Am I the heaviest?

[gavrichards]

Hello all,
I am 16st 7lbs
Despite doing a lot of training and having a fairly physical job I cannot shift any of my weight. I ran this years London marathon and am aiming to take part in my first triathlon soon, but I am a bit apprehensive about standing at the start line next to much slimmer athletes.
I am quite fit, and I think I should be able to finish the course in a respectable time but I feel very self consious about my size.
Does any one else have this problem?
Thanks
Gavin

[Tesseract]

I was just under 18st when I started Tri, and I was probably about the same weight as you when I did my first event. I'm down to about 15st now.

At every event I've ever been to there's been a least a few of us "powerhouse" athletes, so don't worry about it!

....until you see yourself in a wetsuit

[gavrichards]

Thanks, I'll just breath in and stick my chest out, no one will notice

[wyno70]

Even if they do notice, they certainly won't be brave enough to say anything

When I started, I was also carrying a few pounds and very self conscious about everyone else certainly looking more 'buff' than me.

I've managed to lose over 20k and now don't feel nearly so 'shy' and have even donned a tri suit this year! Good luck and well done for taking on the challenge. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have.

[largeade]

I was 16st 3 yrs ago when I first started triathlon - I've always been a mesomorph and felt it was my lot in life to weigh a lot -I'm genuinely large framed. For the first two years I looked like the only gay in the village in a tri suit. No one ever said anything or was obvious at an event. However triathlete/runner friends did regularly remind me about being able to go faster purely by losing weight.

My recommended BMI weight is 13st10 and I'd read all the forum stuff from big blokes/rugby players debunking BMI and believed that I was what I was. In retrospect it transpires that BMI weight is probably about right, even for large blokes, and I was being delusional.

So I'm 14st now, still large framed but I'm cetainly fitter and faster than I was. And I dont (touch wood) get injured when I run any more, which for me has been the most valuable side-effect. I'm going for 13st8 next year.

[sonofsammo]

Perfectly fine to be at the starting line at that weight - I was about 16 for my first tri and was very conscious of being the biggest chap there.. However, I finished ahead of quite a few of the munchkins, which made me feel better
I'm now progressing toward munchkin size myself - 14st now and heading for 12st12.
I know one thing for certain - the less I weigh the faster I can go - and it's certainly cheaper than buying lighter bits for the bike - just think how much you'd have to spend to take 5lbs off the bike (heresy, I know... I'll hang my head in shame later).
After years of yo-yoing with weight, I've found something that works that I've never tried before. I always thought it was the preserve of women - calorie counting! It works and I'm 37 pounds lighter for it this year!
I use Livestrong.com (myplate) to track all the food I eat and manage my calories - I've stopped tracking exercise, cos they overestimate what you use..
500 calories less a day = 1lb of fat loss a week = Job done! And it's relatively painless.
Good luck and smile every time you pass a thinny

[Trisurfer]

Hi there,

I agree with all the above comments. Don't worry about feeling self conscious, there aren't many people who don't feel a little exposed in triathlon gear! Its not designed with modesty in mind!

I'm 6'1'' and hover between 85 - 90 Kg heavier in the winter. Looking to reduce my racing weight next year for stepping up to 70.3 distance.
I constantly get called big man, chief, etc but I also always finish in the top 10% of my races so don't worry about it!

[Zacnici]

A lot of us started with a few extra pounds, some of us still have it! I have short stumpy legs and started at just under 13st 80ish Kg and now weigh 66Kg, 10st 5 and still have a little belly roll that refuses to go away. Some guys I see regularly on the circuit are 'well built' but are by no means last.

The gear we wear hides nothing and unless you are built like an olympian god/goddess we all have a little extra we would rather not have so no you will not have people looking at you as we have either been there and/or simply don't care as you are a fellow triathlete.

In the 4 years I have been competing I have not heard a single disparaging remark about anothers size as we are usually making such remarks about ourselves (and also have all been given a good towelling at one time or another by someone unexpected).

Welcome and enjoy.

[wyno70]

Wow trisurfer '85 - 90 Kg heavier in the winter', thats some weight swing!!!!!

[rebelandarunner]

I'm 5ft 6, 45 yrs old and have been around 90kg ever since I started triathlon 5 years ago. I definitely do look like Davydd and I'm more sumo than tri. I usually end up at the top of the bottom 3rd and i'd like to lose weight but it is abput what you eat and not how much exercise. In fact, i often put on weight if im training really hard. I have never, ever been made to feel anything other than another athlete by my fellow competitors and i will always be grateful to the sport for being so inclusive. I'm a decent cyclist but my running and swimming are slow but so what? If I didn't do this sport I'd be a lot bigger. I used to be 110kg in my younger days and played squash to a very good level. Don't worry about what you look like, just take part, keep healthy and if you ever see a short fat bald man with a backwards baseball cap and shades jogging serenely on the last circuit, come and say hi. Besides, it surprises the hell out of people when what seems like an unfit lazy slob turns out to be able to do olympic triathlons and marathons.