Inspiration, Injuries and Training

I recently met with a new trainer that is bar none one of the more accomplished triathletes in the area. She's awesome.  She asked me why I started doing triathlons. Good question.  I was originally 270 pounds and lost a bunch of weight on the Atkins diet and quitting drinking. Lost 40 pounds and then started doing cross fit workouts at EFS here in El Paso. Got down to about 215 but no matter how much I worked out or ate like a caveman, couldn't get down to 200 which was my goal. Graduated law school weighing 190 but I figured 200 was an obtainable goal. I had pretty much resigned myself to staying above that 215 pound threshold, convincing myself that was just what I was supposed to weigh now that I'm over 40.

I started running to train for the El Paso Marathon in March 2010.  I had trained for marathons before but always got hurt (self-trained, too much, too soon, etc., etc.) Started running with a local guy named Greg Brickey who was teaching the Galloway method which is basically jogging interspersed with walk breaks. Did really well with that method and didn't get hurt.  I wanted to stay with training that would prevent injury but also wanted to lose that last 15 pounds. Enter Triathlon Rob.

Signed up with Felix Hinojosa and the Human Performance Center. As intimidating as it sounds, HPC was basically a bunch of weekend warriors like myself training for different sports disciplines. Felix gave me a schedule that introduced me to swimming and biking. I had never biked or swam in any kind of coordinated fashion before.  In 60 days, the stubborn 15 pounds were gone.  At my first duathlon (bike and run), I surprised myself and hung with a lot of guys. Even came in 3rd in my age group. Granted, there were only 5 guys in my age group but I'll take a medal anyway I can get it.  I've never medalled since because (1) I'm not that fast (yet) and (2) the other triathlons that I signed up for I went to because they were in cool places like Albuquerque, Ruidoso, and scenic Dexter, New Mexico.  Unfortunately for me and my medal aspirations, lots of other way more experienced and talented triathletes showed up at those races - so no medals for triathlete Rob.  Also, I signed up for all those triathlons as an age-grouper instead of a Clydesdale due to nothing more than vanity. I didn't want to compete with the 200 pound plus guys, I wanted to compete with the little skinny fast guys. Learned my lesson and this year I'm competing as a Clydesdale.

That, in summation, is the history of my foray into the world of triathlon. I wish I had more zen-like aspirations to wow people when they ask me that question but apparently I'm just not that deep a person. I just wanted to lose those last 15.  I guess there must be some deeper goal I have in mind for still subjecting myself to 8 or 9 hours of working out per week now that I've lost those recalcitrant 15 but I guess I'll be able to post on that later once I've figured it out.

1st Post

Long time lurker decided to start his own blog chronicling life and times of an attorney/wanna be triathlete. I enjoy reading others blogs that are similarly situated to me and somewhat egotistically thought others might garner a little insight from my own life experiences. So what do I bring to the table?

I've been a lawyer since 1994 even though I'm "only"41, soon to be 42. I've handled a LOT of car accidents in that time, more than 10,000. So I guess you could say, there isn't a lot of unexplored territory in the frontier that is my plaintiff's personal injury practice in Texas and New Mexico. To keep myself sane and entertained, I started training for sprint triathlons about a year ago. In my first year, I completed 7 tris, at lots of exotic climates like Dexter, NM, and Levelland, TX. I dragged my new wife and "old" kids, ages 11, 9, & 7 with me to these lovely scenic locations and to their credit they never complained once.

All in all, I'm a lucky guy in that my practice does well, I get to spend a lot of time training and trying to get some semblance of a physical fitness base, and I have an incredible family that loves me and wants only the best for me. Like I said, a lucky guy.

My earnest intent in this blog is to comment, reflect, and otherwise pontificate on the ups and downs I encounter in trying to get to finish an Ironman Triathlon (that's a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, and then run a marathon - all in the same day - I know, it's sick). I plan to document how I'm doing while also trying not to lose control of what has been a very successful practice. Hopefully I don't run it into the ground while doing the same to myself.

Perhaps people will learn something about the lovely southwest United States, the quality of the triathlons in this area, and the foolishness of chasing the previously wasted athletic talents of youth.