Race Weight
Hey Team!
Last nights webinar on body comp was very imformative! Coach Rich shared some great information about changing your body comp and getting to your race weight. A few of us asked the question, how do you determine an ideal race weight? What have people used to figure out what weight they race best at? For a newbie, I am looking at how to calculate my race weight so I can set a goal and proceed with changing my body comp. Any feedback is greatly appreciated!! Please share your experiences. 
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the trick is to keep losing weight until your friends and family ask you if you've been sick. then you know you're within 10 pounds. if they start whispering to each other, wondering if you've got cancer or aids, you're within 5. when they actually do an intervention, you're at race weight.
Joking aside, I think the vast majority of us can always stand to lose more weight. This doesn't mean maintain that year round, but most of us can lose more when peaking for a race. I think in general, work on leaning down until you notice negative conseequences- fatigue, unable to maintain power/pace, etc. For women, we have to be careful of issues like skipped periods and such when we get real lean. If you want an actual number to aim for, I think it helps to have access to some sort of body fat measurement, even though most aren't very accurate. Make a goal body fat %, and realize how much weight you'd have to lose to get there, assuming you'd lose pure bodyfat. According to the book "Racing Weight", female elite triathletes are 12-16% body fat. In my own experience, when I felt I was in my best shape and leanest, I was 18% body fat according to my scale.
I think opinions on this range drastically. When I was at that 18% bodyfat, I was 110 lbs (5'3" female). I did a Core Diet consult and they put my ideal race weight at 123, which seems WAY too heavy, as I know how I look at that weight and I definitely have lbs to lose. Though right now I'm above that, so maybe that should be my first goal...
I had a realization the other day while grocery shopping. I don't have a car, so carry everything home that I get. I was buying a 5lb bag of grapefruit. To anyone wondering what a 5 lb weight loss can do for them, go lift a 5 lb grapefruit bag. Imagine running carrying that. Dang. 5 lbs is a big deal! Time to get disciplined!
Laura, I had a bodpod test done a few months ago and they give you a print out at the end with fat and fat free weight. It cost about $50 and only took 10 minutes. Was a great way to confirm my instincts on an ideal weight (although I am far from that number).