2011, what a year…
If you would have told me that at the end of this year I would have finished these races, I would have laughed at you. When we started off, I was really trying to drop about 40 pounds. I did not expect to do much more than that. But to be here, to look back, its hard not to get choked up. This year I ended up finishing seven 5Ks, two 10Ks, Warrior Dash, my first official half-marathon, my first full marathon, Tough Mudder, and more training miles in between than I ever imagined. I am not patting myself on the back, please don’t misunderstand me. I still have plenty left to travel down this road I am on , however, I have a huge sense of accomplishment looking at this.
What can be done in 180 days?
Exactly 180 days ago, my wife and I made a decision to get healthy. 180 days… today. In some aspects I look back and it feels like 180 days is a very long time. However, it also feels like that time has flown by. What has happened in 180 days:
- Eat Healthy: It all started with this. We threw away our unhealthy food and restocked with good stuff following the Biggest Loser 30 Day Jump Start. Note I did not say a diet. We have never been, and never will be, on a diet. We are eating healthy! Stopped drinking caffeine, eating red meat, eating fast food, and focused on a healthy balanced eating program consisting of 3 meals and 2 snacks a day.
- Fitness: Ran my first 5K in March, and have run 4 after that. One of those 5K’s was the first my wife and I had run and it brings tears to eyes seeing this photo. Started Crossfit March 31, 2011 and have continued going at least 3 days a week. Completed the Warrior Dash in May and now have my first half-marathon approaching in November and Tough Mudder in December.
- Weight Loss: At the date of this post, I have lost 65lbs, gone from a 44 in the waist to a 36, and even lost a shoe size. I was pushing a XXXL shirt and have gone down to an XL or L in some cases. I managed to document most of this along the way and it feels good to look back at old photos and remember where I started.
- Life in General: I am being called skinny now for the first time in my life. I am at a weight that I have not seen in about 10 years. I have never felt this strong and this fast in my life, ever. Don’t get me wrong, I still have a long way to go. But I feel so much better and so much more comfortable in my own skin than I ever have.
Although both my wife and I are doing this together, I speak mostly about my accomplishments here. She has not really wanted to take “then & now” shots, but is getting closer to wanting to do that. When she does hopefully she wont mind me posting them here to show off all of her hard work.
With all of that said, we both still have work to do. I want to see 200 pounds and would love to do that before my foot crosses the start line at my first half-marathon. I want to complete a triathlon. I want to complete an Ironman. There is so much more I have yet to do with this life.
If you are reading this and been stuck in a rut, not sure how or if you can move forward, and are sick and tired of feeling sick and tired, know above all else that you can do it. All it takes is getting started. Take that first step in a new direction and then never go back.
PS - These pants used to be tight on me. :-)
More from Warrior Dash
Here are the best “official” photos from Warrior Dash. These are me scaling the car obstacles.
One of the last muddy water pits I went through.
I really felt like I had no gas left in the tank right here.
Jumping the fire…
And the finish line…
Here is some cool video shot of the Warrior Dash course I did in Georgia this past Sunday. It cuts out just about all of the running (which isn’t that exciting anyway) but gives you a great idea as to what the course looked like and what obstacles were there.
Warrior Dash Recap
For some, Warrior Dash was another party to attend. For me, it was more than that. It was more than a race. It was letting go worrying about what others thought of me. It was removing limits and boundaries. It was having confidence in myself to go out and do something that I have never done before.
The course we ran [here] was much too detailed to describe here. After sitting in the sun before the run, and then starting the race with about a mile to mile and a half run, we were dropped into water and then had to run through mud. The water weight and muddy clothes made for an interesting run. But I did it. I did not skip any obstacles and generally had a blast. What an awesome experience.
Photos after the jump.
Warrior Dash
This is happening today!
I have made too many excuses in life. I look back and wish I had done more. When I first saw the Warrior Dash I knew that deep down I wanted to try it. But made excuses about not being ready, not healthy enough, not thin enough. I am tired of making excuses and missing out. With eating healthy and my exercise routine, there is no reason why I could not do this. So I am signing up. No more excuses.
