Well I successfully made it through another weigh in! I am down another 3.4 pounds, I have no idea how, but I did it! This weekend kiddos have been promised a trip up to Elitch Gardens and with the exorbitant prices up there we pack our own lunches and take a stroll out to the car to eat, so I know for lunch I will do fine!
Yesterday I was trying to figure out my bills, my car payment is coming up tomorrow and it got me to thinking. I got my car the year I started racing. Then I had to think back just when that was. I started racing in 2007! Then my brain went on to just how much I have accomplished. Had someone have told me four years ago that I would be where I am today I would have laughed at them!
My whole dream of racing started back in 2001. I was working as a life guard at the YMCA, I was fat. I would get in the pool during my lunch break and swim. I also started walking/running. One day I met the most inconsiderate pompous guy (or so I thought) who strutted around the pool in a speedo and would not get out of the pool when I told him to. I later got to know him. It turned out that Dirk was a pro triathlete who was going to school nearby and needed to get his swims in. He gave me pointers here and there while I was in the pool on my breaks (which I am truly grateful to him). Then I found out one of my early morning regulars was an Ironman. To add to all of this another one of my lunch time regulars (maybe late 30s, on the boarder of normal and plus sized) was doing Danskins Triathlon (sprint distance). So I figured, I got the swimming down pat, I am working on the running and I added riding to my regime. I can do this. At the time I wasn’t in the greatest of situations maritally speaking. I had to get into a better situation. I lost 80 pounds and I was ready to do the Danskins triathlon in Denver the summer of 2002, well, I re-entered the military and I was shipping out prior to the race. I had not given up on triathlons yet. A year and a half later I found myself in Iraq and injured (non-combat related), shortly thereafter I found out just how badly I was hurt and I gave up on my dream of becoming a triathlete.
Fast forward to New Years 2007, I made a resolution to become a triathlete even if that meant crawling across the finish line long after everyone else went home. It was time. I actually started to well up with tears when I finished filling out all the information for my first tri. A friend of mine decided to sign up for the Denver Marathon and I told her she was out of her ever loving mind, a few days later I signed up for it too! My first triathlon was in Greely, CO and it took me a while after crossing the finish line to realize what I had just accomplished! I had two more triathlons that summer, one of which was Danskins. As far as the marathon went, I figured I would be smart and hire a coach to get me ready for the marathon. Talk about a huge mistake (during a group TRAIL run, I was left behind and no one waited at the end to make sure I made it back alive [yes, I got lost]). The only good thing about that coach was she suggested I sign up for a half marathon and I met a new friend at that race (she still motovates me to this day).
Anyway here we are years later, I am still racing, I am a LOT smarter, I am still fluffy, but I have earned bragging rights. I KNOW I can do things that the majority of the population has never even tried. Mind you, the injury I sustained while in Iraq is still there and still reminds me I am not invincible. I reminded on a regular basis that I have to slow down from time to time. If I don’t listen, I WILL pay! This year I did get a trophy for coming in third in the Athena category!
Yesterday I was trying to figure out my bills, my car payment is coming up tomorrow and it got me to thinking. I got my car the year I started racing. Then I had to think back just when that was. I started racing in 2007! Then my brain went on to just how much I have accomplished. Had someone have told me four years ago that I would be where I am today I would have laughed at them!
My whole dream of racing started back in 2001. I was working as a life guard at the YMCA, I was fat. I would get in the pool during my lunch break and swim. I also started walking/running. One day I met the most inconsiderate pompous guy (or so I thought) who strutted around the pool in a speedo and would not get out of the pool when I told him to. I later got to know him. It turned out that Dirk was a pro triathlete who was going to school nearby and needed to get his swims in. He gave me pointers here and there while I was in the pool on my breaks (which I am truly grateful to him). Then I found out one of my early morning regulars was an Ironman. To add to all of this another one of my lunch time regulars (maybe late 30s, on the boarder of normal and plus sized) was doing Danskins Triathlon (sprint distance). So I figured, I got the swimming down pat, I am working on the running and I added riding to my regime. I can do this. At the time I wasn’t in the greatest of situations maritally speaking. I had to get into a better situation. I lost 80 pounds and I was ready to do the Danskins triathlon in Denver the summer of 2002, well, I re-entered the military and I was shipping out prior to the race. I had not given up on triathlons yet. A year and a half later I found myself in Iraq and injured (non-combat related), shortly thereafter I found out just how badly I was hurt and I gave up on my dream of becoming a triathlete.
Fast forward to New Years 2007, I made a resolution to become a triathlete even if that meant crawling across the finish line long after everyone else went home. It was time. I actually started to well up with tears when I finished filling out all the information for my first tri. A friend of mine decided to sign up for the Denver Marathon and I told her she was out of her ever loving mind, a few days later I signed up for it too! My first triathlon was in Greely, CO and it took me a while after crossing the finish line to realize what I had just accomplished! I had two more triathlons that summer, one of which was Danskins. As far as the marathon went, I figured I would be smart and hire a coach to get me ready for the marathon. Talk about a huge mistake (during a group TRAIL run, I was left behind and no one waited at the end to make sure I made it back alive [yes, I got lost]). The only good thing about that coach was she suggested I sign up for a half marathon and I met a new friend at that race (she still motovates me to this day).
Anyway here we are years later, I am still racing, I am a LOT smarter, I am still fluffy, but I have earned bragging rights. I KNOW I can do things that the majority of the population has never even tried. Mind you, the injury I sustained while in Iraq is still there and still reminds me I am not invincible. I reminded on a regular basis that I have to slow down from time to time. If I don’t listen, I WILL pay! This year I did get a trophy for coming in third in the Athena category!
That almost made me puke at the end! LOL! Thanks for the mention! Don't forget to 'spank' yourself during you next workout! LOL!
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