A Letter To My Trainer At Goal

Now that I'm at goal weight, here's an open letter to this guy I've been calling M. the Reasonable all these months...who actually is a real person with a name.

Dear Matt,


We did it!!

Over the last three-and-a-half years, I've written a lot of blog posts about my Odyssey and those posts have used the words "I" and "me" a lot. Truth is, I never could have done this without the support I received along the way, and the support I've received from you in the last ten months has been the biggest of all. So yes, we did this, because without you encouraging and cheering me on I certainly would have stayed stuck where I was--it wasn't a terribly bad place to be stuck, but it also wasn't the best I could do.

And that said, I don't want to get stuck here, either. I want to continue getting stronger, and setting and smashing new goals.

I signed up for more training last November looking for someone to "kick my butt" and "bully me into" getting to goal weight. While my workouts with you were not for the faint-of-heart, I never felt like anything was impossible, or that I was being pushed beyond what I was capable of doing. The result? Strength and a strong dose of badass: six months ago, you would watch me clumsily, slowly bust out six Burpees.Today, I did nine of them in a thirty-second interval--three times.

The words "thank you" hardly seem like enough for someone who has helped me in so many ways, but I suppose they'll have to suffice. So...

Thank you for understanding and working with the unique needs of my body--helping me battle that bout of sciatica in December and helping me learn that it's okay to take a few steps back and not be hardcore for a few days while I let my body heal.

Thank you for never telling me to "push through the pain," but instead working with me to figure out what was causing the pain and how I could fix it.

Thank you for not yelling "MUSH!" that day you made me pull the dog sled. ; )

Thank you for never being impatient with me and the endless texts and emails of "Ack! My knee hurts!" or "Feel sorry for me! I fell today!" Since my last appointment with you in April, you've never acted like my questions or concerns are an imposition on your time, and believe me, sometimes as I approach you at the gym or click "send" on that text, I think, "Gah, I'm not even paying for his help anymore..."

Thank you for looking over all of my workouts for me and helping me tweak them to make them even better as I learn how to assign exercises for myself.

Thank you for celebrating all of the little milestones along the way as though they are big ones--smaller jeans, being able to do an exercise I couldn't do before, improving a running time. 

Thank you for all the times I nerded out over Keane in your presence--including the time you actually changed an appointment time with me so I could be home when pre-sale tickets for their Oakland gig went on sale. 

But most of all...

Thank you for every single "Yes, you can!" and "Yes, you will!" you've ever uttered, always with a big smile. It means a lot to know that there is someone who has no doubt I will maintain my fit lifestyle, continue bringing the badass, and...*gulp* finish a triathlon. There have been days I've felt like I'm crazy to even "tri" (pun definitely intended). I've reminded myself that you believe I can do it...and that helps me keep going.

This is every bit as much your success as it is my own. You're an awesome trainer, and a very supportive friend.

Meg