They're All Calling Me Crazy

Your living your life and setting new goals! No you are not nuts and I admire you really doing something with your WLS! I hope I am as much a spit fire as you :)

 Thanks all for the feedback!  Just to address a few concerns:

- As for an unhealthy obession... running is good for you so long as you do it properly.  I have sports doctors I visit regularly to ensure that all my joints, bones, muscles and my body in general is in good working condition.  I have my running gait anaylized every 500 miles I run when I go to replace my running shoes to ensure that I am using the proper equiptment.  I am VERY realistic about my goals in regards to what my body can do and when my body is ready to do it. 

- I track all my vitamins and protein in take to ensure that I am properly fueling my body for all the activities that I am putting it through.  I am VERY specific on ensuring that I am properly fueling my body!  I also am very specific on ensuring that during all of my races I hydrate and supplement as I need.  I have read and continue to read many books and websites on running, biking, swimming, training, the body, etc.  I love seeing how far the human body can really go. 

- Training plans.... I have a running coach who custom builds running, biking, and swimming plans for me which builds in the appropriate taper periods along with recovery runs and rebuilds.  I also take every winter off from racing to ensure that my body (and mind) has a few months to recovery, relax, and get ready!  I also do not run every race as a race, and sometimes run 5k's, 10k's or even half marathon as training runs for bigger races. 

- My overall goals of becoming an Ironman and running an Ultra 50 Mile Marathon are not goals I wish to accomplish... NOW!  They are my overall goals.  In reality, I would like to do a half Ironman in 2012, another half Ironman (or two) in 2013, and then a full Ironman in 2014.  I will also not try to accomplish finishing an Ironman and an Ultra in the same year.  These are just my overall life goals on my bucket list.   

Well, my dear, it sounds like you have made a professional-level athelete out of yourself! I can totally respect that goal.

You seem to have addressed the concerns of the vets, regarding your abnormal makeup and its limitations, so for goodness' sake, go for it! Maybe you could even get a sponsor related to the fact that you are a DS patient. I could see a certain amount of celebrity in your future!

Each of us will have the opportunity to find and live the dreams that we were avoiding by being so heavy, and you have really taken the bull by the horns, and gone for it!

Congratulations!
Lisa

I wonder how much of your relatives' discomfort is actually based in guilt over their inactivity ( compared to yours ). Perhaps they are simply displacing that guilt load onto you.

Dear **** them you are an awesome woman..  You've changed your parents lives, you've transformed yours beyond anything you had ever dreamed of and now you know the only barriers in your world are the ones you've constructed.  You have power.  My God girl you've got power and determination.

Go and compete. I am planning on getting my teetering mountain of debt paid off them I'm going to climb all over Patagonia like a fly. The Mountains are calling my dear......I guess I must be a loopy ******* as well.  This world is full of magnificent people and I want to see as many of them and thier worlds as possible before age and infirmity leave me with nothing but a head full of memories and dreams.

I want to know what it is alllllllll about.  Now go and watch "The Lonliness of the Long Distance Runner".  Magnificent.

Tipping my hat Iron woman.

Way to go - I'm such in awe for you -- I hate running.

You know, when I made a list of things I wanted to do after this surgery, run a 5K was at the top of the list.  I have a lot of friends who run, and they all love it.  I just think the idea of feeling that free would be amazing!  It's something that I would NEVER in a million years see myself being able to do without this surgery.

So, that being said, you had posts on here in the past and I saw that you've since taken up running.  I have always thought that it was amazing, and you have been an inspiration to me personally.

I can understand your family being concerned.  Perhaps they've gone about it the wrong way, though.  It sounds like you've got a good head on your shoulders, and you're doing what you can to make sure that your newest hobby is being done in a healthy way.

I hope that you accomplish your goals!  Being an Ironman is something I certainly could not fathom ever happening for me.  So, I can only assume that you've felt this way yourself at some point.

Thank you for sharing this with us.  Your accomplishments thus far are simply amazing.