Esquerre Athletic Coaching: 525,600 minutes measured in pounds

I briefly mentioned in my previous post that this past Sunday marked my one year anniversary of running. When I first started running I had no idea where it would take me. I wasn't even sure how long I would keep up with it since I stopped and started so many years prior. But this time I was determined to be consistent and didn't make any long term goals initially. At the same time that I started back running I also decided to get my eating back in gear. For about six or seven years prior I was a pescetarian (someone who eats fish but no beef or poultry) but I went back to eating meat after I got married. I also went back to eating more sugary foods and drinking alcohol. While my bad eating habits and a low/no activity level was not the cause of my low self-esteem, it certainly wasn't helping it. Up until I was thirty years old I weighed on average 135-140 lbs. but I noticed that my clothes were getting tighter and I felt uncomfortable doing basic activities. Before I knew it I had ballooned to 170 lbs. on my 5'3" frame.

Once I packed on all this weight I was really unhappy with how I looked and how I felt but I didn't want to do anything about it. It seemed easier to stay on the same path that I was on and although I didn't like how I looked I tried to get used to it. Fake it till you make it was my motto and I figured that at some point I would make peace with my weight gain. Besides I hated working out and going to the gym. Rather than try and make better choices and live healthier I wanted to be "content" with unhappiness. Who would want to live a life like that? Me, that's who.

After a heart to heart talk with my wife and really hard look at my life and where I wanted to be in the next five to ten years, I realized that I had to change. Not only did I want to be healthy and happy for myself but I wanted that for my family as well. So I started off running a small amount of miles here and there, averaging 10-15 miles a week with some Tony Horton P90X thrown in for cross training. I took some pictures of what I looked like when I started as motivation to keep me going. I never thought these pictures would see the light of day but sharing is caring. Please take note of the excitement on my face.

Though there were many days when my body hurt and I fought with myself to get out and run, I kept going. Soon I was going from 15 miles a week to 20 and then 30. I picked up every running magazine I could find, I read tons of books on form and nutrition, I watched documentary after documentary about runners and running. I started cooking healthier foods and cooking at home more often. I tracked what I ate and completely cut alcohol out of my life (no wine, not even a hard cider). I only got on the scale occasionally because I didn't want to become obsessed with a number, but I did feel my pants start to hang off me and my shirts were much looser.

I wanted to run the Space Coast half marathon but it sold out in one day. I wanted to run this race for so many years and couldn't imagine waiting another year. Since I planned to run the half but train for a full my wife suggested I sign up for the full. After a couple of days of internal debate I signed up, no turning back. The summer time came pretty quickly and I started training for the marathon. I got even more serious about my eating and traded P90X for a workout group of moms. Now my body was changing right before my eyes. More importantly I was more confident, fulfilled and happy than I had been in years. My oldest daughter told me how proud she was of me that I was committing to a healthier lifestyle. My wife was ecstatic to see me be happy and playful again. In one year I managed to completely change my life around.

Running isn't just a hobby for me, it's my life. Running makes me feel better. I may grumble and complain before a run but I always feel happier after a run, even if I didn't do as well as I planned. Running helps me handle stress and enables me to roll with the punches when things don't go my way. Running has helped me get back in tune with my body and I care more about what I put in it so I can get what I want out of it. Running has made me a better wife, mother, daughter and friend. I finally feel like I have connected with the person that I always wanted to be. Running has introduced me to the REAL me, and I love who I am.