By the numbers.

Here are my basic stats. (For the super-long essay on how I came to endurance sports in my thirties, read this.)

Status:
I’m 33. I started running three years ago after being sedentary most of my life. The most fit I had been prior to running was losing 40 lbs on Weight Watchers and then going to Yoga classes three times a week for a year. The lowest weight I’ve ever been in my adult life is 183 lbs after plateauing with Weight Watchers.

I’ve run 3 marathons, my best time being 4:30:39 in the 2008 L.A. Marathon. I did the Sprint distance in the 2007 L.A. Triathlon and got seriously hooked on the sport. At the time of this blog entry I weigh 185 lbs, I am 17% body fat, I’m six feet tall, and I’ve been training six days a week since January.

Monday through Thursday I work out an hour per day, alternating run, bike, and swim. Saturday is typically a long ride of about 50-60 miles. Sunday is a brick, either swim to bike or bike to run, lasting three to four hours. Wednesdays I swim the ocean speed circuit with the L.A. Tri Club. It’s a 250 yard loop around a buoy in Santa Monica, and I usually do three laps because I’m slow. Often I will brick this workout with a four mile run afterwards. Mondays are usually a long swim, a mile and a quarter, in a pool. Monday afternoons I do bodywork, yoga, strength training, or all of the above with Jill Miller (no relation). I need to do form drills and speed work in all three sports to increase my speed. I also need to increase my weight training to a more disciplined twice a week, rather than the occasional once or twice I manage now.

Goals:
I am doing my first half iron man distance June 1st in Boise, ID. My goal is to finish, and not destroy myself in the process.

I am doing the Nautica Malibu Triathlon (Olympic distance) as a fundraiser for Childrens Hospital Los Angeles in September.

I am doing the L.A. Triathlon (Olympic distance) in September.

Depending on Boise, I may do some more half iron mans this year if they are still open.

I’d like to be ripped, once in my life. I’d be lying if I didn’t admit as much.

Plans and changes:
Monday I saw a nutritionist for the first time in my life and am making significant dietary changes, which is how I know my body fat percentage and why I report that info here.

My goal for each new distance is to finish – increasing my time is only a goal after posting an initial time. This blog is part of documenting that process.