... someone with a lot more free time to take naps, play with my child, take my wife on dates and sleep in past 5:00am. I thank my lucky stars I have a wife that lets me do one every 3 years and puts up with all the time I divert from my family and business to achieve my personal goals/addiction.

I knew I liked you for a reason Gfd. I had a baseball background as well. After college and being married for a year I got sick of working out just for nice biceps. Then ironman came to my hometown. It was all downhill from there

This is a koan, right?
"What was your original face?" (Before you were a Ironman)
I am all the things I was before...I just added Ironman.

I'm not an Ironman yet but I hope to become one next summer.
I always loved endurance. When I was little and there was no school there was nothing that made me happier than heading out and walking all day, for miles, to the next town, through the woods, wherever. Then I grew up and got into long-distance backpacking and hiked thousands of miles on the Appalachian Trail and the Long Trail (goes from Massachusetts to Canada). Then I settled down with my partner and we had a son. I still wanted that feeling of going all day, being "out there" in the weather, getting that amazingly exhausted yet spiritually "cleaned out" feeling that you can only get from long, long events. So I did some 50k runs and loved them. Started doing tris and loved them too (especially once I learned to swim, ha ha). I've wanted to do the Ironman for years and after having some issues with asthma and celiac disease, now have them under control and am delighted and grateful to be healthy enough to be back in the Endurance World.

I hope to join you all as an Ironman--these stories are truly inspiring. Thank you all.

Still paying for the divorce. Bike was paid for long ago.

does a HIM count? :-)
all the same for me... like Anton said.... but enjoying life (and lifestyle) much more

... playing World of Warcraft every night. Most nights eating ice cream, or having beer, chips and salsa. I wish someone would of told me I was getting out of shape. It wasn't until I saw my weight hit 190 that I realized I was 30 lbs heavier than what I considered my ideal weight.

Actually, 3 more weeks before I have my chance to go 140.6 miles.

Before I was an Ironman Triathlete I was a jock, a 'busy' salesman, and a poseur who pontificated to the world for a long time about how I was going to do a triathlon.

I finally sacked up, did one, and mysteriously stopped talking about it. First rule of Fight club...

+1 to SemperTri - Best Wishes dude.

i always played sport and loved swimming and had levels of intensity with it. then i got a job that took over my life for five years and turned me into someone i no longer knew. amongst all this i also smoked for a very long time. i gave up the job and got back into swimming close to two years ago. it was then i realised i could either smoke or swim. i swim 3k - four days a week. and now i bike and run. i do that everyday instead of puffing away. i think this is my biggest achievement. i dont say i quit or gave up. i just no longer smoke.

A rock climber, and that's what I still am. But now I'm also a triathlete, runner, and biker. Not a swimmer as I don't(won't) do any swim only races. :) Now I'm on to my next addiction - EPL and spanish football(soccer).... I know I'll never play, but I can't stop watching it. The movement and awareness are sublime. :)