10 Day Dedication: Those Who Keep Me Standing Upright and Thinking Straight

With 40 (HOLY SMOKES!) days left until Ironman Coeur d’Alene, I am dedicating each ten day block of training to important  people in my life. I have written dedications to my Dad, my Mom, Coach Monster, Grandparents,  YOU, my SBM friends, and then Yoda, Sweet Red and Mountain Goat.  After this one, there are only THREE dedications left…. oh my goodness.  Time is ticking!

The next 10 days of training are dedicated to three special members of the SBM Team. “Team”? Well, the Expert always jokes that it takes a “Team” of people to keep me standing upright and alive.  We all know that standing upright is not my strength, but I have some of the best out there helping me along.

Dr. Miracle Man Hands

a/k/a Dr. Hamid L. Sadri, DC, CCSP, ICSSD, CSCS, CKTP, CES, PES(Seriously, check out all those certifications.)Dr. Hamid Sadri, who I lovingly call “Dr. Miracle Man Hands,” is a… well, miracle man.  And an ART chiropractor, and a part of the Ironman performance care team.

He is not only the nicest practitioner I know, but he’s funny and… well, does miracles. Ah-hem.  I mean, he cured my Dead Butt!  Has treated my proprioception and running issues… my hips, my knees, and my neck. I was in excruciating pain with my left hip (the other one, yes) before Augusta 70.3 last year…. and after our first session, I walked out with almost no pain.  It was my first experience with ART therapy, and while that’s no piece of cake (read: painful as all hell), I’m proof that you can walk out of a session virtually “healed” and wondering why you didn’t do it sooner.

In his years of practice, Dr. MMH has successfully treated thousands of patients with acute and chronic conditions ranging from sports related injuries, to arthritis, sciatica, spinal disc herniations, scoliosis, headaches and migraines, plantar fasciitis and many other neuro-musculo-skeletal related conditions. He, over the years, has treated athletes of all calibers…. frequently is “the” Ironman ART specialist at events… and is a big fan of triathletes.

Though I am his FAVORITE patient ever!  He won’t admit it. But it’s true. Ha ha! Because I always have something messed up due to my klutziness.  I’m repeat business!

He even made a “house call” to the hotel the night before Augusta to tape my knee.  Don’t ask him to do that for you… I told you, I’m his favorite. Heh heh.  (But that tells you the type of dude he is.  Just awesome.)

If you are anywhere near Atlanta and are plagued by your knees, hips, neck, shoulder or swim technique, IT band, feet or foot pronation, or any other body part that triathlon is nagging, check out Dr. Sadri and his team at 1st Choice Healthcare.  Seriously, they are an amazing group who have worked on triathletes for years and years… miracle people, really. If you aren’t near Atlanta, check out an ART specialist in your area.  ART therapy, while not “fun,” is amazing stuff.

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Ilana Katz, MS,RD,LD

Founder and Owner of Optimal Nutrition for Life

You know me. I have rarely met a food or drink I don’t like.  For years (and years), I have been completely led astray and hopeless when it came to food.  I tried and tried to figure out why I couldn’t lose weight. Then I found out that I actually DO have a metabolism.  A pretty good one too.  But I still didn’t know what to do with it.

Little by little, I have been rehabilitated with the help of Ilana Katz.  It’s no secret what I weigh these days.  And I don’t see any point in hiding it. I mean, so what if people know what I weigh?

I can thank Ilana for steady, progressive not just weight loss—but improvement in body composition, health and overall feeling better.  I feel better when I eat as prescribed.  She has helped me beyond words. Oh, and she’s a two-time Ironman and awesome friend to boot!

Oh, and last year she introduced me to my pals, Dimity (far right) and Sarah (far left) —the mother runners of AnotherMotherRunner.com.  We had met in cyberspace, but never in person. Fun!

While I still battle the food addiction, I don’t have the fear and hopelessness that I used to have.  And I can thank Ilana for that. She’s the contributor to the nutrition section of my book and we have co-authored the ebook, the Complete Metabolic Boost and Burn.

When I started to tri, I was hovering around 239 pounds. I am right around 199 now.  And I hope to keep going down.  You can check out the plan that helped me here: Metabolic Boost – and Ilana’s website at OnForLife.com.

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Mike “McBlessings” Lenhart

I feel that Mike Lenhart needs no further introduction from me. By now, you all know him as McBlessings.  And he’s part of the “SBM Team” because he keeps me grounded and thankful and reminded of the good things in life. He’s the founder and president of the Getting 2 Tri Foundation, and a long time SBM friend.  He is also a contributor to my book, and a great friend.  When I think that I have it hard… he gives me lessons in perspective…in a way that only a McBlessing can.

Mike has a way of introducing people who can help each other. And he’s such an inspiration, especially through his work with G2T.  Here’s a post about a great fundraiser last year for G2T.

The Getting2Tri foundation is a one-of-a-kind organization that spans its focus from athletic endeavors to the changing of people’s lifestyles. We build communities for the coaching, training and mentoring of individuals with disabilities in the sports of swimming, cycling, and running. Individuals with disabilities participating are called “paratriathletes” and their backgrounds are just as varied as their goals; wounded veterans from recent conflicts to individuals with limb loss due to disease or paralysis or injuries inflicted through some form of trauma.

Mike says, “I have the fortunate role of surrounding myself with heroes. We’ve created an organization that uses sports as a vehicle for goal accomplishments in the lives of people with physical disabilities. Every individual the foundation touches is unique and special. We never grow tired of sharing his or her successes. It was always my hope to have an impact on individuals with disabilities and I believe we’re doing that. But what I didn’t anticipate was the impact we’d have on the able-bodied community. It’s been amazing to witness some truly life-changing things happen to our community of athletes and volunteers. It has certainly forever changed my life and I know it will change yours. Consider getting involved today.”

You can read his recent post about his experience in Boston during the marathon, and follow him on Twitter @g2tprez, and check out Getting 2 Tri here.

Dear Dr. MMH, Ilana and McBlessings,

Thank you for changing me.  For helping me through some really dark times, and keeping me moving forward. I dedicate the next 10 days of training to you.  Training which includes TWO century rides, and lots of swimming, and creative ways to simulate running.

Hugs to you all.
Meredith