June 01, 2005

I Am Iron Man: Banker exchanges excess pounds for bicycles.

I like to torture my body. I'm a runner, I'm a cycler, and I'm trying to get up to speed on swimming so I can do my first triathlon this summer.

Ten years ago, I ran half a dozen marathons, and then went through a period in banking where I sat around and got fat. Last October, I weighed about 230 pounds and was wondering what I could do to de-stress my life.

A gentleman in my office has a couple of boys who ride competitively. He talked me into getting a bike to help me lose weight. I'm down to about 170, and an hour a day is all it takes. I have four young kids, so I either get up early and do it or stay up late and do it. I have a very patient wife who also runs marathons.

Ultimately, I want to do the Ironman in Hawaii. My goal is to survive the swim to get to the running and the biking. I don't put in enough time in the pool. Mentally, it's my biggest challenge.

What do you do when you go offline for the day? Write ischneider@cmp.com with your adventures.