My name is Carol Scheible. When I was 20, my cousin started doing triathlons. I remember thinking “That sounds really cool, but I could never do that – I’m not athletic enough”.
Twenty years later I was overweight and out of shape, and generally miserable. I decided to make a commitment to follow a healthy lifestyle for the rest of my life. I lost a bunch of weight without any exercise. Then I hit a plateau where I could not lose any more.
So…I decided to start running. While searching for run training programs online, I ran across this great plan called Couch to 5k at a website called Beginner Triathlete. That old thought about how cool triathloning sounded came back to me …it was tucked away in the back of my mind all those years. This time, instead of thinking “I can’t do it”; I thought “I will do it!”.
After finishing the Couch to 5k training plan, I added biking and swimming to my workouts, and completed my first triathlon in April 05. I am now hooked on the sport of triathlon and am fitter than I have ever been in my life.
My brother, Mark, has been doing triathlons for several years and he is a great help to me – giving me lots of advice and support and answering all my neophyte questions. Thanks, Mark!
My brother-in-law, Tom, is a runner and fitness enthusiast and has always been an inspiration to me.
I’ve recently met a guy on my master’s swim team named Jon. He’s a master’s elite triathlete and actually wins races. He’s very inspiring and is kind enough to share his wisdom with me. He says all it takes is persistance. I think he’s just being modest and is very talented. What they heck, tho, I’ll dream big and tell myself that maybe I can win someday too.
The site Beginner Triathlete is a wonderful resource for triathletes – both novice and veteran. Also, read my post on Getting Started in Triathlon.
 Here is a picture of me in Spring 04, as a couch potato. This was after a lost a bunch of weight, but before I started my triathlon training journey. |
 Here I am in Sept 05 at mile 12 of the VA Beach 1/2 marathon Read Race Report, 2005 Read Race Report, 2006 |
Email me: ncskibum@gmail.com
Thank you so much for your inspiration. I have high blood pressure and a over active thyroid. Which I have been using as an excuse. NOT ANY MORE! This summer I am going to do my first Triathalon in Muncie, In.
Carol, great blog! You are an inspiration!
I just completed my first Tri-Sprint — the Ramblin’ Rose Charlotte, NC in 2008. This year I’m signed up for Azalea, MAP, and Lake Norman.
I too went from being a couch potato to an aspiring triathlete!
Thanks for this blog!
Am gearing up to do the NYC Triathlon in 2009… signing up this weekend (11/1/2008). I’ve done a couple of shorter triathlons here on Long Island, NY, but I want more, and NYC will be the more I need.
I did the NYC Marathon in 1997 and have always looked back upon that run as a great accomplishment for me. I turn 50 next month and look upon the triathlon as a solid goal, and a great way to celebrate the big “5-OH”. Enough “woulda, shoulda, coulda”, it’s now to to DO IT!
Cool blog, great experience. I am on a similar journey myself with a ways to go yet. Started because I was staring down the barrel of middle age in a body that I had always intended to fix but never got around to it.
Thanks for sharing your story.
My first tri will be the Rambling Rose in Chapel Hill. Had to start from scratch, couldn’t swim, still don’t know how to use the gears on my bike and plod along running at a very slow pace. But I’m doing it. Hope to meet others like me out there.
Again, thanks for sharing.
I’m happy I found your blog. I’m 28 and 65-80lbs overweight. I’m trying to be consistent with training but it’s hard. I have 6 weeks until my next tri and I just keep remembering how hard that running was.
🙁 – I’m trying to be excited. Bike and swim no problem. Running…ugh..
thank you for telling me I can do this by example.
(I found you on beginnertriathlete.com
Hey! Thanks for the link! Awesome blogsite you’ve got going here! And it looks like your story might not be all that different than mine!! 😉 Your “transformation” is impressive – you look younger, sleaker, and hawter!! Congratulations! And keep it up!
I’m so excited to have found your blog! I love working out but I could be in better shape. I’m wanting to train for a triathlon because I need some sort of goal to work toward. I’ll use your blog for motivation. Thanks!
i am a couch potato and a former dancer. your blog is very inspiring. love the before and after photos. i am going to try to regain my former strength, health, and athleticism. would love to do a triathlon. all this olympics swimming/biking/running on tv is getting me off my couch and outside.
keep up the inspiring blog and journey! we’ll be rooting for you from the virtual sideline!
Oh, your story and before pix make me feel like maybe I can do this. I’m scared..of a heart attack or something. But, I will live through you for awhile till I get my nerve up. I think what you’ve done with your life is awesome. I think your info. to all others who wan to begin some sort of physical activity is motivating for so many reason. A lot of websites begin with someone who has a bit of athletic former life: I have none. SO, maybe, it sounds like, there are a lot like me out there: I hope I can convince myself to start. You are something, really something…
Hi Carol!
I just completed my first triathlon and am looking to upgrade my bike (I competed on a mountain bike). I was wondering if you had any advice?
Thanks for your blog,
Julie
Hi Carol, you inspired me with this blog. And I do the same now. With less then 100kg (95kg) a BMI of 31+ and many many trouble with my friends and myself it was enough to be FAT !
Now I have a goal finishing the IRONMAN Germany 2009, then the IRONMAN CA 2010 nad 2011 the IRONMAN Hawaii in Kona.
Thank you so much for this Blog.
Hi,
What a great site. I am just getting started in this whole tri business and am keeping a fairly poor blog (gregzuda.blogspot.com)
I will be sure to come back!
Cheers
Greg