really really really new

Howdy & welcome! Xterra is pretty popular around here, if your interested in trail riding it might be worth checking into. I converted my mountain bike to road use & rode it on the street all last year before getting a real road bike.

Is there any pools you can use until the water warms up in the lakes? Wetsuits can be pretty spendy, but if you continue to read the forums here, you can find deals. Infact there's a thread on discounted suits right now on the main board.

It sounds like you have a great background for Triathlons. I'm doing my first tomorrow, I had to work hard to get into shape because I let myself go for about 5 years & got fat. Good Luck!

No pools around. so.. Im in the lake. Xterras are too exteme for me to even think about now. Having been hit by a car on the curvy roads here make me really leery of starting on them. So trail riding it is, for now. Now I just need to find out about wetsuits and skins oh my.. speaking of letting myself go and get and fat, I have a lot more practice than 5years at that. THAT however is in the past.....

This is my experience, I lost about 8-10 inches off my waist before I bought my wetsuit. If I would have bought it when I started, it wouldn't fit very well now. If I gain the 35 lbs back, I won't fit into the one I just bought. The key to me losing weight was getting my diet under control with the help of a nutritionist. I have slacked off on my diet the last month & the weight is starting to return, so I'll go back to monitoring my diet next week using http://www.fitday.com/ Exercise alone isn't enough to get & keep me thin.

I was also hit by a car last year, along with a few very close calls. I started to wear neon yellow jerseys/jacket & it seems to have made a big difference for me. I try to obey most of the traffic laws now & slow down or stop if I see anything that might be trouble. I had a few nasty crashes last year & a couple were from my own stupidity.

I've had many obstacles to overcome, but have always found a way to press on. Tomorrow will bring to fruition the last 10 months of hard work & untold dollars spent on equipment, experts, Gym dues, supplements, & the event entry fees. For me, the event is only the icing on the cake, I really enjoy the training & having something healthy to obsess over. I like what our Resident Curmudgeon The Bear says, "Dude, it's a lifestyle. If you want a hobby, start collecting stamps".

welcome and good luck

Welcome Sugarplum Girl!