Day 53

I apologize for not posting much recently. I've been pretty busy with work and haven't had much that was post worthy. I'm working on getting our apartment cleaned up and working my way through some of our stuff to see if we can get rid of anything before we move in a few months.

Today I want to stress the importance of support. If you're going along with me and trying to drop a few pounds or change something in your life, support is a crucial element of that. I'm lucky in that I have the emotional support of a lot of people, but I also have the physical support of some very close friends and family. What I mean by that, is I have some great workout buddies.

I have 3 people that I know I can count on to push me in a workout, or maybe I can push them! My wife, brother, and a buddy of mine all ride bikes. We can all get out together, or in pairs, to put some work in on the bike. I know I can count on my wife during the week to work out with me whether it be running or cycling. If we're running, she pushes me, but if it's cycling, I can push her (usually). We also will grab a game of tennis just to switch things up every once in a while.

On the weekends, I can usually count on my brother or other friend for a ride. My brother has always supported me and been proud of me when I try to lose weight. He's also really good at pushing me on the bike since he's in better shape than I am. He's good competition, because we've both got our strengths on the bike. His is climbing, mine is descent. I also can go into MattTrain mode and crush him on a flat as long as I can keep him off my back wheel so he doesn't get to draft.

My other friend will ride all day with me. He's one of those guys who, no matter how bad he's hurting, he will just keep going. I'm pretty sure that when we did our Iron Tour ride (68 miles) he bonked between miles 40 and 50, but damn if he didn't finish that ride!

So what I'm getting at, is if you've got a goal to pursue, find someone to help you get there. It can be hard if you're the kind of guy (or girl) who thinks that they can do anything on their own, but you need to learn to accept help... take it from me... it's crucial.