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2010 Clydesdales/ Athenas Biggest Loser Week 43 10/24 - 10/30 - Come join us!!!

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Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) Looking to lose that spare tire? Ideal weight 200+? Frustrated being a large cyclist in a sport geared for the ultra-light? Learn about the bikes and parts that can take the abuse of a heavier cyclist, how to keep your body going while losing the weight, and get support from others who've been successful.

2010 Clydesdales/ Athenas Biggest Loser Week 43 10/24 - 10/30 - Come join us!!!

Old 10-25-10, 09:15 AM
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2010 Clydesdales/ Athenas Biggest Loser Week 43 10/24 - 10/30 - Come join us!!!

2010 Clydesdales/ Athenas Biggest Loser Week 43 10/24 - 10/30 - Come join us!!!


Please join us as we all work toward our goals to be healthier and fitter!


How Does this Work? On Mondays:
Post your starting weight for the week
Post Goals for the week
Report in on the prior week
Throughout week come on back and let us know how you are doing. The good, not so good and the awesome.


2010 Participants - Welcome newbies!!!

5KDad
10 Wheels
adanthang
aidenpryde18
andrewbanesbern
Art0
Bama Adam
bamacrazy
BasicJim
bbeasley
Big Lug
BigPolishJimmy
Breadbin
Bodydoc2002
Cohophysh
CraigB
cranky old dude
cyclokitty
DallasSoxFan
Davin1023
DoubleTap
Emperorcezar
flip18436572
freeagent1970
gigemags1155
ImpFreak7
iRideMyBike
jeneralist
JohnnyHK
kansastdi
Kazzy
kgriffioen
krazygl00
lokerlola
macwild
markm109
Missbumble
Mr.Ploppy
Nola_Gal
notoriouslyKen
OiS
Passage4
petflunky
Ratedz
RayB
RichardGlover
rosborn
Rthomse
RustyD
Sayre Kulp
Scotlandtb
Seenoevil
Seve
ShoMeRacing
Smoked
SSGPJ
Stevel610
sumguy
superjim
TechknownGN
teresamichele
The Historian
thestoutdog
timokabo
Wogsterca
wxduff
Wylde06
XR2


*If I missed anyone, please let me know and I'll add you in.

Last edited by BigPolishJimmy; 10-28-10 at 12:14 PM.
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Old 10-25-10, 09:19 AM
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Good weigh-in for me this week, not my best this year, but back on track. Yesterday was beautiful riding weather, but due to the change of seasons I lost the sunlight before I could break free of responsibilities to ride. I don't trust myself riding at night with lights after several friends have been hurt doing that, so I decided to go for a spin on my exercise bike while watching Killer Clowns from Outer Space on tv. I hadn't ridden in some time, but I feel so much better after doing so. Even though it's the exercise bike, it's a recumbent, so I can do curls with small hand weights while I ride, and that helps it be that much better. Hope you all are doing well.

Jim

Week 2 - 295 lbs (start)
Week 3 - 291.5 lbs
Week 4 - 284.4 lbs
Week 5 - 282.5 lbs
Week 6 - 280.2 lbs
Week 7 - 281.3 lbs
Week 8 - 282.0 lbs
Week 9 - 280.0 lbs
Week 10 - 278 lbs
Week 11 - 279.5 lbs
Week 12 - 274.3 lbs
Week 13 - 272.7 lbs
Week 14 - 271.8 lbs
Week 15 - 272.5 lbs
Week 16 - 267.9 lbs
Week 17 - 269.8 lbs
Week 18 - 269.4 lbs
Week 19 - 271.2 lbs
Week 20 - 270.5 lbs
Week 21 - 268.1 lbs
Week 22 - 274.5 lbs
Week 23 - 271.5 lbs
Week 24 - 269.5 lbs
Week 25 - 268.5 lbs
Week 26 - 267.2 lbs
Week 27 - 267.9 lbs
Week 28 - 271.2 lbs
Week 29 - 266.3 lbs
Week 30 - 264.8 lbs
Week 31 - 268.4 lbs
Week 32 - 261.7 lbs
Week 33 - 263.5 lbs
Week 34 - 262.4 lbs
Week 35 - 264.5 lbs
Week 36 - 265 lbs
Week 37 - 261.7 lbs
Week 38 - 261.5 lbs
Week 39 - 262.6 lbs
Week 40 - 264.8 lbs
Week 41 - 261.8 lbs
Week 42 - 264.3 lbs
Week 43 - 261.2 lbs
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Old 10-25-10, 02:34 PM
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No change this week, still at 289 LBS
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Old 10-25-10, 03:51 PM
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7/4/10 303.6
7/12/10 299.0
7/19/10 298.0
7/26/10 296.0
8/2/10 295.2
8/9/10 295.0
8/16/10 293.4
8/23/10 290.4
8/30/10 291.2
9/6/10 286.4
9/13/10 287.2
9/20/10 284.0
9/27/10 283.8
10/4/10 281.4
10/11/10 281.6
10/18/10 280.8
10/25/10 279.6

My riding time has been suffering and it shows. Still in the right direction though so it's not all that bad.
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Old 10-25-10, 05:03 PM
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This past weekend I rode 74 miles Sat and Sun. This is a new record for me. The best part is I'm not sore.


July 2010 252lbs
September 15th 237lbs
September 21
September 27th 238lbs
Week 40 Oct 4th 235 lbs
10/18 237 lbs first 100+ mile week & first attempt at the "Clyde 20"
10/25 233 lbs
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Old 10-26-10, 03:10 PM
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New to this and here is my info:

date weight
10/13/2010 366.2
10/19/2010 364.8
10/26/2010 360.2

Last edited by kansastdi; 10-26-10 at 03:13 PM.
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Old 10-26-10, 08:55 PM
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10/19 = 423.8
10/26 = 422.4
11/2 = 421.4
11/9 = 420.6
11/16 = 420.8
11/23 = 420.0
11/30 = 418.2
12/7 = 414.6
12/14 = 408.6
12/21 = 405.6
12/28 = 399.8
1/4 = 396.2
1/11 = 388.2
1/18 = 385.0
1/25 = 388.4
2/1 = 379.4
2/8 = 373.4
2/15 = 372.6
2/22 = 366.6
3/1 = 366.0
3/8 = 364.0
3/15 = 357.8
3/22 = 356.8
3/29 = 351.4
4/5 = 348.4
4/12 = 351.4
4/19 = 346.6
4/26 = 343.0
5/3 = 343.8
5/10 = 340.0
5/17 = 336.8
5/24 = 340.0
5/31 = 344.6
6/7 = 334.2
6/14 = 333.4
6/21 = 332.0
6/28 = 333.8
7/5 = 321.6
7/12 = 316.4
7/19 = 321.0
7/26 = 310.6
8/2 = 312.6
8/9 = 307.4
8/16 = 305.8
8/23 = 297.6
8/30 = 298.8
9/6 = 300.0
9/13 = 294.8
9/20 = 291.2
9/27 = 294.0
10/4 = 286.8
10/11 = 290.6
10/18 = 279.8
10/25 = 288.0


I know that doesn't look too great, but I started doing some heavy duty speed work as well as spending a lot of time in the gym lifting and cross training. I'm trying to get myself into really good physical condition for next season because I really want to do more races both on bike and foot. This is partially due to a birthday party, a picnic, wedding reception, and two dinners out, but it is also thrown off by my new workout regimen. It will eventually work out.
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Old 10-27-10, 10:00 AM
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OK, make way for Fatso......

First, some history from The Historian:
  • May 30, 2009 - 285
  • August 30, 2008 - 265
  • March 1, 2008 - 265
  • October 1, 2007 - 255
  • August 1, 2007 - 242
  • July 17, 2007 - 243
  • July 2, 2007 - 245
  • June 23 2007 - 245
  • June 16, 2007 - 246
  • May 4, 2007 - 247
  • April 7, 2007 - 249
  • March 1, 2007 - 252
  • January 31, 2007 - 262
  • January 5, 2007 - 275
  • December 1, 2006 - 280
  • November 1, 2006 - 285
  • October 1, 2006- 290
  • September 1, 2006 - 297
  • August 1, 2006 - 300
  • July 1, 2006- 310
  • June 1, 2006 - 320
  • May 1, 2006 - 330
  • April 1, 2006 - 340
  • March 1, 2006 - 350
  • February 1, 2006- 360
  • January 3, 2006 - 385
Apologies for the reverse chronological order.

And now, the current figure. I was expecting something horrible - 330, 345, or more - and even in my worst nightmares I'd never have imagined this number:

296.4

I'm not pleased to discover I've gained 55 pounds since August 2007, but it could have been a LOT worse.

My waist spread is probably a result of my giving up lifting a few months ago during my summer depression. Once I begin riding and lifting again regularly, in a couple of weeks when my ribs heal, I'll have some good news to share.

Thanks to BigPolishJimmy for posting the thread, and Sayre for 'leading by example.'
 
Old 10-27-10, 11:16 AM
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Highest weight: 304.5 on 5/17/04

Skip ahead though multiple losses and gains to this April when I got serious:

4/5 - 264.5
4/12 - 262
4/19 - 259
4/26 - 258
5/3 - 257.5
5/10 - 252
5/17 - 252.5 (oops)
5/24 - 249 (Woo Hoo! Breaking 250 is a big milestone for me.)
5/31 - 246.5
6/7 - 245
6/14 - 242
6/21 - 241.5
6/28 - 238.5
7/5 - 236.5
7/12 - 234
7/19 - 236 (oops)
7/26 - 231.5
8/2 - 230
8/9 - 231 (oops)
8/16 - 226
8/21 (new weigh-in day) - 226 <damn!>
8/26 - 225.5
9/4 - 221.5
9/11 - 221.0
9/18 - 218.5
9/25 - 217
10/2 - 219 (oops)
10/9 - 224.5 (vacation - lots of Texas BBQ and pie)
10/16 - 217.5
10/23 - 217.5

As anyone can see, I've been struggling during the past 4 or 5 weeks. Indications are that the low-hanging fruit of weight loss is behind me, which I suppose was going to happen sooner or later. Just wish it was a little later. For the first time since I started WW in April, my weekly average loss is now under 2 pounds. This is going to require an adjustment in my thinking and my attitudes. I can do it, though. It'll take a redoubling of my efforts, combined with an "any loss is a good loss" viewpoint on weigh-in days. There will be more frequent days when I simply need to HTFU as they like to say in other sections of the forum.
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Old 10-27-10, 02:54 PM
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Originally Posted by CraigB
Highest weight: 304.5 on 5/17/04


As anyone can see, I've been struggling during the past 4 or 5 weeks. Indications are that the low-hanging fruit of weight loss is behind me, which I suppose was going to happen sooner or later. Just wish it was a little later. For the first time since I started WW in April, my weekly average loss is now under 2 pounds. This is going to require an adjustment in my thinking and my attitudes. I can do it, though. It'll take a redoubling of my efforts, combined with an "any loss is a good loss" viewpoint on weigh-in days. There will be more frequent days when I simply need to HTFU as they like to say in other sections of the forum.
Craig,

When you started you wanted to lose 139Lbs. Losing the first 3 lbs resulted in a 2.16% weight lose. This is a percentage of the weight you wanted to drop and not your total weight (you want to keep 165lbs)

Today you want to lose 52 lbs. To lose the same 2.16% you need to lose 1.12 lbs per week!

You are doing great and an inspiration to me and many others. Thank you for sharing!

I think we all understand and agree with the concept of low hanging fruit and that fact that it gets tougher the closer we get to the "Normal" BMI. I wonder if there is any consistency from a BMI POV as to when folks depart the "low hanging fruit" phase and hit the "tougher" phase.

For instance, as you approach over weight from obese do you hit a plateau or tough zone? Is there yet another tougher spot as you approach normal from over weight?

Thanks again for sharing!
bbbbbbbeasley or Bob
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Old 10-27-10, 10:20 PM
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Craig, buh-buh-bbeasley, and Sayre,

Are you considering muscle gain when looking at the plateaus? My weight loss slowed to a crawl in late spring and summer of 2007 largely because I was adding in cycling as an exercise, and growing those muscles. (The legs of my shorts got very tight.) Craig, that's what could be happening for you.

Sayre, your bounce up could be water from the race and ride Saturday. I've put on as much as six pounds after a hard ride, simply from retaining water. That happens to me on tour from time to time. On my June 2009 swing through Delmarva, the morning I left Delmar, DE, I was carrying so much water that my jersey and shorts felt and looked tight. In a day or so I was back to normal.
 
Old 10-28-10, 06:12 AM
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Starting Weight - 241.5 lbs
09/09/10 - 237.5 lbs
09/16/10 - 235.5 lbs
09/23/10 - 232.0 lbs
09/29/10 - 231.5 lbs
10/07/10 - 230.0 lbs
10/14/10 - 226.5 lbs
10/21/10 - 228.0 lbs
10/28/10 - 225.0 lbs
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Old 10-28-10, 06:42 AM
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Thanks for the encouraging words, and for offering a couple of fresh perspectives. They're always welcome. As far as muscle mass gain is concerned, I'd love to suggest that's what's happening, but for the fact that my exercise hasn't increased in intensity or duration during this troublesome time. That being said, I know very little about the biology of exercise and weight loss, and understand even less, so I guess I wouldn't rule it out completely. I do still detect minor changes in how clothing fits and things like that. In fact I said to the missus just the other day that even though the scale hasn't shown a net drop during the past 5 weeks or so (I'm still a half-pound heavier than I was on September 25), I get the sensation things body-wise are still "shifting around."

The last time I lost a substantial amount of weight was almost 30 years ago, and I don't have any specific recollection of hitting any protracted snags or plateaus, but that doesn't mean they didn't happen. And even now, this time around, I feel like I'm in no position to objectively call this a plateau. I know there have been instances of falling off the proverbial wagon. Frankly, I had a bad week or two that were followed up by too much food while on vacation (but I was expecting that - it was, after all, a vacation). Consequently, while I still have to deal with my own shortcomings, I can glean at least some small comfort in knowing that I'm not in a situation that is completely out of my control. To hear others talk, there are genuine plateaus - times when you can remain steadfast in your careful eating and degree of activity, and still see no results on the scale. When that happens, I suppose there really will be nothing to do but HTFU and keep at it, and rely on pure faith that sooner or later the losses will begin again.

Last edited by CraigB; 10-28-10 at 06:52 AM. Reason: further thoughts
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Old 10-28-10, 08:44 AM
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Originally Posted by CraigB
Thanks for the encouraging words, and for offering a couple of fresh perspectives. They're always welcome. As far as muscle mass gain is concerned, I'd love to suggest that's what's happening, but for the fact that my exercise hasn't increased in intensity or duration during this troublesome time. That being said, I know very little about the biology of exercise and weight loss, and understand even less, so I guess I wouldn't rule it out completely. I do still detect minor changes in how clothing fits and things like that. In fact I said to the missus just the other day that even though the scale hasn't shown a net drop during the past 5 weeks or so (I'm still a half-pound heavier than I was on September 25), I get the sensation things body-wise are still "shifting around."

The last time I lost a substantial amount of weight was almost 30 years ago, and I don't have any specific recollection of hitting any protracted snags or plateaus, but that doesn't mean they didn't happen. And even now, this time around, I feel like I'm in no position to objectively call this a plateau. I know there have been instances of falling off the proverbial wagon. Frankly, I had a bad week or two that were followed up by too much food while on vacation (but I was expecting that - it was, after all, a vacation). Consequently, while I still have to deal with my own shortcomings, I can glean at least some small comfort in knowing that I'm not in a situation that is completely out of my control. To hear others talk, there are genuine plateaus - times when you can remain steadfast in your careful eating and degree of activity, and still see no results on the scale. When that happens, I suppose there really will be nothing to do but HTFU and keep at it, and rely on pure faith that sooner or later the losses will begin again.
Isn't "plateau" a technical term at Weight Watchers? I've seen it generally used to mean a stall of five weeks or more. it could mean nothing, or it could mean you need to refine what you are doing.

Hmm, I see you've lost nearly 50 pounds. Have you congratulated yourself on doing so?
 
Old 10-28-10, 08:52 AM
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Originally Posted by The Historian
Sayre, your bounce up could be water from the race and ride Saturday. I've put on as much as six pounds after a hard ride, simply from retaining water. That happens to me on tour from time to time. On my June 2009 swing through Delmarva, the morning I left Delmar, DE, I was carrying so much water that my jersey and shorts felt and looked tight. In a day or so I was back to normal.
Oh I know. That's why I said,

This is partially due to a birthday party, a picnic, wedding reception, and two dinners out, but it is also thrown off by my new workout regimen. It will eventually work out.
I've been down this road before. I know my weight tends to fluctuate when I throw massive changes at my body. It's just when it stops moving all-together that I consider it to be the dreaded 'P' word.
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Old 10-28-10, 09:05 AM
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OK, I'll play, even though I gave up weekly weigh-ins a while back.

Here's my history. Apologies for the large gap between April 09 and the end of last year; I was too fat to use a home scale, and I didn't have any Dr. visits during that time.


04/01/2009 370.0
12/28/2009 337.0
01/12/2010 331.0
01/19/2010 318.0
01/30/2010 316.0
02/01/2010 308.0
02/09/2010 299.0
02/23/2010 290.0
03/02/2010 288.0
03/16/2010 284.0
03/29/2010 273.0
04/12/2010 265.0
04/27/2010 264.0
05/10/2010 256.0
05/18/2010 252.0
05/25/2010 251.0
07/12/2010 234.0
10/05/2010 223.0
10/26/2010 214.0
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Old 10-28-10, 09:11 AM
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From my blog, written three years ago when I was a smarter man:

"My entire weight loss program had been based on what Dan called a "fixed income" - basically the same calorie totals and the same foods regardless of what I was doing as far as exercise. Yes, the average person could do that and lose weight. A lot of weight, in fact. But I'm not now an average person. I'm a bicyclist. OK, perhaps a budding bicyclist recovering from obesity, but a bicyclist regardless. Which in turn means I'm an athlete. I'm in training for a sporting event, and I need to think differently about how I exercise, how I eat, how I train.

"When I began to lose weight, I needed to learn to stop thinking and acting like a fat man and start thinking and acting like an average person of normal weight. That's been a struggle, perhaps even more of a struggle than losing weight, and it's a struggle I'm still fighting. Learning to ride my bike, and ride it well, is also going to be a struggle, but I suspect it's going to be a lot easier once I accept that I am an athlete in training."

Let me add to my comments from then. My diet and exercise was like an axe chopping off excess to find the man underneath. Once I found that man, if I want to sculpt him, I need to replace the axe with a chisel, brush, and pick. If that means I'm choosing a meal based on its protein content as opposed to calorie count, so be it. I wonder, Craig, if that's something you should think about now. Now that you've uncovered Craig, start turning him into Lance.
 
Old 10-28-10, 12:53 PM
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We're getting into some topics that might deserve a thread of their own, but I'll plunge ahead here anyway...

I know WW has a specific definition for the term "plateau," but I don't know that its general use is limited to their program. Regardless, if memory serves, according to them, you're not at a plateau until you've lost less than half a pound over a period of four consecutive weeks. I know I don't meet that definition, even though I'm no lighter than I was 5 weeks ago - too much up and back down in between then and now. But even with my occasional less-than-ideal food choices during the past month, I sense I've reached the point where it's slowing down. I could be wrong, though, since I really haven't given it a fair shot over the past few weeks. This week has been good, so we'll see what happens on Saturday morning. I'll save any potential complaining until then - I'm the last one to bemoan my fate when that fate is the result of my own bad behavior. I'll wait and see if I really have something to complain about ("Stop that crying or I'll give you something to cry about!") If I find after at least 4 more good, solid weeks of careful eating and decent activity, I'm still stuck in the 2-teens, then you'll hear me whine about it.

The psychology of weight loss, though, is something that is largely lost on me, perhaps only because I don't know anything about it. Neil, you asked if I'd congratulated myself on my loss so far. I feel great about it every day, but beyond that, and the double-edged sword of getting to/having to buy some new clothes, I can't say I've exactly celebrated it. For one thing it seems a bit premature to me, since I still have 50 pounds to go. For another, I have trouble seeing the change in the mirror. Part of that is the fact that it happens so slowly, but I also realize it's likely a part of it is body-image psychology, and I'll need to be on guard against any problems that may cause. Beyond that single issue, though, I don't really understand the whole "thinking like a fat person" notion. I'm not saying that isn't a valid issue for many people, perhaps even me, without my realizing it - only that I don't know what it means in practical terms. I've never been much into self-loathing. Or perhaps more accurately I should say I've always loved myself, even when I hated my body, if anyone can follow that thinking. I've never devalued my personal core being, even when I was unhappy with the way its "shell" looked. I hope that's a healthy sign.

As far as sculpting and physically nurturing the inner athlete trying to break out in me, I figure I'll give that serious consideration when my on-bike performance matters to me. I push myself when I ride by myself (and to a slightly lesser degree when I ride with my wife), but I don't specifically "train." I don't have specific improvement goals. I don't do intervals or dedicated speed work, at least for now, and that same attitude spills over into how I choose to fuel myself. Right now I'm still cycling as a means to a weekly caloric deficit, cardio benefits and fun - and not much more than that. Next year, if I decide I want to let my co-worker goad me into participating in the relay triathlon he believes we'll be entering together, I'll start to worry about how to eat in order to maximize performance, and begin more serious training.

Looking back over that last paragraph it occurs to me that for all my protestations about loving myself and not having "fat person" issues, I might only think this way because I have problems thinking of myself as an athlete, based on a lifetime of being overweight. I guess that could be true, but even when I was in my 20s and racing (albeit at 212 pounds), it was never about the competition for me, which to my mind is at the core of being an athlete. Rather, it was the sheer joy of participating in mass-start events, and being in a situation where I could throw the bike as fast as I could propel it into corners, knowing I was on a closed, marshalled course.

Wow...I hadn't really intended to go into all that. Sometimes it just kinda spills out, you know?

Last edited by CraigB; 10-28-10 at 12:57 PM.
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