"There were times when I thought I couldn't last for long
But now I think I'm able to carry on
It's been a long, been a long time coming
But I know a change is gonna come, oh yes it will"
The first week of August 2009 I waited by the phone each day waiting for reports from Anne Arundel Medical Center. My mother had just gone through surgery to repair a problem with her intestines. It was one of many recent problems she had to overcome. I thought about my own health; I hadn't had any problems to speak of...I must be doing OK. But, the longer I thought about it, the more scary truths were realized. I was once a top athlete and motivated Marine weighing in at a lean 165 lbs; Now it was a struggle to put on my socks in the morning at 250 lbs.
That weekend, while visiting my mother in the hospital, I made a decision to change. With the support of my fantastic wife, I decided that I would regain control over my fitness and health...My LIFE. Melissa and I signed up for the Philadelphia Marathon 8K...that's right just 8K - only 5 miles. That was the goal I would use as motivation to start this journey. At the time I couldn't run a half mile consecutively, so it seemed like a pretty tall order.
As of today, the miserable, 250 lb, 30 year old man is 4 days from race day...weighing in at 210 lbs and running 20+ miles per week.
As if that wasn't enough change, Melissa is pregnant and we are expecting our first child in May.
Could life get any better!?! I hope so. Regardless, I'm going to make the best of every minute of it.
Throughout the course of this blog I want my friends and family to come on the journey with me. Each week I'll delve into the failings of my past and the dreams of my future. My hope is that the ones I love will get to share a little more of me and maybe take a part of me that can help them better their lives.
