Rest In Peace "Fat Girl"!

THIS IS A LONG POST IT'S A INTRO TO THE STORY GRAB A LATTE SOME WATER OR AN ICE TEA THIS POST WILL END I PROMISE

I had always been active as a child but, my friends always made fun of my third wheel on my tummy. It really bothered me and I soon found consolation in food. It was easy my parents owned a 7-11 store and I was either in the store or on my own. They bought me a television and let me have the run of the candy isle and hostess display with as much soda and Slurpee's as I could want.Fast forward to the 80's and I would try to fit in and not eat for 2-3 days at a time and well it wasn't good for the brain and I never did well in school but, I kind of looked good. I met Jay after coming home from my First year in college in Tishamingo, OK and we were soon married in 1988. My weight sky-rocketed after giving birth to our miracle boy and this is were I was! (please see Above Picture)I was at the heaviest point in my life! I weighed over 270 lbs. I was mortified to say the least. I had dreams of climbing mountains and backpacking activities I had always dreamed of doing but, never dared to mention for fear of being laughed at by my family (not Jay). We tried to keep up with our friends and were always on the go exhausted, but, going. I also suffered from depression and it was a hard cycle to break. We had a Love Affair with Food (Jay and I) and we had also dragged our son into it as well.

We planned trips around where to eat and when to eat. It was a disgusting habit in hind site, but when you live it it's LIVING TO EAT, NOT EATING TO LIVE and it was literally killing us. Jay had developed diabetes and Ryan was the largest kid in his class. We couldn't look at ourselves any more and feel happy. How do you tell patients "You need to loose 30-70 pounds" while you're obese as well!

Jay had a friend at work who was losing weight and it was melting off. I was more than skeptical. I had tried every diet under the sun. We were currently trying a higher carb low fat diet at the time. We were gaining like crazy and I felt like a tomato. Jay bought the New Atkin's Diet Revolution Book and began to read it. It made sense and he was going to go for it after the end of January. He really wanted me to read the book and try it out for at least support. So with prodding I did read it. It really did make scientific sense! For the first time I felt like I might have answers and control over my diet and be able to do this and live a healthy life. For my family and myself! 5Years Later and I'm 148Lbs!!! I have lost about 135 lbs. total with gains and losses over the last 5 years.

THE BIRTH OF ACTIVE GIRL!

So, what does this have to do with death and life? Well Fast Forward to Couer D' Alene Idaho June, 2007. Jay was coming off a injury to his foot he had become depressed about the left overs of weight loss and gained back his weight by 80 lbs. I felt betrayed and I tried so hard to encourage him to get back to the gym.

I started going by myself, I signed us up at a new club in March of 07. I started running by myself in hopes that he would join me when he could. I kept the new lifestyle going. Nothing was working. I talked him into going over to the Ironman Village to listen to talks anything to motivate him, it was my last hope. It Worked! But, somehow I got wrangled into saying I'd do Ironman in 2013 when we were 45. Plenty of training time and orientation to the new chosen sport. Jay even bought me an Mdot and promised that when I am an Ironwoman that he will have my new Diamond Mdot for me at the finish line. :) He didn't have to bribe me I was already excited but, OK! far be it from me to turn down jewelery. He was so sincere. He held me in his arms so tight and had tears in his eyes. I knew that my Hundrey was Back! The race was on. We decided to sign up for a local sprint tri. at Medical lake in August of 07'.

I wanted to be sure that we would be physically able to do these things and a doctor I work with told me of a clinic called CHAMPIONS SPORTS CLINIC Dr. Pearce had just moved in above U-District Physical Therapy and was taking athletes of all abilities! Perfect, I went in to check and make sure what he thought, With all the weight loss, etc. I didn't want to start training and not be able to finish or get hurt because we had something wrong with us. That's when EZ introduced us to BEN the best coach we've ever had. He did metabo;ic testing and proved that Yes we were on the right diet although I could increase my carbs a bit. Jay had to stay where he was to keep the weight coming off.

Two days later we did our first triathlon. On Cruiser Bikes, with Fenders and Bells! We had just bought them in the spring so we could ride to work. We had no idea that we'd become triathletes by summer. I don't know what my swim time was, or my bike I just know I was slow, I was not Last and it took me 2 hours and 45 min. I could be wrong but that is the number I remember.

DEATH BY BEN

This sounds horrible but; it's only in admiration and survival that I can post this;) Because if you aren't tired then "YOU HAVEN'T WORKED HARD ENOUGH" It is his creed and motto that was drilled into our heads. We asked him about a triathlon club in hopes to join in with some others and help ourselves to stay motivated that's when we were introduced to Tri-Fusion and we've been members since November of 2007.

Hang In there We're Comen To The Point

So, we trained hard all winter and we did our second triathlon of our lives Jay finished in just over an hour and I finished in 1hr16min! I was stoked and I finished 6th for my age group I was on top of the world and feeling great!

After getting fit for my new Road Bike Specialized Ruby Elite I found out that my SI joint was misaligned and I made an appointment with a sorts chiropractor to start adjustments. I got the OK to run Bloomsday and then during the race my SI joint went out and caused a severe injury to my IT band (iliotibial band the outside of my left knee) By the end of the race I joggled accross the finish to PR it but, I knew I was injured. Got an injection of cortisone and relief with more chiropractics. Did a 5k race in CDA which was supposed to be a 1/2 marathon for me caused more pain. Went to Half IM Boise and walking up a hill and back down then going back and forth from the swim to bike transition inflamed it worse. Got a second injection. Was told was still OK to do Club Championships at Blue Lake. Went to go try to do a slow run before my last training run and couldn't run a yard:( Still ok'd just rest it re-adjusted and went to Blue lake. Swim caused pain in leg not bad, but, this was new it had not happened before. Went to go to T1 and tripped on carpet luckily Kirk a team member was behind me and caught me. Got to t1 put Koban wrap on knee for extra support, just in case. Tried to lightly jog out no can do walked it out fast as I could, hopped on the bike started riding by feel and did good till about mile 15 then the outer knee started to hurt all the time now darn it! oh well slow down keep riding but, keep going.Get to T2 change my shoes and try to jog out like nothing is wrong pain is only weakness leaving your body.... Hobble jog hobble jog out. Got part way on to asphalt and I new it was a long 6 mile walk. But, I was going to do this! I had come too far! No one was going to stop me I could do this! Tim and Andy Swanson were on the coarse cheering me and it MEANT SO much to have that encouragement it kept me going when people kept passing me by. I called this my walk of enlightenment. I have told many people how lucky we are to have bodies that do not betray us. That we can breathe on our own without concentrating for that next breath of air, I can take a step and not think where my foot is going, I can feel my hands and my feet tingle and hurt even go numb. When so many people would love to know what just that would feel like for the first time or just one more time.

I smiled at each person as they passed sending words of encouragement to my teammates and fellow Washingtonians as they passed. Thanked each volunteer as I could for the generosity of their time and their encouragement. I thought of Charlie the IM whose blind, The Father and his disabled son that he pulls through all of the IM events, Scott Rigsby a double amputee who fell and fractured his collar bone at CDA IM but went to Kona and Finished! Blazeman for the courage to find it in himself to finish ironman with a diagnoses of ALS. I just had a hurt knee, I could do this. Jay and I have come so far and that "Fat Girl" she would have given up a long time ago.

You are no longer her! She's behind you though and You need to finish this thing for you Active Girl this is your new life the beginning of a new chapter your story is about to begin. 40 is the new 28!Who cares if the van picked up everyone at the last water station you'll be fine! Keep going Jay's waiting, So is Jessie and Matt, sure most everyone else should be at lunch the awards are done and you won't have a medal but, this is about you!

I got over the hill back in the park and a young volunteer was waiting. She had a radio and told her boss my number and that he was right. She told me I had about a half mile to go. So we walked. I asked if she knew who had won she didn't I knew it was one of our team I just wanted to know if it was Roger or Ben. I got by the lake and I see a familiar face with worry on it. It was Martin Scates he had come out and back looking for me for quit sometime and I finally was coming in right behind was Tim just as concerned then Sheena, Mark and Daryce, and Steve I saw Trish and so many people had stayed. My heart was gushing with tears. Fat Girl did not have this kind of support she didn't hang out with this kinda crowd. Then Ben's voice came over the speaker announcing my name If I had looked up at him I would have started bawling. I had to look down and smile and calm my mind and heart. There was my soul mate the man of my dreams my best friend for over twenty years and my biggest supporter. Right there waiting for me I know it was hard on him to wait. But, I needed him there and he knew that. Unspoken words looks of love,concern and understanding.

For me Gratitude and Reality. Fat Girl Really is Dead She's Buried and her wake was on June 24th, 2008. That's the day We registered for Ironman Cda 2009! Because We can and We are Ready!

So come join the experience, the new life of Active Girl aka Michelle. There's a road ahead it's long and windy with hills and valley's and lots of water. This is a High intensity ride and chances are I'm gonna be wet!