So, one of the reasons I'm doing this crazy journey is my mid-life crisis, another reason, I lost my dad almost two years ago to a heart attack. He died instantly of a critical blockage. He did was healthy when he died and I know his death shocked all of his family, friends, and colleagues. When he was younger he was in fantastic health, then family life happened, he was never HUGE or what seemed to me out of shape but sometimes diet and exercise affect you in ways you don't know. He also drank, drinking can damage you more then you know. Probably the major factor in his death was his cholesterol levels. If cholesterol is dangerously high in any family members, please get yourself checked, and regularly!
It took me another 6 months after he died to actually do something with my own fitness. I was almost 300 lbs when my dad died (and 40), I knew I was big, I could do things (bike to work, dance, walk a flight of stairs) but my resting heart rate was 80 to 90 beats per minute. I hired a friend of mine to be my personal trainer for 5 months, took a month off, then joined Versus Training Centre and have been going on a very regular basis. Since I joined with them almost a year, and since I started with a personal trainer in August 2010, I've lost 70 lbs, my resting heart rate can go as low as 46 beats a minute, I've lost 20% body fat (started at 49.8%).
Last year I decided to do the Tough Mudder, that's a goal for my fitness and weight loss (I need to work towards a goal as well as working towards helping my own health). Well, I need to run for Tough Mudder I decided I might as well train to do a half marathon (it made sense in my brain!) so I'm doing the BMO half marathon in May! And, well, since I need to swim in Tough Mudder I decided to train for a triathlon in March. I mean, I'm already biking to work, and running for the Tough Mudder/BMO and swimming, I might as well do a triathlon as well!
Well, it all made sense when I signed up for each of them, I might be freaking out a little bit as they come closer! My first event is in 4 days, second event is in 53 days, next event is in 88 days and so on!
So, I do these things for me, I do them in memory of my dad, I do them for my fitness but I mostly do them for me. I want to see how far I can push myself, how far I can go, if I can become an athlete in my 40's!
AND, my first race is coming up on Sunday! I'm freaked out, excited, nervous, and hoping for NO SNOW OR FREEZING RAIN! I'll still do it but still, it would be nice to not hurt myself on my first 10k! I'm doing the Chilly Chase starting from Creekside Community Centre, runs along the seawall, very flat (maybe one or two hills) and should be a good start to my races this year! Wish me luck!
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