My friend rides faster and Dh got the frame I wanted ... Boo hoo for me!!!

[Jiffer]

Continued thanks for the encouragement. Miranda, my friend is the ultimate humble person as well. I don't know if I know a more humble individual. She'd never intentionally make me feel bad and would even withhold information about how fast her pace was or how excited she was about it if she knew it would be frustrating for me. We are really close friends, so this "temporary" frustration of mine won't come between us. Just makes me work that much harder.

For those who suggested I focus on training, I have worked hard on the training aspect all year and even did Heartbreak Hundred with 8500 feet of climbing for the sole purpose of improving (a massive undertaking for me). But there's no way I can do that kind of training and lose weight. I'd have no energy. No matter what I do, I can't figure out the correct quantity of food to eat for both weight loss and energy for training. Now that some of my big rides are out of the way for the year, I can focus more on the weight, so it's a good time. I have a couple of events coming up in the next couple of months, but I can take them or leave them. So I'll just see how I"m doing.

And for the comments about not comparing yourself to others, as I said in my first post, that's easier said than done, but I'm trying. I am amazed when I look at my bike journal from last year to this year, so I know I have improved by leaps and bounds. But of the group of people I typically ride with, let's face it, it just sucks to be the last one up the hill every SINGLE time. So ... ON WITH THE WEIGHT LOSS GOAL!!!

[Miranda]

... Miranda, my friend is the ultimate humble person as well...
...Heartbreak Hundred with 8500 feet of climbing for the sole purpose of improving (a massive undertaking for me)...
not comparing yourself to others... that's easier said than done... I am amazed when I look at my bike journal from last year to this year, so I know I have improved by leaps and bounds...
...ON WITH THE WEIGHT LOSS GOAL!!!

Hey Jiffer-- I'm glad your friend is a "true friend". I heard a joke once that "a good friend will help you move a piece of furniture at your house... a great friend will help you move a dead body...". Sounds like she's the later.

Gheez... I'd be hard pressed to find 8500' to climb where I'm at, man that's an awesome goal!

Yep... the improvement and your bike journal... it's "all about YOU". And, fwiw, on the # lose goals, it's tough--been there. When I delivered my 1st kid, who weighed 9#8oz, I was over 200#s. Now I average around 120#. Losing it is one thing. Maintaining is another. The best I can say is you just keep trying.

[Jiffer]

"a good friend will help you move a piece of furniture at your house... a great friend will help you move a dead body...".

That's an AWESOME quote!! I love it. Yes, I've been patting myself on the back having done that 8500 feet. These are the kinds of rides dh lives for. He came in 6th on that ride with a 5:23 time. He broke the record for The Bear, with over 10,000 feet of climbing. Unfortunately, a group of guys that worked together, unlike him, beat his time. But he still can say he broke the course record. I'm proud of him. He's about to do Mt. Whitney, which is 30,000 feet over two days. 202 miles.

I weighed over 200 after my last child was born as well. After much frustration, I eventually lost 60 pounds after that and kept it off. So I know what works for me. Just have to keep plugging away. We sound a lot alike. It's been fun chatting with you.