Please indulge my gushing a little bit about what I did this weekend... I finished a TRIATHLON!!! And I can't even begin to tell you all how amazingly, phenomenally good I feel about having done that. I could go on for days about this whole experience and how incredible I felt and still feel now, almost two days later.

I'm posting a link to the website because I think every woman, everywhere, should do one of these (I hope it's ok to post this link, I promise, I don't work for the company or have anything to do with them). http://www.danskin.com/triathlon.html Before you say "yeah, right, there's no way I could or would ever do that..." I have to tell you that I thought the same thing! But this particular traithlon is for women only, and specifically designed just to get everyone to finish. The abilities of the participants ranged from world-class athletes all the way to women who have never walked further than the refrigerator (and I'm definitely closer to that end of the scale).

And it's SOOOOO motivational. No matter what your particular abilities were, every single woman there was always cheering on and helping out all of the other women. There is even a woman who has set world records in the iron-man who comes to these races and her *job* (seriously, she's under contract!) is to be the last person across the finish line -- so no matter how bad of shape someone's in, and how long it takes, no woman has to worry about being last!

To explain the "wickedly good" thing .... Before each wave (groups of about 150 people, mostly grouped by age) starts, they do a big cheer with the whole group, get everyone pumped up and excited and motivated, then give each group a "secret word" that's just for that wave, and you keep it in mind the whole time and keep saying it about whatever piece you're doing. Our secret word was "wickedly good", so I'd tell myself, one word on each stroke: "I-am-a-Wickedly-Good-Swimmer". Then on the bike, with each push on the pedal, "I-am-a-wickedly-good-biker!", etc. It took some of the pain away and gave something to focus on and keep pace with -- even on some mean hills on the bike course (I ended up having to walk part of a couple of them, along with lots of other people, getting cheered on the whole time by people who were passing us, and by the other women who had already turned around and were coming back).

It really was just an incredible experience. Absolutely worth every ounce of sweat and soreness (which is already surprisingly little) and pushing myself.

I'm SOOOOO proud of myself that I'm still walking on air.

<img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

-Ami.

Just wanted to add some details, for anyone who thinks that they couldn't do something like this ....

I've never been athletic at all, and have been very "voluptuous" for a long time -- even post-infidelity diet. Certainly NOT a runner (or swimmer or biker, for that matter). There were also a LOT of women there who were much more "voluptuous" than me (one woman I met was well over 6 feet tall, and just under 500 pounds -- and she finished!!). There were several women there who were over 70 years old, and even a handful of blind and otherwise handicapped athletes.

There was even a whole wave -- about 150 people -- of cancer survivors. Two of those women spoke to the group the day before, and they had both just finished chemotherapy and were still undergoing radiation therapy.

So if we all could do it, there isn't anyone here who couldn't!

Also, there is help all along the course. In the water, there are "Swim Angels" everywhere, with noodles and kayaks and kick boards and all kinds of things that you can hang onto and rest and float for a minute if you need to. You can even have a swim angel swim the whole course right next to you so you can grab a noodle and float whenever you need to. There are paramedics and mechanics every few yards all along the bike route, so they can help with any bike problems (flat tires, broken chains, whatever), and lots of water stations along there, too. And there are similar volunteers all along the running route, too -- handing out water, providing shade for people who need to take a rest -- whatever. And lots of people who walk the entire run section (I walked a majority of it), and who walk much of the bike pieces, too.

So it really is possible, no matter what your fitness level. And it feels SOOOO incredibly good -- it's SOOOOO worth it! I can't reccommend it enough to every woman I talk to!

<img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

I'd love to gush more, so would be happy to answer any questions if anyone is more interested. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

-Ami.

Well that's just plain <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />"WICKED KEWL"<img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" /> AmI! I can almost see your glow through your post! As our DD6 says...You "Rock-A-Hula"! <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Mrs. W <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

AmI, you are the BOMB! How about a pic for the MB photo album?

Yeap, Mrs. W, I think I see that glow too!

AmI, can you do me a favor I had a really bad night, please check out my post?

Mrs. W, you're more then welcome too.

Thank you, both! I'm STILL glowing, and walking on air today!

And, today is my birthday -- so this was my birthday present to myself.

I even brought the medal to work with me and hung it outside my office door. I've been talking about it all morning to anyone who will listen. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

-Ami.

that is sooo cool!!!! congrats to you and HAPPY BIRTHDAY too!!!

that looks really neat...

unfortunately, it has already occured in my area, but i book marked it, i may look into it for next year.

Yeah, I think this season is almost over, it looks like the last few races for the year are already closed. I wish I had posted about it earlier .... it was SUCH an incredible experience, I think everyone should do it! :-)

But this just means that you have a WHOLE YEAR to train, now!!!

I just talked my sister in law into training with me for next year, and I'm going for my other SIL and my Mother-in-law tonight. At this rate, I'll have the whole town out riding bikes and practicing their crawl stroke pretty soon! <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

WOULD YOU LIKE CHOCALATE, LEMON, PECAN, WHAT? <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/eek.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />


I'll cut you a slice after you blow out the candles! <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> How Many candles is that? LOL <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

HA! Can you believe I have actually had to do the calculation several times in the last few days because I couldn't remember if I would be 32 or 33! (It's 33, sigh.).

I told my kids that I was going to start counting backwards this year, and they got pretty excited. DD couldn't wait until I got too young to have a driver's license, but she had hers. She figured that would make HER the parent, and she could "be the boss of me". I told her I would be ok with that, as long as she paid all the bills, too. That idea suddenly wasn't very fun for her anymore. <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Thanks for the happy birthday wish! I'm enjoying it!

-Ami.

RMFAO! Enjoy! You deserve it!

.

I am shamelesly bumping this thread .... and trying to convince every woman on here that they need to do one of these! (Sorry, this one is just for women, so you guys will have to find your own!)

I at least have LA convinced to cyber-train with me ... and we have a personal trainer here at my office who developed a "couch-to-triathlon" training plan that will work for any of us -- no matter how non-athletic you are!!

There are several across the country (I'll copy the current list at the bottom), so there's one close to you .... and it doesn't matter what shape you're in! I'm very non-atheltic (see my earlier "voluptuous" comments), but I did it last year after only about 3 weeks of half-hearted training. And there were cancer survivors who were in-between treatments, people in all kinds of weight and age ranges, and even several disabled people who did it, too.

So come on, you can do it, too!!!!


I did this at a time when my self-esteem was pretty much bottomed out. The fact that I could FINISH a TRIATHLON was such an incredible ego boost, it was exactly the "WIN" that I needed in my column right then. I STILL have the medal hanging up at my office and talk about it!!
And so I just can't help but want to share! With EVERYONE!

Sooooo .... I'm going to start a thread on the "Other Topics" board for anyone who wants to try to get ready and do one of these with me .... any takers??

<img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />


-AmI.



WALT DISNEY WORLD® Resort, FL
(near ORLANDO, FL) MAY 12-13

LOS ANGELES COUNTY
(City of San Dimas) JUNE 2-3

AUSTIN, TX
JUNE 9-10

CHICAGOLAND
(Pleasant Prairie, WI) JULY 7-8

DENVER, CO
JULY 14-15

NEW ENGLAND
JULY 28-29

SEATTLE, WA
AUGUST 18-19

NY METRO AREA
(Sandy Hook, NJ) SEPT. 15-16

Wow! I'm inspired Ami. I've not posted to you before, and not in good shape, but I'd like to try. I've just recently lost about 50 pounds, so I'm really looking for something to work for towards exercise. Simply running won't work for me. But this might! Thanks for the inspirational post!
Any training sites on line?
Shellybird

HI, AmI! I have to say that I'm sorry but Austin is a long way from me, like a whole day's drive...I will not be doing this but depending on what you guys do with the training might participate in that.

Shelly- That is so great! Way to GO! I know what that feels like to lose 40 lbs. I've gained 30 back recently, over the past few months, but am working on it now...

I was sleep eating...a believe a result of the new med that I was put on...I can't even really explain it, but I've gotten better. I've lose five lbs. and hope to lose the rest by summer. I'm 4'11" so an extra 30 lbs. makes a big difference.

Wishing you all the best! <img src="/ubbt/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />