This year has been a year of major changes for me - cycling has been the main reason I was able to finally get a handle on my 30 year weight problem (45 pounds lost since January, and at least that many more still to go). But even after all that weight off, my cup size was unchanged - such a bummer - I can't ride in the drops at all, and on any ride longer than 40 miles, I get miserable upper back and shoulder pain. And doing the super-spin intervals on the Spinervals I just about knock myself off the bike I'm not exaggerating! About three months ago I decided to talk to my doctor about breast reduction surgery, and it turns out I was a perfect candidate for the procedure to be covered by insurance. (Thank goodness, because otherwise it probably wouldn't have happened!)

Since I'm signed up for the 2006 ALC ride (585 miles in June) I was worried about losing training time, so my plan was to ride as much as I could before the surgery - I did my first metric century in early November, then a tough local hill ride the next week, and 2 days after that was in a minor car accident that had me off the bike for 2 weeks . Got on the bike for one short outdoor ride and a Spinerval workout, and got slammed with a cold/flu thing that had me off the bike for another 2 weeks . So much for planning!

Anyway, I had the surgery yesterday, and it will be another 4-6 weeks or so before I can ride again, but I can't wait! It's a very strange thing to have such a major change in how I look, but the real thing I am looking forward to is to be able to be more active and to feel less selfconscious and "encumbered". Now that I am an active person (dare we say even a little athletic?) I am so excited about things like playing tennis, soccer, even jogging - all activies I enjoyed as a kid but haven't felt like I could do without bouncing all over creation.

I was hesitant to post because I am a little shy about all this, but I have learned so much and gotten so much encouragement from everyones' posts this last year, on all kinds of topics, that I wanted to share this with you all. I'm wondering if any of you out there have had this procedure, and what your experience of it was, if you care to share it (on the thread or via PM). I've been focussing on the impact it will have on my activity level - I'm just starting now to have a sense of how different I look - it's kind of weird.

So I hope to be out on the roads (or trainer) in late January, and riding, riding, riding! Until then, I'll be doing a lot of walking, and as soon as I can, I'll be doing situps - looking down now I have a excellent view of my previously obscured belly!