Warm-up and Introductions

The triathlon season is over for me, but perhaps it's good to reflect on what I have accomplished and set goals for next season.

It started in December '04 when my weight had reached nearly 170 pounds, more than 40 pounds from my low weight and at least 25 pounds over my goal weight. Enough was enough. So I chose the Christmas season to challenge myself to lose weight. For some reason, the challenge of losing weight during the pie hoovering season seemed like a great idea. My thinking: If I can lose weight now, I can keep the lifestyle change throughout the year. I started by reading a few chapters of the Dr. Phil Weightloss Challenge book. I got bored with the book, but continued with the weight loss.

I started with running. Running is my fall back. It's the thing I do. I know how to run. I started by running 30 minutes five times a week. My husband and I re-enlisted in our Gold's Gym membership pass, only this time we added the daycare option. I tried getting up early in the morning to work out, but then I lost my motivation, so rather than beating myself internally for not getting up early to exercise, I took my two girls (ages 2 and 1) to Gold's Gym for an hour in the afternoon while I worked out. Since I was an athlete in high school, I thought I'd choose the hour between 3 and 4 p.m., just like after school sports, to run on the Gold's Gym treadmill. It also gave me the added benefit of being able to watch Dr. Phil with my headphones on.

Around late February I started thinking about triathlons. I have a brother who does triathlons and loves them. Could I love them too? I'd run a marathon four years prior, and I knew I didn't love them.

Short break while I get my girls some breakfast.