Introduction

After months of being a tri-geek alliance groupie, I finally caved to the inevitable and joined the party. Guess I was jealous the other guys were having all the fun.

By way of introduction...

I'm a thirty-something professional writer living with my husband and six pets in the greater Chicagoland area. I was born and raised a country kid in central Illinois, and my family still works the farm in southern Illinois. I was a math team, speech team, scholastic bowl, drama club, marching band, yearbook, NHS tomboy geek who had her own motorcycle from the age of 5. I did manage to outgrow the tomboy thing. I knew in my heart at 14 that I was going to U of I, and I did just that. That's roughly when my health problems started, so everyone kind of thought it was the rigors of college life taking a toll on me.

I spent about a decade with my health in gradual decline and my weight on an exponential increase due to an undiagnosed thyroid condition. By the time I got a doctor to listen, I'd gained 153 pounds. From a size 6 to a size 24. I could barely get out of bed, I had constant migraines, chronic fatigue, was constantly cold, constantly sick, my hair was coming out, and on and on. After a battery of tests I was diagnosed as hypothyroid (among other things) and finally started getting the treatment I needed.

After a couple of years I had to accept that the medication would not be magically taking the weight off. I'm ashamed to admit I took a temporary detour down the route of wallowing in self-pity, and being bitter and angry at the unfairness of it all. I ate pretty well, was fairly active - generally did the things people do to lose weight - but just kept gaining. By the time I got medicated I was so unfit I could barely carry a laundry basket up the stairs. Hell, I could barely get myself up the stairs without a breather. I hated myself and missed my old body. When I looked in the mirror I didn't even recognize me.

After a lot of soul-searching, I accepted the obvious - that it was going to take a lot more to restore my old self than eating right and getting on the elliptical during Oprah. I had to take control and make some big changes. I basically gave up (gasp) TV and replaced it with exercise.

About six months into my adventure I was introduced to the idea of triathlon and it appealed to me in a way nothing else has. I decided right away that I would do a sprint race the next summer. I couldn't run a step, could only swim in an 'at least I won't drown' kind of way, and generally didn't bike more than 3-5 miles.

It took me 13 months to train for my first race, in June 2005, and I still had to walk the run leg. But to my own huge surprise I was irrevocably hooked. The biggest surprise of all is that my situation has inspired several other women who realize if I can do it, there's nothing to stop them. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine I'd ever be guiding women through their first triathlons... but I'm thrilled about it. I'd rather walk across the finish line to support someone in their first race than set a PR. The really funny thing is that, once they get going, every last one of them is going to pass me by.

So, even though I'm not a "typical" triathlete, here I am. I'm training, I'm planning races, I'm lusting after bikes and pondering equipment purchases - just like anyone else. I was thrilled to find the tri-geek community, and am ever so grateful at how nice y'all have been to this back of the packer.