11 years.

11 years ago I met the woman who would change my life.

We have had up's and down's and will like every couple. We have been to the brink of disaster but have always been able to find a way to make it work. 

She is the reason I push so hard and am able to do the things I have done, the things I am going to do and keep my dreams alive. 

Thank You for being my rock, my motivation and my star.

I love you so much.

My open letter the the Haters.

I have a blog I use on Tumblr that was started as a Triathlon blog but it has kinda turned into an everything in my life blog. Today I got some very disturbing hate mail because of a picture I posted with a caption:

My weigh-in #288 lbs. Time to try and lose 30 pounds in 10 weeks. I think it’s totally doable.

This drew out someoe who I guess has been following my blog for a bit and now thought it was time to send me this hateful message and I did the only thing I could do. Respond in as Kind a way as I could.

So here is my open letter to the “Grey Face Coward”.

Dear Grey Face.

Thank you for taking the time out to read my posts and care enough to comment on my journey in life. Yes I have had some ups and downs, we all do. Hell no one is perfect, and if you say you are I call Bullshit.

Now Yes I have lost and gained weight. There are a few reasons as to why this has happened. Here is a short list.

• Medication 
• Depression 
• My mental disability 
• My diet 
• MY LIFE 

So yes there are many other factors and yes I have come a long way. I will not let your simple minded thoughts deter me from reaching and passing my goals. I am setting small goals and will add to them as I pass each goal I set.

And Yes I have allot of kids. I love each and every one of my kids and if you EVER want to challenge me about my kids I will not be the nice guy I am. I can be a very bad bad man when it comes to my kids. Ask my old neighbor, he almost lost his head with my hammer.

And lastly by using the word retard you just go to show how simple minded you really are. I am not a retard; I am a human being who has a mental disability that is so far incurable. I have Tourette Syndrome. Now if you want I’d love to sit back and explain I will explain what it is that you think is retarded.

Tourette Syndrome is a neurological disorder characterized by recurrent involuntary movements, including multiple neck jerks and sometimes vocal tics, as grunts, barks, or words, especially obscenities.

Now my tics are not as bad as some (no asswipe I don’t swear) but they are noticeable to me and some of those around me. Today my tics are pretty good until now. So if you want to hate me for being different and trying my damnedest to be the best father, person, role model, inspirational figure I can be than thanks for hating, It is making me push harder and be better than I was yesterday.

Signed:

A father, Triathlete, Runner, Cyclist and Fundraiser for the Masses.

Chris

Mental Shaming is not right.

I am going to rant a bit here. Yesterday something was said to me and I almost lost my cool but I held my tongue and stayed calm. Here is the back story.

Yesterday I was at the YMCA teaching my class and there was a lady who was there with her grandchildren. They are good kids and as we finished up the first hour of workouts and heading to the pool, I had a few kids being silly. The woman voiced that she wouldn’t take that and would sit them on a bench. I brushed it off.

We get in the pool and some more digs were made and again I let it slide. The kids were having a blast and enjoying themselves and as quick as it started class was over. As I was walking out of the change room I had on my YMCA volunteer shirt and the grandparent look at me and said

“Oh you just volunteer here?” to which I said I do. She had this look of shock that someone would do this as a volunteer she asked what else I teach. I told her that I also teach IronTots at noon and Youth night from 5-9pm. She asked me what my Job was and I told her volunteer instructor. She said “No your real job?”

I told her I was on Disability and I swear to you that her head snapped back and she said “What?” I repeated myself and she said “Why? You don’t look disabled to me? You look normal to me. Oh you’re just milking the system.” I looked at her and said calmly that I have Tourette Syndrome and that I am nice enough to take time out of my studies as a student and Triathlon training to teach her grandchildren about the sport.

There seems to be a lot more focus on Fat shaming these days and that is great to get the word out there but what about those who are mentally disabled? Not everyone looks like we are disabled, we look like everyone else. Some are battling Depression, Social Anxiety (SA), Autism, Asperger Syndrome (AS), Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or like myself Tourette Syndrome (TS).

I know allot of people who suffer from all of the above mentioned illnesses and yes I have friends who are physically disabled too and it bothers me when I will be with them and see people making fun of someone because they are in a wheelchair, blind, or are having a moment when they have involuntary body movements and people like to point it out.

Well I want to say that it sucks. I have been bullied all of my life because of it and NOW is my time to stand up and say STOP. I held my cool with that grandparent but I want people to know that we may brush it off but it cuts like a knife DEEP. Please think what you are about to say before you say it. It may not sound like it hurts but it does.

Here is my Transformation Tuesday post. Back in 2009 I was at my heaviest weight. I was pushing 320 pounds. I had a wake up call when my dad got sick and it motivated me to get fit. I got P90X and with the help of my coaches Phil and his wife Jen I worked hard. I had some stumbles and injuries along the way. I made normal far down as 230 pounds and a series of injuries & setbacks sidelined me.

I had to have emergency surgery and was told no more lifting for 3-4 months. I listened but working out was my way to get out my issues. I started running just 17 days out for surgery. 6 months later I was running my first 10km race. I had a great teacher and he took the time out if his own IRONMAN training and taught me. He took me to my first ever triathlon and I vowed to do it myself.

Last spring I was told to not run anymore and that the dream of becoming a triathlete or an ironman may be out. I told myself last spring that I will become a Triathlete no matter what. And last fall I did. I did my first sprint Tri and I am getting back on track to train and get back in shape so I can do my IRONMAN in a few years.

I have transformed to a better person and lost that person but now it's time to transform again, this time into a fit human who will never give in again.

This is over a 4 year period. It's not an overnight thing like everyone thinks. I have fallen and picked myself up a few times. Now that I am sober and on track I think it is time to pick myself up and Kick Ass again.

Day 29: The Blizzard.

Today most of my kids went to school. Just before Lunch I got a call saying that J-Man was not feeling well and I had to go get him. So off I trekked to his school in The Blizzard of 2014 (Not really just being dramatic) to get him and we walked home. Thankfully the wind was at our back for the way home. 

Day 28: Progress.

I have been sick and haven't worked out much in the last few weeks, so when I was standing in the bathroom after my bath and I looked at myself and I needed to take a picture. I know I am not where I want to be yet but I am happy with the progress I am seeing.  

Day 27: A Dogs Life.

Dog's don't really care what you have done, who you are, or what you are. They care about you, They will be there for you when you are down, sick, crying, or just depressed. This is my partner is crime. Miss Molly.

It is funny because I was the guy who said No to getting a dog. I was upset that we got one but as soon as she walked (waddled) into our lives I was a snowman in Florida, Melted. She has become my suck of a dog and I love her so much.