Sunday, September 23, 2007

Baboo is in the Hizzouse!

Ok, after looking at this blog-roll for IMCdA I can see that many of you “know” me and I “know” many but a quick recap of who the heck I am and why I’m doing IMCdA is the order of the day so here goes.

I guess it was about three years ago now I was a 270 pound slug down from just over 300 pounds. I had been athletic as an adolescent…football, baseball, shot-put and discus mostly, and as a young adult, played Rugby for the Marine Corps. However, I was a fat kid…weighed 190 in the 6th grade and was NOT unusually tall just round, and between my bouts of athleticism I would blow up like a balloon. The worst it ever got was the 13 year hiatus I took from sprots after departing the Marine Corps and before entering into triathlon. During that time I just focused on education and a new career.

Anyway, I’m still not exactly a small man though I’m sure there are at least a couple Clydes on the group that would argue the point. Anyhow, I am a Clydesdale and am sitting at a Clyde legal 213 right now.

My first triathlon was a local sprint that I ran in 2005 placing 13th out of 26 clydes. I had such a fantastic time that I decided to come back for more. Most people who say that kind of end there as if they went off into the sunset and just lived in tri bliss ever after but I have to be honest with you, the next few tris I did kind of sucked. Not the events but my attitude.

I had many thoughts like, “What the hell am I doing out here!” and, “Nobody would care if I just walked off the course right now and quit” I remember thinking about how much I hated running and how hard the whole tri thing was…I mean it had been a long time since I had forced my body to do anything that required more endurance than sitting in a lazy boy for 8 hour study sessions.

Fortunately I was terrified of re-gaining my weight. Honestly, I hated the way I looked, I hated the way I felt and worst of all I was beginning to hate myself for letting my body get so far gone and for being to weak, lazy, whatever, to do anything about it so I just forged ahead and focused on trying to meet people as a hook to keep me involved in the tri community.

Boy did I meet people! I discovered some of the best people I have ever met in the sport of triathlon and the tri blogs have opened that up even further. I now consider myself a chronic triaholic.

Did someone say race?! I’m there! I have completed over 30 sprints in the past three years. Distances you ask? Well, in addition to the 30+ sprints I have completed 5 olympics, 4 half irons and 3 iron distance races. I still have one half iron and one iron left this season. Anything else, sure! Marathons, one ultra marathon, a couple ultra cycling events, duathlon and a random assortment of 5 and 10Ks and I think a half-mary thrown in there somewhere.

After a while I felt like I was all take, take, take from what has become my beloved tri community so I stepped up and took over as the head of my tri team, the New Mexico Outlaws, and I am a certified USAT referee. I do love this sport because, well, because it has given me my life back…a life that I thought I had lost and that I used to only hope I could one day catch a glimpse of again.

So, that’s me…the Sweet Baboo from Studies in Clydeology. (Pictured with the lovely GEEKGRL) and I am on for IMCdA! because...because...well, because I am an addict I guess...and of course to go head to head with the Bigun...Ok, to have the honor of racing with the Bigun and all you fine, fine, super fine tri bloggers and to experience the iron sherpa bliss that will be in attendance.

IMPORTANT SIDE NOTE: There will be several New Mexico Outlaws racing IMCdA including bloggers SW Tri Gal and the GEEKGRL (Athena’s Diaries) and we are hosting a tri-blogger partaay out at the house we have rented, which has 11 acres and sits right on lake Rose. Now the shindig will be low-key since many of us have come to race, or at least survive, IMCdA and it will probably take place Friday since most folks should be in town by then. That’s the whole plan so far, not time set, no further ideas. We figure it’s best to get input as the year progresses but I can tell you this, I will have my tandem kayak with me and we are right on a lake. SWEET.

Finally, BIG thanks to Momo for setting this crazy IMCdA community blog up in the first place!

9 comments:

SWTrigal said...

let me just say that Brian is our fearless Outlaw leader and a very nice guy!

Supalinds said...

Nice to meet you Baboo.

Did you say party??

I'll be there :)

momo said...

welcome, welcome, welcome! you are the exact opposite of me - i'm race-phobic!! i pick one or two a year (granted their BIG ones, ha!) but that's about all i can handle -the stress is just too much!

count me and big j in on the party, for sure!

bigmike600 said...

Wouldn't miss it. May bring a fishin pole or 2 even.

Tea said...

We are SO there!

I can't tell you how excited I am to meet you and GeekGrl and all the other bloggers.

Let's get this party started! :)

Iron Krista, "The Dog Mom" said...

nice to meet you! ironshane & I will be there...

Lake Rose? I'm familiar with the area..but not lake Rose?

Di said...

you know I don't party. too much. never. without alcohol.

;) let's get this party started...

Duane said...

Glad to know more about your background!

Bigun said...

Oh sure, sucker me in to a party on Friday, get me all liquored up so that I'm still hung over for race day...I'm wise to your plan...bad Sweetness, Bad Bad Bad!