Why I run and why I write...

After years of fluctuating weight, I needed to get serious about weight loss. At one point in my life, a friend made a chart for me to record progress (it included stickers). The summer after my sophomore year at college was the worst (Summer 2000). However, it was the combination of events (namely, finding out I was nearly the heaviest person in my family and having a chain-smoking acquaintance of mine laughing, as he ran laps around my fat butt on the track) that put me at a crossroads. I could pack it in, give up, and be fat the rest of my life, or I could do something about it.

Over the course of the next few years, I lost nearly 70 pounds. In that time, I began eating better (vegetables were new), running, and met and married my wife.  Somewhere between college and wedding, I began running.  Teaching and coaching, I found myself an ex-hurdler coaching the distance runners on our school's track team.  It took until my second year, but I began going out on the road with the kids.  That summer, I trained with the school's athletes and got in the best shape I'd been in since I was 16 or 17...Seven wasted years with nearly zero fitness goal.  Still, I was newly married, and I stuck with that running thing.

My running fluctuated for a while, on in the winter and summer; off in the fall and spring.  Likewise, the weight continued to fluctuate, having gained back half the weight over a 3 year period.  

That Thanksgiving, after my favorite race in the world, I declared I would run a marathon by the time I turned 31, and get my weight back down.  Then, it hit me. In high school, my fitness motivation was increased by the fact that coaches checked if I hit my reps and sets in the weightroom and on the track. I need the added motivation of knowing that people are checking up on my progress.

Let me know if I'm slacking.  Please, continue to check up on me.  And, thank you in advance for checking up on me...It has helped so far.  In October 2009, I finished that marathon.  It was satisfying, but far from the goal.  The running bug bit, and the need to improve my health and weight continue to be my prime motivators.

While, I continue to watch my weight fluctuate between summer's lows, and winter's highs, I've been about the same weight for the last 4 years.  It's a struggle.  My health has improved, and my running is more frequent.

From here on out, I have simple goals for myself: get fitter, incorporate a little cross-training, and build both speed and endurance.  I also have simple goals for this blog: continue to get my thoughts out, hope somebody is reading, and try to catch somebody's interest.

The ideas expressed in this blog are only the thoughts, opinions, and ponderings of the author, and should by no means be associated with my employer, my family, my dog, or pretty much anyone else in the world.  They are my thoughts, and my thoughts alone, however, you're welcome to read them, comment on them, or tell me I'm completely crazy.  Thank you.