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2017-01-04 3:13 PM

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Champion
10154
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Alabama
Subject: A Triathlete's Story
My road to freedom and back

Went to the pool this morning and swam all of 20 minutes. It was not much but felt good.

The neat thing about exercising is it can be addictive. Witness gym rats. They don't dread going to the gym, they look forward to it. I was addicted to running/biking/swimming when I was training hard. There is a release of endorphins that come with running they call 'runner's high'. But it is more than that, it is about feeling better physically all the time, 24/7 and knowing that you need your next fix of exercising. After a while your body begins to crave it just like you crave drugs if you were addicted. The problem is, most people will don't stay with the program long enough to become addicted. I started working out seriously when I was 34 in 1997.

I had quit smoking and drinking when I was 33 and put on a lot of weight replacing nicotine with food. In 1997 I started lifting weights and walking on the treadmill at the fitness center at work. But walking on the TM was too 'easy' and I felt like I was just wasting my time. So I started running. I could barely go ½ mile running till I had to walk. I would run as long as I could, then walk till I caught my breath and then run some more. A buddy of mine convinced me to do a 5k (3 miles) run with him. I set my goal to 'run' the entire 3.12 miles with no walking. I trained for 6 months entirely on the treadmill! Never once ran outside till it was race day. It nearly killed me but I managed to run then entire 3.12 miles with no walk breaks. I was very proud of myself.

About a month or so after this race I saw a flyer for a sprint distance triathlon. Only triathlon I'd ever hear of was an Ironman course I'd see them on TV when I was a kid. I remember watching one in the 70s on the Wide World of Sports with dad and seeing these idiots crawling to the finish line after having swum/biked/run 17 hours!! Anyway, so this race, the sprint, had a 5 k run. I was all excited. I had just run a 5k run! I could do that!! It had 12 mile bike ride. Hmmm, heck, I rode a bike when I was a kid! Pretty easy to ride a bike. I seriously I don't think I'd been on a bike since junior high! But once you learn, you never forget, right? The swim concerned me, it was a ½ mile open water swim in the Tennessee River. The registration form asked for your fastest ½ mile swim. I remember thinking, I've never swum ½ mile in my life!! But I grew up in the pool and at the lack so I decided ½ mile can't be that hard and I signed up. I went to neighborhood pool we belonged to at the time and figured out ½ mile was 17 laps. I jumped in, swam one length of the pool as fast as I could and nearly downed!

In 1998 I finished the Rocketman Triathon! I did the race several more times over the years but my real addiction was running. Running can be done anywhere, any time and with no special gear (bike or pool). So if I was TDY at KSC I could still run. In 2001 I signed up to run the 2002 Disney Marathon. I started training hard for it and ran 4 or 5 times a week. Soon I could run 20 miles non-stop! Pretty good for a guy that could not run a mile non-stop in 1997. I was a regular Forrest Gump. By Jan 2002 I had gotten my weight down to about 240 and I ran my first marathon.

By this time, I was totally addicted to running. I think I logged about 1,000 miles running that year training for my first marathon! For the next several years I never went more than a couple of days without running. I ran a few more marathons, 5ks and 10ks and a few more triathlons, Olympic and sprint distance. In 2007 I completed my first ironman, Ironman Kentucky (2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run). I went back again in 2008 and finished in a respectable 14 hrs and 33 minute. I weighed 255 lbs at race check-in. I was proud of my race time but thought I could do better so I signed up for my 3rd Ironman.

While working out, I herniated a disc in my neck that kept me side-line for 6 months before having surgery to have two discs plated together and fused. When I finally got the clearance to train again I tried to get back to IM shape too fast and blew out my knee. I had knee surgery. I year or so later, I repeated this and had the other knee scoped. I used the injuries to lay down and do nothing. In 2011 my son graduated HS and went off to college and I used my melancholy as an excuse to crawl into a bottle. Ok, that is a bit mellow-dramatic. I got bored and I started drinking and eating to stave off the boredom. I spent a lot of time on the road in Chicago and Seattle and Singapore. Being bored and lonely and with the means to eat and drink my fill at any restaurant I wanted on Boeing's dime, I for fat and lazy. Why go for a run when I could go for cocktails and steak? So for the next 5 1/2 years I made up for being addicted to running, swimming, biking and being a teetotaler for the 15 years by eating and drinking my fill daily.

On this past Christmas Day (2016) I weighed in a 378 lbs and the light finally went on. I was dying. I was killing myself. It’s time for me to start living again! Thoughts and prayers welcome.

I know it is cliché, but “get busy living or get busy dying”.








2017-01-04 4:06 PM
in reply to: Rogillio


249
10010025
Subject: RE: A Triathlete's Story
Just climb back on the horse. Don't look back.

I assume you are around 54 now. I didn't start running until I was 55, and didn't start swimming until I was 56-a true adult onset swimmer. I'm never going to make any money at Tri's, and I will almost certainly never win an event. But, the victories are plentiful. No more high cholesterol, no more high BP. I try to keep it all in perspective and just take what the current day combined with my body and the good Lord will give me.

Just go....run a block if you have to. Run 2 tomorrow. Forget what you used to do. It's all new from here on out.
2017-01-04 4:49 PM
in reply to: Rogillio


701
500100100
Subject: RE: A Triathlete's Story
I welcome you to this leg of the journey.
It is a part of the journey I can understand.
2017-01-06 4:17 PM
in reply to: Rogillio

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Master
2314
2000100100100
Gulf Shores, AL
Subject: RE: A Triathlete's Story
we had some overlapping history, I finished IM in 2006 and you were close behind me. I am up 40 pounds and ankle is shot but I still ride alot and do the occasional aquabike or relay. Glad you are back and maybe you could target Alabama Coastal down in Gulf Shores this fall. Best of luck to you.
2017-01-06 6:29 PM
in reply to: Rogillio

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39
25
Temperance, Michigan
Subject: RE: A Triathlete's Story
20 mins in the pool is a great start, good luck and welcome back. Thumbs up to a fit and healthy 2017!
2017-01-06 11:25 PM
in reply to: Rogillio

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Master
2802
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Minnetonka, Minnesota
Bronze member
Subject: RE: A Triathlete's Story
Way to come back! My thoughts and prayers are with you!


2017-01-07 3:45 AM
in reply to: Rogillio

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Master
8247
50002000100010010025
Eugene, Oregon
Bronze member
Subject: RE: A Triathlete's Story
Just want to wish you the best of luck! I don't have a similar story but I did spend 20 years as an occasional jogger after running at a pretty high level. Not so much a matter of weight but just losing all the fitness (physical and mental) that I had...... My advice would be to just take it day by day and celebrate what you CAN do that you couldn't do yesterday, or last week, or last month. No need to set ambitious long-term goals, just keep going, a day at a time. Swimming is great for getting back into shape after a long layoff--full-body workout with little stress on the joints. I doubt I could have gotten back into shape at 41 without it. I would focus on that and gradually add back in other sports as the body allows.

Let me know if you end up bored in Singapore again! I know lots of awesome places to swim and run or walk.
2017-01-07 11:07 AM
in reply to: Rogillio

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Extreme Veteran
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Langley, BC, 'Wet Coast' Canada
Subject: RE: A Triathlete's Story
Good to see you again!

Congrats on making the decision to change - that can be the most difficult step ... I look forward to reading along as you make the many small steps needed to reach your goals

Best wishes on your journey back to a healthier you!


kelly



2017-01-07 1:20 PM
in reply to: Rogillio


467
1001001001002525
, Wisconsin
Subject: RE: A Triathlete's Story
You've done it before, you can do it again. I'm a few years older than you and have had a few things "get in the way" as well and got pretty far out of shapes for long blocks of time. The last three years have been a big improvement and a return to Tri. For me, a huge key has been being as consistent as possible. Just try to start building up very gradually, finishing each workout with some still left in the tank. For me, real easy intervals were my way back into running. Walk for ten minutes, then job easy for a couple minutes, take a couple minute walking break, job again etc. Starting out with maybe 30 minutes total with only 5-6 minutes of running and just adding a bit more each time. Pushing too hard, too soon is a great way to get injured or sick. Just tell yourself you're going to get in more and more activity every day with maybe taking a day off every 5-7 days. Tell yourself that yes, I can miss a day, but then I WILL be back at it the next day. IF you miss a couple days in a row, just get back at it and go forward. I'll pretty much guarantee that within weeks to a month or so, you will NOT want to miss workouts, you'll look forward to them.

I look forward to hearing about your successes as time passes!
2017-01-10 2:39 PM
in reply to: Rogillio

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Extreme Veteran
959
5001001001001002525
Greenwood, South Carolina
Subject: RE: A Triathlete's Story

Welcome back and take it one day at a time.

You didn't gain the weight in one day and it won't come off in one day.

2017-01-11 10:49 AM
in reply to: Rogillio

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Master
1639
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Robbinsville NJ
Subject: RE: A Triathlete's Story
Welcome back and look forward to hearing about all of your successes big and small as you dive back in. Most of us go through lags so it's already inspiring that you recognized where you were and are doing something about it.


2017-01-12 10:53 AM
in reply to: colesdad

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Champion
7704
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Williamston, Michigan
Subject: RE: A Triathlete's Story

Welcome back ! you can do it you know you can  

2017-01-12 11:37 AM
in reply to: Socks

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Extreme Veteran
1106
1000100
, Connecticut
Subject: RE: A Triathlete's Story
Welcome back, you will get there again, one day at a time.
I'm in a similar space, never hit the successes you did, but discouraged by inconsistent training. Started early this year to be sidetracked by arthritis in my knees. Feeling discouraged, but it's only Jan. and I can do a lot in the next six months, so I'm committing to a workout today.
2017-01-12 5:04 PM
in reply to: Rogillio

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Pro
6582
50001000500252525
Melbourne FL
Gold member
Subject: RE: A Triathlete's Story

High five man!

I can relate.  I've been here a long time (2004) and seemed to have peaked in 2010-2011 and been a slow spiral down since.  Past 2 years I have been dealing with injuries to my feet.  Aging seems to be catching up with me with many aches and pains along with the mandatory weight gain of +25 lbs.  Started back up with a strength WO routine in August, man I was weak.  Just started running and biking again, how the mighty have fallen! 

He's to the resurgent's and may it continue for health sakes (I'm past the ego part of it all).

2017-01-13 10:22 AM
in reply to: Rogillio

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Master
2014
2000
Ohio
Subject: RE: A Triathlete's Story
Welcome Back Mike!

I've been following you to greater or lessor extents for the past 8-10 years. Life is a journey with ups and downs. I'm looking forward to hearing about you shedding pounds and getting back into shape. I'm excited for you!

2017-01-13 6:20 PM
in reply to: Rogillio

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Regular
106
100
Fort Myers, Florida
Subject: RE: A Triathlete's Story
Good luck to you sir! And thank you for sharing.


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