How I got started...

I thought it would sure be nice to start a journal to keep track of my progress from a beginning runner to an intermediate-beginning runner and decided on the form of a blog. Maybe some of the more mature runners out there will have some advice for me as I progress slowly through the miles.

Don't get me wrong, I was a "real" runner at one time. When I met my wife 14 years ago, I was running a few miles everyday and had a PR of 21:38 in a 5k. However, something about this marriage thing packed the pounds on! :-) Last year at 270 pounds I realized I had to do something! I remembered my brief time as a runner in the days of my youth and strapped on the new balance shoes. 1/8 mile later my legs ached, my side was splitting, and my breathing sounded like a freight train. Not exactly the start I was hoping for!

I knew I still had to do something. I had developed atrial fibrilation, sleep apnea, frequent headaches, backaches, and GI problems out the wazoo! (uh, yeah, literally). Plus I just felt miserable half the time. Christmas has nothing on the slowness of my metabolism so I knew exercise had to be a part of whatever I did to take off the weight. So, I pulled out the Galloway book again and started walking and runni....no...let's say jogging.

It's been about 18 months since and I have lost over 70 pounds and now run between 2 - 5 miles a day five or six days a week. I've added some weight training in the last couple of months and no longer have headaches, GI problems, and have been to the sleep clinic and no longer have sleep apnea. The atrial fib is more manageable and I feel a 100 times better!

But we cannot ever rest on our laurels. I still have about 20 more pounds I need to lose and would love to get faster and go longer. Two weeks ago, I ran my first race since beginning running 18 months ago. It was a hilly 5k I ran in 29:52. I will run the Race for the Cure 5K on October 22nd and have a secret hope for a time under 28 minutes.

I have several goals besides the 20 pounds of weight I want to lose. They are as follows:

• Run the Gum Tree 10K in May of next year in under 54 minutes.
• Run a 5K next year in under 25 minutes
• Complete a sprint triathlon within the next 2 years
• Run a 6:30 mile

If anyone out there finds this blog and has a question, advice, or just wants to say hello, please send me a comment. And please, feel free to follow along in my journey!