A tale of 2 bike rides - 5 years apart

2013, I set out on my first endurance event - a 53 mile tour around the city of Minneapolis with my dad. I weighed just north of 200 lbs, my highest weight ever. It took roughly 5 and a half hours, at a pace of 9.5 miles per hour.

2018, I completed my first half ironman length event last weekend, an aquabike (ie a triathlon without the run). I swam 1.2 miles (in 50 minutes), and then biked 56 miles (in 3 hours and 16 minutes, averaging 17.1 miles per hour). Today I hover a few pounds over "normal" BMI, which is still 70lbs lower than my high above. I'm not the thinnest I've ever been (and certainly was surrounded by lots of skinnier people at the race), but I'm definitely the fittest. I've got my eyes set on the whole half ironman shebang next summer - swim 1.2, bike 56 and run 13.1.

(tangentially, I also podiumed for the first time in my tri career - aka made the top 3 of my age group. now, there were only 4 people in my age group, but still, I wasn't last!)

Weight loss is not a destination. We don't hit our goal weight and say yaaaay now I'm done! It's something we have to continue to engage. I hit my "goal weight" 4 years ago, and I'm still working on it every single day. Complacency setting in, weight creeping up, getting myself back on track. The key for me has been to integrate physical fitness into my every day routine (bike commuting) and finding a sport I'm passionate about (triathlon), so physical activity is a normal part of my every day life. It doesn't always stop me from overeating/drinking, but it can counter act that, and push me towards keeping up with good eating habits. It wouldn't do for me to do a crash diet/crazy exercise, because I need to keep doing what I'm doing every day for the rest of my life.

Good luck to those just starting out their journey and stay strong to those of us well on our way!