A New Begining

A New Beginning

Well here is a start to my blog. I brand spanking new to this. Wow, how strange is it to actually write down your thoughts and share them with the world and actually and hopefully have someone respond to them in a positive direction. Well, where do I begin?

Well I recently entered the Team Evotri “Making the team”, third and final installment of their Sponsorship contest. Listed below is my contest entry that explains a little bit of who I am, what I have gone through over the last couple of years and why I think I would be a perfect or ideal candidate for the final team member. Let me know what you guys think of my entry.

Team Evotri
Making the Team Contest

Where do I begin to explain all of the significant life changing events that have occurred over the past two years, and what I feel support my claim as an ideal candidate for Team Evotri?

My story starts in 2006 when an extraordinary, life altering event occurred. Not just affecting my life, but indirectly affecting the lives of the people around me that have been inspired and motivated by my actions. After years of battling hypertension, lower back pains, sleep apnea and weighing over 386lbs, on December 8, 2006 I underwent Gastric Bypass Surgery.

Unfortunately, over the years I had allowed my weight to balloon out of control and rob me of the life I once knew. No longer was I able to be the active person I once was, I was now content to simply staying inside and letting life pass me by. Luckily, I signed up with Kaiser and found their “Options” Surgery Program. To say the journey was easy would be misleading. The Options program was an intense six month program that met once a week focusing on life, before, during and after surgery. And with much determination I successfully fulfilled my commitments to the program and was granted a surgery date.

Today I am down a whopping 173lbs, weighing in at a much healthier and leaner 213lbs. This weight loss was not simply because of the bypass surgery, but with much fortitude, drive and focus I erased the vast majority of the weight through exercise. In fact, I am now competing in Triathlons. July 7, 2007 was my first triathlon, at June Lake, and since then I have successfully completed five other sprint and Olympic distance triathlons.

With newfound success, determination and lifestyle, I’ve now set my sights on competing in longer endurance races. I have successfully completed my first half Ironman distance race, the California 70.3 in March 2008. I am preparing of my first full Ironman race in November, and concurrently preparing for my next half Ironman race Vineman in July 2008.

As I have changed physically, I also found the time and determination to finish my MBA degree at the University of Redlands. In addition, I am giving back to the Kaiser Options program by returning as a guest speaker, discussing my personal experiences, in an attempt to motivate and point the new graduates towards their own healthy success.

I have truly been blessed these past two years, and to have found a new opportunity to live life as a physically active member of society has been gratifying. Sharing my story with all that I come in contact with, helping to motivate and inspire others and to personally train and compete towards my own Ironman journey has been worth every bit of sweat and toil. And as a result, I see that Team Evotri exemplifies the same type of characteristics I feel would allow me to be the ideal candidate to join the Evotri team and its mission.

Best regards,