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4/28/11

For Those About to Walk...


On Saturday of last week, I ran 9.5 miles.  It felt great. Seven months ago, I would have told you that was insane, and that we domesticated horses and invented cars for a reason.  I ran it nonstop at just under a 10-minute mile pace.  For those of you who have been running for a long time, you’ll likely say that wasn’t very fast at all, and that a good runner would cover that distance nearly twice as fast.   And you’re right.  I’m not going to win any marathons at that pace, and I’m darn sure not going to win a 5K.  It’s not even my best pace, though for that distance, I feel pretty good about it, which is the whole point of this blog: learning to feel good about yourself.  After doing some more reading and research, I learned that, at that distance, it’s a good idea to bring some food, like an energy bar and water and / or Gatorade to rehydrate and replenish electrolytes.  After reading this, I felt so good and so confident that I could do better that the next day, I got up, strapped on my Camel  Pak (loaded with Gatorade), grabbed a granola bar, and set out on what I tended to be an even longer and faster run.  After the first mile, I was feeling okay and decided it would be a good idea to work on my speed a little bit, so I started sprinting at quarter mile intervals.  After mile 2, I was feeling tired.  So I decided to take a nice, easy jog for a little bit of the way.  After mile 3, things started to chafe.   Men, if you have been running for any length of time at any significant distance, you know what I’m talking about and you know how bad it hurts.  Ladies, I’ll just say that I’m not talking about what you think I’m talking about, but I’m still too polite to come right out with it.  Needless to say, I was in pain.  Going shirtless wasn’t an option because I had my Camel Pak and because I was in a residential neighborhood and, frankly, no one’s done anything bad enough to deserve having to see me running through their neighborhood without a shirt.  So I started to walk.  I walked for another 3 miles.  And that was all I had.  My legs were tired, my chest was tired, I was hot, and other stuff hurt.  Bad.  Now you are no doubt asking yourself “why is this idiot telling me all of this?”  Well I’ll tell you why:  Because I want you to realize that sometimes you gotta walk before you can run.  Or in this case, walk after you run.  In any case, what I’m saying is that it’s okay to walk.  There.  Now you can give yourself permission.  I didn’t use to think that way.  When I first started, and was actually able to run, I felt like walking would be a step backward, would be me giving up.  But it’s not.  Sometimes, some days, your body is just not going to have anything to give.  And if you’re working hard most days, that’s to be expected.  Listen to it.  There is a difference between not wanting to and not being able to.  If you are otherwise able to get up and run, but just don’t want to, than you’re giving up. If your body just doesn’t have anything left to go out and pound the pavement, than walking will do the trick just fine.   It will still burn calories, keep you moving, keep your legs warm and loose for another run tomorrow.  It will still get you your miles for the week.  And it will, I the long run, help build your endurance.  There is no shame in walking.  There is only shame, is you are inclined to feel it, in not trying, in giving up.  And walking is not giving up.  I’ve said before, and I’ll keep saying it. You will have good runs, you will have great runs, and you will have downright ugly, nasty runs.  The nasty runs make the good ones better and the great ones greater.  Any runner who tells you they always feel great after every run is lying, unless what they mean to say is that they always feel better that they decided to run as opposed to not running.  That’s the difference.  Some days, I feel terrible after I run.  This afternoon, for example, on my lunch break, I only had time for two miles, so I got my two miles in.  Now, I never even start to feel good on a run until around mile 3, so there was no way it was going to be a good run.  But I’m still glad I ran.  So keep moving, even if you’ve got to walk a little bit, or even a lot.  You’ll better and better about yourself in the long run. 

4/23/11

Racing, for the Uninitiated

Up until April 2, 2011, which was only 3 weeks ago from the date of this post, I had never in my life ran in any sort of race of any kind, whatsoever.  After running for several months on my own, I had only recently begun toying with the idea of participating in a road race.  I had been running up to 6 miles fairly consistently, at what I thought was a pretty decent clip for a fat guy.  My best time was 6 miles in 56 minutes on my own.  So I started looking for races around town.  For some reason, the 5K distance just didn’t excite me…I felt like, for my first race, it would be over too fast for me to even enjoy it.  Instead, I signed up for a 10K, with my lovely and dedicated (she’d have to be, fat as I was) bride signed up for concurrent 5K, which meant we could line up together and maybe run together for a bit before our courses diverged.  As it turns out, there are a lot of things you should know going in to your first race, especially if it is well attended.  First among them is pre-registering.  This was one we figured out on our own, and fortunately we registered online.  This was good for a couple of reasons.  One, we paid and there were no refunds, so there was no backing out.  Two, we didn’t have to worry that they would run out of bibs or spaces.  It also helps the race organizers plan appropriately for aid stations and refreshments at the finish line (we’ll get to these later). 
One thing we didn’t know about was the “packet.”  During pre-registration, of course, there was all kinds of information about race packet pickup, when and where we could do it, etc.  Problem was, we didn’t know what “packet pickup” meant.  Now, I know this sounds really stupid, but at the time, our line of thinking was “what could a race packet possibly consist of?”  I mean, generally, when I’m running, I have as little with me as possible.  I figured for races, you paid your money, maybe got a t-shirt, ran and went home.  As we learned, what the packet consists of, at least around where I live, is your ‘bib,’ which is the paper number you see runners wearing in races, and maybe your shirt if you got one.  Around Tallahassee, where I live, the bibs contain the timing chip.  In some races, you may have to attach the chip to your shoe, but our bibs have the chip attached to the back of it.  So this packet, while very important, is no big deal, right?  I mean, it’s not so big that it would warrant the need to pick it up early, right?  Wrong.  If you have looked around at any races in your area, you’ll likely see that most of them start early in the morning.  Which meant that, if you have other obligations (like kids) you have a very short timeframe within which to get to the race location, park, get your packet, put your bib on, use the restroom one last time (which I am finding out is very important), and get to the starting line.  When we arrived on the morning of our first race, we panicked because we saw so many people who looked like they had done this before, getting out of their cars already wearing their bibs.  We asked them where they got them and they told us they had picked them up before.  And we panicked even more,  because we asked if they had a registration
 table and they told us they didn’t know, suggesting we  weren’t going to get to run after all because we were too lazy to go pick up our stupid packets.  As it turns out, there was a table, as there always is, but the line was long and time was short.   So this was a long, drawn out way of saying that you should pick your packet up early if you can, so you can show up at the starting line ready to go without having to worry about silly things like bibs.  When the race started, I thought I had originally planned on running alongside my wife, but she could see I wanted to run, so she said “just go!” and off I went.  I was surprised at how much the adrenaline and the excitement of the race propelled me and gave me boosts along the way.  Also, running in such a huge pack allowed me to pace myself better, picking people to pace or pass.  As you approach the finish line, there is a clock, so you can see your gun time and and give you that last little push to fight for a few extra seconds.  I ended up finishing my first 10K, which is 6.2 miles, in 55:23, which was my personal record.  When I got to the finish line, my lovely wonderful wife was already there waiting (having run the 5K), and I can tell you there was no better sight in the world than seeing her proud face when she saw me coming.  At the end of the race, there were tables set up with food and refreshments (lots of carbs to  replace what you lost: bagels, juice, water, etc.), and everyone there was extremely friendly and happy, which makes sense if you think about it, because this was probably the single largest gathering of
endorphins in town.  So I made my way to the water table, where I heard the single greatest
sentence I believe has ever been uttered (outside of the Bible):  “We’re out of water. Is beer okay?”  I mean, are you kidding me?  When is beer NOT okay?  I mean besides when you are driving or are at work or, well I’m sure there are a few other occasions when it wouldn’t be appropriate, but really, how awesome is beer?  Now don’t get me wrong, I am not a big drinker.  I may normally  drink  about 12 alcoholic beverages of any kind in a year.  I just choose to spend my money on other things.  But nonetheless, ice cold beer is very refreshing, and I now know that it is insanely refreshing after running your heart out for 6.2 miles.  I had no idea going into this race that there would be such a big to do at the end.  I just thought you’d run, get your time and go home.  But these races are so much more than that.  They’re a celebration of running, people who share your enthusiasm for the sport or who are trying to jumpstart their weight loss, or who are trying to accomplish a personal goal.  But they’re all happy.  Which makes the races fun.  And which is why I am now addicted to racing, and have found one more reason to love running.

4/22/11

I am not an elite runner....

...Not by any standard.  In fact, I'm not even a good runner.  I'm just a runner.  And I'm okay with that.  My last race, I finished in the top 30 percent overall, but smack dab right in the middle for my age group.  So I guess you could say I am an average runner.  But I still consider myself to be a beginner, and there are a million things I don't know about running.  Which is why I started writing about it.  That probably sounds counterintuitive, and in a sense it is.  But there is a method to my madness.  As I have progressed in my hobby (as I've previously posted here, I don't call running "excercise" ...it sounds too much like work and kind of sucks all of the joy out of it), I have naturally tried to find information about it, such as what equipment to use, how to run faster or longer, etc.  But as I've searched and searched, I keep finding running blogs and articles that were written by researchers and elite runners, who use terms that I still don't understand, like VO2 max and fartlek (although fartlek sounds like something I would have called my little brother when we were growing up, as it turns out, it's a Swedish term and has to do with speed work - which is another term I have only recently begun to use).  I'll be honest with you: I still don't care about all of that stuff.  Now there are probably some hard core runners who may read this and gasp.  That's okay.  I understand.  But hear me out.  I'm just starting out.  I'm the guy for whom it was a big deal less than a year ago for me to be able to run a full mile without stopping for a cheeseburger, a glass of water and an oxygen mask at least twice along the way.  So fartleks and
intervals and "speedwork" were way outside of my realm.  But when I was first trying to learn more about running, those terms were very overwhelming.  I sometimes second guessed myself because I kept being confronted with how much I really didn't know, and started wondering if it really was for me.  It seemed like everyone else on the planet had been running their entire lives and I was the only idiot who had just clued in to the fact that it was fun and good for you.  I kept with it anyway, because the weight was falling off and, well, bikini season was coming up and I was going to finally fit into my two-piece.  Wait, that was my wife.  I kept running because, despite my hopeless lack of knowledge and my dismally slow speed, I felt good.  And then I realized that there's plenty of time for caring about fartleks and VO2 max later.  Right now, I just like running.  It makes me feel good about myself.  Let's face it, no matter how fast I get, I'm not going to win a 5k, and I'm definitely not going to win a marathon.  But I do enjoy running in them.  Well, not marathons yet, but I'm working on it.  Running is personal, and it's all about yourself and your accomplishments.  The only person you ever really need to worry about trying to beat is yourself.  And you don't even really need to worry about that.  My point is simply this:  If you are new to running, just get out there and do what you can.  Work your way up to a distance you feel good about, at a pace you can handle.  Eventually, you'll start going faster on your own.  Take the pressure off.  Unless it’s something you grow to love, you won't want to do it often, which means someday you'll stop.  And I'd hate for you to stop.  It's okay to just be who you are.  You don't have to be a lifetime track star.  Just get out there and go!  Make yourself proud.  So here's to us newbies and beginners and average runners!  And when you start participating in races, please, for the sake of those running behind you, try to go easy on the fartleks!

4/20/11

Change The Paradigm...

I've said previously that until about 9 months ago, I hated running.  Or, more precisely, I hated anything that had anything to do with physical exertion of any kind.  I'm not sure if I can properly articulate to you how much I disliked the concept of exercising, but let me put it to you this way: I have been "Tased" before, and I can honestly tell you that, though it only lasted 5 seconds, and that as soon as it was over there was no lingering pain or other effect, it was nonetheless the longest 5 seconds of my life and the most excruciating thing I have ever experienced.  I would rather be shot in the arm or leg with a bullet than be tased again, and if anyone EVER points a taser at me and tells me to do something, by God I am going to do it.  Until August of last year, if you gave me the choice of being tased or exercising for 30 minutes, I'd take the Taser.  So hopefully we are clear about where I fell on the whole exercise thing.  So what changed for me?  The answer is lot's of things.  Motivation, for one. And by that I mean that I actually was motivated, whereas I had been previously.  Before I began running, I was dieting, and I was fairly successful.  You will be surprised how much you can accomplish by simply counting your calorie intake and being accountable for what you eat.  As well as that was working for me, I wanted to take my weight loss up a notch, so I started walking kind of fast and calling it "working out."  But remember at that point in time, I still hated it.  The phrase "Working Out" was akin to a filthy limerick (and not even a funny one) or a fart in church during communion (again, not a funny one..okay, it would be kind of funny....well, alright, it would be hilarious).  Hopefully, you get my point.  "workout" was a dirty word.  So what did I do to keep me going?  I stopped calling it exercise.  I just started calling it "running."  Becoming a runner was all about changing my perspective on running.  Exercise was something you were supposed to do, something people like doctors or your parents told you to do, like homework or coming to a full and complete stop at a stop sign when no traffic is coming.  But "running," well that was a hobby.  That was something I chose to do.  I know that, in the end it is a difference without distinction, but it made all of the difference to me.  In fact, I still refuse to say that I exercise.  I "go for a run."  It sounds pleasant, relaxing and enjoyable.  I am a "runner."  It's just what I do, just like some of you are crafters, or knitters, or bikers, or surfers or whatever it is you do that makes you happy.  And running makes me happy, because I do it for fun, not for exercise.  Not for work.  It's not work.  It's my free time and my hobby.  So I refuse to call it exercise.  Because "exercise" is an imposition.  Running is a passion.  The whole point of this post is to say simply this: if you are truly interested in taking up running, I highly suggest you shift your perspective on the subject.  Yes, it is good for you.  Yes, you will be healthier.  Yes, you should do it or some other form of cardiovascular activity.  All of those things will be no less true by changing your thought process.  But what changing your thought process can do for you is get you interested in running for all of the selfish reasons that really motivate us deep down, like the fact that, in our busy day to day lives, we all want a little free time or quiet time to ourselves (throw on the earbuds, crank some tunes and go for a run...talk about "me" time!).   So don't call it exercise.  Call it a hobby.  Call it your quiet time.  Call it your time to decompress.  But trust me.  Get out there and go, and you'll love yourself for it!

4/18/11

The Treadmill Is Your Friend...

I am not like a lot of runners you may read about.  I have never, ever been any kind of athelete.  Sure, I played baseball and soccer and basketball as a boy, but really only because it was a social convention for American boys; it's just what boys were supposed to do.  I was never good at any of it.  And I hated to have to run.  Physical exertion has never, up until now, been a "thing" for me.  So I'm not too proud to admit that it was really, really , REALLY hard when I first started running.  My chest hurt, my legs hurt, my feet hurt, my head hurt. and I was dizzy during and after my workouts.  I know now that was probably a bad thing and that I was probably...scratch that, I was DEFINITELY working too hard for my fat little body and my tired little heart.  Looking back at how I felt after those first few "runs," I realize now I should have slowed down just a tad.  The sad thing is that I wasn't going very fast to begin with.  I'm talking maybe 2 miles in 25, 30 minutes.  When I tell you I was out of shape, I am telling you I was WAAAYYY out of shape.  I was in such bad shape, I had to strap a Camelbak  to my back just to go 2 miles.  So how did I get past it? Perseverance.  I would love to tell you there is some magic formula, but there's not.  You either want it or you don't.  For me, for the first time in my life,  I wanted it.  But even at that, it was hard to keep going at first.  The key word for those of you who are starting at zero like I was is: DISTRACTION.  It is all about distracting your brain and your body.  So when I started running, I started on a treadmill.  If you have access to a treadmill, I highly recommend you start off there.  You can set your pace, and you can easily track your progress.  It is inside, so there are no excuses for temperature or weather.  But more importantly, it offers ample opportunity for you to distract yourself.  When I first started running on the treadmill, I did so ith the help of SportsCenter, my iPod,  and my Amazon Kindle.  I set the Kindle on the treadmill and  adjusted the font so I could read it while I moved, I cranked the iPod up to max, and put closed captioning on the T.V.  This way, There was always somewhere for me to take my brain when it got tough.  I could tell myself, "Just one more song," or "Just one more page and I'm done," or "Just let me get through this story on Albert Pujols."  And after that one more song or one more page or one more Pujols story (can’t enough Albert Pujols news…please, please, please re-sign with the Cards!), I would look down and see that if I pushed just a little harder, I would have gone farther or faster than I ever had before.  And before I knew it, I was running 3, 4 and 5 miles regularly.  And my pace was quickening.  I also recommend starting off on a treadmill because you can set your pace, whereas if you run outside, it is very difficult for you to pace yourself and you can get yourself hurt very fast, with no progress made.  Additionally, the treadmill will help reduce injury in those early days because it is going to be cushioned, or at least offer more cushioning than the asphalt, which means you will have more opportunity to strengthen your muscles and bones before you push yourself too hard.  So if you are thinking about beginning running, only you knows what's best for you.  But for me, the treadmill made all of the difference in the world.  And when the time comes, you will likely want to transition to outdoor running, as I have.  For the last couple of months, I have been running almost exclusively outdoors, only using the treadmill during inclement weather or if I need to squeeze a quick run in after work.  But in the beginning, I don’t think I could have gotten as far as I have without first taking those baby steps on the treadmill.

4/17/11

Why I Run...

As I said in an earlier post, my passion for running all started with weight loss.  Or, more specifically, wanting to look good for my wife.  I understand that everyone has different motivations.  My sincere hope is that you find yours.  Once you catch the running bug, you'll have a hard time losing it.  But staying with it until then takes some serious mind over matter and "stick-to-it-tive" that is tough to come by without some outlying motivator.  Short term goals are great, but if you are looking to lose weight or get healthy, a full blown lifestyle change is required.  So you've got to want it.  For me, more than anything, I wanted to be the man my wife deserved.  The first time I hopped on the treadmill, she told me she was proud of me.  It was like a drug!  Every step, every milestone, however small, I could see and feel her pride.  Nothing motivates me more, even now.  But in the beginning, when it really was all work and no fun, when I wanted to fall on the floor and die, all red-faced and wheezing after just one mile, the only thing that made me want to get back up and do it all over again the next day was thought that my wife was proud of me.  So I kept going.  That pride is still there, but I have finally developed a love for the sport of running.  Because after all of that hard work, I feel good about myself.  And I feel good both mentally and physically.   So I am finally where my wife wanted me to be all along: I'm doing this for me now.  Not because anyone wants me too, not because I need to lose weight, not because anyone else is imposing anything else on me, either real or imagined.  I'm doing it because I love it.  And I love it because it evolves.  Running is always different, never the same.  Even running the same route.  I have good runs, I have great runs, and I have really nasty runs.  But they're always different runs.  And there is always, and always will be, a challenge.  And I love a challenge.  No matter what I do, how fast or how far I go, there will always be room to improve.  Which means I'll never give up or get bored.  I love running because it gives me an opportunity to spend some time with myself and my thoughts.  Now, you may say that you can do that on the couch as well as you can running,
but you can't.  Running allows you to tune out the world, and the world knows not to bother you while you're running.  I love running because I get a tremendous sense of accomplishment, like I've never gotten anywhere before.  Yes, I have accomplished much in my life, but not like this.  In the past, and even now in most facets of my life, I try to achieve based on others' expectations’.  In running, it is all about me, and the joy is all mine, and the accomplishment is all mine.  Every mile I add to my maximum distance is another notch on my belt.  Every second I shave off of my time is one more sign that the work is paying off.  I love running because it has changed my life in ways I never thought possible.  So, I started this blog because hopefully, just hopefully, you can learn to love it to.  When something makes you this happy, you want to share it with everyone.  And so I am sharing it with you.  And also, maybe as I run and as I write, I'll become the man my wife deserves.

4/16/11

First Things....SHOES, SHOES, SHOES!

If I can share one thing with you about running that will change your life, it is this: SHOES.  You cannot scrimp on a good pair of running shoes.  Think about it.  Running is a non-contact sport (or activity, if the word "sport" scares you away).  The only piece of gear you carry or wear that should touch the ground are your shoes.  If other things are touching the ground, send me an email...you may be doing it wrong.  When I first began my running lifestyle, I did not know this.  As a seasoned couch potato, however, I did see a lot of commercials.  So I KNEW that Nike was the best shoe you could get.  I didn't know anything about running shoes.  At first, I was running in run of the mill, everyday all-purpose sneakers.  As it became apparent that I was going to be "doing this for a while," I realized I needed to invest in a pair of "good" running shoes.  So I drove my happy (and rotund) rear to the department store and picked up a $60 sale pair of Nike Reax running shoes.  Hey, they said "run" right on the shoe, so I'm good, right?  As it turns out, not so much.  Don't
Nike Reax
get me wrong, Nike makes a fine product.  This is not in any way meant to knock Nike.  However, I very quickly learned that, when it comes to running, you CANNOT just grab a pair of shoes that look like they're running shoes and go.  As a matter of fact, I have since learned not to place any value  whatsoever in what the shoe looks like, as long as it works.  I'll get to that in a bit.  But before I do, let me tell you how I came to these conclusions.  Back to the Nikes.  Remember, I had no clue about running shoes, but of course I had heard of Nike and Reebok an Asics and New Balance, blah, blah, blah.  So I knew they had to be great shoes, right?  So I bought my pair and ran with them.  Literally.  Now, no speed, no distance, no problem.  So they were great starter shoes, because I was not straining myself in any way (or rather, looking back I'll say I shouldn't have been straining myself in any way...I was SLLLOOOWWW).  But once I picked up my speed, the aches and pains started setting in.  During this time, my wife was running with me, as well, and she started experiencing sever foot pain.  After some research in the internet, she started to believe it might be time for new shoes.  I knew of a specialty sport shoe store in town (Shaw's) from when my little brother played soccer (I was never an athelete of any kind), and suggested she try it.  Long story short, they provided her with a pair of shoes that fixed her problem, and she was on her way.  I continued to struggle with dull aches and pains, but I attributed most of it to my attempts to increase my speed and my distance, and the normal soreness associated with exercising (I hate that word - exercise - I'll post on that later).  I was not yet in tune with my body, and not yet accustomed to the normal aches to realize something was wrong.  One September Saturday morning, after I had been running regularly for about 6 weeks (and my body had begun to crave it), I ran the furthest I had ever run: 6 miles.  I was so proud and felt so great.  I was on a huge high all day because of my great accomplishment, and knew I would only go farther and faster from there.  Until the next morning, when I stepped out of bed.  My right foot felt like I was literally stepping on knives.  Thinking I must have slept on it funny, I decided to go for my run anyway.  I couldn't even make it a mile, the pain was so great.  I couldnt put any weight on it.  I took a week off, resting my foot, alternating heat and ice, and sucking down iboprofren.  Nothing worked.  I began to panic.  I was watching all of my hard work and progress drain away, all due to a stupid injury.  Finally, my wife convinced me to go get new shoes.  I was still being stubborn, and had my heart set on a pair of Nike + sneakers so I could sync them with my iPod, but she insisted I wear whatever the people at Shaw's gave me.  At the store, I told the salesman my problem.  He asked me to take off my shoes and walk so he could watch me.  I did.  He said "I'll be right back."  He walked into the back room, handed me a box of Saucony ProGrid Guide 4's and said "try these on."  I did.  I have never looked back.  My new shoes saved my running life.  As soon as I tried on the shoes, the pain went away.  Not being familiar with running, I had never even heard of the brand, but I didnt care.  All I knew was that my foot did not hurt anymore and I could run again.  I am not telling you that you should run out and buy yourself a pair of Sauconys (although they work FANTASTIC for me!).  I'm just trying to share with you what I've learned, and what I learned was that you need to select your shows based on your foot; all shoes are NOT for all people.  Pronation, Overpronation and Underpronation are terms that you will hear alot when looking for shoes.  I am telling you this: don't worry about it.  Don't try to figure out what's wrong with your feet.  There are professionals who will do that for you, better than you can.  Don't try to pick shoes on your own.  If you are going to run, you need the right equipment to do it in, and more important than anything else, you need the right shoes FOR YOU.  So if you have not already done so, you need to go to a speciality running store and allow the sales associate to help you.  LISTEN TO THEM.  They know what they are talking about.  Save yourself the pain and the hassle I went through, not to mention the $60 I was out for a pair of shoes that ended up hurting my feet.  I cannot reiterate enough: DO NOT SCRIMP ON SHOES!  Wearing the right show will make all the difference in the world in your running.  And once you've found the right pair of shoes, keep a log and track your miles.  There are planty of web sites that allow you to do this, such as active.com, but an excel spreadsheet or simple pen and paper will do the trick.  Your running shoes will have about 300-400 good miles in them.  After that, you'll need a new pair or you'll risk injury.  Your body will tell you when it's time for a new pair, too.  Listen to it.  I'm not telling you anything I haven't found out the hard way.  I just bought my second pair last week.  Trust me, it is not a gimmick to get you to buy shoes more often.  They break down, and when they break down, you will, too, if you don't replace them. I'd like to say a special thank you to Shaw's Athletics in Tallahassee for saving my feet and allowing me to keep on running.  You guys are great!

It almost always starts with weight loss...

Welcome!
This is the first post of what I hope will be a long-lasting journal of my adventures in weight loss and running.  My goal is to chronicle everything I learn, so that others can benefit from my mistakes and set themselves up for success.




Fatty McGee to Forest Gunp
Soooo....yeah, both those guys are me.  Forty + pounds apart.  The first picture was taken on January 1, 2010.  The second was taken on April 16, 2011.  I would love to tell you that I am proud of the weight I lost, but I am not. Because I am not proud of the fact that I had that much to lose to begin with.  At the same time, had I not allowed myself to get into such poor physical condition, I most likely would never have found such a wonderful hobby in running.  If you are an experienced runner, this blog probably won't be for you, unless you just like to laugh at the rookie or you would like to add some comments or correct my mistakes.  Rather, this blog is for the begining runner, because I am still a begining runner.  My goal is to share with you my experiences and my journey as I learn and progress. 

Motivation
I believe anyone can lose weight, and anyone can run.  But a very relative few like to do either.  We see ads all over the place encouraging us to lose weight this way or that.  We look in the mirror, or squeeze into our ill-fitting clothes, fat dumb and unhappy, wishing we wanted to do anything about it.  All it takes is a little motiviation.  For me, it was my wife.  She will tell you that's no good, that you need to do it for yourself, and that is very true, in the end.  But in the begining, something's gotta get you off of the couch, and she was the one that did it for me.  There was no magic moment or anything like that.  She had just lost the last of her pregnancy weight, and I was so proud and appreciative of the work she did that I finally decided that if she was going to be stuck looking at me for the rest of her life, she at least deserved to have me look halfway decent.  So I started eating salads instead of chili cheese fries.  I started drinking water instead of soda.  I started having air-popped popcorn at night instead of ice cream.  And the weight started coming off, slowly but surely.  It dawned on me that if I started moving more, the weight might come off a little faster.  So I started walking on a treadmill, about a mile or so everyday.  After about a week of walking, my body started telling me it wanted to go faster.  So I went faster.  Then it wanted to go farther.  So I went farther, up to 2.5 miles at a clip.  And the weight started coming off faster.  After just 3 weeks, I was running.  At first, I had to force myself to get up and get going.  But soon, I had to force myself to stop.

Change of Perspective
My body was telling me it wanted to go farther and faster.  But even more than that, I started to love it.  I had to do it.  I ran and ran and ran, at least 5 days a week, ususally 6 or 7.  And I felt great.  But what was most amazing, at least to me, was that it stopped seeming like work.  It became a hobby.  I stopped caring about the weight loss.  I didn't care anymore about my weight.  I only wanted to run.  And even now, I refuse to say that I excercise everyday.  I RUN everyday.  It has become my single favorite activity.  And I hope that those of you who are thinking about losing weight realize that you, too, can get to where you want to be AND HAVE FUN DOING IT!  Because it is fun, and it is exciting, and because it's good for you.

Join Me...
This is a journey for me, and I would like to invite you to come along.  It's a journey that has taken me from being a slug to a rabbit (albeit a middle of the pack, average speed rabbit - but a rabbit nonetheless).  I will tell you how I got here, and everything I've learned, and I will share with you everything I continue to learn.  Because just as I've found that I have to keep on running, I've found that with running, you have to keep on learning!