Quote Originally Posted by kacie tri-ing View Post
Colby! Thanks for those times! That is really amazing. It is great to see that kind of progress.

How are your hip injuries right now? I have some issues in my hip too, and I am managing to keep them at bay, but it makes me nervous!

Are you doing the same race each year (I assume so, but I wasn't sure).

That is really incredible progress! I am super impressed!

What have you done to loose the weight?

I like you "feeling full" story
I would not say my hip is perfect and they are not symmetrical, but I am leaps and bounds over where I was a year ago - it's actually quite amazing. I have to pay more attention to my right hip flexors, glutes, and my low back/core, and the whole system on the right stresses more easily than my left, but I did not feel sore anywhere I shouldn't after my marathon. I think cycling helped - it being a more symmetrical sport - on a well fitted bike. I also think that keeping up the glute/hip flexors/hamstrings/core/back exercises really helps, too. If I feel myself slipping, I am sure to stretch and strengthen. It is possible to recover and learn to love your asymmetries

It is the same race, same course. I only do one marathon a year (this is the first time I considered two), and Ironman the last two years.

Losing weight has been a long journey for me. I saw my mother in law do a triathlon about ... 4 years ago? 5 years ago? and I thought "there's no reason I couldn't do this." There were women of all shapes and sizes there, it was very inspirational. At that point, I started walking/running, I committed to the next year's triathlon, but because I was running I ran the local 12k, then a half marathon ("just to see"), then debated doing a marathon after I did my triathlon. I committed to that, ran my first marathon (2006). The weight basically came with the commitment to myself to keep going, keep training, keep setting goals. Through triathlon, I was able to keep myself entertained with all three sports and not get too burnt out (or injured) on any of them - until my hip injury, for which I put lots of PT time in during a gap between August and December of last year.

Now, weight loss is much harder. All of last year I was pretty much stuck at the same weight, though slowly trimming down. This year, I have only dropped 10 lbs in the last 9 months, still trimming down. After being so heavy and unhealthy, I have trouble telling myself it's okay to eat so much, even if it's the right amount for my activity level, which leads to starving my metabolism, and I don't lose weight. I know it's a backward problem to have, but the fear of being unhealthy is pretty strong... like that one cookie is going to add that 75 lbs and inability to run to the corner back on overnight. I seem to lose weight well when I just do the 30-45 minutes a day and eat my 1500 calories or whatever... but when I step it up, not so much. I really just hope to maintain.

Anyway, I really appreciate everyone's kind thoughts and comments about my race, even though it wasn't the one I wanted, it is still a gift.