It’ll Be Just Like Starting Over
I got a postcard in the mail yesterday. It’s the postcard the Leadville 100 organizers send out, letting you know that your race entry is accepted. You’re in. Or, more to the point, I’m in: my 12th Leadville 100 in 12 years.
When I got that card, I knew that my 2008 riding philosophy — take it easy and don’t worry about it — was a sham. I don’t want to just barely finish Leadville. I want to finish it strong. I probably don’t have enough time to train toward a sub-9-hour finish, but I bet I have enough time to train toward a sub-9:30 finish.
Or maybe I have enough time to train toward a singlespeed finish.
Frankly, I don’t know what kind of goal I ought to set for that race yet. But I do know that it’s time for me to start training again, and to start working on losing weight again.
Son of the Return of the Original Fat Cyclist Giveaway
When I first started this blog, the stories and fake news were a sideshow. The real reason I created this blog was to humiliate myself by posting my weight, complete with goals and a penalty for failure, every day.
It was simple. Here’s how it went. And for that matter, how it will go again.
- On a set day each week, I posted my goal weight for the upcoming week. I also set the “jackpot” amount (more on that in a minute)
- Each day, I posted my weight.
- On the same day the following week, if I had not met my goal weight, I gave away the jackpot amount to some reader, in the form of an amazon.com gift certificate. If I did meet my goal weight for the week, the jackpot got bigger. So the stakes got higher for me to stay on track each week.
The problem was, the jackpot would grow and grow and grow until I finally missed my target, and I’d wind up giving away a huge jackpot, even though I’d been doing great for a long time. There was no carrot, only a stick.
So I’m doing this contest again, only this time I’m setting a new rule: Every time I can meet my weight loss target five weeks in a row, I get the jackpot, which I will use to buy something I want.
So, how much will the jackpot increase by each week? $50. So I could, potentially, be giving away $250 per month on this blog.
And I want to be clear on one thing: This contest is not going to be turned into a “raise money to fight cancer” thing. I actually considered doing it that way for a second, but then realized: if, when I fail, I donated money to the LAF, I’d feel good about losing. I don’t want that. So, for this, it has to feel like losing an old-fashioned bet. If I fail, I have to give someone — and it’s best if it’s someone I either don’t know or don’t particularly like — my hard-earned money, even though they don’t deserve it.
My logic is twisted, but deep down, you know it’s sound.
Anyway, all the stats — my current weight, my goal weight for the week, the jackpot amount — about the Fatty’s Sweepstakes will be tracked in the right sidebar. In fact, it’s there right now. Whaddayaknow.
And your first chance to win money from me will be next Friday, followed by a new chance every Friday, until I hit my weight goal of 150 pounds.
PS: I got an email today about George Hincapie helping with a “Breakaway from Cancer” charity ride in conjunction with the 2008 Tour of California. I love to see things like this. Check out the site.
PPPS: I’m going to put a Disneyland trip together for my family before Susan has to go back on chemo mid-March. If someone out there is a Disneyland guru with exceptional knowledge of best places to stay, best ways to get good ticket prices, and who to contact about special considerations Susan might need while there (she’ll be in a wheelchair and may need a place to rest during the day), please email me.
PPS: I plan to do a group weight-loss contest, like last year’s B7, but I need to figure out a few things.
- How can I do it without it eating a lot of my time? I really am maxed out. Last year, moderating that thing ate up hours of my time every month, and I didn’t even do that good of a job.
- How can I do it so that quitters are penalized? Last year, a bunch of people joined the B7 and then disappeared, either because they lost interest or weren’t doing well. We’ll never know. This year, I think there’s going to be some kind of entry fee. The winners will split the pot, everyone who completes will get something (I haven’t figured out what yet), and the quitters will be out of luck. What do you think of that idea?
- How can I discourage sandbagging? I’m not implying there were sandbaggers last year, but hey, we’re cyclists. Sandbagging is in our nature.
Your answers to these questions, ideas on how to conduct the contest, and an indication of your likelihood of participating are all welcome and appreciated.
Comment by Steven Nordstrom | 02.8.2008 | 9:15 am
I don’t want to discourage you in the weight loss, but if you miss your goal, how does one enter your sweepstakes to win the jackpot?
Comment by Brandy | 02.8.2008 | 9:17 am
Hire guys to go to a loser’s home and taser them.
“don’t taser me bro!”
oh and the guys who do the tasering would also have to film it, so you could put it up on the site, as further humiliation for the losers.
I have just realized I am rather twisted before having my coffee. wow !!
Comment by UltraRob | 02.8.2008 | 9:22 am
I’m very interesting in doing the B7 challenge. After taking 2 years off from Leadville, I’m doing it again. I’m currently at 205 pounds. I think my ideal Leadville weight would be 165. I’ll be extremely happy if I get to 180 by then. Did you get the e-mail I sent you in December about last year’s B7? I sent it to the e-mail you use for the Leadville group.
Comment by Big Boned | 02.8.2008 | 9:22 am
Fatty,
Good to see you with a riding goal this year even if you have no idea what it is…(That doesn’t actually make sense does it – what the heck – it’s YOUR logic). I know that I only get real motivated to go ride on rainy or cold days if I have something coming up that is slightly intimidating. Leadville qualifies even if you have done it a bunch just because you know how much you’ll suffer if you don’t train. Glad you got in!
Can’t say that I understand your contest yet, but always love a contest…
You gotta get better about prizes. You said you suck at sending them out. You also suck at collecting them. I’ve contacted you numerous times to ask what tires you want and how to get them to you from last year’s B7. I made my weight goal, but couldn’t TT after getting hit by the bus/truck. I lost. Let me know how to get you your prize. St Peter ain’t gonna let me in if I still owe you those tires.
I’d feel real guilty about this long of a post if it weren’t for Al. This hardly counts as a “warm-up” for him.
Looking forward to the B8, though I’ve already started mine (and making good progress).
BB
Comment by UltraRob | 02.8.2008 | 9:25 am
Oops, I mistyped my blog address in my previous comment.
Comment by fatty | 02.8.2008 | 9:32 am
steven – no registration will be necessary to win the jackpot. just come to the site on jackpot day. i will give it away in different ways. sometimes randomly, sometimes to the person who answers a question in an interesting way.
Comment by Sprocketboy | 02.8.2008 | 9:41 am
I really got a lot out of last year’s B7 Challenge. It was terrific motivation and I did even slightly better than my target weight at the end. And now, 6 months later, I am still pretty close to my August weight. While this is a good thing, the B7 goal of dropping at least 10 percent of your bodyweight becomes pretty difficult if you have to do it again. Should there be two classes? –a) I’m porky and slow and need to shed a ton and b) I can’t get rid of the last five pounds but my friends and family already think I am skeletal.
As to an entry fee, why not a donation to LAF with a confirming e-mail?
Comment by Boz | 02.8.2008 | 9:52 am
How do I join ? Since I’m probably in the group of commenters you don’t like, I could actually win one of your prizes this time. Or maybe be one of your best motivators. Win/win as I see it. Good luck!!
Comment by Stan | 02.8.2008 | 10:01 am
http://www.mouseplanet.com/
One of my friends works on this site. From what I understand, it’s *the* source for all things Disney from a fan’s point of view.
Comment by monkeywebb | 02.8.2008 | 10:01 am
The B7 was huge for me. I’ve had a hard time getting started this year since I have no one holding me responsible. I think either a registration fee to be used for prizes or a contribution to LAF would work to keep people in. Or maybe a combination of the two (you collect the dough and contribute 1/2 of it).
As for keeping people honest, I dunno. A 30-second video of participants doing a weigh in wearing spandex would be one way to provide motivation…especially if you threatened to post losing entries and dropouts to youtube. I’d have to learn me some technology, but it’s a possibility.
Comment by Mike Roadie | 02.8.2008 | 10:03 am
I still think you should give the money to cancer research……..especially after I got the “smack down” from Clydesteve about how slowly my LAF site is going. In my defense, I have been busy with work and reading this blog, so I haven’t sent out all the emails yet!
But…..here is some information on where your donations to the MikeRoadie page can go:
$50 provides 36 people cancer survivorship information, worksheets to organize their fight against cancer and support, inspiration and hope from other cancer survivors.
$155 provides a cancer survivor one-on-one direct support through the LIVESTRONG SurvivorCare program.
$250 provides LIVESTRONG Survivorship Notebooks to 27 cancer survivors.
http://bayarea08.livestrong.org/mike
For Susan, for friends, for family, for others in the fight who we may not even know but who are counting on us!!!
Thanks……..good health….and WIN!!!!
Comment by Clydesdale | 02.8.2008 | 10:08 am
So, another B7,8,9…..
I did so well last year that I made all of my cycling goals, Thanks Fatty, looked stylish in my FC jersey and promptly began the slow climb to fatness again. I did however manage to stay 5 lbs below last year’s high weight. Thanks for small miracles. I am more than a little upset with myself.
The LAF donation to get in makes sense but the winner(s) take all aspect at the end would suffer a bit.
1. let it self moderate, participants are responsible for posting monthly. At the end if someone has missed 2 monthly TT/ weight posts they are automatically out. One miss could be because of a legitimate reason. That way you only have to check everyone once at the end of it to make sure they reported monthly.
2. The $ left at the end could be split among the winners and gift certs., for whatever amount, for something from one of your sponsors. That way you just give the sponsor the ca$h and the address and they can mail them out. Nothing like delegating the mailing.
3. I guess the only real way is to have a before and after photo required with the weight on the scale included in the photo’s. How to do that is up to your giant sized cranium to figure out.
I’m building up my 29′er SS next week but won’t get to use it until mid April or later with it snowing 5-10 cm every other day!!!!!!!! :-(
My sister in-law is under the knife as I type this having a lump and lymph nodes removed. I’m taking some of Susan’s winning attitude to the hospital right now!!!
Win Susan! … Lose it Fatty!
Good luck to all FC’ers!
Comment by nibo | 02.8.2008 | 10:08 am
Good on ya. I missed last year’s, because my flatmate only just got me hooked on cycling blogs about six months ago. Kudos and Good Luck!
Comment by bikemike | 02.8.2008 | 10:23 am
also, everyone that loses has to eat an entire triple layer chocolate cake in one sitting. to be observed by the C.C.E.A.A. (chocolate cake eating association of america). that’ll take care of any dang sandbaggers.
yep that’ll work. of course, maybe this could also be one of the prizes for the winner. i think this needs some tweaking. i’ll work on it.
Comment by Clydesteve | 02.8.2008 | 10:31 am
Hey Mike Roadie! I will be totally delighted if/when you reach your $50K fund-raising goal for LIVESTRONG. But knowing how these things go, I figured you had not sent out a letter to many yet, so I thought you could use a kick in the butt!
I really am disappointed that you had a conflict with Portland and had to switch to San Jose this year, but if I can meet my $20,000 fund-raising goal, I can probably make the Austin ride, so maybe I’ll see you there.
Fatty, as someone else said, I am glad to see you have a goal, even if you don’t know what it is. (Put that one down in the all-time quotes logbook!) If only for the anticipation of another Leadville ride report.
Comment by cheapie | 02.8.2008 | 10:33 am
fatty…perhaps you could hand off the administration of the contest to someone else on the board. i’m sure there’s people here you’d trust with the contest. it might be cool to have a section that lists all the contestants, the swag being wagered, and the current status of everyone. the person that is running the contest would also be charged with bugging people to send in updates and publicly shaming those who have dropped out or are doing poorly.
Comment by isela | 02.8.2008 | 10:38 am
how about delegating some of the tedious duties to someone else. You can ask for volunteers and they can help out with some of the workload.
Good luck with the fatty loss project. I think your idea of keeping the winnings is a great one–you deserve to reward yourself, especially after busting your butt working off the fatty.
Comment by graisseux | 02.8.2008 | 10:52 am
I think some sort of upfront deposit would keep people from dropping out. If you miss weigh-ins or go AWOL, you lose the deposit and it goes to prizes or goes into a pool that would be split up by the finishing contestants. Maybe that counts as gambling though and there might be laws in Utah about running an internet gambling site and the plug gets pulled on the Fat Cyclist–I dunno.
In order to eliminate sandbagging, you could require people to post heart rates; both their max heart rates and the average heart rate for the time trial. Or you could just require participants to post a description of how the blood was spurting from their cranial orifices and how the vomit splashed off of their top tubes and stems during said time trial.
As far as saving you time, I like the idea of outsourcing much of the project either to India or to a loyal reader.
Just my thoughts.
Comment by Don (cyclingphun.blogspot.com) | 02.8.2008 | 11:17 am
I like it Fatty! Sounds like a plan and, dare I say, exactly what I need to lose the last 20 pounds!!
* The B7 Challenge
Comment by UpNorth | 02.8.2008 | 11:19 am
Hey bikemike. I’d sign up for the cake eating portion alone. Mmmmmm cake….
Comment by KanyonKris | 02.8.2008 | 11:30 am
Want to ride the most rides at Disneyland / Disneyworld? Use RideMax.
http://www.ridemax.com
They compiled a huge database of actual wait times for each ride on many different days of the year. The software helps you organize your schedule to minimize waiting in line. I tried it and ran a few schedules, which I kind of followed. Still, the tips you get about how to “work the park” were well worth the $15 (considering we spent over $300 on Disneyland tickets alone). I know it saved us time in lines and helped us ride more rides at Disneyland two years ago.
Comment by Mia | 02.8.2008 | 11:32 am
I’ll be here daily because I love your logic.
Comment by FliesOnly | 02.8.2008 | 11:42 am
I’m in…whatever it is.
Of course, the last time you had a weight loss contest, I gained something like 5 pounds…so I’m a bit nervous about doing this on a weekly basis.
Comment by axel | 02.8.2008 | 11:48 am
1. ask for a volunteer who is capable of making a spreadsheet – obviously this site is full of people who have time to kill. Not me, I just stopped by briefly and really need to get back to work…
2. make them pay up front, then redistribute the money amongst those who improve according to some exponential curve. Use your result as the break even point.
3. just look at percentage improvement of weight and riding time. People can still lie, but that causes bad karma such as flats, broken chains, cracked downtubes, dislocated shoulders, broken hips, …
But I won’t participate – there is no offseason in sunny central texas so we all stay slim and trim year round – did you ever hear about Lance having a weight issue? Off to the Mas o Menos 100k race… http://www.desertsportstx.com/masomenos.php
Comment by SYJ | 02.8.2008 | 11:49 am
Fatty,
First off, I suck. I still have your trainer-based power meter (my bet for B7) sitting in my little cycling goodies basket in the laundry room. Same place it’s been since last January. Wow, I am lame.
Since you’re now using your supa-dupa-roller set for training (with it’s own spreadsheet to calculate wattage), I’m not sure if you still want the power meter. If so, let me know and I’ll mail it. I swear. If not, let me know and I’ll do a gift certificate for performance, or make a donation to LAF in your name – whatever you want to make up for my lameness.
Secondly, to weigh in (hahaha) on some of your issues for B8:
Let it self moderate. If people have *real* skin in the game and they know that they lose it all if they don’t follow the rules, they’ll probably be a bit more attentive. Alternately, solicit a crew of volunteer mods.
Bets are taken – perhaps escrowed by a third party – not just pledged before the contest begins. Perhaps a cash escrow account is set up, with a $50 buy-in being mandatory. If someone drops out, they forfeit the $$ unless they come up with the actual goods that were bet (like, say, a trainer based power meter). At the end of it, you either get the $$, or donate it.
The sandbagging thing is tough. Perhaps re-engineer it so that it will only penalize, not benefit. If the point of the TT was to ensure that the competitors weren’t starving themselves into unmuscled wastoids, then institute a fixed improvement scale (1-5% time decrease per week), with a penalty for failing to meet that goal. That way, if someone sandbags, the worst that can happen to the competition is that they aren’t hurt as badly as they otherwise could have been, rather than using it as a boost…or, you could just mandate that all TT times must be verified by another party.
Comment by SYJ | 02.8.2008 | 11:54 am
PS, I’m hardly a Disneyland fanatic (my kiddo is only 4, and hasn’t been…yet), but I did (or should I say, my wife did) notice park passes the last time I was at Costco. Mayhap that would be a good money saver.
SYJ
Comment by KT | 02.8.2008 | 12:13 pm
I’m in for the random money-getting. :) I don’t have the willpower to be in for the B7,8,9, whatever. But I’ll gladly watch from the sidelines and indiscriminately heckle.
My sister-in-law is a Disney Freak, so I’ll ask her for advice and will check back with it.
Comment by Eufemiano Fuentes | 02.8.2008 | 12:28 pm
It was much easier when you just forked over the cash to the first person to call you out on your tubbyness.
*sigh* I long for the simpler days
Comment by fatty | 02.8.2008 | 12:39 pm
eufemiano – i’m not ruling that system out.
Comment by Dan K | 02.8.2008 | 12:47 pm
I’d like to say I need to lose 15lbs. Realistically, I think it’s more like 20. Add in denial, and the fact that I’ve been avoiding my scale as though it has some horrible contract-on-contact virus, and I might need to lose 25. Yuck, I’m nauseous just thinking about it. If this thing starts soon, I’m in. Assuming the buy in isn’t too much for my poor butt, that is.
I also agree you should pass the administrative work to one of your readers – you’ve got enough on your plate.
Comment by Lori | 02.8.2008 | 12:57 pm
I don’t know about DisneyLand but DisneyWorld has an add-on that you can purchase in addition to your park admission and it allows you to cut in line (it is always great when you can cut in line!!). If you purchase this thing (I forget what its called but it was like 15-20 bucks on top of admission and totally worth it), you sign in at a ride and they give you a ticket with a time slot for you to return. Upon return during the time slot, you go to the head of the line. You get to explore while all the other schmucks are standing in line!
We also found that by staying in one of the Disney hotels made it real easy to return to the room for rest (in our case, nap time!). Just a quick trip on the shuttle boat that ran every 15 minutes. Plus DisneyWorld has extended hours for those staying at Disney properties, a couple of extra hours in the evening if I remember correctly.
Like I said this was at DisneyWorld but I would assume DisneyLand has the same sort of policies. Hope you guys have a great trip!!
Comment by Sprocketboy | 02.8.2008 | 12:58 pm
The B7 was great, for people new to the blog. It cost me some money in the end, even though I humiliated Fatty. I had to get all my suits taken in, and my pants are still loose (but that’s another story). And I am seemingly addicted to muesli for life now.
Fatty came up with great prizes, stuff that was better than mere cash, last year. So if an entry fee was encouraged, I would still suggest part of it going to LAF.
On the subject of this, I saw the banner/ad for Mike Roadie here today, so I clicked on it and contributed $75. But Mike, you really have to get with the program: the lady who has the most pledges for the ride has a single anonymous one of $12,000!
Comment by Ant | 02.8.2008 | 1:10 pm
Good luck with the challenge Elden, I’ll be following with interest and good thoughts. If a group challenge gets rolling I’ll be in – my success however may be another thing. I’ve been at 105kg (230lb) for as long as I can remember, with no cycling, beer or chinese takeaway-related fluctuations at all.
The Leadville sounds awesome!
Us stoopid Aussies – our next challenge:
http://www.anacondaadventurerace.com/OtwayOdyssey/
Comment by DOM | 02.8.2008 | 1:38 pm
I don’t know a way around the sandbagging. Even if I had to go to an independent site (Weight watchers, etc.) to be weighed, I could guzzle a gallon of water on my way in and have a certified cheating starting weight.
I like the idea of an entry fee. Then you don’t have to put up thousands in wagers, most of which you won anyway. Charge to join, quitters leave it all, also rans get some back, winners win.
I dead center between where I started last year and where I finished. What I thought was a tough but makeable goal turned out to be tougher than I thought. Guess I’ll try for the same result this year.
Comment by pcomeau | 02.8.2008 | 2:24 pm
on the updated B7 challenge…
Not sure on how to answer number 1. Can’t think of any easy way to automate it so you don’t have to spend much time on it. sorry.
As for number 2, I’d agree with an entry fee. Maybe a paypal account everybody chips into and then you can convert it to payouts to those who survive.
As for number 3… well having somebody pony money for entry and a wager (if you use last year’s format) should hopefully take care of it.
Comment by Lifesgreat | 02.8.2008 | 2:49 pm
I go to Dland on occasion and what I have learned:
1. Go to AAA and get your tickets ahead of time (if you are a AAA member)
2. Go to tripadvisor.com for hotel advice. We stayed the Hampton Inn a couple of miles away. It was great-kitchen, two rooms, etc. for a lot less.
3. If Susan has a handicapped parking tag, take it. You will get closer parking. Being in a wheelchair can aid in not having to wait in line. I do not know what Disney’s current policy is, but it used to be the person in the wheelchair and their party would go to the front of the line.
My 2 cents. Good luck on the challenge and my best to Susan.
Comment by SurlyCommuter | 02.8.2008 | 2:55 pm
1) Change the rules. I’m a nubie to the B7, but reading the link it looks like the original thing was intentionally pretty personal, and pretty user intensive (each person putting up a goal and you having to review and approve) Make it a bit one-size-fits-all and BINGO time saved.
2) Put the buy in at $50 you bail, you donate (Hmmm – could do a carbon footprint thing here where if you gain weight you could actually buy fatty-offset credits at $5/lb) Lots of folks will bail – stuff happens.
3) With enough creativity in making the rules you should be able to discourage the inevitable sandbagging and save yourself a bunch of time.
Comment by Big Mike In Oz | 02.8.2008 | 3:02 pm
I’m working on the 07 B7 prize for you as we speak (or type, as the case may be) now that I have a design graphic to work with.
Perhaps this time it should be called B8. Although what the 8th B would stand for is anyones guess (or the topic of your first jackpot).
As for administration… I personally started a family so that I wouldn’t have to do the household chores. It’s not a quantum leap from there to admin tasks. Or even better, you’ve got a teenage computer guru who could probably write you some software that would administer the whole process. You could embed it in the right margin along with your public shame.
Comment by chtrich | 02.8.2008 | 3:33 pm
Oh my, I had forgotten all about muesli. The shame! Such delicious stuff. See how far I’ve fallen from the B7 last year.
B7 was a great contest and really helped me. I dropped 30 lbs. last year and still manage to have 20 lbs. off to date. I’m anxious and ready for whatever the Bx turns into. Thanks for the motivation.
Have a great Dland trip!
Comment by Andy | 02.8.2008 | 3:49 pm
Hey Fatty,
This is the worst blog I have ever read. Why don’t you use some humor to keep us all interested instead of the stuff your writing. How could such a great lady be with you? She could do way better. A hundred miles on rollers? I wouldnt even put on cycling shorts for that.
PS. Do I get the money now??
Comment by Dobovedo | 02.8.2008 | 4:10 pm
At the risk of getting a virtual “punch in the throat” from everybody here, I’m at my lowest weight in 20 years. I started at 235 5 years ago, but the real work came after last year’s Tour de Georgia and our climb up Brasstown Bald. In eight months of effort I am down from 187 to 160. I’m not sure what my real goal is. I said 156, my high school graduation weight, but at 5′9 I’m thinking 150 is where I want to be when I climb Brasstown again in late April. So that’s 10 pounds.
Comment by eunicesara | 02.8.2008 | 4:13 pm
I’ll be watching from the sidelines.
Are you totally serious about 150? Sounds nuts, you are over 5′2″, right? Don’t you feel washed out and almost lifeless at 150? Do you dehydrate yourself to get there?
Just seems like, since you are all about physical activity, there ought to be some measurement more rationally related to your goals for fitness and ride readiness.
Have a great time at Disneywhere.
Comment by Canadian Roadie | 02.8.2008 | 4:44 pm
Dobovedo, I’m with you. I’m 5′10″ and am hoping to hit close to 150 this summer. I’m sitting around 160 right now and have been for a few years. Triathlons, riding haven’t helped – I need that last push! Good luck!
Comment by Mike Roadie | 02.8.2008 | 5:03 pm
Sprocketboy: Thanks for the $75 for LAF…..we could use a lot more love! I don’t know where these folks with the heavy-hitter donors come from. Mine are $25/$50 at a time.
BUT, I am saving my secret weapon (actually, my email campaign) for a little later in the spring.
We have a food festival and a wine tasting coming up in the next month–that should throw some dollars to the webpage!!
In the meantime, how ’bout some help for a good cause, fellow FCers????
Comment by Clydesteve | 02.8.2008 | 5:17 pm
Mike here is something interesting. Last year, I put in an initial personal donation on my LiveStrong page of $50. I got a number of $50 donations.
This year I put a $100 initial personal donation at http://portland08.livestrong.org/stevpete and I have not received any donations below $100! Not that I do not welcome them, and not that the $1000 donations don’t get me there much faster, but, do you suppose???
Hey you FCers, lets get with it and donate to Mike’s LiveStrong fund!!
Comment by Madisonian | 02.8.2008 | 5:50 pm
Fatty,
I found my way over here from bikeforums, and I have to say, you’ve got a really amazing community here. While I’m relatively new to cycling, and not exactly a clyde myself, (I’m a scant 150…don’t hate me :) ) I have tremendous respect for your dedication to fitness, and the positive energy and humor you inject to every post.
In fact, I am currently doing a research project on online special interest groups, and I’ve selected your blog as one of the sites to do my study on. And like I said, it’s definitely lived up to the reviews I’ve read. So, long story short, keep up the great work (both weight loss and otherwise) and keep posting!
Comment by Bluenoser | 02.8.2008 | 6:30 pm
OK Fatty, I’m in. I need to be 175 and I’m at 195 right now. How do you want to do this? I need to get up short fast hills and then hammer the guys to get to where i want so 175 is good. I’m 5′11″. Sound right.
Anyway I’m in on whatever weight loss contest you have in mind.
-B
Comment by Michael Maddox | 02.8.2008 | 7:41 pm
Okay, I’ll bite. I’ll even post my weights, goals, and whining on my website. 250 today, and I’d like to be 200. At 38, I’m under no illusions, but I WOULD enjoy seeing how far this can go. Will it hurt much?
Comment by System6 | 02.8.2008 | 9:39 pm
Here’s an easy approach:
Everybody submits a check — 25 or 50 dollars, which is then kept in a large envelop by FC; so far not so difficult.
Everybody measures their starting weight as of the start date, and enters a comment to the blog with name/or nickname and starting weight.
Once a week, everybody is asked to “weigh in” and report the same way. Honesty is assumed, or we’ll have Dick Cheney teach you how to hang ten on a waterboard.
At the end of the day of each weekly weigh-in:
– anyone who failed to weigh in, their check is forfeited. Game over. back to chocolate cake for you. Here’s a kleenex, no more tears puhlease.
- then, for each of the remaining participants, the % weight lost during the week is calculated for each person and for the entire group, and anyone whose % loss is LESS than the group average is dropped from the pack and on their way to a starring role in the Biggest Loser program.
- within a few weeks, the contest culls down to a very small number (e.g., if there were 20 people who started, then after week one you’re down to 10 or less, then after week two there would be 5 or less, and so on).
Within a few weeks, someone wins.
Half the pot goes to the winner, half to LAF or whatever. Or if the winner is gracious, he/she could offer to let their half go to charity also.
Advantages are that anyone/everyone can do the math. No administration, code writing or spreadsheets necessary. Any discussion/disputes could be handled on the blog, with FC being the arbiter unless he’s directly involved in the dispute.
By the way, count me in. Despite virtually melting the steel wheel off my Cyclops this winter and more god-foresaken intervals than Chris Carmichael would ask, I’ve still maintained 10, okay, at least 15 pounds of human neoprene I need to shed.
Comment by Stomper | 02.8.2008 | 10:08 pm
B8 – BRING IT ON!
Count me in – it can’t come at a better time!
Comment by Andrea | 02.9.2008 | 6:09 am
I made some pretty serious weight loss goals with a year and a half to make them. I started strong and then deteriorated. I ended up gaining about 10 pounds back and am now slogging my way through losing those again. I am now about three months from my deadline event(s). A couple of weeks ago, I started posting my weight progress on my blog each week, along with unflattering “fat pictures” of myself to keep me motivated. It’s helped some, but only about 4 people read my blog, so I’m really interested in your contest. I hope you get it worked out. The TT thing scares me, though, because I’m really, really slow and I’m riding my first mountain bike race ever on April 20, which is incidentally, a TT.
Comment by Mocougfan | 02.9.2008 | 7:15 am
Fatty,
I’m totally in. I’m trying to lose weight for the Triple Bypass and LOTOJA
Comment by eclaire | 02.9.2008 | 7:16 am
i’d be in for the weight loss challenge. after extending my holiday eating well into january, i finally forced myself to stand on the scale. did anybody hear extended screaming about three weeks back? me, facing up to my highest weight in years! so i’m trying (again) to lose the same old pounds, plus a few, that i lose at the beginning of every year. doing okay, but i found a burning need to bake chocolate chip cookies (with raisins, coconut and oats) wed night. today, they are long gone! (man, they were good) so i’m thinking that some accountablity would be a good idea. i balk at the idea of fat photos though! for me, keeping weight off is just as hard as losing it. a long term challenge would (hopefully) keep me on the right track. a fee to join the challenge sounds fair. and the simpler the challenge is the better, no max heart rate, power wattage stuff. how about weight posted once a week, tt once a month, skip that and forfeit your dough. now i’m feeling hopeful that this is the year i can wear a bathing suit in public! woohoo!
has anyone received their fat cyclist t-shirt yet? i think my mail man is scared of me lurking by the mail box…
Comment by Donna in Mid Michigan | 02.9.2008 | 12:55 pm
SOOO you go the gate and off to the RIGHT is special services. You go in there, anyone CAN…say Medical condition ( in this case wheelchair) and you go RIGHT to front of every line…i WAS NEVER given to return time to come back they just let us on the next boat,star or ride.
My friend does it as standing in line with High blood pressure is difficult.
Best of luck.
CALL them up and see what THEY suggest!!!
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[...] It’ll Be Just Like Starting Over (Fat Cyclist) [...]
Comment by dkirkavitch | 02.10.2008 | 10:36 pm
Hey Fatty,
I’m in again for the Bwhatever. There are some pretty good ideas for steamlining, I have nothing to add.
It sounds as if you will have your weekly feet to the fire contest and then the one for the rest of us.
My only suggestion would be to maybe make the Bwhatever a shorter contest. Say four months. That way, it really makes us focus and gets us to our goal weights with all of the summer riding ahead of us.
You on the other hand can drag yours out until the first of August for the Leadville 100.
However it goes, I’m in. I need to get ready for the GLR May 31st.
Comment by KT | 02.11.2008 | 9:27 am
Well, Lori and Donna both had the same suggestions my sis-in-law did.
When her and my bro go to Disneywherever, they always stay on property at one of Disney’s hotels. They get the fast-pass or whatever it’s called, so they can spend more time seeing stuff and less time standing in line.
They also book directly through Disney, so everything is taken care of including shuttles.
Definitely call them and explain Susan’s needs. They’re accomodating folks, they want you to come to their place for vacation.
Plus, staying on property means that you’ll be able to get back to your room for nap time or recuperation without much difficulty.
Let us know how the Pirates of the Carribean ride is! :)
Comment by Trevor | 02.12.2008 | 1:33 am
As far as the weight loss thing goes, no can do. I need to lose about 5lbs of fat but I will probably gain that much weight in muscle as I train this year. I am currently 5′8″ and 160. Now there was some mention of doing a time trial. This I am interested in. I am just starting to train for Leadville and I need lots of little goals to push me for the next few months. Any interest out there in starting up a time trial contest to see if you can improve by X% over the course of the contest?
Comment by Harp | 02.12.2008 | 10:34 pm
Another weight loss challenge? I’m definetly in. The last one helped and I’m in need of a little weight loss motivation