I share this because I hope to inspire others.
For the better part of two years, I have been on a journey to return to a better ME. In that span of time, I have been challenged, I’ve challenged myself, and even met an initial goal to run a ½-Marathon in 2021. Up to that point and due to an old back injury from a car accident in 1998, I had not run anything for almost 10 years, and I never even intended to be a runner!
I am happy to report that as of this week, I have officially lost over 60 pounds since January 2021! Aside from the weight loss, I have gained strength, new-found mobility, improved health, and returned to my love of running. I have lowered my blood pressure, cholesterol, my heart is stronger than ever, and I feel physically better than I have in a long time (no back pain)! The best part is that I am able to try new things because I CAN!
How did I get here? Back in 2006, the firm where I worked hired a Personal Trainer as part of their benefits package and I signed on immediately. I was 300+ pounds had chronic back pain from the aforementioned car accident, always felt weak, and was easily out of breath on several occasions. Dena, the Personal Trainer they hired, after some time asked, “Would you ever consider running?” I would always reply with, “Only if a bear is chasing me!” While I was joking, she was quite serious! So reluctantly, I started training to run under her guidance. I ultimately lost almost 70 pounds by working out and running small distances at first, working my way up to running the WDW ½-Marathon in 2009. I signed up for the next three Disney ½-Marathons (2010, 2011, and 2012) and enjoyed each one. I continued to exercise and run a few miles every other day without issue.
However, 2012 would be the year I re-injured my back. During a somewhat intense group exercise/training session with coworkers (and without a trainer) later in the year, I felt a shooting pain go down my leg that caused me to fall to my knees. It was my back, again! It took several weeks for the pain to subside and I figured this would be the end of running for me for the foreseeable future. For the next several years, fear became my friend. Fear of further injury during subsequent years saw me creep back up close to the 300 pound mark after having been as low as 200 pounds. Mentally, I wasn't happy with myself. I was depressed and had lost a lot of confidence and self-esteem. Physically, I found myself in pain and my back often bothered me (sometimes quite painfully) due to the extra weight. Medically, I had developed high blood pressure and was on medication to control it. I had also begun getting increased bouts of acid reflux to the point of having to take medication for that as well. I was also monitoring my cholesterol. After years of what became a more sedentary lifestyle, I definitely was not in a good place! In fact, I felt worse than ever about myself. Then came the events of 2020…
The events of 2020 made things even worse. Like so many, I primarily worked from home during the Covid-19 pandemic and continued my mostly sedentary life. Offices, parks and gyms closed. When could we be around others, again? Things that I enjoyed, such as visiting theme parks, nature parks, etc. were either closed or limiting capacity. There were so many unknowns at first. Lack of interaction with other humans also contributed to depression. I never knew how much I desired movement or how much of a “people person” I was! I needed to find something positive… something to get me excited… something to do other than sit behind a desk all day… something to motivate me. Little did I know what was on its way to me! It’s funny how the ‘Universe’ provides when you put things out there.
In an attempt to start things off on a much-needed positive note for the New Year, my Colorado Family came to Orlando for a visit, and we agreed to meet on New Year’s Day 2021. I was really looking forward to seeing everyone again, even if it was behind a mask.
While enjoying some food, walks, and each other’s company, the topic of running came up. We discussed me being able to run again and I reminisced about how much I enjoyed running at Disney, in local parks, etc. We also talked about how running helped me feel better about me, physically and mentally. As many of those conversations did, this one ended with my standard reply, “but my back won’t let me” or “I’m afraid of hurting my back again.” As a Personal Trainer, my friend Shannon brought up in our conversation that she could help get me running again, but thoughts of my back injury kept popping up as this was my biggest concern. I just wasn’t sure or ready to take that on and I did not want to risk the possible injury or pain.
Weeks passed and it was time for my medical physical examination. My doctor brought up my hypertension, my acid reflux, and my excessive weight (as if I did not already know). The doctor and I discussed that weight loss and lowering my blood pressure was of utmost importance. This put me over the edge and was my turning point.
Early in the process (and to this day), I reached out for guidance and encouragement from my amazing friend and Certified Personal Trainer Shannon at Fitness Realist, Personal Training LLC. We just talked at first and discussed options and goals. I put my trust in her and we started slowly to restore balance, core strength, and help me get back to running. We worked on several exercises to do daily, and slowly started me running; short runs at first, but the length of the runs also increased little by little. Ultimately, I signed up for the Walt Disney World Wine & Dine Half-Marathon in 2021: my first since 2012 (10 years) and I did it! In fact, I was surprised by Shannon herself! She made a trip out to be with me and my family for this special moment! To say that I was surprised and happy was an understatement! After that race, I felt like a million dollars!
Bottom line: Better health and mobility were my motivation (I didn’t want to be in pain anymore), but feeling and seeing the results keeps me going. Love, support, and encouragement from my friends and family added to the motivation (you know who you are). Honestly, it seems like no matter how often I say it, just saying thank you is not enough.
Fast-forward to 2023… Now, I have run several half-marathons. I am running multiple times a week in beautiful settings all over Central Florida. I even get to run with wonderful people! Additionally, I have been blessed to run in beautiful places out of state such as Colorado and Tennessee. Also, I’m signing up for races every month (5k, 10k, 10-milers, half-marathons, over bridges, up mountains, etc.). In fact, I am scheduled to run a 5k and half-marathon on back-to-back days later in the year! I can even say that I've fulfilled my 2022/2023 goal of running a FULL marathon at one of my favorite places: Walt Disney World! For 2023, I've gone on to register for at least one significant race every month (10k, ½-marathon, etc.), and have begun a strength training regimen that is kicking my butt, making me feel stronger than I have ever felt. I am discovering muscles that I never knew I needed or had!
For those of you wondering, this is all about health and mobility. While looking better is a nice result of the exercise and running, I am not perfect, but I am still the funny, goofy, dorky, creative, kind-hearted, nice guy that I've always been. Just ask my friends and family! Though I have learned and continue to learn a bunch about me and how my body works, my heart and personality won’t change as I pursue my athletic, career, and personal goals.
By the way, I will never tell you that any of this was easy, but I promise that hard work and persistence does pay off. I turn 48 in April 2023 (2 years from 50!!), but I don't plan on stopping. I plan to be in it for the long haul. This is an investment in ME, and I figure I'm worth it! I feel blessed! I feel loved! I feel strong! I feel incredible! I feel amazing! Can't wait to see what happens next!
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