Hamilton

Click herefor Maree's latest update

I decided to do the TriWoman triathalon for a number of reasons.

I started my weightloss journey at the start of 2009, and have managed to say goodbye to 30kgs so far. For the first time in years I'm actually in my healthy weight range! Exercise however is still something I struggle with.

I've always hated exercise. I was always the chubby girl in PE who would do anything to get out of having to participate. Exercise was a dirty word, I never understood why anyone would do it by CHOICE. I know now that is isn't the right attitude, and something had to change. I see the Tri-woman triathlon as a fun, achievable goal to help get me going on the path to a healthier life.

One of the big things for me was that as a woman and especially as a mother, I, like many others, suffer from PML ("Putting myself last") syndrome. It is so easy to come up with excuses to not look after yourself, I don't have time, theres too much else to do, the kids need me to do xyz, its not that important, I'll start on Monday/after the holidays/after winter/next year. I've replayed all these excuses, and more, a million times! I realized no matter how much headroom I made, there was always another excuse waiting for me. How can we really look after our families if we can't even look after ourselves?

I'll be honest, I was all set to enter last year, but fear and PML got the better of me. I've decided that 2011 is my year, and I CAN do this! It's not just about getting fit and healthy (although that is important), completing an event like this is a way to take back control of my life and prove to myself that I can acheive great things when I put my mind to it, and to invest some time in myself.

And I figure, if I, an exercise hating, dark chocolate and couch loving mum with 50million things to do at any one time can do it, anyone can!

I've already wrangled a team into doing this with me- I've got my mum, my best friend and two of my workmates so far (see girls, now you have to!). Looking forward to meeting and being inspired by many more women willing to do this for themselves!

Well!



Now that my exam is all over, its finally time to get into this training thing properly!

I’ve been making good progress with the running part- I completed my first “official” event on Sunday, finishing the Round the Bridges 6km run in 47 minutes. 6km was a LOT further than I had been before, finishing it felt great!



I‘m really enjoying my running to be honest. It’s good to take a bit of time out for myself. The only time I have is after the kids are in bed however, so sometimes the motivation department lets me down :)



I braved the pool on Friday.  I haven’t swum properly since I was about 12- I love mucking about in the water, but haven’t swum actual lengths since about Form 1 (or year 7 for you young-uns!) I did ok, managed one length fine, second ok, but then I think I over thought it-all the comments from swim teachers past played through my head and I was so sure I was doing it “wrong” that I started getting a bit nervous and lost it from there. Even only a little bit left me with sore arms the next day. Seems like its going to be a great tool for getting rid of my tuck shop lady arms!



Going to have a go at putting my bike together this weekend and have a bit of a ride. I’ll need to look into getting one of those wind trainer contraptions that will mean I can set the bike up inside. Finding the time to actually leave the house and train “for real-sies” is proving difficult. Luckily I’ve got my treadmill or I’d be really out of luck.

How is everyone else going? Anyone else petrified at the thought of the swim part?

Keep smiling!

Maree