Fat Boy 5k!

“Time, is on my side, say again!” I believe it was the Rolling Stones that sang those lyrics, however that song was not written for this guy!!!!

I pride myself on being organized. Amanda and my team at work might tell you differently, but I am very organized in a Christopher kind of way.

This morning, the morning of the Fat Boy 5k, I was not organized. I woke with plenty of time to shower (a pre-race ritual of mine) snack on a banana, read a little on the addict-a-net and then begin a slow peaceful drive a couple miles away from my home to the site of the Fat Boy 5k.

Let me say that this race is not properly labeled. When one hears Fat boy and 5k in the title of a run/race, one would think this may be a race or run geared towards . . . What was that you were thinking? Kenyan long distance runners that log sub 5 minute miles at the Boston Marathon? Oh? No? Ah! You were thinking along the same lines as I was.

Fat Boy 5k a race that gives fat people (ME) a chance to showcase our abilities.

Not so much.

I went on the official site for the race and found that the Clydesdale and Ultra Clydesdale were no bigger than 260 lbs. Are you kidding me! Two Sixty!??? Not that I am bragging since this is nothing to brag about, but 260 is incredibly small potatoes when we are talking close to 400 lbs here. I think next year they should consider a couple higher divisions in their Clydesdale. I think 261-320 and 321-360 and 361 and higher.

Enough of my personal idiosyncrasies.

After a very short drive I pull into the sub-division where the race was held. I noticed quite a few cars. I thought to myself, these people like to be early with a capitol E. I was 30 minutes early, but by the looks of it, these folks had been here for a long time.

It was a cool morning, I was happy. I walked into the field area where the registration was held. I thought to myself, self there aren’t very many people here. I walked up to the registration table. Stood there. The two ladies were mulling around, shuffling papers when finally one of them looked at me. She grinned, and then went back to mulling and shuffling. I had no idea what was going on here? However, slowly it began to sink in.

Many cars, not so many people. Not so many people registering. The registration ladies ignoring me. It became all too clear.

“Mam?” I tenderly asked. She looked at me, this time as though I were being a nuisance. “Has the race begun?” She looked at me as though I were an alien, “Yes.” She responded very matter of factly. At this point I was embarrassed to even stand there. I was close to walking away when a tall, running looking gentleman walked up with headphones on and told me the race was sold out sorry and I could come back next year. I informed him I pre-registered. “Great!” he said and I was given my race number and he said the race started 20 minutes ago. The lady handed me an XL T-Shirt and apologized for not having my size. Again, this race is called FAT BOY 5k.

I ran back to my truck, threw my extras, keys, wallet, glasses etc. into the car and ran back to the start. The same tall, running guy told me I could cut across this street to catch up with the group. I was having none of that. This Fat Boy came to RUN!!!!

My goal as has been for this season, to run sub 15 minute miles.

And I was off!!!!!

I was surprised at some of the hills in this sub-division, killer, at least for me they were. I was chugging along about a half mile into the race and the first runners were coming in. I rooted them on, they were moving. I made the second turn and it was like a cattle drive coming right at me. I was on the far right of the street, but people were actually brave enough to run right at me. I am a BIG dude! It was as if people didn’t see me? So I widened myself even more and dropped my head a little as if I wasn’t looking forward.

At the half-way point I was surprised at my time. I actually thought I had a chance to catch a small group of people walking. Since it was a triathlon I had decided to push really hard on this race. About 2 ½ miles into the race I was moving, for me, but then I hit a small brick wall. Not a literal wall, not a Gloria Wall, but a mind and body wall. Then I missed a turn somehow and ran into the driveway of a house. I stopped, looked around, and began running back.

I ran into two guys that were out for a leisurely run and they directed me to the correct route, thanks guys!

I crossed the finish line and happily hit the stop button on my Garmin and was pleasantly surprised with 14:24 minute miles!!!! Woo Hoo! I also ran 3.69 miles instead of the 3.1 mile 5k course.

I had a great time and can’t wait for my 10k race, the Crescent City Classic in New Orleans next Saturday. I am a little scared of the 10k, but if I feel like I did today, I will be just fine!!!

Until next time, get up, do something, anything to improve your health.

Much love!

Victory Is Mine . . . Sorta.

http://www.lakecharlestriathletes.com/

First I would like to congratulate UCLA on their win over my LSU Tigers. LSU just couldn’t pull it through to go to the National Championship, however they are a champion in my book for going at it the way they did. Remember all you Tiger haters, most of our squad are freshmen and sophomores. Keep hope alive!

This morning was like every race morning. I woke tired and edgy. I had been in Lake Charles for a few days working and the hotel I stayed in they decided to venture away from a traditional sleeping mattresses and provide its guest with 57 springs wrapped in fabric. I think masochist would have truly appreciated the experience, me, not so much.

I had my very best friend in the world with me at this race. Brent has just moved to Baton Rouge from Cincinnati to work with me. He is considering triathlon racing. He seemed to be excited to see his first triathlon up close and personal.

Amanda and Brent followed me to the race site and I checked in quickly since it was 7:20am and the race start was 8:00am. The topic of conversation with everyone was the water temperature. I knew it was nice, I had jumped in on Friday morning and then it was brisk, but no where near Meat Pie last October. Go to that post if you wanna talk about cold!

Mike Pate found me and we chatted up a bit as I checked in and set up my transition site. As some of you may know, today was the first of the pink Speedo challenge for us. This challenge, for those of you new to the blog, is a best of 5 race challenge. Lowest times win each race. The winner gets the winners trophy, but more than that, the winner gets to watch the non-winner race the last race of the year in a pink Speedo for the swim, a pink tutu with said pink Speedo, and platinum blonde wig, which can be worn in a ponytail for the bike and run. We are not saying that Individuals who wear pink Speedos are losers, or that Ballerinas’ are not winners, or that Platinum blondes are to be made fun of, however Mike or me in the outfit is hilarious and if anything we will do a disservice to those mentioned.

I was concerned about this race. It didn’t help that I had set a goal of finishing the race in 1:30:00 and when I asked Mike what his goal was he said, very nonchalantly, I better finish under 1:30. I have never beaten or finished under my goal time. The one time I thought I had made my goal was at Meat Pie, but after all was said and done, I didn’t by about 4 minutes.

We all went to the swim entrance. Mike is a better swimmer than I am. Sadly, the swim is my best sport out of the three. We started in the second heat. As we got going, Mike and I were neck and neck, literally. I kept feeling this guy nailing me in the side as I swam, I breathe on my left and see my buddy Mike. He wanted to swim zig zags so I stopped, let him go by and started up again.

Mike finished about 2 minutes ahead of me. He came out right behind my friend Robert, or Butters as he is known in our Rugby circle. I had to wait a few seconds to get out, I thought there was a wall or something in the water because there was a guy pulling people up and out of the water. It turns out I could have gotten out on my own.

Amanda and Brent were telling us at lunch that it is amazing to see Mike and I in the water going along and many people who stop and tread water or start swimming on their backs while we just chug on through. Not that I want to others to tread water, I want everyone to be successful, but it is nice to hear I am doing a good job.

I run into transition, Mike is almost finished and ready to go on the bike. I give him a holler, “Yea MIKE PATE!”, and I begin drying my feet and putting on my cycling gear. I couldn’t get my new LSU purple under armor on so easily, Mike helped me pull it down as he left transition. He got on the road about 4 minutes ahead of me. I have got to work on faster transitions. I don’t know if it’s mental or what, but I have got to work on being faster there. I want to see the times for the race. I think they kept transition times. I think I lost the race to Mike in the transitions.

I had decided this race to leave it all out there on the bike. Mike is a much better cyclist than I am. I decided that in order to be in a position to catch him on the run, I would need to be within 5 minutes when the run began. I did leave it all out on the bike. I averaged 19-21 mph on the way out on the bike. Most of you that ride with me know, I can keep 16-17 mph for about 45 min then it’s over.

We had a couple Baton Rouge Tri members there, two in particular would be my Platinum Challenge teammates Brian the Brianna, Konaboy, Nipps and the other, Charles THE Vanilla ice baby. Brian is an animal. He and I chatted for a few seconds before we hit the water. I asked him if he would take this race. The great thing about Brian is his humility and sense of humbleness. He is learning from the smak talkers of our club, MTB and Vanilla how to talk his share of smak, but his true nature is his humility. His response to my question was a shrug of the shoulders and a little bit of a “I don’t know man, uh . . .: I cut him off. “Good for you, humility, you be humble, I’ll tell it like it is.” You’re gonna smoke this race. Last week in Toledo Bend (see last post) I think he could have won that race. He won this one. He was smoking!!!!!!!!

But the surprise for me was, I saw Brian and very soon after I saw Charles on the bike. He was cruising! I was amazed at how close he was to the front since he started the swim in the second group with me which was 3 minutes behind the first group. I don’t know where he ended up on the overall, but it had to be top 10, easy. I gave both of them a shout out on my way out on the bike.

At the turn around I found out why I was going so fast on the way out. I was now riding against a head wind. It wasn’t too bad, but enough to piss you off, it happens. I tried to maintain at a minimum 15 mph. I think when all is said and done I may have averaged 17-18 mph overall on the bike.

I cruised into transition and mike was leaving. CRAP! I hadn’t caught up like I wanted to. Did I mention I need to work on my transitions? Yeah, I do, a lot. I get out of transition. I felt spent. I was afraid I used up my legs. Brian and Charles were done and yelling at me to pick it up! They were telling me to go get Mike Pate. I caught my breath and started running. I was having a problem keeping my legs moving, so I started sprint running. I would pick a spot ahead to start and to rest, I would run hard for that distance, then walk hard and repeat this over and over.

I was so pissed at myself. I wear a Garmin Forerunner 301. It straps on my wrist with a Velcro strap. My wrists are kinda big so it doesn’t go on real well. I know this, but I still decided to slap hands with my friend Butters as he was coming back in on the run. My Garmin went flying off my wrist. “SH@T!!” as I ran back bent over, picked it up and started running again. Guess what?! My friend Devin from the BR tri club, we slapped hands too. Garmin, it goes flying, AGAIN! Same thing, run back, pick it up, start running again. What was it the President said once? “Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me . . . You won’t fool me again.” Or something comparable. Well, not this guy!!!!! A third, yes a third time, this gentleman I see at almost every race puts is hand up to give me five and . . . I do it. You know what happens. Dumb A@@!

I see Mike on the run, he was about 500 yards past the turn around, so I figured I was about ¼ mile behind him. I felt like I was gaining on him, but my legs were also cramping. I picked up my run a little harder on the way back. I would look at my Garmin and I was under 15 minute miles, which again for me is great, but would it be enough?

As I made a turn downhill on the last ½ mile I saw Mikes red shirt ahead, I was gaining on him, but not nearly fast enough. I see Amanda and Brent. “How far ahead is he?” Amanda tells me I can catch him. I pick it up hard and I actually start feeling good. I ask myself why I couldn’t do this 10 minutes ago. I can see the finish and I know I have lost.

I begin to get pissed, but then I see the time on the finish clock. 01:19:54. Are you kidding me!!!! I begin to get excited and pissed at the same time. I cross somewhere around 01:20:50 or something?????

Don’t misunderstand me. I am happy for Mike. He is my friend and I am so happy to see him do well. I am also happy that we push each other like we do. I don’t think I would have pushed this hard were it not for Mike.

I am and was more pissed at me. When I came into the finish I realized that I had a lot left in the tank and that I didn’t leave it all out there on the race course. I am not saying I would have beaten Mike. I am saying I didn’t push myself hard enough.

I am thrilled with my finish time. I am thrilled that only about 4 to 5 people passed me on the bike and that I had the experience of passing 4 or 5 people. It was a good day.

The first triathlon of the season. It was a victory. I will return again. I will continue to succeed in this goal of weight loss.

After the race Amanda, Brent, Mike and I chowed down on some Cajun food at Steamboat bills and had a good time. It is good to have friends.

The sad part was. My Cousin Michael had driven all the way from Houston to see me race and he didn’t find us and I didn’t have my phone. We missed him.

Michael, it meant so much to me that you drove all the way from Houston to see me race. I am so sorry we couldn’t hook up. By the way, you need to sign up for Iron Star ½ Ironman in Conroe TX on the 29th of October.

To my blog friends. Get up, get out and walk, jog, ride, swim, or whatever, just be active and make good decisions (which I don’t) with your food intake.

You can do it!!!!!!!

Holy Toledo!!!!!!!!

http://www.holytoledotri.com/

I didn't race.
I ate smores like a champ however! So this is a spectators report.
Man. I don't know where to begin?
Saturday was a blast. If there is one thing I am learning form this experience of triathlon itis . . . If you're not racing in an event, go support the event for your fellow club members.
I have gotten more out of IM Florida and Holy Toledo than out of my own races. You get to see how others hurt, smile, sweat, it is awesome. Seeing them in their transitions isawesome too! GO TO RACES even if you're not racing.
I arrived about 3:00ish???? Timbeaux had been there since Friday night I think? I pulled in and we began to work on the TV and antenna for the LSU/Texas game. Man we were excited. I the woods, watching the game, shooting the bull, what could be better!!??
So, the antenna didn't work, Joe Lee used his engineering skills, I used my "where is the aluminum foil"?" skills and we listened to the game on the radio at Big D's camp site.
This is funny. Big D, gets the camp site with water and electric. Timbeaux, Joe Lee, Myself Oh wait . . . EVERYONE else put our tents . . . on Debbie’s camp site too. IT WAS AWESOME. We had probably, hmmmm? At a minimum 12 tents around her site. These tents ranged from Timbeaux's smartly chosen (after having to break them down and pack them Sunday) tent for his child to another members Waldorf Astori tent which had the Kennedy Suite, Bridal Suite and President's Suite. I stayed in the Kennedy Suite and Rocketboy in the Bridal Suite.
Roughing it in the woods!!! My inflated air mattress, 2 pillows and down comforter came in handy, I tell ya I was roughing it!
If you go camping with Big D. I will tell you what to do.
Sit. Observe.
It is amazing. We had been at the site for more than 2 hours. She was stillgathering wood that I thought at the time was enough for a remake of Back Draft. She was putting out food and forcing it on you as if you were a refugee child from Cambodia and you would only be here for 10 minutes and then back to starvation.
Everyone was putting in their share in the beginning. Collecting wood, manicuring the site, but hell after an hour I think everyone realized, "there is no way I can keep up with that girl!" and we all sat and listened to the Glorious game of basketball where the Tigers from LSU defeated the Longhorns of Tejas! Big D continued to gather.
About 20 minutes after the game more people began to show up, unload and set up. This made Big D happy since she was able to feed more children of her camp.
The sun began to set. What a beautiful day it had become. The fire was a blazin. We all talked around the fire. Smak was laid. Jokes were told. Beer was drank, wine was poured. Rest Stop stories were shared. It was such a safe haven. Everyone felt comfortable in being themselves and kicking the crap out of one another verbally. It was awesome!!!!!!
I got to know so many, so much better. This should be a mandatory event for all members even if you're not racing. Also my Wife, Amanda thought we should all go up on Friday night instead of Saturday. I wondered if she just enjoyed me being out of the house, but I think she saw the pure excitement on my face while I was telling her stories of the weekend.
Our friend Oliva, Trip's daughter 5. Gave lessons on Smore making. Kona boy really took these lessons to heart and being the engineer he is created a smore roasting system the enamored us all. Soon after he began the quest of the EPIC marshmallow roasting stick.
Norse wooed the ladies.
Then one by one, victims of the Holy T began to disappear into the night, Ty first, then Neilr, until there were only a few.
As I lay in my suite relishing the evening and thinking about the morning to come, I hear the faintest, melodic, SNORE coming from a tent to the rear. TImbeaux? Joe Lee? hmm? Turns out that the snore tent was none other than the tent of Ladies. Way to go girls!!!!!! Putt’n the men to shame!
I slept like a log. A warm, soft bed, one pillow under my head, the other laying on the tent floor, oh I squandered! Rolling and tossing around in my suite with the 6 ½ foot ceilings.
Morning came. We all began to trickle out. Norse christened (s/p) a tent or two (sorry) and I began to re kindle the fire.
Soon, the fire was roaring with the help of so many and coffee was abundant. If this had been survivor, we couldn't have kicked anyone off!
Darius was manning the pancakes which I wanted one so badly, but I felt that racers should partake and not lowly cheerleaders. Smiles were everywhere even though there would be much pain in a few short hours.
As everyone began to head to the race area, Olivia and I had more Smores.
I had a nice HOT shower. Put on a fresh change of clothing and meandered to the race site. What a glorious day!
Mitch, Rocketboy and I sat around shooting the bull talking about who looked strong. Pat was out of the H20 first and fitbird AKA Race day, was the first female out, but more so the 4th overall out of the water.
I watched as they transitioned in. Man, awesome. This was a weird setting. Most of the transitions you see have much tension. Great competitiveness. At times some triathlon transition sites feel like a mine field of explosive aggression to me, but not today. Today this race, this transition was full of smiles and relaxation. I felt like everyone was realizing that this was not a race against one another, but more a race WITH themselves and against the course. I am not naive. I know some where bucking to kick the crap out of one another out there, but for the most part, it was a very different T2.
I went to the finish line when I heard a runner was coming.
“BRIAN?” Was what shot through my head. No, it was some other dude, he was flying. This dude was a stud. Props to him on that win. But he soon got on my bad side. I don't know him from Adam and he is probably an awesome dude, but when he was talking to BoBo about his "in race strategy" concerning Brian, he was a little too cocky for my tastes. But still, much props to that big dog.
Darius came in very shortly after for the relay. Man. Wow. Holy Toledo. He was flying. That is one running fool. I personally feel it was the Boudin.
I began to notice at the bottom of the hill where the finish line was that runners would get confused and enter the wrong road and not go into the parking lot for the finish. So I climbed the hill with deliberation. Made it to the top! And I . . . DIRECTED TRAFFIC!
When I would see a runner way way down the road I would yell to them so they would know they were almost home. Sometimes they would raise their arms in recognition. It was awesome to see the looks on everyone’s faces as they topped the hill and could se the finish at the bottom. A look of pure joy and more than that a look of success blanketed them, even if they didn't know it.
It was awesome to see all of the Brtri Uni's out there. We, in my opinion, were the absolute dominant group out there, by far. Kudos to you guys.
Ty, you kicked azz. NeilR, seriously dude, you spanked it man. Don't knock your swimming. You kicked tail.
Vanilla, you da man. You could have done another 10 miles of that. Jeremy, you are one happy dude, with a great attitude, but where the heck were you for the camp fire?????
PatK, man, what can I say? HACK! HACK! HACK HACK, HACK. And HACK over the HACK HACK, but don't HACK HACK, because you never HACK HACK HACK HACK. Great job!
Big D. Big D big D big D. Can I have your autograph, for so many things. You are a trooper, a competitor and more over one awesome, happy, lovable chick!!!!!!!! You mopped the course up and smiled the whole time.
Timbeaux, way to be out there, brutha, The bike will come. Build on it, and it will come.
Joe Lee. Man I am so sorry. After all you suffered on the course, then to suffer the brunt of my irresponsibility of loud music playing. Man. Sorry about the pork. But you are one hell of a racer and one really cool dude.
Tripp, it was very nice meeting you and your lovely wife and daughter. They were GREAT company. I sent a missing purse, pen, and pad with Joe Lee to give you at the YMCA.
ROCKO!!! What the heck are you doing!!!!???? Are you trying to lose that name??? You did awesome and not only on the swim, but everything. I hope I didn't traumatize your dog when I took her into the shower with me.
Erissa (s/p) man. Way to be girl! Man. Oh the places you'll go!
My hero, Brianna the Konaboy, nipps. You kicked ass and I think you could have kicked a little more ass. You are the shiznick and I am going to Hawaii this year with you. Book it brutha.
I know I missed a couple folk, sorry. You all did great.
Tim, thanks for trying to jump start my truck after a night of listening to the game. You were a lot of fun, sorry you didn’t get to race.
But, last, to my friend Ann, the race day fitbird. You rock. You rock you rock you rock! Nothing else, you just rock. Hope you are feeling ok today.
NEXT YEAR, mandatory attendance for all BRtri Society, club, members. You don't have to come, but if you don't you will never know about all the stories I DIDN"T TELL!!!!!!!!
It was great hanging out with you all, thanks for your friendship.
Peace out!

Opelousas Duathlon

WATER!!! WATER!!!!

Today was the best day for me when it comes to racing except for one small thing . . . HUMIDITY.

It was awesome. Cool about 64 degrees. It was overcast, no real hard hitting sun. A little windy but, not anything that would affect my racing. The day was everything I like in a race day, except the Humidity.

As I set out this morning at 5:45am for a 1 hour drive to Opelousas Louisiana I thought that I might want to pack a few extra water bottles to take for the race. Then I felt the nice cool breeze outside and dismissed the idea. They call in intuition. Women seem to have it and utilize it. Men, or at least this man, seems to have it, but use it? Not so much.

Amanda, my beautiful wife and I talked and joked on the ride there. It was nice. We didn’t talk about racing at all. Usually I am talking about my goals and I hope I don’t bonk on the second run, and all that jazz. Today, we just talked about making a baby one day and our friend Brent who is coming to work with us next week and other things of that nature. It was quite relaxing.

We passed my friend Clay and Corey and their family on the way there. Our Tri Club had a really strong showing at this race. I was very proud of that. Also one of our members, Darius was there not racing but, cheering. I hold a special spot in my soul for those guy. Last year Vanilla did it at Meat Pi, a tri in Natchitoches LA. When you are not racing, but you still wake up early on a Sunday or Saturday morning to root on your friends and club members, that to me is really awesome.

We arrived and I racked my bike and checked in. Amanda met Clay and Corey’s family that was there. I began to sweat immediately. This began to worry me. All I did was rack my bike and put on my shoes. Sweat was everywhere. Now, I wished I had packed those other water bottles.

Transition area is all set up and I begin to walk around a bit. I saw my new friends Brandy and John. They are awesome. I enjoy them because one, they are down to earth cool people, but also good people. Brandy is just starting out in triathlons and this was her first race EVER! She was nervous, but I new she would do well. John is a triathlete and had good skills and also hauls butt on the bike, I’ve never seen him run. I socialized with them a bit and then went to see how Eric and Charles were doing.

Charles, not so good. He had a flat on his front tire and needed a whole new front wheel, which he didn’t bring. He said, “I always have a spare front wheel with me”. I didn’t ask him, but maybe his intuition failed him too!

Eric is new to racing as well. It is so awesome to see so many getting involved in triathlons. Eric is a super nice guy and is in the same business as myself and Charles, Finance and financial planners. He raced awesome, not for his first race, but just plain awesome. I was proud of both he and Brandy on their first races, more on Brandy later.

Last weekend I came out to this race course with Brandy and John and we rode the bike loop and I ran the run loop. I was concerned because my heart rate on the bike was in the high 150’s and mid 160’s, which on the bike, that is really high for me. Then on the run my HR was in the 170’s from the get go and went as high as 182. So needless to say I was a little nervous about the race.

Today was different for some reason. My HR on the run never got about 170 and averaged about 158 and on the bike never above 162 and I averaged about 148. No worries this week.

I was trying to pace myself this race unlike the last duathlon at Evangeline Oak a couple weeks ago. At Evangeline I shot out, HA, I started running at a 14 min mile pace and kept it there and finished the first run with a 15 minute mile pace. Then on the bike I was dead and on the second run I averaged 19 min miles. Yuck.

My pacing method, didn’t work. It was still the exact same and I had a little left in the tank at the end which bothered me. John and I were talking before the race and we both wanted to leave it all out there on the course. I didn’t.

The first run was ok. I could have pushed a little harder and kept up with Mamma Bear as she is know, my friend Angel and Brandy, but I was going to stick to my plan of pace. I finished the run very calm and ok.

Bike kinda sucked. A little windy, but not too bad. I let the hills on the south bound side of the double loop get me, both times. I was ticked. But I finished the bike strong, for me and went into the transition excited.

I got out on the second run and about ½ mile into it began to bonk a little like I usually do. I began to think about my pains, the new blister forming on my foot, my exhaustion.

I kept telling myself, make it to the water/aid station and you’re halfway to finishing this thing. I needed some water. I took gel with me in my fuel belt, but no water so my mouth was icky. I turned the corner where the water station was the first run and it was NOT THERE. Talk about messing with your psyche!!! I guess they thought everyone had passed, I would have I guess.

Then my mind really got to churning. At one point I was afraid of finishing. Blahh! I had less than a mile. Then God sent me some little Angels.

As I made the turn along the golf course, a little less than a mile to go, there were about six kids on their bikes. They were just riding around the block. They started to talk to me, asking me questions. “What are you doing?” One kid asked. “I am racing”, I responded, “but not too fast huh?” They laughed. “Where is everyone else?” Another kid asked. I giggled to myself, you gotta love kids. I told them that everyone else was done with the race and having jambalaya, beer and Gatorade.” I was ready to answer the next question before it was asked. Then it was asked, “Why aren’t you finished yet?” I couldn’t help but laugh out loud and honestly tell them, “I am not finished yet because I am fat and slow and you guys better eat right and exercise so you don’t get fat and slow one day.”

What was brilliant about this is that I was now on the last turn to the finish only about 500 yards to go. I love those kids. They took my mind off of all the bad stuff I was thinking for a good 5 or 6 minutes.

As I made that turn I heard someone yell, “You’re almost here RoadDawg!” I think it was my friend Matt. I kept chugging away. I tried to pick it up and finish really strong, but my legs weren’t having any of that. Everyone was hollering and cheering. MAN I LOVE THAT. I may be last, but that just leaves more people to cheer me in. THANK YOU EVERYONE who does that, whether it is for me or for those at the races you go to. Cheering in those last few people, those are the people who need it and your cheers may keep them coming back.

I finished.

I love the direction I am going. It is slow and it is challenging, but it is the right direction.

Until next time,

Go walk, run, or bike. It doesn’t matter, just go outside and do something.

Come along for the trip!

I really don't know where to start.

I am at a loss for words. Don't laugh it happens to even the best of us.

I am spending this week digging into my young life. Trying to find some click to my relationship with food.

Next week I am spending time looking at my teen life and young adult life.

Some may think I am crazy putting this all out on a blog for the world to see. I say it is the only way I can be honest with myself. That may seem weird to say, but I tend to sugar coat things in life and let mishaps slide off my shoulder, it takes a lot to upset me. I tend to look at the good in everything and not at the hurtful or indifferent issues in life.

I don't want to put up a battered child, feel sorry for me monologue. I want no one else to be hurt by my writings, but I need to be honest about my past so I can fix the future. I won't do that by keeping a journal or diary of thoughts. I will when I am held accountable by my writings and knowing that those who know me and have known me in my life can discern reality versus my perception.

It is going to be difficult to put all of this out there.

Everyone has had bad experiences in their lives.

I don't want this to be a pity party and I especially don't want to hurt my family, Mom and Dad, when it comes to my revelations and mental digging into my past, but at the same time I want to be honest FOR myself.

My Momma, who is a brilliant woman and has the kindest, sweetest heart says to me on a regular basis that the past is the past. She says I have to stop dwelling on all of the bad things that happened to me in my life. I agree. However, this is not dwelling. What you will read over the next couple of weeks is interpreting my past, trying to understand my past.

I want you to know, that my past is a blur to me. I remember little of my childhood and less of my teen-hood. This is a problem for me.

I say, I have friends who hold dear memories of their child hood and friends and family. I wish I had those, but I am not bitter, I am not dwelling and I won’t be dwelling in the upcoming posts. I will be digging. I will be telling my story. I want to correlate my relationship with food in a way that I might realize why I am the way I am.

Here is a quote from a dear friend of mine. I think it is important for all of us to realize that we each have our on vices. Mine is food and compulsion. Someone else’s my be alcohol. Another’s may be confidence and self worth. Here is how my friend put it.

For me, food has never been a problem issue. But, there is no man who doesn't have some issue, whether he realizes it or admits it or not, that is comparable for them what the food issue is for you. What's one man's food issue, is another man's obsession with gaining people's approval, or another man's struggle with relationship intimacy, or yet another man's drive toward defining himself through monetary success.

I want everyone to understand before I begin this process, that I am not pointing fingers at anyone else for my issues. I am the only one who “allowed” them to happen and I feel I am the only one who can recreate this relationship with food.

Many of you are probably much stronger than I am with your vices. You may have been a smoker, as I was 12 years ago, and stopped cold turkey, as I did. You may have had issues with your appearance that you simply fixed. I am happy and so proud of you for that.

I think I need this investigation. My mind is a knowledge sponge. I have to know the ins and outs of everything.

I am not satisfied with something until I know how it works, what makes it tick. I think that is why I disassembled all of my Christmas presents.

The problem there too was, I didn’t know how to put them back together after I figured out how they worked.

I am going to figure out what makes me tick when it comes to food. I am going to put it back together.

Thanks everyone for your comments and thoughts on my last blog.

Cure for Cancer 5k

This was a fun run for breast cancer research.

The big news is, Amanda, my beautiful wife, participated in this run with me! This is her first ever any kind of race. I was so happy and excited.

Amanda is not what you would call an athlete. She is however, the cutest thing ever when she runs. I can’t explain her run, you’d have to see it for yourself, but trust me, it would make you smile.

It was exceptionally hot in Baton Rouge today. It got up to 86 degrees today and then it was quite humid. I had my goal set to average sub-15 minute miles. I was feeling good for about 10 minutes of the run, and then I noticed my heart rate above 180.

I slowed and even walked at one point to try and bring my HR down, but it stayed near 165, so I just pushed it in. I finished at 50:01, which is about 15:30 minute miles. I didn’t make my goal, but I did as well as I could considering the heat and humidity.

Amanda finished in just a bit over 40:00. I was so proud of her.

The best part was, after the race she said to me “Maybe I could do a triathlon relay?”

What a perfect day.

Tri-ing Fat Man: Before Picture - 10-10-2005

Tri-ing Fat Man: Before Picture - 10-10-2005

FINAL REVISED RACE SCHEDULE 2006

2006 Triathlon Race Schedule (REVISED)

I am preparing for an eventful year in 2006. I have lofty goals and no fear!

Let’s have a recap and then I will list my schedule for the entire year.

I plan to be down to 300 LBS. by my first race in May.2006
I am to complete 1 International/Oly sized TriathlonBy 12/31/2006
I am to weigh 250 LBS.
2007 I am to complete 1 Half IM
12/31/2007 I am to weigh in at 210 LBS.
2008 I am to complete my first FULL IM (probably IMFL)

So that is the recap of the goals I had set for myself.

In 2005 I raced in nine sprint triathlons and completed eight. Since the former post of my 2006 race schedule I have been motivated through peer pressure and kindness from the BRtri Club to complete a Half IM in 2006 so that I can complete my FULL IM in 2007 instead of 2008.

After much deliberation and prayer . . . I will race in a half Iron-man in 2006
I will race in IMFL in 20072006:

Feb. 1-5 Multisport.com training campSan Diego CA (DONE)

Feb 11th Evangeline Oak Duathlon (my first Du) (01:57:27)

Mar 11 Cure for Cancer 5k, Baton Rouge LA (46:21)

Mar 19th Rotary Oppelousas Duathlon (02:27:29)

April 2 T-Gator Series tri at Lake Charles LA - Race #1 of Alex/BR Challenge (01:27:37)
Pate 1 Boggs 0

April 6 Fat Boy 5k Baton Rouge LA (43:17)

April 15 Crecent City Classic 10k New Orleans LA (01:48:11)

April 22 Louisiana Tri at New Roads Sprint - Race #2 of Alex/BR Challenge (02:38:34)
Pate 2 Boggs 0

May 6 Crawfishman, Buch LA (Sprint) (2:53:31.22)

May 21 Memphis in May Int/Oly Triathlon Memphis TN (4:43:17)

June 3 Heatwave classic Int/Oly Tri Jackson Ms - Race #3 of Alex/BR Challenge (4:07:19)

June 10 Buster Britton Sprint Tri Pelam AL (2:21:36)

June 24 Yam City Sprint Tri Oppelousas LA (1:39:57)

July 8 Sunfish Sprint Tri Meridian MS (Unable to compete)

July 16 T-Gator #3 Sprint tri Lake Charles LA - Race #4 of Alex/BR Challenge (2:08:01)

July 23 Tri-America Int/Oly Tri Louisville KY (Unable to compete)

Aug. 6 Rivercities Tri – Sprint Shreveport LA - Final Race of Alex/BR Challenge (2:47:46)

Aug. 20 Degray Lake Sprint Triathlon - Arkedelphia AR

Sept. 10 Cajun Man – Sprint tri Lafayette LA

Spet. 24 Disney World Int/Oly tri Orlando FL

Oct. 1 Tri-Andy's Tri - Sprint Houston TX

Oct. 29 Ironstar HALF IRON MAN Conroe TX

I hope all of my friends and family in the Kentucky Ohio area can make plans to come down to Louisville for the race in July.

Notice I am doing 3, yes THREE International size triathlons in 2006!

THEN ENDING THE YEAR WITH A HALF IRON MAN IN TEXAS!!!

Self Therapy???

I am spending the next few days looking inside my life of eating. I want to try and figure out why I have such a problem with food. There is a reason or maybe a few reasons? I want input on this. Don’t be afraid to hurt my feelings or say something that you think. You can post it on the blog or email me directly. I want input and thoughts.

I want to start in present day and then look back, even into my childhood.

I have tried to recognize my eating habits of late. I have also taken time during my meals to examine myself, as I am doing right now.

Let’s begin at the grocery store. When I am going to cook, whether it be for myself, my wife, family, friends, I have to select the largest cut or piece of meat there is. If there is not a size of beef thick enough, I will ask the butcher if he/she can cut a thicker piece.

If I am cooking for 5 people, I will select a meal and buy groceries to feed 10 people easy. I go overboard. But more over, when I go to Whole foods to pick up a couple things to make for just me, I leave having spent $50 and food for three! I can’t simply pick up a small filet, or A, single chicken breast, it has to be the thickest cut of a ribeye, or better yet a WHOLE SMOKED CHICKEN!!!! Yes, I will eat it ALL when I get home.

I have tried making a list. I have tried eating a little something before I go shopping. Somehow, it all goes right out of the window when I get there. My mind is an unbelievable negotiator and I have no chance!

“Yeah, I know you have a list, but look, when is top sirloin going o be $4.99 a pound EVER AGAIN!” my mind says.

I say, “Ummm those sausages look good, but I don’t need them, but man they look really good.” My mind, “Just pick them up and you can have them as an appetizer or eat them during the game tomorrow!” “Yeah.” I respond silently.

I am trying and becoming a bit more proficient at my grocery shopping. I also have my friend Pat, who is making meals for me and my wife is also cooking and keeping me from overeating. She is such a good little cooker. I will continue to focus on only purchasing what I went in for and no more and I will stay focused and not let my mind sway me into the OTHER STUFF.

Now, this leads perfectly into Dining out. OH BOY!! Dining out is not much different to grocery shopping.

How many people open a menu and look at it, trying to decide what has the largest portion? Not, what looks really good, but what steak has 16oz. What entree looks like it is really big, a give away is the word PLATTER, oh platter must mean it is big!!!! Seafood platter, Catfish PLATTER, Boiled peanut PLATTER! Yum, I want platter!

Then there is the price! If it cost more, it must have more on the plate! Let’s look at prices! Oh here, this $27 entrée must have more food than the $12 one. I will have that one!

At times I do find myself looking at what the meal is first. What type of food always goes into the process of selection, however usually not until the size and price bases are covered, THEN I will look to see whether I want the shrimp scampi or the fried chicken feet!

Once my meal has been selected I am fine. I can socialize, joke, shoot the bull, all that jazz.

THEN THE MEAL ARRIVES.

I have often wanted to watch myself at the dinner table. I think one day I will give my video recorder to a friend and have them sneak and tape me eating at a restaurant. Until then I have to picture this in my head.

When my food arrives I go into some sort of trance. I am being serious here. When I begin eating, I don’t stop until I have finished everything. I stop talking unless directly addressed, I think I stop breathing as well. My focus is this food. Finishing the food. Consuming the food. The whole time . . . The food is not what is being consumed. I am being consumed. I have caught myself in the middle of one of these episodes and stopped to look around and think. I didn’t like what I began to think about.

Listen, let’s not over dramatize this. I am not like the Tasmanian devil, pillaging through my plate with bones and slurps flying everywhere. It is a science, very controlled looking. It is also VERY subtle to me. It is difficult to recognize. But it is oh so obvious when dissecting it later.

I have decided that when I go to restaurants that I am not familiar with, I will have my wife or friend read me the entrees without prices obviously, and I will decide that way. If it is a business meal, I will not look at the menu and ask the server to tell me their top three entrée preferences and chose one of those. That way I am not perusing the menu for my tell signs of BIGMAN MEALS!

This goes along with the trance state during feeding time. I also can’t stop. I will eat everything on my plate. I will stuff myself to the point that I feel sick. Literally want to get sick. TMI, I know, but I am laying it out on the line here. Do you want to know what is worse? After putting myself in this state, he server will ask who is having dessert and I will actually entertain the idea and if it is a dessert I really like (bread pudding) I will get it.

“What kind of sick mind lets himself do that?” is all I can ask myself when I look back on it.

Exercise is not my problem. I might weigh close to 400 pounds, but I carry this extra around while on a 3 mile run, a 20 mile bike, or swimming 2000 meters.

I had a dream a few weeks ago. A really funny dream. There was a triathlon race, but it was like a handicapped horse race. The handicap was that everyone had to weigh 400 lbs. So they were all wearing weight vests and ankle weights on the bike and added dumbbells on he run! So you had all of these people carrying around as much weight as I do, participating in the race!!!!

I didn’t win. I think I could have, but I was helping my friend Matt finish. He might weigh all of 150 lbs at 5’4”. But it was a weird dream. I think it was a self medicating dream or even a selfish dream, since everyone I was passing on the bike and run were telling me, “Now I see how hard this is for you.” And things similar. Funny how the brain works. I guess my brain was telling me it is ok to be last in every race, you’re doing this for other reasons.

Let’s stop there for today. I have given you the present and what I see in myself as compulsive, uncontrolled, eating habits. I will begin sharing my life with you from childhood and see where that leads us.

I am very afraid to do this, but I am not afraid for the reasons you might think. I am proud of my background, which I think you will see is quite diverse and exciting. What I am afraid of, is hurting peoples feelings when I discuss critical times in my life when it comes to my battle with food. I love all of my family. I love my friends that I will mention, but I think there are deep issues to my problems with food that have to do with my childhood and eating. Nothing serious like abuse, or abandonment (I don’t think) but, habits and things. We’ll leave it at that.

I look forward to you sharing with me your thoughts and similar experiences.

Thank you for allowing me to share mine.

Biggest Loser Comments

I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone for taking valuable time from your day to write to NBC’s The Biggest Loser on my behalf.

I received emails from many of you that have touched my heart and increased my motivation!

Most of you know that the email address that NBC has on their website is not working right now and your emails have been returned. I am sorry that you took time out of your busy days for not. However, it meant so much to me.

I wanted to post the emails I have received from those of you who forwarded me your letters to The Biggest Loser.

Thank you again for all of your support.

Next week I will be posting a look into my world of obesity and my questions as to why I am so fat.

Greetings friends at NBC,
I have been asked by my close friend and financial advisor, Christopher Boggs, to write to you. I have known Christopher about 6 years, since I asked him to aid in planning my retirement from the local telephone company. I want this to be brief, yet to convey to your shows producers, what an excellent choice Christopher would be for your program. I want all of America to know Christopher as I do. The entire time I have known him, he has been struggling to stay healthy and to lose weight. I have seen the astounding transformations that have taken place on your program, and I want so very much to see this fine, kind, man healthy and happy. I have often stated to my wife and friends, that the principles you instill on your show, could be used to help with other debilitating habits or life styles. The structured enviornment at the ranch is vital to the success of these folks, hoever, the fact that nearly all of your guest's continue their strict regimens after the show, is what is the most astounding fact about it all to me. Please, give Christopher Boggs all of the consideration you can when selecting the new "stars" for you program.
Most Sincerely,
Robert Louis McGrath
Walker, Louisiana


DEAR BIGGEST LOSER,
What follows is a non exhaustive list of why you should have my friend Christopher Boggs on your show. If you would like pictures of him in compromising positions and or dirt for future episodes, please feel free to email me at your convenience. With that said here goes.

1.He is FAT and is not sensitive about the subject. I thought I would start with the obvious.
2. He will do anything you say to lose weight. This includes drinking pure garlic puree, 500 sit-ups, eating a goat’s nut (or probably any nuts for that matter, goat or otherwise, etc. etc.
3. He is serious and unafraid. Also if he refuses to do anything you say, you may email me and I will let him have it on our triathlon forum (a place where much smack talk is delivered).
4. Did I mention he is FAT!
5. He showed up at our Triathlon Club meeting last year unashamed and ready to get help with his training and weight loss. No one at this meeting approaches anything close to overweight. THIS TOOK MORE COURAGE THAN ANYTHING I HAVE EVER DONE! Now that is a set of balls. (I cannot attest to the physical size thank goodness)
6. He takes well to being called names and being yelled at, which is good for training. I have not yelled “Hey fat ass, get moving!” to him as he would probably kick my ass, but he wouldn’t hold it against me.
7. He will out will anyone in this competition.
8. He will stop at nothing to achieve his goals of being around 200 lbs.
9. He is going to do a half Ironman triathlon this year and a full Ironman the next. To those of you who don’t know the distances, a half is a 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike and a 13.1 mile run 70.3 miles of fun. A full is double that for 140.6 miles.
10. He has completed something like 8 or 10 already. Most people will never complete a sprint tri (800 m swim, 18 mile bike, 5 k)
11. He spent a ton of cash to go to a triathlon camp with 15 other people all of whom were some of the best triathletes in the nation. It was led by 5 or 6 professional triathletes. Again, big balls. 12. He called me one day to come to his house and take pictures of him in his drawers which he promptly posted on his blog so the world could see how fat he was.
13. He is the type of guy who would give a stranger a $20 if they really needed it.
14. He likes puppy dogs, bubble baths, romantic walks on the beach, teddy bears and those who will really listen to his dreams of being a dancer.. I would appreciate it if you did not tell his wife that I know that.
15. He is the type of guy who would wipe an eye booger out of a dogs eye. And I mean that in a good way.
16. I jumped his case on his blog one day about his eating/slip ups etc. My phone rang and he said, “Damn you got me good, what can you help me with.
17. He is FAT!

So there’s seventeen (13 if you count the repeats). What is most interesting about all of the above is that I have only known Chris since June of 2005. He is one of the nicest, genuine guys I know and he is willing to do anything to lose weight. I want him to be successful because he deserves this. On his own he has taken it on. However, he needs help. He has issues with food that need attention. Whether it be an imbalance, psychological issue or something else, I feel this could be the jumpstart that could get him over the hump. All dramatic bullsh*t aside, if this show was simply who could work the hardest and want it the most, Chris would be the winner. Easy. I hope you folks in TV land make the right decision and give him a shot. He would be the star of the show on so many plains, you all may have to hire him on a soap-opera or at least on one of those crappy shows that gets cut every year. Clearly he has the skills to be on COP ROCK or something.
Sincerely,
Patrick Fellows

Dear Biggest Loser Show Host:

I am writing to express my support for Christopher Boggs of Baton Rouge as a candidate for your show. Christopher is a business associate who I have had the pleasure of working with for some time. One of his finest qualities is that he is a very sensitive individual who cares for his clients. He takes care of them, is patient with them, and is always empathetic to their needs. I have been fortunate to be able to observe him personally interact with many of his clients on numerous occasions – and I call on many financial advisors in my profession but few ever display the kind of compassion and professionalism that Chris does.

He has been fighting the battle of obesity with every fibre of his being. As you may know, he has entered (and finished) 8 triathlon events – a true testimony to the lengths he is willing to stretch himself to in order to accomplish his goal. I’m not sure that I could personally imagine just how difficult a triathlon would be at my own (normal) weight – much less with the weight Chris is so desperately trying to lose. Even after mustering this strength and fortitude, his battle has continued with much desperation and disappointment at not being able to lose enough weight.

I know you get many candidates to pick from, but I think your listening audience would not only enjoy watching Chris but I think they would be able to really FEEL his struggle and hopefully his victory. You will also find Chris very articulate and entertaining with a great sense of humor – qualities that should really help you hold your audience in their seat. As just one example of his sense of humor – he and his wife, Amanda, thought about going to a Halloween party last year in a very uniquely paired costume. Chris would dress up in a chicken suit (what a huge chicken!) and Amanda would simply wear a royal blue swimsuit but paint herself to look like one of the Blue men. Amanda would put a red rope around her waist and Chris would hold the rope. You have to picture this in your creative mind – she is so cute, but so tall and skinny – they almost look like Popeye and Olive together! You are probably wondering by now what they would represent with this pair of strange costumes . . . Chicken Cordon Bleu, of course! What a sense of humor and what a great pair for your show!

So, I highly recommend them and would tell everyone I know across 6 states to watch. Thanks for listening and considering Christopher Boggs!

Brian Ragle
Richardson, Texas


Dear Biggest Loser NBC Program Director -
I'm a slightly overweight 52 yrold female, who also participates in triathlons in Louisiana, just likeChris Boggs. Chris has applied to your network, to participate in theBiggest Loser show. I think Chris would be a great candidate because he hasthe will to "JUST DO IT" and would definitely give 150% to be the biggestloser on your program. He has never been concerned with what other peoplethink, or if he looks like the typical triathlete. He just "DOES IT". If he were selected for your show, he would motivate other overweight peoplethat YES you can participate in sports and YES there is a healthy way tolose excess pounds and body fat. His motivation has inspired many of thehard core athletes in our Baton Rouge Triathlon Club, and we've all acceptedhim as an inspiring, highly motivated team member. He would truly inspireall over weight people who have dreamed of competing in sports, that thereis a means and a process to make that happen. Regards,

Janice Owens
Membership Chairperson
Baton Rouge Triathlon Club

Ballerina's Rule!

The Bet Is On!!!!!

Oh what a fun race season it will be!!!

In the world of triathlon it is essential that you find new methods to push yourself to new highs or Personal Bests. For my first season in racing, simply finishing each race was my motivation and that was all I needed to push me. However, I found that towards the end of the season I began to finish with energy still “in the tank”. I was complacent with my racing and my times didn’t improve too much. I wasn’t happy with this.

Solution?

A BET!

Last year two of our top club racers in BR-tri challenged two racers from a nearby club in Alexandria Louisiana. They raced in five events and combined each team member’s time then which ever team had the lowest race time total won the event.

The prize . . . The non-winners had to do the last race of the year in a skirt.

The BR-tri members Vanilla and Brianna won the challenge or bet. Bammaboy and Don from the other club had to wear the skirt. Which I am not sure they did, however I am not sure.

DING DING DING!!!!!!!

My new motivational tool had been spawned. Many of you have read my blogs where I have written about my friend Michael Pate. He too is from Alexandria Louisiana and a member of the Tri Club there. Michael was my motivation and mentor to even begin triathlon after much contemplation. He has struggled with the bulge for many a year as well. What better way to get us going!!!???

I pitched the idea on our forum. The members of my club Brianna and Vanilla were a bit hesitant at first I believe. I am not a fast racer AT ALL. Michael Pate and I split the two races we were in last year 1-1. Michael has been racing much longer than I have, so the odds are not in my favor, but I understand that and I am prepared to face this challenge.

I want you to know they beauty of this is more than the challenge. More than the bet.

This is very important for me to relay to you. Win or lose, that is not my motivation. I am going to tell you the PRIZE for the winners at the end and you will love it, however that is not my motivation.

I want you to think about yourself for just a second. Ask yourself these questions.

Do you feel comfortable exercising in public, especially with buff, in shape, Adonis’s?
Do you wish some times that you could hang out with those elite individuals in the gym or at the jogging park, or in your tri club?

Why don’t you?

I asked myself those questions and then I FORCED myself on two of the best in our club. I posted on our forum antagonizing the other club and my friend Mike was all for it right from the start. His friends, Don and Bammaboy were all over it too and excited for him. My friends Brianna and Vanilla are psyched about it now and we have a challenge!

THERE IS MY MOTIVATION!

Christopher Boggs, fat, slow, last in almost every race, is on a team of elite racers where his race counts.

I am in. I am one of the team. Not that I need this for my self image. I don’t need friends to make myself feel better. People are going to love me for me no matter, but this is different. This is me being a contribution to a team in an atmosphere that two years ago I would not have attempted. I have surrounded myself with awesome people who are willing to . . .

HERE IT IS!!!!

TAKE A CHANCE ON ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That is it. That is my motivation. Period.

Everyone is happy for me when I finish. If I am not too slow and people have waited around I also love that feeling I get when I cross the line and people are cheering and clapping.

However, this . . . This is a new feeling that I have found in my fight for health. These guys on my team are not just giving me obligatory pats on the back. These guys are putting themselves on the line. Their humility on the line. Their compassion on the line.

I am touched AND . . . I am motivated.

This is the challenge schedule and the prize:

We all do, Louisiana Tri (4-28-2006)
Heatwave Classic (06-03-2006)
T-Gator #3 (07-16-2006),
River Cities Tri(08-06-2006)

Mike and I are doing T-Gator #1 on 04-02-2006. We will add our times to you guy's IM MOOO for total times on that "event".

That will give us 5 opportunities before Meat Pie.

Non-winners at Meat Pie will

Do the swim portion in pink Speedos, the European style.

The bike with pink ballerina skirt, the pink European Speedos, and pink bra that is "stuffed" accordingly.

The run will require a platinum blonde shoulder length wig that make be put into a scrunche, however no hat or cover is allowed.

That is it.

Think positive thoughts for team BR-tri and I will keep everyone posted with the results!

Be brilliant today!!

2006 Race Season Begins!!!

And they’re off!

The race season has officially begun!

Morning, cold, wet, windy. After loading the vehicle with 4 bikes and loads of gear I quickly decided the day called for long sleeves. As I pull open the drawer to my semi cold weather clothing I move my wool gloves in order to retrieve my long sleeved t-shirt. This is an important moment since it will dictate most of my race.

The Evangeline Oaks Duatlon, my first of the duathlon sorts. A duathlon is a race that incorporates a run, a bike, and a run. Different from the triathlons I have been doing which are swim, bike, and runs. Today was a short 2mi run, 10 mi bike and 2 mile run. I was prepared as well as I could be and looking forward to the day.

Nice short ride to St. Martinsville located a few miles from Lafayette, which is approximately 55 miles from Baton Rouge. Nice ride with Matt, Corey, and Todd while Mark, a new member to Br-tri, was following in his jeep. We talked about the upcoming year and races we were planning to compete in and shred with Todd some of the things to look forward to in the sport. Todd is a friend of mine who is just beginning the sport of triathlon, welcome Todd.

We unload, check in and rack up our bikes. It is slowly sinking in that the day is going to be very cold and even more windy. About now I am thinking to myself, you know I had to actually move, yes move my wool gloves out of the way to get to my t-shirt.

Mistake number one.

We line up at the start. Corey makes a statement that we should get in the back and not up here in the front of the pack. I pointed out, in response, that if we began in the rear, that is at a minimum an additional twenty or so paces and I was not willing to risk losing that much energy!!!! We laughed and the director started the race.

The run was an out and back. I am not so found of out and back runs and bikes since I get to see how far behind EVERYONE I am. As I reached the half mile mark of the run the first runner flew by coming the opposite direction, I cheered him on and continued to sludge forward.

This year is like beginning over for me. I think it will take a few more races before people know I am not a running heart attack. As I was coming in off of the run, I was feeling GREAT. My cardio was kicking butt. I felt like I could run all day. I was implementing the fundamentals I had learned at my recent Multisport.com camp and I was on a roll.

However, I was getting the look. The one that expresses great joy and extreme fear for me all at the same time. The nice gentleman that was running the transition area seemed to be really worried about me. He offered to walk my bike to the mounting point, he continued to ask me if I was ok, etc. I guess he plenty of reason when I began to run off with my bike and he reminded me that I still had on my running shoes and not my cycling shoes. Oooops.

Here is where the whole gloves still in the drawer thing really began to sit badly with me. The bike was cold. The wind was in your face the entire way out on the ride. I was watching people fly down the road towards me with smiles and legs pumping! I was MISERABLE!!!!!

What is worse about the wind is being me, in the wind. I am basically a mast. Mast are a good thing when you have the “wind to you back” however, when you don’t it’s . . . Not good.

After the turn around the wind let up and then on the last leg home the wind WAS to my back, to bad I spent most of my energy trying to get through the wind. However, I did realize why everyone was smiling when they passed me earlier.

Back into the transition area, running shoes on, cramps beginning a little and I was off. My friends Corey, Matt, and Todd decided to join me on my run, since they were all finished. I was very happy about this. Les, another Br-tri member, also joined in.

God love them, because I do. They are each super awesome guys. Yes, there is a but, coming.

It was a little demoralizing that I was doing my “run” part while they were walking beside me, chatting it up. I will get better. I will become faster. I will make them jog next time!!! HA!!!

My finish was awesome. The guys ran ahead and began to cheer me in as did the rest of the race participants. I would say that was one of the first times I had a cheering squad that large. It makes it so worth while. I know they are cheering for a guy that they are happy for as well as a bit astonished by. It means so much to me.

I finished in 01:56:21 which was 11 minutes more than my goal, but it was windy.

It’s ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Race season 2006!

I feel good now and I am looking forward to my next race.

Thanks to everyone.

Amazing Day!

What a day.

It is only 11:20AM here in San Diego, but I have already had the greatest day!

I woke at 5:15AM and did y morning rituals. After my shower, I got a phone call from Roch telling me he wanted to run with me since he is rehabbing a hip injury. That took a lot of stress off of me worry about holding up a group or being dropped from a group and getting lost or sum’n.

We headed over to UCSD’s track and did a short mile or so to warm up and then hit the track for drills. Roch and I just ran 3 min on 2 min off. We worked on my running form. I have been practicing on my own in the afternoons by runnin a couple miles down by the beach trying to reshape my horrible nonproductive form. I am doing better hitting on my mid foot rather than my heel. In changing my style I got another massive blister, but I don’t care because I could have run ALL DAY LONG!! I really could have. I don’t know why and I am not sure if I will be able to do it again, but after somewhere around maybe 2.5 miles, I was just getting pumped, but the there was the blister.

After returning to get some grub and shower we headed to the meeting room to hear a lecture from Faris Al Sultan. Now many of you will know him, but for those of you who aren’t as familiar with him, he won Kona, Hawaii Ironman last year. He kicks butt. More than that . . . he is as cool as the other side of the pillow, just an all around cool dude.

He is pictured, with me, in at the top of this post. He didn’t speak, rather he just took questions. There were many and then he signed the Triathlete Magazine cover where he was pictured for winning Hawaii.

Wow, I am having a blast.

Again, I would advise anyone who enjoys this sport or is thinking about taking it on to attend this camp. There are all levels here. There are groups that could be pros to me, my individual group, but I get a lot of one on one attention, so it works out.

Until tomorrow . . .

The Day of Redemption . . . Sorta

Redemption?

I find myself regretting moments in my life as I had yesterday. There is no use for that, none the less, I regret it.

Today has made that regret much worse since I woke in high spirits avoiding all mirrors and focusing on the day that lay ahead. The sun was coming up, the air was crisp and chilly, and the soul was shinning, soulshine shining.

All of these things left me thinking about what the day could have been yesterday, but no worries as the my Canadian friends here say relentlessly.

We took a short ride, about 1 ½ miles to the pool. I think we did about 1,200 all together?? It was nice. We practiced the drills Roch taught us and the filmed in the water. I felt great. I love the water. I think I may have been a turtle in a previous life, maybe an otter, I like otters. As I swim I always feel fluid and . . . thin actually. I can’t explain it really, but I feel the water elongates me somehow?? Later we watch the video, I probably will recant this feeling thin thing once I see that!!

After we finished in the pool we headed out for our ride. In Louisiana, no hills, none, Nadda! In San Diego, Hills. But we didn’t hit the really tough hills, we only hit the steady long hills and I almost lost my cookies twice and had an out of body experience once, until I almost ran off the road. I came back to in body quite quickly.

My highlight was having Heather Fuhr as my personal coach today. Wow, so cool and easy going and makes you feel good about yourself, even when you clip in and layout flat on your back in the middle of the road. Yes, that would have been me. I hit the ground like a rock, however, to even my surprise, I got my big butt up lightning fast!

I told her about the only other time I had fallen, in Georgia, when I feel UNDER a car. I was pulling up to a red light and was clipping out (taking my foot off) of the right pedal, but the bike began to lean to the right. There was a car full of nice looking women to my left. I proceeded to tilt and fall onto and then under their car. Smooth, that’s what they call me.

Back to my awesome day. Heather and I rode and she helped me with my pedal stroke, I tend to lead with my toe and I need to have my heel flatter or even lead with my heel. We think that is why my calves cramp so much.

We did a little more than 18 miles today and called it quits. I had a great day.

To top it off, as you see above, Mechellie Jones and Heather took a picture with me!! Woo Hoo! They are just too cool, what a great sport.

If you don’t know, Heather is a Hawaii winner in 96, and multi winner of Lake Placid, and several other IronMan races.

Mechellie (Pronounced mAkili, sorta) was second and led most of Hawaii last season and was silver in the 06 Olympics. She will win Hawaii very soon.

Off to lunch.

Again, thank you all so much, my success is a result of your commitment to me and I cherish you dearly.

A Follow Up From THe Last Post . . .

Thank you all . . .

The day was not lost.

I went to the lectures on Heart Rate Training and the Periodization Training and learned a great deal. I am looking forward to utilizing it in my workouts.

Afterwards I hung out by the pool, still feeling a little awkward about missing the morning events. I know I shouldn’t worry about all that stuff I have no control over, but I do. The good news is that Paul Huddle, one of the coaches spent about 45 minutes with me. We talked and I expressed my morning distress to him and he was very helpful to my state of being for the day. After our talk, I feel better, I feel OK. That may not seem like much, however feeling “OK” in times like this is a lot, because I like being OK, on many levels.

I will report tomorrow after the morning events and let you know how I did.

Thanks again to all of you for my messages; I am not sure what the day would have become without them.

Until tomorrow . . .

Ashamed . . . Struggling.

Shame

I woke this morning at 5:40AM and showered. Put on my cycling gear and packed my swim gear in a bag.

Today is cycling skills and swim taping. Then some great lectures this afternoon.

After I packed I sat on the bed. I looked in the mirror and began to destroy myself. I don’t know how I do this. I was out of my mind excited about this camp. I thought about all of the pro triathletes I would meet, the things I would learn, the skills I would acquire and I was pumped!

There some great people here running this camp. Roch Frey is really cool. He set my bike and I do feel good on it. Heather Fhur is very nice. Paula Newby-Fraser is a spark plug, she is funny. Great group of people here.

Yesterday we did some different tests and heard from Danny, who works with Pros on the running form and in particular orthopedic support. And Roch went over swim technique and a few nice drills for us to work on. I had a great time.

Then this morning happened.

As I sat there looking into that damn mirror, the destruction of all that was good until that moment had begun. I systematically ripped my confidence and motivation apart. I thought about not being able to do these hills people were talking about. I began to see myself in my swim suit and how disgusting I look to myself. I literally pushed myself into a depression in about 10 minutes.

I sat on the bed, took off my sandals and convinced myself to stay in my room.

This camp is not cheap. As a matter of fact, my wife was not thrilled with the cost, but she was excited about the idea so she accepted the cost. Now I have let her and me down. I am still sitting in my room and I am contemplating my choices this morning and what in the world to do next.

I missed the ride and swim taping because of my inferiorities. It is not like this is a camp of hundreds; this is a small group for strong interaction with the coaches. The coaches know I wasn’t there.

ISN’T THIS SICK!!!!! I am angry at myself right now and I am shaking.

I am ashamed now and just want to disappear from this camp.

I will go have lunch next door.

I am so ashamed at myself. Why can I not succeed at this fat thing? Why am I so destructive of myself? Why can I succeed at ANYTHING else in my life and accomplish so much, but fail consistently, time and time again.

I am stronger than this. I am smarter than this. However, I can’t do it.

The destruction continues . . .

Multi Sports Tri Camp . . .Here I come!

http://www.multisports.com/camps.shtml

Today begins my first day of the 2006 race season. I am in Dallas/Ft. Worth sitting in the airport on a 3 ½ hour lay-over, woo hoo! I am heading to San Diego for my 5 day triathlon camp.

Do you ever find yourself looking around an unusual setting, daydreaming, wondering why you are there?

That is where I am right now, sitting here in Dallas. In 5 hours I will be in San Diego with 35 triathlete studs, I am assuming. The camp brochure and description says this week of training is for triathletes of “all” levels.

Did they mean the 400 pound level?

I began to stress Sunday on my drive from Shreveport to Baton Rouge. That is one thing about my work; I have long drives that allow for deep thinking. As Amanda and I cruised down the interstate, I began to dwell on my inferiorities and slowly the magnitude of this week began to smother me.

Amanda and I had a wonderful morning in bed Tuesday. Easy . . . Not that kind of wonderful, or at least I will never tell about that. I was really struggling with attending this camp and my weight. As you all know I sent in my video and application to the Biggest Loser and next week I am flying to Los Angeles for an open audition. We talked about the many things culminating in my life that has to do with my health.

My wife was such a wonderful support foe me, as she always is, however on that particular morning, she was brilliant.

I am I need of a different life when it comes to food. I am trying to re-introduce myself to food in a style that makes food a part of my life instead OF my life.

However, for today . . . I tackle a new experience in my library of this thing called life. I will walk into the camp with a smile and my chin high. I know triathlon folk. They will be stoked to see the 400 pound triathlete. I will do my best and push myself to new limits. I will be proud of myself and take time to enjoy each day with the eyes of a child, for this is how I must re-learn or re-introduce myself to the new relationship of health, as though it were for the first time, as though I were a child.

Until tomorrow when I update you of the first day in camp, be brilliant and be kind to someone. We all need it.

2006 Race Schedule

2006 race schedue

2006 Triathlon Race Schedule (REVISED)

I am preparing for an eventful year in 2006. I have lofty goals and no fear!

Let’s have a recap and then I will list my schedule for the entire year.
I plan to be down to 300 LBS. by my first race in May.2006

I am to complete 1 International/Oly sized TriathlonBy 12/31/2006

I am to weigh 250 LBS.2007

I am to complete 1 Half IM12/31/2007

I am to weight in at 210 LBS.2008

I am to complete my first FULL IM (probably IMFL)

So that is the recap of the goals I had set for myself. In 2005 I raced in nine sprint triathlons and completed eight. Since the former post of my 2006 race schedule I have been motivated through peer pressure and kindness from the BRtri Club to complete a Half IM in 2006 so that I can complete my FULL IM in 2007 instead of 2008.
After much deliberation and prayer . . . I will race in a half Iron-man in 2006

I will race in IMFL in 2007

2006:

Feb. 1-5 Multisport.com training campSan Diego CA

Feb 11th Evangeline Oak Duathlon (my first Du)

April 2 T-Gator Series tri at Lake Charles LA

April 22 Louisiana Tri at New Roads Sprint

May 6 Crawfishman, Buch LA (Sprint)

May 21 Memphis in May Int/Oly Triathlon Memphis TN

June 10 Buster Britton Sprint Tri Pelam AL

June ? Yam City Sprint Triathlon Opelousas LA

July ? Disco Triathlon - Sprint Dallas TX

July ? Abitaman #3 - Sprint New Orleans LA

July 23 Tri-America Int/Oly Tri Louisville KY

Aug. 6 Rivercities Tri – Sprint Shreveport LA

Sept. 10 Cajun Man – Sprint tri Lafayette LA

Spet. 24 Disney World Int/Oly tri Orlando FL
Sept. 24 Meat Pie - Natchitouches (I am unable to do because of Walt Disney tri)

Oct. 1 Tri-Andy's Tri - Sprint Houston TX

Oct. 29 Ironstar HALF IRON MAN Conroe TX

I hope all of my friends and family in the Kentucky Ohio area can make plans to come down to Louisville for the race in July.

Notice I am doing 3, yes THREE International size triathlons in 2006!

THEN ENDING THE YEAR WITH A HALF IRON MAN IN TEXAS!!!

I am doing it . . . Biggest Loser

I am doing it.







I am flying to Los Angles on February 10th to audition for the Biggest Loser cast 3.

I have been contemplating this action for about 3 months now. My wife brought the cast call to my attention then and suggested that I apply for the show. Since then it has been in the back of my mind. My friends that I have talked to about this endeavor have been very supportive. Many have also stated that I would be great on the show. Thank you for the kind words.

I am concerned about the time away from work and the potential exposure it might bring. I know my clients will support this opportunity and I also have faith in my partners to take good care of them for the time I will spend taping the show. I will also spend every off minute checking my clients’ accounts and making sure I am able to respond to any need my clients may have. I hope I am able to do myself, my family, and all of my mentors and friends justice on the show. I will hold myself to a high level of integrity and also provide support for my co-cast members.

I am doing this for knowledge as much as personal need. I do need to lose weight and as most of you know, I am working hard to lose my weight, however what really bothers me about y weight besides all of the psychological scars is that I can’t figure it out!

I haven’t been able to beat my fat.

There is not much in life that I have not been able to overcome. I have dealt with the hard roads in my life, as we all have, with a learning approach. Learn from my mistakes, learn from my wise decisions what to do the next time, but always learning, gaining knowledge.

I haven’t been able to gain the knowledge to beat my fat. I am praying that I am able to become a part of this show and learn. I want to gain the knowledge to beat the fat and give to others the new life choices I take from the Biggest Loser and pass them to anyone who will listen.

I don’t want a penny. My wife, Amanda and I were talking about this. I wasn’t aware that there was prize money for the show. However, we found out last night there is a $250,000 prize for the winner. If I were to get on the show and win, I will pay my staff/team a nice bonus for holding down the fort in my absence and with the rest I will contribute it to my Alma Matter Northern Kentucky University to promote the implementation of the Biggest Loser weight loss philosophy into the health center through education, books, and classes.

Call me stupid, I don’t care. I am not in it for money. I am in it to be able to love myself again. I am in it to be able to wear clothes not purchased at a store with the words “Big and Tall” in it. I am doing this to live long enough to see my children have children. I am doing this so I am around to take care of my clients for their lifetime. I am doing this to help me and in return help others. I am not doing this for money.

How many of you, if you had $250,000 to spare, would give that money to unlock the knowledge and your own potential to become healthy and slim? I know many people who if they had that kind of money would do it gladly, I am one of them.

I weigh in at 389lbs today. I am not happy with who I am and at times, I am down right disappointed and angry at what I am. I know many of us that battle with fat feel the same way. If I am selected and have the opportunity to unlock the knowledge . . . I will bring it back to you all.

Wish me luck and pray for me on Saturday, Feb. 11th when I go in front of the panel who will decide who is a part of the next cast of the Biggest Loser.

Below is the link to my last Biggest Loser post:
http://tri-ingfatman.blogspot.com/2005/12/biggest-loser_113355275434497629.html

I love you all.

Education . . . Who me!!!

I try and make my writings motivational, educational, and entertaining. I know that I fulfill the entertainment portion by simply telling the stories of my accomplishments or lack there of, in the sport of triathlon. I also hope that I am motivating by my examples of success and failure. I succeed at times and I fail as much but, I keep going. My only concern is the lack of education I provide in my writings. I don’t know anything!

Today I embarked on an excursion of nutritional learning.

I spent most of last Friday answering more than a hundred questions for a nutritionalist and today I spent another 30 minutes online doing the same. The questions, while at times obscure, were self revealing and confusing. I didn’t and still don’t understand what the thickness of my neck has to do with anything, but I m willing to work with it.

I hope that I am able to share with you the nutritional information I learn from Brandon, my nutritionalist. He is definitely on his game and has a wealth of information. Sitting with him today for about 45 minutes was mind blowing. He went over a preliminary list of foods I need to cut out immediately and once he receives my test results back he will then give me detailed plan of foods to have and avoid.

I was impressed and excited.

I am concerned however, with the training aspect of his directions for me. It seems I am putting my body at risk with the training I am doing while my body is nutritionally deficient. Therefore, Brandon wants me to focus on a regimented exercise program that consists of less impact and aerobic exercise, I think, I am all confused now, but my point is that what I am doing to prepare for my race season 2006, is hurting me more than helping me.

Brandon said that we could compromise and add in some of my running, biking, and swimming with the zone programs he has for me, but he informed me that continuing to follow the plan I have will result in just what is happening now. I am working hard, but going no where. I am building my endurance, but not losing weight or gaining much strength because my body has problems repairing itself.

Craziness huh?

I am going to log in to the blog the different test results and what it is I am supposed to eat and not eat. I will also log on how my body is reacting to that. I will post my weight and my food log on a weekly basis.

If this works for me I will be eternally grateful, if it doesn’t I will take it as a learning experience. I hope that is does work so that I can fulfill the educational portion of my blog by directing you to a local FITT Nutritionalist in your area.

Have a great day and train hard . . . and smart!

22 days until my Multisports training camp!!!!

Turkey and Dressing and Pie! OH MY!!!!

There are times in life when I think we will ourselves to believe in our success and talk ourselves into believing we are doing well at a specific job, goal, relationship, or whatever. When in reality we are really screwing up!

Think about this for a second.

I want you to pick one instance in your life, something you really thought you had in the bag, so to speak. Maybe it was a certain test in college that you had convinced yourself that you had studied enough to ACE. Maybe it was a task you had been given to do at work that you just knew you had nailed it on the head. Possibly a relationship when you were younger that you felt you were doing everything right and this was the one!

Now the twist.

I want you to think of all of those instances and then remember the ones that caught you off guard. One that when the bell rang, or the time had come to put up or shut up, you sucked! You failed miserably, or your girlfriend broke up with you just as you were about to ask her to the prom.

It was mind blowing to you right? It was unexpected. You had studied hard, you drank your 2 liter of Mountain Dew and pulled an all-nighter but, you still did poorly on that test.

Or, you did the research; you put together the power-point presentation of the year with indisputable support, but your boss didn’t get it.

How does this happen? How can we feel so good about something that is going so wrong?

I went to Cincinnati Oh, for 3 weeks over the holidays. I made a commitment to train HARD. I dedicated myself to exercise. I focused on my weaknesses.

I packed my trainer and 4 spinervals DVDs. I bought a good pair of winter running shoes. Amanda gave me my Christmas present early, a Garmin, Forerunner 301. I was ready to go!!!!!!

I did, I worked my can off. I ran and biked more in 4 weeks than I did over half of the race season. I ran consecutive 4 and 6 miles, which I haven’t done since I was in the Army. I hit the trainer hard. I was doing two-a-days. I would ride the trainer in the morning and run in the afternoon.

There were days when it was snowing or icing with 10 degree weather and I was out there with purple knees and all, running.

I was feeling great! I was doing it!

I was the king of the triathlon training world!!!

I couldn’t wait to get back to Baton Rouge, head out to the River Road loop we ride here and burn it up!!! I have never run the lakes around the LSU campus here out of fear and self deprecation. But, not now baby! I was heading home to tackle those lakes and show off my new skillz!

Could 9 baby! PUMPED!!! Ready to Rock and Roll!!!! Don’t get in my way, cause you might get runt over!!!!!!!!!! Woo Hoo!!

Then . . .

It was late. I had been driving all day from Cincinnati, Ohio. I had been in my Excursion for 11 hours. I was tired. The traffic was a little annoying, but not too bad. I was just focusing. I was thinking about riding with the bigboys around River Road and maybe even staying with them for 5 or 6 miles before they dropped me. I was dreaming big!!!

I arrived home in Baton Rouge sometime around 1:30 AM. Monday the 2nd.

Home . . .

I went to bed directly and slept like a log.

When I woke I had the urge to see how well I had done with my weight while I was in Cincinnati. I knew I must have done well, I had gone off my eating regiment, but with all of that working out and training, I was good as gold. It is hard to weigh yourself when you weigh more than 350 lbs. most every scale only weighs up to 280 lbs. and the doctors office scales only go to 350 lbs. I had to order one to weigh myself.

I mosey on over to “my room” that holds my bikes, and training gear as well as the scale. I was so confident, I didn’t even strip down as I normally do. Nope, not this guy! I left the short, T-shirt, Birkenstocks, and even glasses on.

When I left Baton Rouge in early December, I weighed in at 364 lbs. As many of you know, my highest weight was 411 lbs. and my weight when I began to train in May of 05 was 405 lbs.

As the digital screen on the scale flipped around I had a big smile on my face.

When it stopped . . . I didn’t.

385 lbs. 385 LBS. 385 POUNDS three hundred and eighty-five pounds.

What happened?
That is all I could muster up in my brain. What did I do?

I gained over 20 lbs.

I stood there, in shock, mouth open, and hand on my forehead for a second. Then I began to reflect.

Do this with me now.

Remember those individual instances I asked you to think about? Let’s think about them again.

Did we do the best we could in each of those instances? Did we study enough, or properly? Did we go in the correct direction with our business proposal? Were we really doing the right things in our relationship to keep it strong?

Answer?

In my case, no. I didn’t do it right. I know that and I think I knew it all along.

I stayed with a very good friend who drinks sodas. I drank sodas. It was the holidays and I love to cook. I cooked and I ate, much more than I should have. I went to football games and I drank my share and your share of beer.

While I was pushing it hard with my training and I did work hard, however I was destroying that hard work with my really bad nutrition. In my mind I was telling myself it was OK because I was working out so hard, but in reality I was not looking at the fact or I was conveniently avoiding the negative issues that were going on and only celebrating the positive. I think that is normal, but I think we must recognize it and handle it.

Did you find or do you find this happening to you?

Do you focus on the positive and discard or ignore the not so positive? Do you get really excited about your successes and avoid your crutches?

It is ok if you do. I just shared mine with you and I think I do this more than the average Dick or Jane. What I have learned after reflecting on this for the past 48 hours is that I need to recognize all of the influences and effects of my actions, good and bad. I need to focus as much, if not more on my negative functions as I do my positive ones.

In order for us to be successful with this life change for health we can’t forget the whole picture. While it is good to celebrate our success in certain areas, we must keep an eye on our downfalls as well.

The big picture.
I am proud of all of us. Skinny or fat, if you are working on yourself, you are a hero in my book.

Keep your head up and your body moving.

I have learned a lot in the past few days, I hope I can take that knowledge and cultivate it into success with my health.

Until next time,

Ciao!