"Fat Boy" is the name Andrew (Andy) Staton, 35, of Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, was called for years, weighing 320 pounds at age 27. However, his name today is "Ironman." In June 2006, after losing 140 pounds, Andy completed his first Ironman triathlon—2.4 miles of swimming, 112 miles of cycling, and 26.2 miles of running—all in less than 17 hours. Now he’s off to Zurich, Switzerland on June 24, 2007, to compete in his second Ironman.

"By the time I was a senior in high school in northern Virginia, I weighed 280 pounds," Andy says. "As every fat kid knows, peers taunt and tease. Classmates even poured gasoline on my front lawn and burned the word ‘FAT’ for the world to see. Did I think about losing weight? All the time! I tried the ‘quick fixes,’ but at the end of the day, I just wasn’t ready for the commitment. I had to realize it wasn’t about gimmicks, but about making a decision and sticking with it."

"Finally, on April 1, 1999, I looked into a mirror and couldn’t believe what I saw. I was pathetic! I decided, once and for all, I was going to get in shape, regardless. The most important reason was—Because I’m worth it!"

"I was 27, and had ballooned to 320 pounds. I wore a size 56 jacket, 54 pants, and was barely capable of climbing stairs. My self esteem was on an emotional roller coaster," Andy remembers. "I was working at Booz Allen Hamilton, management consultants, when my firm signed up to be a major sponsor of the Jingle Bell 10K in Washington, DC. My closest friend and colleague was the team leader. He pushed me to train for it. So off to the gym I went. Finally in August 1999, I walked two miles for the first time ever. I got down to 277 by December…a loss of 43 pounds. I came in third to last, but I completed my first 10K!"

"Completing that run gave me a sense of personal achievement I had never experienced before," Andy relates. "I was doing something for myself, but was amazed to find so many people said I’d also inspired them to start working out."

Part of his physical transformation coincided with Andy’s realization he was gay. He first noticed he was attracted to men around age 19 or 20, but stayed in the closet for several years. "The motivation for losing weight came from several directions: I was influenced by leaner, healthier colleagues in my work environment, I needed to feel better, and sure—I wanted to be more confident in my looks."

Andy set more goals for himself. "In October 2001, after losing 40 more pounds, I ran the DC Marine Corps marathon…my next huge personal success," he beams. "I felt my dream of getting fit was finally coming true."

"As I was training for the marathon, I had a good friend who was training for an Ironman. I thought, ‘I want to do that someday…I just have to figure out how.’"

"Shortly after moving to Rehoboth Beach in 2004, I joined Gold’s Gym and won the grueling fitness challenge," Andy states proudly. "I dropped to 193, and went from 30% body fat to 15%. I was running more, swimming, and I bought a bike. My goal of an Ironman was coming together."

In summer 2005, as Andy began training for the Ironman, time management ruled his life. Every week, he had to integrate eight hours of cycling, two and a half hours of swimming and four to five hours of running into his successful career, social life, and home life.

Yes, by now Andy had a home life. He first met his partner, Peter Karsner, in 1998. A few years later, they saw one another at a cocktail party and were "hooked." They had a weekend/vacation relationship for three years, before Andy moved to Rehoboth Beach, where he also began to pursue a career in real estate.

"I loved him at 320 pounds," Peter smiles. "But I was happy to see him lose weight for health reasons. Being older than Andy, I had a history of heart problems, and I didn’t want him to go through that. Losing weight has not affected our relationship; in fact, it’s probably made it stronger. Every time he achieves a milestone, it’s rewarding for me also. I used to be a coach; I know what it feels like to win."

"I now have become his life coach," Peter explains. "I never criticize or give advice however; I only give him points to consider. I have seen him gain inner strength and self-confidence. My desire is to see him achieve success in every aspect of his life."

Fast forward to June 26, 2006. Andy was among the 2,300 people ages 18-75 at the Ironman triathlon in Couer D’Alene, Idaho. Participants had 17 hours to swim 2.4 miles, bike 112 miles, and run 26.2 miles. "During the swim, I got kicked, hit, and got my goggles knocked off. At mile 50 of the bike ride, my gear shift popped, and I had to wait 45 minutes before someone could fix it. But I wanted to complete the Ironman—for me, for Peter, or for anyone who has ever doubted themselves, gay, straight, overweight, or for whatever reason—and that’s all that mattered to me."

Finally, after 16 hours and 20 minutes, Andy walked across the finish line. "You cannot imagine the sea of emotions that flooded over me when I heard, ‘Andy Staton, you are an Ironman.’ I did it! I was elated and exhausted. I had overcome so many personal struggles to lose weight and get in shape. I knew for sure I’m worth it."

How much does being gay play into Andy’s success and competitive nature? "Being gay doesn’t define me, but rather completes me—and my ability to be comfortable with and true to myself," Andy says. "I accept myself for who I am. My coming out has allowed me to feel complete. Because of that, I go forward with no fear, knowing I will do my very best at anything I want to do. I admit, I’m proud to be among a very small minority of gay triathletes. Of course, Peter is my rock—he’s everything to me. He has provided the moral and emotional support that I needed to help me conquer some of the biggest challenges of my life."

Andy’s struggle with obesity is never ending—in fact, he says, "I’m fat everyday"—helping to keep his goals clearly in focus. As Andy heads off to Zurich, he hopes his story might help others who are struggling with weight or any other issues to realize we all can accomplish goals that others, even we, might think are unobtainable. He has experienced the joy of giving himself good health and happiness…something only he can do for himself. Andy’s story should inspire all of us to pursue our goals passionately, because we’re all worth it.