The Morning Workout

Found this on TheBerry.com Daily Motivation page a while back.  No equipment...good workout.  I just printed it and put it in my room.  Adjust as needed to make it harder or easier.

Health Club or Club Sandwich?

I was following someone on the greenbelt by the river today that reminded me of a situation from way back in 2001.

This woman looked just like someone I used to work with.  One day my coworker was doing one of those goofy questionnaires in a magazine and asked me if I wanted to try it.  Sure, why not?  I only remember one question.  Health Club or Club Sandwich?  I said health club and she rolled her eyes at me as if to say 'Ya right fat boy...I'm putting you down for a club sandwich.'

I was over 300 pounds then so I understood why she acted that way but it really hurt my feelings and I was pissed about it.  Today, as I recalled this memory there was no anger.  Only a smile, and the thought of wishing I could reintroduce myself to her and say look at me now.

My 4 year anniversary of maintaining my weight loss is this week.  I have learned over this time that losing weight is the easy part.  Keeping it off for the rest of your life is a monumental challenge.  I am blessed that I have a family that supports me and fortunate to have found a love of running which has helped me maintain my weight over the past 4 years.

You are not special!

“Climb the mountain not to plant your flag, but to embrace the challenge, enjoy the air and behold the view. Climb it so you can see the world, not so the world can see you,”

David McCullough Jr. (Wellesley High School - You are not special commencement speech)

I found this today on a Marius Schwager's blog and it really hits home for me.  When I started my weight loss and running I have tried to do it for just one person, me.  I often tell people I am nobody special, which I am not. As I prepare for races I am usually fairly quiet and like to let my result be a reflection of all the hard work I put in (or unfortunately did not put in).  I realized when I signed up for my first 100 miler that I could not do this for the acceptance of others or the recognition of doing something so crazy.  

I made a deal with myself before ever signing up I wouldn't do so until I could answer two questions honestly.  First, could I look myself in the mirror and genuinely say that I would still sign up even if my friends didn't.  Second, would I still have the motivation to train properly every day even if I had to run every training day alone.  I signed up for the Bear 100 in July and ran a great majority of my runs alone.  There were several friends that did that race but we didn't spend much time on the trail together chatting.  I am happy to say that I never had even the smallest thought of quitting or not finishing that day...or any day since.