General Discussion Triathlon Talk » My fat story Rss Feed  
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2016-08-24 5:46 AM


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Subject: My fat story
So having a military back ground I have always been the type to think "push harder", "push further", "if you can't do this your weak", "Run faster", "Do more", "Your fat", "Your lazy", "your worthless if you can't do this" the list of negative things go on and on and on and on.

I started out exercising in my basement. I went out and spent 800$ on an elliptical set it up I tracked my diet and everything I ate and pushed myself every day. Day in and day out for months. I hit a wall that I couldn't get around and I knew that the dreaded day had come when I had to go out in public and start to exercise and people would see me. I started at 360 and i'm at 310 now. when I started I would run and I felt fatter. All of those negative things come to my mind i'm fat, i'm worthless, I can even run a 1/4 mile without walking.

I sheeplessly went into the gym on day one. Scared wearing a baggy shirt so people wouldn't see my fat. I picked a slow time of the day to make sure not many people would see me. I did my exercise on the elliptical and I did my weights as fast as possible and I left. My weight gains picked up a little again for a few weeks then they dropped off. Now it was time to start to push a little more. My confidence has started to come up a little higher but wait the elliptical isn't doing much for me anymore now what.

No it can't be I have to start jogging. it's winter out so I can't really do back roads my only option buy a treadmill but that wasn't feasible or use the treadmill at the gym. I got on it and I felt like I was gonna break the thing so I moved to the track. The track goes around a basketball court. It's 1/10 mile long and I couldn't run one lap without getting winded it sucked and there was always 20-30 people in there playing ball on various courts all to see me. It really sucked. What choice did I have? i wasn't gonna get skinny without doing this so I did it. So I started jogging half a lap walk half jog half walk half. No one laughed. No one pointed. No one cared what I was doing I was doing it I was lugging my 300+ lb body around this track every day.

Soon after all my hard work I made my way to my first 5k. The boilermaker in Utica NY. Now anyone who is in the area and never done this I would strongly suggest you do this. This race really helped me see a lot and got me hooked on all of this even more. I'll never forget the morning of waking up scared shitless. What on earth had I done signing up for this i'm 300+lbs I have no business doing this. I was wrong though. As I would soon find out I had every business doing this because it was my goal. It was something I wanted to do. It was something I worked for so I deserved this race as much as anyone else. So I did it. I had a time of 47minutes and some seconds. It was a horrible time but it was my PR. My best time ever and I finished what I had started. Race day no one called me fat or asked what I was doing there everyone was supportive and encouraging.

Since the boiler maker I have done 2 more 5k's one was a road course and I decreased my time to 43 minutes and some seconds and the next was a cross country off road course and I maintained the 43 minutes but I feel if it had been on road my time might have been a little better. The cross country one I ran my first non stop mile every. So each race I have been in I have had personal records of some sort.

Since the boilermaker race I have reaffirmed my dedication to training and pushed myself more and I have looked into what else is out there. What else can I do to challenge myself so I found tri-a-trys. my first one is Sunday in cornwall Ontario. it is a 200m swim a 10k bike and a 2.5k bike. My second one will be in Ottawa Ontario the following Saturday with a 200m swim a 20k bike and a 3k run. I signed up for these right after the second 5k when I was feeling great with how amazing I felt. That feeling went away and I started to question why I signed up for them. I had never swam 200m before what on earth was I thinking? I was crazy to think I could do it.

So I went out and I found someone to coach me someone to help me organize my training and answer my newb questions and it was a great thing to do. Last night we went and set my bike up and practiced a transition from biking right into running and I felt amazing. So we are 4 days away and I will be able to officially call myself a triathlete. My coach asked me last night how many other 310# men did I think were out jogging at that time. Then he asked how many other 310# men were out jogging right after riding a bike?

Now i'm not going out there to win. I don't think i'm going to come in first place and go on to the Olympics or anything. But i'm going to go give it everything I have. I'm going to push hard and dig deep. I'm not lazy, i'm not worthless, I'm an amazing person who has gone through an amazing journey to get where I am and I can only imagine where I am going to. My goals are high and as long I keep working at a reasonable pace so I don't hurt myself and as long as I don't give up I can obtain every goal I have.

On these forums at races at bike or running stores I have never had someone I talked to not take me seriously when I asked questions bout running and triathlons. I have never had anyone look at me like I was to fat or to lazy. Everyone in this community has been extremely and overwhelmingly encouraging so thank you all for that.

To anyone else who is in a similar position I was in January and who is looking at this site trying to get answers, trying to figure out the best way to do this, trying to get the courage to change your life the biggest lesson I learned is "your mind is the only thing holding you back" Take that first step and go and never look back because once you start your life will never be the same again.

If you are new to this and have questions I don't know if I would have the answers but I would do my best to help you find them so if you are where I was in January and you need someone to talk to shoot me a message. I can tell you what worked for me.



Edited by jdutton3624 2016-08-24 5:48 AM


2016-08-24 5:56 AM
in reply to: jdutton3624

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Subject: RE: My fat story

Thank you for sharing your story

2016-08-24 6:47 AM
in reply to: jdutton3624

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Subject: RE: My fat story
Some people stare at that line their whole life. Some (like yourself) are brave enough to step up to it and give it a go.

My hat's off to ya. You've come a long way. Keep up the great work and good luck in your sprints.
2016-08-24 6:51 AM
in reply to: jdutton3624

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Subject: RE: My fat story
Was that boilermaker 5k just last month? If so, my daughter and her aunt were passing out water at one of the aid stations. My aunt works an aid station every year; last year was my daughter's first. I guess that race has an enormous following. People come from all over to run it, and people from all over have heard of it. We're not too far from Chicago in NW Indiana and I've had a lady come up and ask where she got the (volunteer) shirt.

The only time I've ever heard of anybody being called fat at any race I've been in was when they were referring to themselves. I'll guess that most of us, aside from the college age and younger kids, are running these races because they either need to or needed to shed a few pounds themselves.

Best of luck you you this weekend. Have fun at your first tri!

J White
2016-08-24 7:30 AM
in reply to: Jwse30

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Subject: RE: My fat story
great sorry, thanks for sharing. May it inspire many more!
2016-08-24 7:46 AM
in reply to: jdutton3624

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Subject: RE: My fat story
That's awesome. All of it. I hope you have an amazing time at your race and get hooked just like so many others here.


2016-08-24 8:19 AM
in reply to: jdutton3624

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Subject: RE: My fat story
You inspire me! Thank you for sharing and good luck in your race. Have fun out there!
2016-08-24 9:05 AM
in reply to: miamiamy

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Subject: RE: My fat story

Determination in the purest sense of the word.  Putting your own internal fears aside as well as fears of what others may think.  So many folks have trouble getting beyond both of these fears but you faced them head on because there is no other way to reach your goal without doing so.  Keep up the good work, and I cannot wait to hear about your first race!  Good luck and have FUN, be PROUD!

Great quote (of yours), by the way: "It was something I wanted to do. It was something I worked for so I deserved this race as much as anyone else. So I did it."

2016-08-24 9:38 AM
in reply to: jdutton3624


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Subject: RE: My fat story
You've come so far already, but I have a feeling you are just getting started. You're already doing great, enjoy the races!
2016-08-24 11:40 AM
in reply to: 0


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Subject: RE: My fat story
Jdutton....AWESOME WORK.

I started my journey a couple years ago.....I was at about the weight you are now.
I too, started with a piece of equipment in the basement.
I too, started with the food journaling.
I too went to a gym with some hesitance.....only to find that even some of the more 'meatheady' type gyms really aren't that meatheaddy. There's just not enough meatheads to make money. They have to attract a wide range of people.
I too, had never really "run" before when I signed up for my first tri. I recently GPS mapped my first attempt at a run that was supposed to be 2 miles. I went ~400 meters before I was walking.

I don't think I've ever run into someone who didn't take me seriously either. Now, I'm betting in both our cases.....we communicated pretty significant intent. As you noted....you'd already done a lot of hard work consistently (in the basement and at the dinner table) before you went to a gym/etc. I think the LBS' and running stores are smart. Sure, they want to sell you stuff. But, I think the good ones are really smart about trying to make sure you're happy with your purchases and feel like you got value. That way you'll spend more over your lifetime with them. They do that by educating you, working with you, and selling you value....not milking you. I can't say enough good things about my running store that wouldn't sell me shoes until I learned about my feet and sorted out all the stuff I was doing wrong. I will never buy a pair of shoes from anyone but them because of that.

At the tris?? Heck. I found so many people who were on the same journey as you and I are on. While I've reached my goals, the journey never ends. There's a few I see at all the local races and there's nothing better than high fiving each other when we come across each other out on the course.

Welcome to your new addiction and continue to kick this stuff down and grind it into the ground.

Edited by jhaack39 2016-08-24 11:41 AM
2016-08-24 12:04 PM
in reply to: jdutton3624


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Subject: RE: My fat story
What an awesome story!! Your journey sounds exactly what I went through 8 years ago. I was completely out of shape, overweight (actually obese but I hate to use that word), and at 30 years old was headed down a path of health issues. I signed up for a gym and was scared to death the first time I went. I too wore the biggest clothes I could find so I wouldn't stick out so much. I went on the elipitical and barely survived 30 minutes on the lowest setting. However, I didn't give up and eventually I made my way to the treadmill. Started out slow but over time I was able to sort of jog. Nine months after that first day at the gym I was at the start line of my first 5K. Goal was to finish in under 60 minutes (I had no clue about pacing, timing, etc.). Finished in 37 minutes and I was hooked!!

Since then I've completed hundreds of races including 19 full marathons and 8 ultra marathons as well as several triathlons. I've gotten faster and have a long term goal of qualifying for Boston (I have to shave about 12 minutes from my marathon PR, so I have a ways to go). I have lost all the weight I needed and right now I am living a healthy and active life. While I know I will always struggle with weight and food, I now have the support and tools to help me get through it. I hired a coach about 2 years ago and that has been the best decision as he has pushed me and has helped me reach goals I never thought were possible.

One thing I did that might help you was I joined a running club in my area. Running clubs are awesome and I've met so many people that not only love running but share a similar lifestyle as me. My running club has weekly runs where all paces are welcomed. We even have a run/walk and all walk group.

By the way, I will be competing in my second full ironman in 2 weeks so reading your story brought back a lot of memories of where I came from and how hard I've worked to get where I am today. Sometimes I need to be reminded of this, especially now that I'm tapering. I mean 8 years ago I couldn't even walk up the stairs without gasping for air and in a couple of weeks I will be at the start line of my second full ironman!!

I'm so glad you shared your story. It always saddens me when I hear reports about childhood obesity and how unhealthy America is that reading a story like yours proves that hard work and dedication does pay off.

Keep up the great work!!


2016-08-24 1:25 PM
in reply to: #5196489

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Subject: RE: My fat story
Much applause to you! Don't waste another second of your life worrying how people might perceive you. You belong at that gym, pool, track or starting line just as much as anyone else. Welcome to the club!
2016-08-24 9:00 PM
in reply to: #5196579

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Subject: RE: My fat story
Honestly we've all been "fat". I was overweight but I'd say my "fat" was in the pool. I couldn't swim 10 meters without stopping. But I went to the pool every night until I could do it, I felt the "real swimmers" starring at me. Everyone has their "fat" and no one should ever make you feel inferior because of your weight.

Beginner triathlete is a great place. It really is.

Thanks for sharing
2016-08-25 1:04 AM
in reply to: kmonie360

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Subject: RE: My fat story
thanks for sharing your story.

Good on you for stepping up and taking care of yourself and no doubt in the mean time inspiring many people around you without even knowing that you are doing it.

Have a wonderful time at your first tri, you will no doubt get hooked and do many many more just like the rest of us.
2016-08-26 4:24 PM
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Subject: RE: My fat story
Amazing!! Thank you for sharing!
2016-08-26 4:30 PM
in reply to: jdutton3624

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Subject: RE: My fat story

Great stuff. Can't wait to read your race report - have a blast!



2016-09-06 3:10 PM
in reply to: jdutton3624

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Subject: RE: My fat story
Stick to it and work hard.. In this pic I was 320+ pounds on the left 180 on the right..





(12112404_10153763608293689_8604223800282930120_n.jpg)



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2016-09-09 6:22 PM
in reply to: fsr402

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Subject: RE: My fat story
Thanks to the OP and to the others who shared.
Congratulations on having the desire and the guts to get out there! You will find nothing but support on this site.

Think of jumping on a mentoring thread - smaller, ongoing group that has a mentor to give advice and lots of others cheering each other on.

Katgirl, I love endurance and have fantasys of doing an ultra. I watch those videos that follow the BOP'ers through all their suffering and it looks great. How do you get there, was it just incremental increases in distance?

Mitzi
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