Tomorrow(11-1-11) is Day One, only 229 more to go to my first Half IRON TRIATHLON!

This is a very long intro...we all know I can talk...so can you imagine what I can do typing???

Ok So for those of you who do not know me....I am Kellie,  I am currently 43 years old.  I will be 44 in May, 2012.    I am a Christian, a Wife,  a Mother of two adult sons and Grandma to two grandsons, I am a RN...I am a TRIATHLETE!!!!

Prior to losing 125 pounds and keeping it off for over 6 years thus far...I could not walk two blocks, I could not walk up one flight of stairs, standing for more then a few minutes was tiring...had many medical conditions which were slowly killing me...I did not think I would make it to see my own children graduate high school....I was taking a list of daily meds to help control my medical problems...

Prior to July 2005 I had lived a life as a morbidly obese women,  July 5, 2005 I had a gastric bypass and since then have been trying to LIVE my  life.

I am  regaining my health and my life!!!!
Between Juy 5, 2005 and the end of Feb 2008 I lost weight and gained strength and learn to LIVE life...

On Feb 28th 2008, I "ran" my first "telephone pole to telephone pole" distance then walked a few and tried it again...April 2008 I "trotted" my first 5k race and I am in love with running....

May 2008 Joined Team N Training and then trained to run my first MARATHON, YES 26.2 MILES Marathon.....Oct 19, 2008, I completed the NIKE Womens Marathon in San Fran, CA...it took me just over 6 hours...BUT I DID IT!!!!! Since then I have completed two full marathons, 10 half marathons and many many road races of all distances...

Then in 2010, I decided that I wanted to do something more...I knew I could run...But could I do a triathlon???  Me ??? Triathlon...Oh MY GOD.....what was I thinking....In 2005 I could not walk two blocks....Now I am thinking of swimming, biking and running???  Am I nuts???  Uhmmm YES!

Jan 2010, I look into buying a bike...I go to Providence Bicycle after going to all the major bike stores in RI,  I get fitted for a bike and make a downpayment and start making monthly payments on the bike..hoping to pay it off before May so I can practice on it for a couple of months prior to the "TRI".  I signed up for the SheROX Sprint Triathlon in July 2010....I start swimmming at my local community college pool...I could swim but could I race?   I even had taken a few swimming lessons. I continue to train and run road races.

May comes and I get my bike for my BDAY!!!!  First bike ride with Clips...What?  I have to clip my feet to my pedals???  What if I fall..NOT IF  but when....

Memorial Day weekend. 2010.First time I wear my wet suit in public....HA HA HA...Stuffed Penguin!!!!!!  Then I go for a ride with Robi Ann and Matt and YES....I FALL!!!!  standing and straddling not riding on my bike)  12 sutures later in my left ankle and just missing my Achilles Tendon...7 weeks from my first TRI, NO TRAINING at all for at least 2 weeks!!!!!  I cry myself to sleep that night. Will I be able to do this?  Am I strong enough? Was I ever really going to be able to do a tri....I am just fooling myself...stop now before you get really hurt...that night I decided that is it.. I am not going to be able to do this...I decided to quit before I broke bones or spilt my skull...

TILL I woke up the next morning and shook off the EVIL SELF DOUBT THOUGHTS!!!!  I can do this, I am strong, I will complete my first TRI...even if I have to delay a few weeks... But I did not have to dealy the first TRI.... I was able to heal in time to continue to train and race and COMPLETED my first Sprint Triathlon!!!!!!!

 Thank you to all who helped me train and to TRI NE, the triatlon club I joined, I learned so much from everyone.  Not only did I learn from everyone, everyone I came into contact with my supportive and giving and gracious and patient...as I had hundreds of questions that sometimes took multiple explainations for me to understand...Do not get me wrong, I am a "smart" woman..But this was SOOOO New and Different to me!

Thanks to my hubby, David,  My Cousins Robi Ann and Ciara, who also trained and finished thei first triatlhon as well that day!, my inlaws and my own parents and my kids who had to listen to me everytime , I was hurting or scared or excitied that I learned something new or was late for a dinner or function cause I was training or working around my training schedule...SheROx Triathlon in Webester, MA  July 2010...My First Trialthon!!!!!  WAS AMAZING!!!! I finished and was so happy and elated...I signed up for  more triathlons that summer...I AM HOOKED!!!

Fall and winter comes...I continue to run road races and half marathons and set a PR at teh 2010 Newport Half Marathon od 2:15:01.....trained all winter...I had a great winter training partner  LUIS!!!!  would stop at the house 2-3 times a week and "make" me go to the gym,,,,,,Leslie would make sure i was out and running as well...TRI NE crew all getting togther all year long encouraging and supporting each other....

2011  Race season was planned a couple of 1/2 marathons, a few sprint trithlons and an OLYMPIC distance Tri near the end of the season.... Had a great season..finished all my races and had a blast training all winter spring and summer...then along comes Hurricaine Irene...and Cranberry Oly Tri is cancelled...UGHHHHH

Ok so it is now time to start planning the 2012 RACE SEASON:  SO far it is one 1/2 Marathon (COX, in May 2012) and my first HALF IRON DISITANCE TRIATHLON!!!!  yes 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike and 13.1 mile run...June 16, 2012...the Patriots Half Triathlon.....in Freetown, MA!

That is what bring me to say tomorrow is day one and only 229 to go...Tomorrow November 1, 2011, I start my training for this new adventure...I plan on tracking what I do and think here on this blog...so I hope you will all follow and learn and live and enjoy this ADVENTURE....and help me to check this one off my "bucketlist".....