And then there was Thanksgiving.....

Thanksgiving, for all of it's good parts, is hell on someone with "weight issues". I ate like it was my last meal. Literally. Turkey and dressing, casseroles, rolls, cakes, cookies, pies....well you get the picture. I haven't been on a scale, but it's kinda like the IRS - it never has good news. I really blame my mom - if she couldn't cook so well I wouldn't feel the need to eat everything in sight. Alas, in the midst of the carnage I did manage to follow my training plan, as elementary as it is right now. I am currently walking 24 minutes and running for 6 minutes three times a week. I'll add in swimming twice a week this week. Now that I'm back at the office and somewhat busy - I'll try to get back to the portion control attack plan. At some point, as indicated by the letters "tri" in triathlon - I'll need to buy a bike and add that in. I'm guessing that will be a Christmas gift to myself. I'm pretty good at gift giving to myself; I've always said "I love me some me". I plan to talk to some local bike shops and see if they have any trade ins or used bikes that I could buy for now. For god's sake - Lance Armstrong has nothing to fear from me.

Yesterday, in what should have been my first day back to the office after the holiday, I spent the better part of the day with my wife in the ER. She apparently had an ovarian cyst rupture in her abdomen which causes an awful lot of horrible pain. Several years ago we had a mutual friend die suddenly of an embolism in his stomach and that's all I could think about as she way lying in the floor screaming/crying in agony. If you were a driver on highway 280 Monday morning I was the maniac in the grey Acura that was driving in medians, crosswalks and on the side of the road. I'm pretty sure we set some traffic records. Anyway, the good folks at Trinity Medical Center ER took good care of her once we got there. She is safe and sound and although she is supposed to be resting I'm pretty sure she's out Christmas shopping as I write this. All in all - made for a scary day. Makes you realize how lucky you are and how fragile we are on this big green rock we all call home.

I had a great time visiting with my family last week. It's always good to see my nephews - I hate we live so far apart. I feel like I have invaluable advice for teenage boys that is just going to waste. (My mom would spit coffee across the room to hear that last sentence) I'm glad it's less than a month until we all get back together again. Just in case my sister and nephews read this - I found some really good deals on paintball guns and we should have one heck of a Christmas....... :)

Well...here goes nothing

First, let me preface this first entry with the note that this really is the beginning. Two days before thanksgiving and I have declared that I will force myself to finally get back in shape by registering for a late spring triathlon. Now before you start laughing, this is not the normal, blood and guts triathlon. This is a much shorter version; but I will still be able to label myself as an athlete. I hope to use this experience to motivate me to try a full blown, cry like a little girl triathlon late in the summer.

As it stands right now - I suppose the only way to describe myself is that I'm fat. I stand a statuesque 5'10 and weigh an  earth shattering 240 pounds. Now, I would like make sure it's known that I do carry a better than average amount of muscle. Not quite 240 pounds of it, but more than the average Joe nevertheless. My goal is to trim this down to around 190 pounds by this time next year. Partly to get in shape to race, but more importantly to be around for my beautiful wife and baby girl. I would hate to know I left behind a beautiful daughter because I ate myself to death.

So there it is - short and sweet. I have downloaded a training program, but I will wait till a later date to publish the origin to give me time to evaluate whether it is a logical and workable plan. With the next post I hope to have the first run and swim behind me. If I somehow survive - you will hear about it here first.