Dan_P.

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The words are meaningless to anyone who hasn't had to go through it. For the people here, you know the feeling. You are living the change. It is tremendous and bewildering. 

I look back on me two years ago and partially don't believe I am where I am today. Partially I still feel 525. Sometimes emotionally too.

I look forward to the day that I can just be me and not have to talk about the changes I've gone through unless I want to. 

Celebrating with the inagural Baltimore 10 miler tomorrow.

Stonger Everyday.

Long time no post. 

All is well.

Training for a marathon.

Weight loss slowed. Hanging right around 235-240. 285-290 pounds lost. 

Life is beautiful!

Happy Leap Day!

The triathlon and I have broken up. It was a tough split for me. I wanted it to work out and tried to make it happy. Ultimately the swimming came between us. The triathlon wanted me to swim stronger. I could never get past the sensation that I was going to drown. I'll likely try again at some point in the future, but was worried that I was going to start avoiding the gym if I continued to train for the tri. Easy to make excuses for not going if you're really not looking forward to it.

So, we're off. However the marathon training starts at the first part of May. Hopefully that will be a long and supportive relationship.

Today at the gym I stepped on the scale as I usually do before a workout. It said 232. 

I stepped off and took a deep breath.

I got back on the scale and it again said 232.

I stepped off and took an even deeper breath.

Third time was a charm and the d'amn thing hasn't been lying to me up until this point. 232. Significant today above all days because at 6'2" I am no longer obese according to the ol' BMI chart. I am now merely overweight. I believe it's been about 20 years since I could say that. Thanks to all the people on the message boards. You are my inspiration and motivation in so many ways. New pics coming soon.

Haven't updated for awhile. All is well. The wife is two months out now and has lost 35 pounds. She's doing well. Still working on some foods (chicken breast is not a friend at the moment), but overall doing well with the eating. 

I'm a week into a 16 week training program for the Columbia (MD) olympic distance triathlon. The swimming will be the hardest part for me, but part of the training is getting in the pool at least twice a week. So practice will equal, well, staying alive anyway. 

I've started consulting surgeons about what to do about my loose skin. I've got enlarged veins in my thighs which are a concern, and some chaffing/irritation. Mostly it's just uncomfortable having all this skin hanging off of me. I never thought that it would bother me as much as it does. I feel like I'm dragging a 10 pound weight behind me when I'm running or swimming. And then I realize that I am. The surgeon I saw last week is going to submit the request through my insurance company. We'll see what comes of it. 

Almost no longer obese. New pics will come when that happens.

Wife had surgery yesterday at 11:00. Doc visited me by 1:00 and said everything went according to plan. She spent a couple of hours in recovery and was up and walking with me by 5:30. She passed her leak test this morning and will hopefully be enjoying some yummy clear liquids shortly. 

My plan is for us to go on The Amazing Race once she's close to her goal. Hope it's still on.

Well, the insurance approval came through and the wife is approved for RNY gastric bypass on December 4th. I'm proud of her and hopeful that she'll have success. After seeing my and her mother have success I think she's ready to make the plunge.

ZooZoom in Baltimore yesterday morning. Around 480 runners or so. 12th of 29 in my age group. 146th overall. 43:49. Many hills. Highlight was getting passed by what I was sure was a 4 year old about halfway through the run. Made me grumpy and I caught her and her Dad on the next hill up. They dashed by me again with about a mile and a half to go. I never caught up with them again. 

Looked at the times today and discovered she was actually 9. I'm gunning for her at the Turkey Trot next week if she dares to show her face again.

I finished the Race for the Cure today. Thousands of people, they said 30,000 were participating, but not all in the 5K; and it was a wild experience. Some thoughts from the day:

*One of my best friends that I've known for 16 years now ran with me. It was good to have a running buddy there.
*The crush of people when we started was overwhelming. Took about 3/4 of a mile just to get a decent pace going.
*First mile - 10:45. Not good. Took 30-40 seconds just to get to the starting line. Started to look for opportunities to speed it up.
*Mile and a half. Hello local high school drum line! Nice to have a sweet beat to help us out. Long strides down a gentle hill. Now we're getting somewhere.
*Second mile - 19:30. Pace has picked up nicely. Might actually finish this thing in under 30. Can't let up now.
*Like the cheering by people. Really does help. Buddy remarks about home field advantage. Might be something to that after all.
*Final bend. Once around the block and we're done. I take a page out of A.J.'s book and go fishing. Takes my mind off the finish line and helps keep the pace up. The fella in the red and black was all mine. His little friend in purple too.
*Finish. 3.1 miles - 28.30. Finished in under 30. That was my goal. Actually think it would've been less than that if we could've gotten off to a quicker start. Got a little teary at the end but I held it together. This is but one of many. Next on my list is to run the Walk from Obesity next weekend. Got to search out some 10K's too. What a ride.

Might be something wrong with me. 1.5k swim. 40K bike. 10K run. It's in May. Give me something to train for over the winter! Whoo hoo!