Chaser deconditioning

[Bill Hark]

I just returned from almost two weeks of constant chasing. This was the most number of consecutive chase days that I have had. Combined with a diet of steak, fajitas, and pizza if I am lucky; gas station burritos, chips and convenience store fried things if I am not lucky, my endurance has decreased. I usually run 3 miles every other day. I wasn't able to run during the last two weeks. I tried running today and pooped out after about a mile and a half. Blahh. This happens every year but 2008 was the worst.

Bill Hark

 

[Adam Lucio]

You aint lying either. My chase diet is usually gas station ham sandwiches and more code red mt dew than a normal person drinks in their entire lifetime. This most recent trip I was lucky enough to endulge myself with Applebees and Dennys.

I finally washed all the Kansas mud off my van today and I swear my arm is actually soar from scrubbing it off!

No time to sign up for the gym tho, looks like another active week is in store.

 

[Shane Adams]

I'm still in "chaser crap mode" until the end of June. It's not really a forced situation (like you nomaders) so much as excuse to be lazy and irresponsible with my diet. With the insane gas prices, the past three months have been living week to week with about 35 cents in my bank account after bills, and maybe 2 days chasing. Because of this, I would just buy $30-40 worth of sandwich stuff and a few junkfood goodies, purely for sanity. I love chasing, but I'm looking forward to July, when I can turn it off for a while, get back into work full-force, start padding my bank account again, having variety in my diet, and maybe having some semblance of a life. It really is a great measurement of just how much chasing means to me, when I think of how I have to live now to do it, and what I could've done with the money I've spent on it this year.

 

[Dennis Sherrod]

Perhaps someone could start a fuel thread, I shudder to think what some of you who've been driving around for the past two weeks have spent.

Just figured this up today from gas receipts.
11 days
5200 miles (approximately)
$1300.00 (approximately) gasoline alone

 

[Shawna Davies]

I know what you guys mean. Jon and I have only been home for one day last week aside from this past weekend. I was so exhausted last Friday when we got home from the stress of being on the road and poor diet. (Although we usually eat at Subway as much as we can to get some veggies in.) We've spent the entire weekend working our butts off catching up on household duties and I bought a ton of fruits and veggies that we've been eating all weekend. I have one more day to catch up before we start all over again.

Like Shane, on some days I look forward to things slowing down so I can be on a normal schedule again. What helps in those moments is thinking about how I'm going to miss this come winter and that keeps me motivated.

As far as money we're spending on the road, I use my AAA discount and denial as my way of coping....

Shawna Helt

 

[Michael Towers]

As usual I ended up losing weight, about 4 lbs. during my 5 day trip. I’m not much into fast food and really don’t feel like sitting down for a meal at a restaurant after a long day chasing. I wasn’t planning another multi-day chase trip this year but as I’m suffering chase withdrawal and I really could use to lose another 4 pounds…

...my endurance has decreased. I usually run 3 miles every other day. I wasn't able to run during the last two weeks. I tried running today and pooped out after about a mile and a half. Blahh. This happens every year but 2008 was the worst.

Bill Hark

Fortunately my endurance hasn’t suffered; I can still sit behind a desk for 10+ hours and not get winded.

As well as being lighter in weight I’m definitely lighter in wallet. Approx. $500 in gas (2901 miles driven) $400 in hotels, plus a lot of lost $$$ from closing business. But for a vacation it really was relatively cheap, and even though gas prices have gone through the roof I ended up spending less than I usually do by driving out in my own vehicle instead of flying in and renting a car.

 

[Laura Duchesne]

Just got back from close to 2 weeks of constant chasing, 8000 miles later and approx $900 in gas. Our diet consisted of Sonic, Burger King, gas station food (such as Allsups burritos), McDonalds, Pizza Hut lunch buffet, Perkins, Dennys and one dinner at Applebees (had a great shrimp spinach salad). It was a lot of fast food, the most we've eaten compared to the last couple of years (we ate at sit-in restaurants more then). We also did a lot of snacking on the road. I probably had a little too much bad food, so I hope to get some healthier stuff into me now that I am home. I am a bit more tired (went to a family thing today and I just wanted to go to bed). Hopefully by Monday I will be back up and running for work (but somehow I think it will take me a week to really get back into the swing of things again).

 

[Andrea Griffa]

I just returned from almost two weeks of constant chasing. This was the most number of consecutive chase days that I have had. Combined with a diet of steak, fajitas, and pizza if I am lucky; gas station burritos, chips and convenience store fried things if I am not lucky, my endurance has decreased. I usually run 3 miles every other day. I wasn't able to run during the last two weeks. I tried running today and pooped out after about a mile and a half. Blahh. This happens every year but 2008 was the worst.

Bill Hark

Bill this is the only thing I hate when I think about chasing.
Anyway, to me, if you eat in Subway, you drink water when you're thirsty, you buy fresh fruit in Wallmart and sometimes you eat in McDonalds when you are hurry you can survive.
However when you'll come back home you will have a terrible face the same. But the important is to survive