The Ever-Curious Noobling

[gildedliberty]

Joined today to see what this is all about. I have heard good things from various sources on the Internet. My questions are as follows:

• Is there some kind of determination for starting stats?
  
• Is there a standard for level ups, or is it just based on personal goals?
  
• Who are you lovely people who took the time to read my first post? (Introductions should go both ways, so who ARE you?)
  
• 
  

Personal goals:

1. Return to my former glory days of being in the 130's.
   
2. Run a 5k by summer's end.
   
3. Bike 60 miles in gravel in preparation for next year's Gravel Metric.
   
4. Start working on strength training and get ALL the muscles!
   
5. Build up biking skills so I can do at least a 60 mile day, and for next year, tackle RAGBRAI.
   
6. Learn to properly maintain the weight once it's off, continuing to work on strength, endurance, and agility.
   
7. Get a damned degree already.
   

Who am I?

A recently-turned 25 year old who due to stress, poverty, and lack of proper nutritional and cardiovascular upbringing, was rather hefty until leaving for college. At this point, due to poverty and vehiclelessness, rollerbladed/walked my way down to 135 (approximately 20 pounds less). Once moving to a new area with god-awful weather and continued lack of funds, gained all of the weight back and then some, to hit a scary almost 200 pounds. After Weight Watchers and another 20 pounds lost, realizing that that system is not overly accurate or particularly encouraging insofar as nutritional awareness goes, starting my own diet and exercise a scant 2 months ago. Up until now, it has been cardio without strength training. This will now change, and I will begin with bodyweight and move up from there.

It's nice to meet everyone, and it's time to kick the crap out of those exercises.

[bigm141414]

Why hullo there!

1) Spezzy has a post here about how to figure your starting stats for a challenge.

2) Based on personal goals.

3) I'm BigM, the despot ruler of the Warriors Guild. I fancy lifting heavy things and helping others to lift heavy things. I've been around for a while so know my way around the boards a bit. If you have questions I'm always (and I do mean always) around to help. So is everyone else

I like the RAGBRAI goal, one day I'll do it myself. I hear great things about the ride.

If you need help figuring out where to start with strength training lemme know.

[Sloth the Enduring]

The Gravel Metric? That's awesome.

[gildedliberty]

Thank you, BigM! Nice to meet you. I will talk to you soon about lifting. I'm a little nervous about starting, but I know I should. So, as soon as my back stops yelling at me, I will begin.

[gildedliberty]

The Gravel Metric? That's awesome.

It was awesome. Have you done it?

[Sloth the Enduring]

Nope. It seems like all the gravel races are early in the year before I have enough miles on my legs to try something like that. How'd it go?

[br!t3r]

What is the Gravel metric? I would assume a bike event on gravel?

[gildedliberty]

All gravel/dirt/grass roads. For 62 miles. And it was HOT. You can read about it here. http://gravelmetric.wordpress.com/

111 degrees that day on the pavement. It was brutal, but I was really proud of myself for doing as much as I did, and I learned a few things. The people organizing it were great and all very nice. Next year will be even better.