A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words, Triathlons, Thin (and Not-so-Thin) Food Writers

Lauren and I are ready to Run 10K over Cooper River Bridge April 2011

Make mine a double

What can one say? Photo on the left? Summer, 2008. While those two margaritas weren't both for me, they might as well have been...That's a hard photo to post here...What happened after that? Well, I moaned about being overweight. Lots of good moaning does, huh? Then in Fall, 2009, more than a year later, I decided to join a relay team to raise money to fight amyloidosis (you can read about why I did that here on my cousin Amy's blog; her husband, Paul Hawthorne was killed by amyloidosis in December, 2008). The relay team was doing the NYC Nautica Triathlon, and I was committed to doing the swim.

This meant two things. I would have to be able to swim 1500m (yes, in the Hudson) AND I would have to be in NYC in a skin-tight wetsuit.

The  months between October 2009 and late July 2010 were filled with lap swims and, starting in April, a new eating plan (thank you, WW). By the time I entered the Hudson, I'd dropped 25 lbs and felt good. The race was awesome, I wasn't traumatized by being in NYC in a wetsuit, and it was an incredible experience. I turned in my wetsuit that day and said: never again. It was fun, but I was no athlete.

You know, until 12 hours later when I said: Sign me up for the whole thing!! That's right. I committed to swimming 1500m, biking 40K and running 10K in the NYC Nautica Tri 2011. Only trouble was, I couldn't run. Something had to be done.

I started Couch to 5K (C25K) on the reco of lots of people. I like to refer to it as couch potato to 5K. First week, you only run 60 seconds at a time (followed by walk intervals). But by week 9, you are running 30 minutes straight. No one, NO ONE, was more surprised than I was by this achievement. So in November, I ran a 5K Turkey Trot. Then I ran a 5K with a group I am involved with here in Charlotte, Circle de Luz. Then I ran a 10K Race (Cooper River Bridge Run) with my friend, Lauren, who is in the photo with me and the one who mentioned Cooper River to start with.

Now I am on week 3 of a 16-week program prepping for the whole deal. It's not easy, but I am stronger than ever, healthier than ever, and I can run now. 60-plus minutes at a time.

My point (and I do have one, as Ellen likes to say)--I didn't have to be an unhealthy food writer. In fact, when I started in kitchens, I was thin. I tasted everything, but pretty much ate nothing, I was on my feet for 10 hours a day, lifting heavy stockpots, working the hot hot hot grill, then when I was off (pre-kid, pre-house, pre-too many other things), I worked out, I walked all over NYC--I took time for myself.

I joke that eating is my job, and it IS. But I also have to remember that I while I do pretty much have to eat everything, I don't have to eat ALL of everything.

Add that to the fact that I now remember how important it is to do something for me (the workouts). Somehow, it's easy to forget that for a lot of mothers (especially; I am sure plenty of dads lose sight of the need to take time for themselves). And if, in the meantime, I can make my workouts and the race itself be part of a big cause, like fighting a disease that made my cousin a widow and single mother in her 30s? That works for me.

And if you are STILL with me here, I'll make a quick pitch. I'm trying to raise $1,000 for Paul's Posse--the money goes to the Amyloidosis Research Foundation. You can donate by clicking on the "support a member of Paul's Posse" link on this page. Once on the linked page, select the "donation" button, select the amount and then you'll have to check the "Additional Information" box--enter that the donation is in memory of Paul Hawthorne, and the person to notify of the donation is Barb Freda--that is how the foundation keeps track of our individual fundraising efforts.

(BTW, My goal is for every Friday to be "Photo Friday"--I promise not to talk so much because the picture is supposed to tell the story--I just had a lot to say about getting into triathlon training...)