Numbers Don't Lie

The one thing I like about triathlons, or sports in general, are numbers don't lie. For example, when coaching basketball, I can tell each player how many shots they took, their percentages, turnovers, etc. There really isn't any room for debate, because numbers are numbers...and they don't lie.

The same can be said for triathlons. Regardless if you think a swim is "short" or a bike was "long" in a race, everyone has to do the exact same thing. When you go out for a training run of 6 miles and need to keep your heart rate under 145, the numbers will tell you your pace, speed, and average heart rate. You can't cheat. Being the type of person I am, I rarely workout without my Timex Body Link system. It tells me everything I need to know.

With that said, I asked my wife (aka "The Taminator") to put me through the test. Let me know my "stats". You know, how strong am I? What to I weigh? What is my percent body fat? And so on. I also asked her to be my trainer when possible (more on that painful first day later).

Well, the results are in. I am not sure if they are good, bad or indifferent, but they are what they are. Here you go:

1. Weight: 162.2 lbs: I was pleasantly surprised. Ideal race weight for me is about 155lbs
2. Sit and Reach: Poor: Actually, there was no rating, but I can barely reach my shins
3. Shoulder Flex Test: Poor: Again, no actual rating but trust me, I wasn't close
4. Number of Push-Ups (to failure): 55: Having never done this before, I was happy
5. Number of Sit-Ups (in 1 minute): 38: I didn't go hard, but tried to stay consistent
6. Percent Body Fat: 10.3: Really surprised at this especially after eating so many Girls Scout cookies
7. Lean Body Mass: 138.2 lbs: Muscle and bone weight
8. Water Weight: 59.5 lbs: This is how much water I have in me (see, I am not full of poop)
9. General Health (scale of 1-9): 5: Nine is the best so I am average!
10. Basal Metabolic Rate: 1886: This is the amount of calories that I need to take in order to maintain my current weight.
11. Real Age: 12 years old: I am as physically fit as a 12 year old...and as wise.
12. Bone Density: 7.2: Anything over 5 is good...strong bones.
13. Visceral Fat: 4: This is a measure of the spare tire around your waist...I have a bike tire

I hope to have this done a couple of more times throughout the season in an effort to track my progress. I know I have some work to do and I went at it pretty good this week during my vacation. I am only two weeks into my training and feel I am making positive progress. I must admit that my diet is struggling and this will be my biggest issue for sure.

So, there you have it. Full disclosure about me and my triathlete body. Sorry, no pictures.

Thanks for reading and sharing your thoughts. Keep them coming.