This year's training has not gone according to plan. But I'm still in the mix. Looking at my times from 2021, my first year doing triathlons, I know I could have improved for 2022, but I allowed my mind and body to get out of sync and this year I will be lucky to finish. I'm disappointed in myself; I really wanted this to be a great triathlon year to honor my friend. But I'm not quitting, not giving up and I am going to go, have good time, and honor my friend's tenacity in overcoming a cancerous brain tumor. The below is from last year. ------------------------------------------------------- Triathlon Number Two Is Cresting The Horizon Just about a year and a half ago, due to slothful gluttony, I tipped the scales at a ponderous, pachydermiam THREE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY-FIVE POUNDS. You read correctly, I was knocking on the door of FOUR HUNDRED POUNDS, and to paraphrase Bum Phillips, I was getting ready to kick it in, and not in a good way. I was ready to completely surrender to the bastard obesity and quit.
What was the point of continuing? At that level of poor physical health and well-being, everyday activities were laborious tasks. Hell, walking up a flight of stairs took so much effort; it was avoided at all costs. And, if I had to go from the basement to the second floor in one shot, that was hailed as a monumental achievement.
In February of 2020, I made a decision not to let the bastard obesity continue its current victory. Propelled by many of you here on social media, my blog, Annie and Racquel at work, and the biggest fan of my writing Nicole, I hefted that massive, ponderous, pachydermiam bulk and started to walk a short quarter mile. I re-read my books, “Obesity Undone,” “Sometimes The Bastard Returns,” and “Carbohydrate Addiction: A Slow Suicide.” Those books put my mental ENERGY where it belonged, I changed to low-carb EATING, and necessitated by COVID, designed a new EXERCISE plan.
I found my DESIRE. I became DETERMINED. I focused on being DISCIPLINED.
Just as in the past, slowly and steadily, the numbers on the scale counted downward. Each week I walked a little further, I lifted weights a bit more intensely. One step at a time, good health and well-being replaced labored breathing and bloated features. Sometime in early 2020, a colleague and friend, Dr. Scott Leslie encouraged me to try a triathlon. I had one goal, to complete the distance in the allotted time of 2 hours and 30 minutes. Two months ago, I accomplished that goal, coming in just under the wire at 2:26:57.1.
Now, two months later, I am getting ready to compete in a second triathlon. My goal this time is for a slightly better time. I am in as good a physical condition as I will be. The high intensity training is, for now, given a reprieve. The countdown has begun, and this week will be half-distance bike rides, jogs, and swims and only two weight training workouts.
Here goes nothing, and everything.
With love and respect, Aloha and Mahalo, Joe
