 mi at 5.4 mph

this felt very comfortable.

[Littlemermaidklb]

Great news about the new clothes! How exciting! You've been doing great wendy, keep it up girlfriend!

[tcoy777]

Great race report. Congrats on such a fun race!

[fengshway]

thanks mermaid and tcoy.

the bestest news; my gary fisher super hybrid arrives next week, just in time for a sprint tri that I am going to do on june 22!

[foodfromafar]

Originally Posted by fengshway

then decided that I really needed further defrumping--my work clothes are industrial, baggy, unstylish. my shoes are clunky and functional. this just isn't who I am. for some reason when I gained weight, I failed to continue taking care of myself. I have never been a clothes hound, but I have always enjoyed looking cute and feminine, and somehow with the 80 pound weight gain, I lost that.

so I went to this french clothing store and found these pants called CAPSYL by Lauren Vidal, a french designer--they are an olive color. I feel so audrey hepburn in them--very tapered legs, so I bought two cute pairs of flats, one ballet style in chocolate and another different style with a bit of a kitten heel and buckle in black. the most amazing thing?? they are french sizes, going from T1 through T-7. I am a T-3. and when I researched it online, it is an american size 8!!! scale weight has not changed an iota, but I am just thrilled to be wearing tailored, tapered clothes for a change.

I look in the mirror now and finally see myself again. It is a really good feeling!

Wendy, thanks for sharing this! I've been doing the same thing - slowly defrumping my neglected self. I started last December by getting the basics of a new wardrobe, then a new hairstyle, and this month I bought the basics of my spring/summer wardrobe including a couple of pairs of "fun" shoes.

I agree with you - it's nice to see yourself again...

[fengshway]

hey pauline. I liked the pants so much I bought them in black yesterday and I am wearing them now!

[fengshway]

me and kristia at the tri

PhotoReflect - BB Action Photography

[LisaS]

you both look like you're having a great time