Wauconda woman 'knew in 2006 that triathlons were going to be my life'
When you think about a woman who's gearing up to complete her fifth sprint triathlon, has run a 10K and more 5Ks than she can count, does Bike the Drive in Chicago every year and is training for the 2011 Chicago Marathon and a 2012 Ironman, you probably don't picture Melissa Black.
When Black, 36, crossed the finish line of the U.S. Women's Triathlon in Naperville for the first time four years ago, she weighed just more than 300 pounds.
The same goes for 2007.
"I knew in 2006 that triathlons were going to be my life," Black said.
She walked the entire 5K both years and came in dead last. Years later, she still brings up the rear in every race, and has even made it to the end of some races to find organizers already have taken down the finish line. But none of that bothers her anymore.
"That's how far I've come mentally," the Wauconda resident said.
She took 2008 off because of an injury, but on Nov. 8, she made herself a promise: Things were going to change.
"I just knew I couldn't do it by myself," she said. So she started training, counseling and Weight Watchers.
"It's embarrassing when you've had success and you have to go back," she said. "I felt so alone during it all."
In 2009, Black was still wearing the same men's size triathlon suit she purchased online in 2006, and she was the only woman racing who couldn't fit into a wet suit.
But she'd made progress.
This year, she's ditched her old suit because it's too big, and she's shopping off the rack, finally, but still in the men's section.
"By next season, I should be able to shop on the cute racks," the mother of two said.
Black's lost a total of 93 pounds since she began her current journey, and, should she meet her latest weight loss milestone, she'll run her first race weighing less than 200 pounds in July. It'll also be her first Olympic distance triathlon.
"Once my mental messages changed, my success changed," she said. "Counseling is a big part of my journey right now, and people don't like to hear that."
Black has reached and been reached out to by triathletes from all over the country struggling with many of the same issues.
She hopes men and women can be inspired by her journey, which she diligently documents on her blog, Facebook profile and Twitter account.
"I'm losing weight for myself," Black said. "But I want to touch as many people's lives in the process. I have made it a point to be very open on the good days, the bad days and everything in between."
Through the roller coaster of a process, she's learning how to trace some of her deeper issues and develop new responses to common triggers - one of the main ones being her mom's lost battle with colon cancer 13 years ago.
Her mother was obese and only 53 years old, and doctors misdiagnosed her disease until it was too late.
At 23 years old and already struggling with weight issues, Black turned to food for comfort.
Black feels a special connection to the Naperville triathlon because it supports the work of the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund.
"I do try and do races along the lines of cancer research," she said.
Her ultimate goal is to complete Ironman Wisconsin 2012. She plans to run the 2011 Chicago Marathon and do a half-Ironman as warmups.
"It's not when I want to, it's when I'm going to," Black said, emphasizing her determination to finish the Ironman.
She's currently working with a professional trainer who's very much on board with her goal. He has her exercising with a heart rate monitor to prepare for the 104.6-mile event.
"That's all new to me this year," she said of the monitor.
Black believes somewhere down the line, she's meant to help obese children and teens and their families turn their lives around just as she did hers. She's just not sure yet how she'll do that.
Until then, watch for her two kids snapping away taking pictures of her - she's enlisted them to capture her milestone moments.