Who does these???

When I started losing weight and getting into shape, I decided I wanted to be a triathlete.  Then I realized what that entailed:  2.4 miles of swimming, 112 miles of biking, and 26.2 miles of running...all in one day, and in under 17 hrs.  I'm sorry, huh?  Who can do that??????

Apparently, anyone.

Last night, I watched the Biggest Loser "Where are they now?" show.  Some people kept it off, some didn't (an interesting theme is that the ones who are doing the best are the ones that are teaching fitness or have somehow incorporated fitness and wellness into their lives...reason #4 why I'm thinking of buying a gym), but one guy who had gained some weight back decided to do a triathalon.  He was a pretty big boy, even though much smaller than he was initially, and God bless him, he gave it his all.

He ended up finishing 3 minutes after the deadline, so technically, he didn't complete it, but WHAT.EVER.  His endurance was amazing.  The fact that someone obese could even possibly complete that physical challenge was astounding to me.

We always hear about how we have to be so careful about exercise, and consulting with physicians, and heart attacks, and maybe that is all very true, but the side we never hear about is that our bodies are WAY more resilient than we think.  If this big guy can complete a triathalon, I really believe that I can too someday.

I'm not going to take all that on now - LOL - but my first goal will be a half marathon.  I think that's an attainable goal, a good challenge and a big step for me.  I never do more than 3 or 4 miles on the treadmill, but I know I can.  If I had to do a half marathon today, I know I could do it.  It would be unpleasant because I'm out of shape, but my body could do it.  With a few months of training, I think I would be in pretty good shape to do it. 

Yes, I have asthma, bad knees and a bad back, but if they can do it, I can do it.  That's one of the coolest parts of the show - the fact that it inspires some of the people watching it to reach for new heights.  If you are told all your life that you can't do something because of the way you are, you are just going to assume it's true.  I think our bodies can do more than we think, and that is an exciting thought for me.

Children's Hospital at Dartmouth has a half marathon scheduled for 8/29/09.  Since TJ has me at my goal weight by then, it should be a great date to aim for.  Who's with me?????  :)