Whatever will get you to the finish line...

We all have goals. For some of us (ME!!) goals are the thing that keep us focused and motivated on the rough days. I have learned over the years that without some kind of solid, tangible goal - my motivation to work hard can stray - badly....

So my struggle of late has been with my weight and while I know how to successfully "lose" weight, my big challenges come in maintaining the loss over the long term. So I find myself, now, having bounced back up the scale a bit since my Ironman training has ended.

Since this season, I'm not doing any race distance that "scare me" (another great motivator - fear of not finishing) - I am finding it hard to keep myself motivated to stick to a clean, healthy diet and drop this extra weight so I can race in the best shape possible.

I need a BIG GOAL - Something tangible that I *want*; something that I can cling too when the times get rough. I realized my BIG GOAL this weekend as I was driving home from the Team Z Bike Ride. I want a NEW BIKE.

And not just any old "NEW BIKE" - I want a genuine TRI BIKE!

Now you may ask: "You've trained for Ironman, why don't you already have a TRI BIKE?"

Well I am of the opinion that:

A.) TRI BIKES require BIKE HANDLING SKILLS and I refused to by a TRI BIKE until I was very confident in my own bike skills. After 11 years on a road bike, I am pretty assured of my skills as a cyclist. I am confident in my ability to climb, descend and hold my line at any speed and my husband (even when he was just my boyfriend) never has any issues riding with me - and he has 25+ years of riding/racing experience - so I know my riding skills are solid.

B.) I REFUSED TO BUY A NEW FAST BIKE when I know that I can be *faster* on my own bike if I just lose some weight!

Now before you lecture me, I know that OPINION #B is a "self-imposed" limiter - sort of - but if you do some reading on more expensive bikes - a lot of the equipment is "weight-rated" to under 190-200 pounds (like saddles and pedals) - and truth be known, I would be humiliated if I ever found out that my equipment failed because my *butt* was too big!

So while looking for that "Deeper Level of Motivation" for this season's goals - I realized that a NEW TRI BIKE was a perfect motivation tool!

So my primary goal and focus for the next 5 months:

SEPTEMBER 30, 2010 GOAL:

40 POUNDS LOST = QUINTANA ROO DULCE with CUSTOM PAINTED FRAME!

(The custom frame is because I *love* the CAMO paint job on the 2010 Quintnan Roo Dulce however, I really am not big into PINK and would much rather have PURPLE CAMO on my wonderful new TRI bike - so if I am going to work hard to earn my bike, I am going to have my new bike MY WAY! Seems reasonable to me!)

So through the magical powers of Adobe PhotoShop:

BEHOLD My Custom Paint Scheme!

Some of you may scoff and say, "Yeah well what is to keep you from bouncing back up the scales when the 2010 Season is over?"

Great Question! You see, I actually have already met with and hired a Nutrutionist and it will be "our job" together to get me to my goal weight in a healthy time frame AND then help me learn how to successfully maintain the overall weight loss long term.

You see, I have kept about 80 pounds off for the last 10 years. I used to weight 299 pounds at my heaviest back in 1998. It is the last 50 or so pounds (that I have always tried to lose) that I can't seem to get off and keep off. So I am pulling in all the help and resources I can to make this a successful long-term venture but even with my past successes....

WITHOUT A BIG GOAL to help me on the HARD DAYS, I am easily distracted.

Enter PURPLE CAMO DULCE: A Gift to Me in September for reaching 40 pounds lost AND a great way to toe the line at Beach2Battleship Half Ironman in November!

Life is GOOD! Keeping my GOALS in sight!