New Year's Eve ... where did it start?

Several years ago, in my mid teens, I was an above average athlete. Five feet ten and a half inches tall, lean (though I didn't believe I was) 158 to 168 depending on the sport I was playing.  The weight shift was negligible and a natural change that I took for granted. Heavier during football season, lighter for everything else.

My college major was Health and Physical Education so i had not need to monitor my weight,  Being active was natural for me and I paid it little attention. Then it happened. During wrestling class I started to drop a few pound. Being a little lighter allowed me to jump a little higher. In fact for one short summer, I could dunk a basketball in a regulation hoop. Do not be confused, dunk not jam, more of a push it down into the basket.

I got married and started spending less time being as active as I was once was, and found myself slowly putting on a few pounds.I eventually entered the US Navy as jobs were scarce and I needed to do something. These five years created challenges, sitting at a radar screen drinking coffee, drinking to excess when in port for Rand R, eating and sitting around became a way of life.

A serious knee injury, lateral femoral epicondyle fracture defect, led to and honorable discharge and looking for a job. eight week non-weight bearing and several weeks learning to walk again (that was a surprise to me).  Five months later while teaching at the same school as my wife, it was out the door for me and we began a process leading to divorce. With a need to change I sought employment near, so to spend time with my daughter, but away to create some space for myself. During an interview I saw this girl walking across the quad, only to disappear in a door way. As the school year came to an end I found I would be starting new job nearby, but had the summer to contemplate what to do while I was waiting to start. I took up running for the first time. I still say I was more of a jogger than a runner. I started this experience weighing 180 pounds, By the end of the summer I was running nearly everyday and distances of four to eight miles. My weight dropped to 163.

Feeling good about myself and starting over things looked good. Two months later I shattered my tibial platue. As a physical education instructor this poses a problem. Eight more weeks of non weight bearing, three screws and a month of physical therapy and starting over. This lay off was the start of the weight gain issues. I took up beer as a means to pass time. Empty calories and stupid rules.

Healed up and working again, a relationship that worked then failed.  I did eventually meet that girl from the day I interviewed and married her. Before that I managed to injure the same knee a third time. Playing in a faculty student soccer game on a muddy field, a girl slipped and landed on the side of my leg tearing my a medial collateral ligament. Five more weeks on crutches and on I continue.

I now enrolled in a graduate level program so free time became a nonexistent. since I was busy any, we got engaged and wedding planning started. My ex had moved to a distance far enough away that I didn't spend much time with my daughter. So again beer came into play. I even took to making it.  I was playing basketball once a week with the Groundhog and made some friends. Plantar faciitis came and hung around for nearly two years. Tried the Body for Life program and the Abs Diet, both I found to be very good. Another job search and out the door went any true exercise regime.

As I changed roles positions and continued to gain weight as I never truly committed for more than four months to a workout/weight management program. I discovered running again just last year. Thirty to sixty minutes of me time. ran a few 5k's and tried a 10K, finishing in a better time than I planned. I was planning a half marathon and bang! Heel spur and plantar faciitis, part two.

Here I am eight months later getting out the door, no more excuses.

Going out the door ...

Saying you are going out the door, and then actually getting off your duff and moving out the door are two distinctly different things entirely. I need to practice what I preach. I consider this a "running" start into the new year and a new level of fitness. Enough of getting close then taking along break and starting all over again, it is time to change those habit that I have allowed myself to enjoy these past ten years (actually more like 15 on and off again).

I will weigh myself on January 1st and start documenting all of my activity and food intake starting on that day. The good, bad and ugly must be documented in order to analyze and improve. In order to improve I need to be honest with my condition and process. A couple of thing s I will somehow need to remind myself of over the next few months is that it is alright to love myself. By this I mean that recondition my thinking into allowing myself to take pride in what I do and in my appearance. I need to acknowledge that I am not perfect by any meas, anyone who knows me knows this is a fact. I can still strife for perfection in action and activities.

My records will need to include how I feel physically.  Where my emotional state is and what things weigh heavy on my mind.

Going out the door.

Got out and ran for 3.66 miles in 39:12 in temp of 34F

Up and at it already?

One of the hardest things to do is getting rid of old habits and creating new ones.  I am on holiday break from work, it is early morning and I want to do is sit on my couch and watch SportsCenter. No can do today, it is time to get up and get at it.

I made it out to the gym this morning despite the "Blizzard of 2010" which all over the news. we are very fortunate to live where we do because when ever there is a weather related episode here in the Greater Boston area, the entire rest of the world stops having problems. It's true! I get up to the snow right outside my window that is predicted to last at least six more hours, and nothing else in on the news. Nothing.  If I lived in any other part of the world Imagine, everywhere else in the world can take a nap, do some shopping or read a book without fear.

At the local exercise arena I was greeted with a smile by the only other person in the place. A gentleman who had arrived in a pick up truck with a shovel, broom and lots of snow in on the bed. I changed my footwear for fear of dirtying the floor, and headed to the treadmill mp3 player playing  CCR's  "Hey Tonight".

Performed a two minute walking warm up, ran a 5.5 mph pace at a 2 percent incline for forty minute, cooled down with a four minute walk at 3 mph for a total of 4.8 miles.

On the treadmill I have discovered several variation of running tempos and variations to stay interested in staying on the flat gerbil wheel. I'll be testing them out over the next few weeks as it appears to have snowed here according to local weather reports.

Making it Public

I was an athlete once.

Not a division one college blue chipper, not an Al Bundy high school stud. but an average guy with a little talent and a competitive spirit. I know that guy is still onside me and I am looking to find him again. As recently as eight months ago I finished my first 10K race in under an hour. Not a threat to any Olympic qualifiers, but fairly respectable to me. My plans included attempting a half marathon in May, then it hit me again, a heel spur and plantar fasciitis.

I have been limping since last April, in some way, shape or form.  You would be amazed at all the products out there all claim relief instantly of at least quickly.  Still looking for the one that works on me. Inserts, heel pads, analgesic creams, nighttime foot flexing devices are all on a list that continues to grow.

I decided that I can run through some of the pain and discomfort. After reading "Long Run," by Matt Long and Charles Butler, about Matt Long a NY firefighter who over came being impaled on a bicycle under a tour bus, to return to running and eventually finish the New York marathon,  I couldn't complain about minor aches any longer.  So here I am on my continuum moving from Fat to Fit again.

This is not something I am taking lightly. While not a tale worthy of a major  movie deal, it is real. Everyone who makes a change resulting in an improvement know the sacrifices you must endure.  Hey it may be simple to someone on the outside, but it can be gut-wrenching to the person making the change. So don't judge, join in and try to understand.

Over the next several months I will be working on my losing weight while I increase my overall physical conditioning fitness level. My goals include dropping thirty pounds, running a half marathon and building a stronger, more defined core.

Changes in diet and visits to the gym will be essential to meet with success. If you are on a similar middle aged journey share your story. remember as a TEAM that Together Everyone Achieves More.

Cheers

Picked a great day to start, first day of a blizzard here in New England.