Time to put it all together

If there's ever a time to be motivated, it's now.

There's a month left until the triathlon, and I'm paying close attention to what I eat and pushing myself harder during workouts. Thanks to my injury, I've even started stretching every day.

Overall, I'm pleased with my progress. At some point over the last few months, I've swam the half-mile in my gym pool, I've run a 5K and, just this past week, I biked about 12 miles outside. So I've got the triathlon distances covered.

More Coverage Previous columns Getting back on track Coping with an unexpected setback Tackling eating, the pool Swimming and stamina Starting out

Now, it's a matter of putting it together. My goals for this last month are to swim outside and do a few brick workouts (combining two sports). And motivation, which I lacked at points early on, as well as when I was injured, isn't an issue anymore.

I have to say, that's partly thanks to you, the readers of this column, who haven't hesitated to send me e-mails addressing specific concerns or offering help - or a few nice words.

So I wanted to share excerpts from a few of your letters that made me feel especially good: One guy, a resistance training specialist, wrote: "I'm sorry to hear about your injury. It's very frustrating to have to halt your progress. After reading this morning's column, especially the part about realizing how many intricate parts there are that make up the whole body, I said to myself, 'She really gets it.'"

A 43-year-old mom of four, who has done several mini-triathlons, wrote to suggest why I hadn't lost weight: "Your fat is replaced with lean muscle, which weighs more. What you should be doing to see progress and stay motivated is keep track of your measurements (waist, hips, etc.) These should all be getting smaller. So don't worry about the scale; watch how your clothes are fitting you. Sounds like you are doing great." (She was right - I've shrunk at least a pants size!)

And my favorite e-mail, from an Algonquin woman: "I've been following your journey and wanted to let you know your story is inspiring. This morning, I got off my butt and walked for just 20 minutes around the neighborhood, and felt great when I was finished. I decided I needed to write a reminder and stuck it on my computer screen. 'Reminder: Walked Tuesday. Didn't want to but did it anyway. Felt good and was glad I did. Do it again tomorrow.'"

This made me laugh, because it's exactly how I feel much of the time. It sounds cool to say I'm training for a triathlon, but the truth is, mentally, I really haven't changed much. I still don't consider myself a 'natural athlete.' I still lack motivation in going to the gym - like every other day. I still don't particularly enjoy working out (although there are times I do!) I still think about pizza and ice cream way too much.

But I have to admit, it's pretty nice to hear that I'm inspiring - whether it's from a reader, my boss or even my trainer. And it's so amazingly cool to hear that I've motivated someone to consider doing a triathlon (my trainer) or just to take a short walk.

I have no doubt this whole process has been made easier - and so much more enjoyable - because of your stories and encouragement. So thank you.