fat smoker to triathlete

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  • boatsie77
    boatsie77 Posts: 480 Member
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    Congratulations on your extraordinary fetes of strength and courage! Thanks for sharing your inspiring story and advice we all can use. All future Ironman competitors better watch their backs--you're unstoppable!
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
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    A half-iron............holy crap, my hat is off to you!
  • fleetzz
    fleetzz Posts: 962 Member
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    Wow! Very impressed.
  • KokowithaK
    KokowithaK Posts: 88 Member
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    This is incredibly inspiring; I love it! I also quit smoking this past year and have started running. I just wish I could easily run 3-4 miles on the first try haha! I barely got a mile in 20 minutes my first time. Looks like you were meant to do this!
  • geechegal
    geechegal Posts: 29 Member
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    A true personal best!!!!
  • 007bondage
    007bondage Posts: 631 Member
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    Thanks for sharing your story. You are an inspiration :)
  • luisalg14
    luisalg14 Posts: 202 Member
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    I love your story so freakin' much. Thank you for sharing it, truly! I too would like to one day complete a triathlon, but am a lousy swimmer. You've inspired me to dream and to keep working :flowerforyou:
  • ShrinkingKitt
    ShrinkingKitt Posts: 36 Member
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    HOLY MOLY!!! Btw you are looking HOT! Nice job!! That is VERY inspiring!
  • Samoa_Moni
    Samoa_Moni Posts: 105 Member
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    You look great, but most importantly you look happier=) Way to stay at it=)
  • onagrind
    onagrind Posts: 1 Member
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    Your past life sounds like the life I'm leaving behind. I have a couch and a bike too!! I need to get off the couch and put the bike to use. Thank you for the encouragement!! Way to go... And you look so healthy!!
  • DangerJim71
    DangerJim71 Posts: 361 Member
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    Just wanted to thank everyone for the compliments. Never get enough of those. ;)

    Also wanted to answer a few questions and add a few more comments.

    I had been a smoker for about 25 years since i was around 16. It was very hard to build up the cardio strength to be able to run and i think doing a combination of swimming running and biking has made it better than doing just one. Hard to explain but I believe the biking and swimming made me a better runner and the running made me a better biker.

    I mentioned the importance of setting goals and really should expand on that a little. I worked with both long term and short term goals. The short term goals like eat right today and bike 50 or 100 miles this week should be helping you reach your long term goal of finishing a triathlon. Its much easier to stay on track when you have specific goals for both long and short term. Originally my goal when I started was to get down to 220 lbs from 270 and I set short terms goals of losing 5 lbs every two weeks. Some times I missed the short term goals but the really kept me focused day to day. You also have to be willing to adjust your goals. It became apparent that I would lose more than the 50 lbs so I adjusted that to 185 (still not there by the way) and had set goals of running several 5k's over the fall holiday season but my injury changed that plan so I changed that goal to set some swimming goals.

    Some people have said I am inspiration and that is very humbling. If my example encourages someone to make a possitve healthy change in their life than I would feel blessed. I don't think what I did was all that amazing. What I mean is I just did what I had to do to save or prolong my own life. Once I realized that it became easy to make better choices.

    I do sometimes look for inspiration and usually find it in my wife. If I need more inspiration especially on the days I don't feel like getting up at 4:30 am to go to the pool or spend 3 hours on a nice Sunday afternoon training on my bike I think of people like Sarah Reinertsen or Team Hoyt and all my silly excuses melt away. If you've never heard of them, look them up on youtube. Now THEY are inspirational.
  • IronPhyllida
    IronPhyllida Posts: 533 Member
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    Fantastic results! Well done
  • stevenleagle
    stevenleagle Posts: 293 Member
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    Awesome job man
  • harleygroomer
    harleygroomer Posts: 373 Member
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    AWESOME JOB
  • mldriver1
    mldriver1 Posts: 1 Member
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    Wow!! You look great! Awesome job!!
  • Lunarbeanie
    Lunarbeanie Posts: 107 Member
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    That is inspiring!
  • cst573
    cst573 Posts: 103 Member
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    Wow! Amazing accomplishment!
  • Sassybmom
    Sassybmom Posts: 146 Member
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    you look beyond fabulous! WOW! Congratulations and great work Sir!
  • delvin2
    delvin2 Posts: 120 Member
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    Great story. I like the common sense approach to reaching your goals...nothing drastic, just setting goals and working hard to reach them. Looks like you've added years to your life and life to your years.
  • daniellegwilliam
    daniellegwilliam Posts: 122 Member
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    amazing job!! I quit smoking in 2007 and did the same thing, replaced it with running/exercise!!
    your last comment realy hit home, today is a new day and Im seixing it. thank you! and big congrtulations on your mazing new lifestyle and health

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