The Iron Geek

So I have been a little afraid to make this post.  After several false starts, I haven’t been able to get back on the right fitness track.  I wanted to make sure I was really ready to continue this journey, both IRL and on this blog.

Things have been pretty crazy for me over the past few months.  I’m going through a divorce, I’m starting a second business (having already started one 2 years ago that is still going strong) and I’m learning to live alone for the first time in 12 years (except for seeing my 3 awesome kids every-other weekend).

I decided to use my new found time to recommit myself back to fitness and to my health.  It was moving my triathlon bike to my new apartment and having it stare at me every day that finally pushed me to take action.  "I have to do this".  Just like the old Todd, I decided to go back to my “Go Big Or Go Home” philosophy and promptly signed up for Ironman Austria 70.3

and Ironman Florida…

Why not?

My new business partner, Cullen, is a 7-time Ironman finisher.  I got to spend the weekend with him at this year’s IMFL race where I volunteered and he threw down an inspiring 9:48:02.  Good enough for 24th in his age group.  It was great to hang around with him and other triathletes.  It’s good to get in the zone with other athletes.  As you know, if you are into Ironman, you love to talk about Ironman.  If you aren’t into it, people get sick of hearing about it.  =)

He also introduced me to the diet that he used to shed pounds in a way that really impacted his IM finishing times (dropping 90 minutes off his times).  I decided to make a concerted effort to focus on my diet and weight BEFORE I started my training.  Instead of using my training to lose weight, now I am using this training to TRAIN.  As a result, I am down 28 pounds since starting this diet and I expect that I will be below my IM race-day weight when I competed two years ago, BEFORE I even start training in December.

So while I’ve had a couple of false starts over the past few years, this feels different.  It feels right.  It doesn’t feel forced.  It feels like I’m taking the right steps and doing the right things.  

I want to thank my friends, family and those in the Tumblr community that have been so supportive over the years.  Your kind words along the way have really meant a lot.  I’m not sure I could have done it without all the support I’ve been given.

So here is to a great year of living healthy and achieving goals.  Here’s to #takingitdown!