Mile Marker
26.2 (12/07/2012)
Well on Sunday I will have completed my goal of running a full marathon after a 14-year hiatus from the sport I loved so much. During those 14 years I let life happen, I gave up on running, I gave up on proper nutrition, and I let myself become a physically wreck. I focused on the job, the kids and everything else going on around me. I am not sure what changed 18 months ago, but I just got tired of being the way I was. I was on track for an early visit to the grave, or cancer or some other life altering illness. Nothing particular happened, I just wanted something better.
So 18 months ago I began a journey. I started with the little things, some walking/running, making better food choices, etc. As I began to change, I realized I wanted more. I began to learn more about nutrition, revisited my old running habits and so on. I kept things quiet, just making small changes here and there and I began to see a huge difference on the inside, which eventually showed on the outside. I did not even start going to the gym until a year later.
So what did I do over 18 months, well I have logged over 1200 miles of running, changed my diet to vegetarian, quit smoking cigars, gave up the alcohol and now I am working towards a completely plant based diet! By now you may be thinking there is no way I could do all that, well I am here to tell you it does not happened easily and it literally took 18 months to get here. I did not just wake up and change everything at once. There is no diet fad in the world that would support what I have done; it is all about lifestyle changes and doing things that are sustainable over the long run.
If there is one thing I can share with people who also want to change is do something, don’t wait, and don’t live a life that is sickly. You have control, and you can be who you want to be. I have come to realize that too many of us just go around and accept our fate, let life happen to us and fear a future of illness and disease. Well I have realize it does not have to be that way and I hope that in some small way I have inspired a few folks to join the journey at some level.
I want to thank my family and friends for your support, especially my wife Amy, because without her support I would not have been able to make the changes to become an athlete again and make as much progress as I have!
I can’t wait for mile marker 26.2 on Sunday!
Well on Sunday I will have completed my goal of running a full marathon after a 14-year hiatus from the sport I loved so much. During those 14 years I let life happen, I gave up on running, I gave up on proper nutrition, and I let myself become a physically wreck. I focused on the job, the kids and everything else going on around me. I am not sure what changed 18 months ago, but I just got tired of being the way I was. I was on track for an early visit to the grave, or cancer or some other life altering illness. Nothing particular happened, I just wanted something better.
So 18 months ago I began a journey. I started with the little things, some walking/running, making better food choices, etc. As I began to change, I realized I wanted more. I began to learn more about nutrition, revisited my old running habits and so on. I kept things quiet, just making small changes here and there and I began to see a huge difference on the inside, which eventually showed on the outside. I did not even start going to the gym until a year later.
So what did I do over 18 months, well I have logged over 1200 miles of running, changed my diet to vegetarian, quit smoking cigars, gave up the alcohol and now I am working towards a completely plant based diet! By now you may be thinking there is no way I could do all that, well I am here to tell you it does not happened easily and it literally took 18 months to get here. I did not just wake up and change everything at once. There is no diet fad in the world that would support what I have done; it is all about lifestyle changes and doing things that are sustainable over the long run.
If there is one thing I can share with people who also want to change is do something, don’t wait, and don’t live a life that is sickly. You have control, and you can be who you want to be. I have come to realize that too many of us just go around and accept our fate, let life happen to us and fear a future of illness and disease. Well I have realize it does not have to be that way and I hope that in some small way I have inspired a few folks to join the journey at some level.
I want to thank my family and friends for your support, especially my wife Amy, because without her support I would not have been able to make the changes to become an athlete again and make as much progress as I have!
I can’t wait for mile marker 26.2 on Sunday!
P.S.: Post
Race Update – I successfully completed the race in 4:43. I accomplished my goal of beating my first Marathon
time from 1995!
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