Julissa Schultz

On August 15, 2011, I lost three quarters of my stomach and a third of my body. But that’s not even half of the story. In 2011, I weighed 235 pounds and was morbidly obese. After trying and failing several diets over the years, I finally decided to have weight-loss surgery called sleeve gastrectomy. This is where 75% of the stomach is removed and the result is a slender, tube-shaped structure in the shape of a sleeve. Within a year of the surgery, I had lost over 75 pounds. But I was determined to lose more weight—and to keep it off. More importantly, I was determined to start exercising. So I signed up and trained for my first triathlon. On Mother’s Day in 2012, I did the TriGirl “super sprint” triathlon in Houston. The race was fairly short—swim 200 yards, bike 8 miles, and run 2 miles—although it didn’t seem so at the time. After finishing the swim in cold, choppy water, as I was transitioning to the bike, I told myself (and my spectator family) I’d never do one of these again. I lied. Since that day, I’ve done more than 15 triathlons of various distances. When a race is over, you won’t find my name at the top of the leaderboard. But you will see me proudly wearing a finisher’s medal, high-fiving my friends and competitors, and smiling the entire time. Along with doing triathlons, I like focusing on each sport individually: • Swimming. I’ve conquered my fear of the water—especially open water—and now I regularly swim 3000 yards at a time. I celebrated my 46th birthday by swimming 4600 yards. That’s 92 laps in the pool! It’s a tradition that I do every year for my birthday. • Biking. I normally ride up to 100 miles a week, whether it’s outside in a group, inside on a trainer, or as part of a bike/run spin workout. Someday I want to finish the MS 150. Back in 2011 (before my surgery), I did the first day of the ride but not the second, so I still need to check that one off my list. • Running. This used to be the hardest activity for me, but now I like it the most. Since 2011, I’ve run in over 12 half marathons and two full marathons—and the first full was less than six months after my hysterectomy! But doing all three sports together is still my favorite. I did my first half Ironman (70.3 miles) in 2016 and in 2017 I completed my first full Ironman (140.6 miles) in The Woodlands. My next goal is to complete an Ultraman (320 miles). How do I pull this off? Simple. I set concrete goals. I commit to doing the work. I train smartly and consistently. And I stay motivated with the help of my family, friends, coaches, and training buddies. Easier said than done, of course! Looking back, I’m proud that I’ve lost so much weight and gotten healthy again. I’m proud that I’m a fit, active triathlete and that I challenge myself to get better every day. Most of all, I’m proud that I’ve inspired lots of other people—family, friends, and random Facebook acquaintances—to lose weight, get active, and try triathlons.