I'm a man of wealth and taste.

Well, okay. I'm not a man, nor do I have wealth. I just thought I'd follow Estella Getty's lead and quote some Rolling Stones (for those who don't know, "Estella Getty" is my affectionate nickname for Stella) .

As my partner in crime so dearly pointed out, I will be thirty in a month. Less than a month, really. I remember telling myself when I was turning 26 not to worry about my age yet, that I could start to worry about getting older when I hit 30, since that's when I'd really be old. And here I am, with that number nipping at my heels.

I thought I would be more nervous about 30. I thought I'd have an anxiety attack, actually. Yet, I think I'll be okay. Recently, when I was reflecting on some silly thing my husband and I had done, I realized that mentally and emotionally I am nowhere near 30 years old. You know how some people seemed like they were 30 when they were 16? I think I'm the opposite.

I think a lot of that has to do with the fact that I'm in a better place that I was when I was younger. Like Estella Getty, I'm a weight loser. I'm in my third year of being at my goal weight. They say that most people gain it all back within five years. That's right. I have two more to go to prove that I'm not just a statistic.

I don't like to exercise. I really don't. In fact, most of the time I hate it. But you know what? I never thought I'd be this person. I never thought I'd be looking at 30 and not be overweight. Do you know how great that feeling is? I've discovered that I can push my body, that I can make it work for me, not against me.

That's why when Estella Getty suggested the tri, I instantly wanted to do it. It almost felt like I needed to do it.

There's one problem. I have a chronic ab injury that won't let me run long distances (being anything over a quarter mile). But Estella Getty has bad knees. I'm going to use her bad knees to motivate and heal my bad ab.

Like Estella Getty, I want this to be part of me. I want to be able to say, "When I was thirty years old, I competed in a triathlon. And I kicked ass." How many 25-year-olds can say that?

Oh, one more thing, and this one's for Estella Getty -- I drove a month earlier than you did, I voted before you did, and I got to drink (legally) before you did.

Hope you all enjoy this journey,
Natalie