A Year in the Life

I can't believe 2012 is already over... wow!

A quick runthrough of some of the highlights:

January: First Broncos game, trip to Florida for Warrior Dash

February: Skiing @ Keystone

March: Skiing @ Breckenridge, Trip to Moab, UT

April: Bought the first pair of jeans I've owned in 10+ years

May: Ran my first half marathon!  The Color Run

June:  Visited Rocky Mountain National Park

July:  Trip to MN for the 4th of July, climbed Mount Elbert (highest peak in CO)

August:  Trip to Arizona- Phoenix, Sedona, Grand Canyon, had an amazing RA training

September: Started a new school year working at JWU, Rock n Roll Denver 1/2 marathon relay

October:  Anniversary trip to Albuquerque for the International Balloon Fiesta

November: Surprise trip to Aspen/Hanging Lake

December:  Casa Bonita! Christmas with the Amazing family, Cousin Allison's wedding

Holy cow!  As I look back on the year I realize how lucky I am...

Now, a look at the goals I had for 2012:

1. Get down to 210, then never get back above 220.  Made it to 217 in May during 1/2 marathon training.  Gained plenty after.  

2. Run a race every month.  The streak continues!

3. Run a half marathon.   Ran my first half marathon in May!

4. Climb a 14era.   I climbed my first 14er this summer - Mount Elbert - the tallest peak in CO

5. Ski Keystone, Breckenridge, A Basin, Vail, and Beaver Creek. Didn't make it to all, but I will in 2013!

6. Go to a Broncos, Avalanche, Rockies, Nuggets, and Rapids game. I love sports!

7. Join a sports league. Technically, no, but did some great things and met some awesome people through running and volleyball

8. Present at a professional conference. Submitted proposals for 2013, but was denied - oh well!

9. Discover or rediscover a creative outlet. This got neglected through the shuffle of life.  I have a few things up my sleeve for 2013 though!

10. Read 50 Books. Not even close - barely read anything the second half of the year.

11. Visit 5 new places

-Ski Resorts Keystone & Breckenridge for skiing, Beaver Creek for Tough Mudder

-Moab, Utah & Arches/Canyonlands National Parks

-Fort Collins for my half marathon

-Rocky Mountain National Park

-Phoenix, Sedona, and Grand Canyon

-Albuquerque, New Mexico

-Aspen

Throw in a trip back to FL and a 4th of July in MN and this guy's a happy camper!  Yes, a lot of these are in CO, but when you move to a new place, it's so much fun to explore.  Especially a place as amazing as Colorado!

12. Smile and laugh. A lot.   These are the moments that make life worth living.

Although I'm ending 2012 on a rough note, it was a phenomenal year, filled with memories, adventures, and love.  Thanks for sharing the journey with me!

Ugly Sweater Run

Today marks the 2 year anniversary of my first race.  I got to bust out the same shirt that I wore that day for this one as well.  Full circle.

My coworker Renee and I headed to City Park for this adventure.  As we were walking to the registration area, we knew this was going to be a race to remember.  People walking from every direction in ugly sweaters.  7,000 strong.

I'm pretty happy with this race.  I was very consistent throughout, and I was just hoping to go sub-30.  It's been a struggle to get back that that consistency, but I've been working out pretty consistently over the past week and a half.

It was a weird combination of struggle and feeling pretty good, but I just kept trucking along.  One of the most fun races I have ever done!

2 Years

2 years ago today, I ran my first race.  It was the Jingle Bell Run in St. Petersburg, FL.

I was fat.

I reached my peak weight of 284 pounds in the fall of 2010.  My life was in an incredible place - I was in the midst of earning my master's degree, living this adventure filled life in Florida.  Life was great.  But I wasn't happy.  So I started running.  And by running, I meant elephant-stomping my way to a quarter mile.  Yes, a quarter mile.  That was my first run in years.  I never considered myself a runner, but at several points of my life it was a way for me to lose weight, most notably during high school and then again during college.  That quarter mile in late 2010 was one of the most eye opening and reality checking moments of my life.  How did I let myself get there?

It's crazy to think of how different my life is from that moment, and how much my life has changed.

And I owe a lot of that to running.

On December 8, 2010, I ran the race with a bunch of friends on the St. Petersburg Pier.  When I signed up, I made a goal that I would run a 5K every month for a year.  A goal that I knew I would not reach.  That night, as thousands of people were gathering toward the start line, I felt a sense of rejuvenation that I had not felt in a long time.  As I plowed my then-260-ish-pound body through those 3 miles, I knew that I was headed down a road that would set me up for success for a long time.  When I crossed the finish line, my life changed forever.

In one moment, I realized that this is something that I want to do for the rest of my life.

I am not a runner.  At least, that's what doctors have told me.  This is something I should not be doing.  But this is something that has saved my life.  Or at least the overall quality of it.

I run to free my mind and soul.  I run for the love of it.  And nobody can take that feeling, meaning, and passion away.

So here I am, 2 years later.  60 pounds lighter.  400+ miles later.  I have ran a whole lot of 5Ks.  A couple 10Ks.  A 15K.  A Tough Mudder.  A half marathon.  And coming in 2013: a marathon.  And that streak that I never thought I would accomplish is still alive.  I have ran at least one race every month since that December day, and I plan to for as long as my body will let me.

As I reflect over the past 2 years, I am in awe of how much my life has changed and will continue to do so...

...one step at a time.


Some highlights of the 2 year journey:

Races:  31
First Race: Jingle Bell Run - St. Petersburg, FL - December 8, 2010
Fastest 5K: Run for the Door - Denver, CO - May 12, 2012 - 27:26
Favorite 5K: The Color Run - Denver, CO - May 26, 2012
Coolest Race:  Fans on the Field 10K - Denver, CO - Sept 25, 2011
Most Scenic Race: Canyonlands 5 Mile - Moab, UT - March 17, 2012
Most Memorable Race: Colorado Half Marathon - Ft. Collins, CO - May 6, 2012
States raced in: Florida, Minnesota, Colorado, Utah
Hottest Race: Red, White, and Boom! Twin Cities 5 Mile -Minneapolis, MN - July 4, 2012
Coldest Race: Christmas Day 5K - St. Paul, MN - December 25, 2011

To see some of the running milestones, visit my running page.

Turkey Day 5K

Happy Thanksgiving!

If you're a runner, you must do a turkey trot.  It's apparently a rule.  Thanksgiving day races are some of the most popular races in any area for runners and non-runners alike.  In fact, the Turkey Trot in Buffalo, NY is the longest running continuous road race in the country, first welcoming galloping gobblers in 1896.

To kick of my Gobblefest, I chose to do the Highlands Ranch Turkey Day 5K.  I knew a couple people doing it, who I ended up not seeing due to the crowds of people, and it was on the end of town I would be spending my day.

I got there later than I had hoped, so there was a little scramble to get my chip and bib in time for the start.  Because of this, I got stuck behind a lot of the people with strollers, people with kids, and people with dogs.  That's all I need to explain for people who run races frequently.

The first quarter mile was spend weaving through people on the flat path, but then the course turned into the surrounding neighborhood streets.  And went up.  And up.  The first two miles of the race were uphill winding though the suburban neighborhood.  It was tough.

Then, once we hit the 2 mile mark, we went onto a paved trail that went down through a ravine to the finish line.

Nothing overly special or impressive about this run.  I learned to never eat BDubs the night before a race (I thought I was going to throw up for a little bit after the race).

But no matter what, there's not a whole lot of things I would rather be doing on a Thanksgiving morning.

Chip Time:  30:43

Run for Remembrance

Since I ran my half marathon in May, I haven't been running that consistently.  Or that far.  So I've been trying to find opportunities to gain consistency and keep pushing myself until the end of the year.  About a month ago, my coworker Renee told me about a 10K that she wanted to do, which would be her first.  I signed up and spent the next month trying to get to a point where I could run 6 miles again.

When the morning came, I was excited.  And nervous.  I had no idea how it was going to go.  Normally, I go into races with a time goal in mind.  Not this time.  I was just concerned about running the whole thing.

The race was the Run for Remembrance 10K, which benefits Remembering the Brave - an organization that honors the memory of our fallen soldiers.  The morning was cold - temperature dropping by the minute and wind gusts piercing everybody at the starting line.  It began with the organizer saying a few heartfelt words, a moment of silence, and the countdown.

Mile 1 was considerably easy - nothing special.  I usually start races too fast, so I made sure I kept a pace that I could maintain for a while.  We looped around a building through a park.

Mile 2 was the same.  Except I was already starting to get tired.  Not a good sign not even 1/3 of the way into the race.  But this part was flat, so I just focused on trudging along.  I looked up to this ridge in the distance on my left and saw the lead runner on top.

Mile 3 was a little ridiculous.  We rounded through the starting area where a few soldiers made a human gate for us to run through.  The course took us across a grassy field that felt like running through sand.  Then we had to climb a tough hill for about .2 miles that took us to the top of the ridge.  Once on top of the ridge, the view was great.  Swampy wetlands to my right, the Denver skyline in the distance to the left.  Once I caught my breath, I could start to enjoy it.

Mile 4 was pretty good.  Flat.  Gravel.  Just focused on going.  Not stopping.  By the end of this mile, I started feeling really good.  I caught a second wind that felt great.  We ran down a hill off the ridge, passed a dog park, and back onto a sidewalk.

Mile 5 was the hardest of the race, but since I caught my second wind, I could make it without dying.  Instead of the big hill earlier, this was a slight uphill that lasted about .75 mile.  As I was going up, people were passing me on the way back of a small out-and-back portion of the course.  All I could think about was getting to the turnaround so I could go downhill.  Finally got there, and started the home stretch.

Mile 6 was starting to get a little painful.  I still felt ok, but my legs and feet started to hurt.  My body is not used to running this far, so I was paying for it a little in the end.  The distance between runners was expanding, so this was the only stretch of the race that I was really alone.

The Finish was across that grassy field again, but this time it felt easier.  Perhaps that was because in just a few hundred yards, I could stop running.  I crossed the finish line with a smile on my face, caught my breath, then grabbed a water.  A few minutes later, I got to watch Renee cross the finish line and her excitement was priceless.  She completed her first 10K and hit the goals she set for herself.

It was my slowest 10K, but I wasn't expecting a whole lot out of this one.  I just wanted to use it as a challenge to keep getting back on track.  I just wanted to see if I could make it the whole way.  I just wanted to enjoy a fun race.

I just wanted to run.

No Quit November

Thinking back to the beginning of the year, I wanted this to be the year of no excuses.

I will reflect more on that as the year comes to a close, but I think I have done a pretty good job of not making excuses for my shortfalls.

However, I have let myself quit this year.  I have let things get in the way.  I do a good job of owning up to where I feel I need to improve, but I'm not seeing the follow through.

So this month, as everyone grows out disgusting beards, I will make this month

NO QUIT NOVEMBER

Specifically as it relates to running and fitness.

Specifically as it relates to weight loss.

November, it's on!

Oct 1:   234
Nov 1:  230

Goal:  210 by 2013

Just Keep Swimming

Pretty good week!  Had a successful 5K last weekend, and had a great 4.5 miler in the snow the other day, with a few things in between.  Time to put it into high gear this weekend for one final push to close out October.  

Oct 1:     234.0
Oct 5:     229.8
Oct 12:   231.8
Oct 19:   231.4
Oct 26:   229.8

Goal: 210 by Dec 31

I'm realizing how difficult this is going to be, but I need to step it up.  

Back on Track 5K

Yesterday, I ran a race with my friend Emily which I deemed the "Get Back on Track 5K."

The actual race title was Juvenile Justice 5K.

My running has been of and on over the past several months.  I am making a final push for 2012 to hit some of my goals and set myself up to start 2013 on a strong note.

This race was at a familiar place for me - Cheesman Park.  I've done a few races there, and it is beautiful.  However, I always forget how subtle the hills are.  This course featured 2 laps around the outer gravel path, so the hills were wearing.  Twice.

The first time around, I felt good.  The second - pooped.  But I kept trudging.

My goal was under 30.  I didn't quite hit it.

Official Time:  30:24 - 9:47 pace - 23rd overall out of 104.

I feel ok about it.  I knew it wasn't going to be that great, but it was a good race considering the last several months.  It's just a little disheartening knowing I've lost 3 minutes off my 5K time since my half marathon training this spring.

Oh well, I know that I have to work at getting consistent again, so this is a great step for that.

More

I realize that I have to do more.

I can't live my normal life and expect things to change drastically.

After a reflective week, I realize that my default is lazy.  My default is not exercising.  My default is food.  So I have to fight against what's normal for me in order to see any changes.

After a bad first part of the week, I rallied and had a great second part of the week.

Oct 1:     234.0
Oct 5:     229.8
Oct 12:   231.8
Oct 19:   231.4

Goal: 210 by Dec 31

Hoping for a little more progress at this point, but changing and adapting as I go.  In order to stay on track, I will hopefully be around 226 by Halloween.  

This is going to be a good week.  I can feel it!

100

This marks my 100th post on this blog!

Just a couple fun facts to capture the journey that it's been:

-My first post was November 18, 2010.
-There have been 6,438 page views.  That seems like a lot to me.
-April 2012 was the most visited month.
-After the US, the most viewers by country are:  Russia, Germany, Canada, UK, Malaysia, Australia, Japan, Latvia...
-For all the nerds in the audience, 33% of visitors to my site use Firefox, 21% Safari, 19% Internet Explorer, 17% Google Chrome.  55% have used Windows, 30% Mac.  55% are incorrect.
-My top 5 posts (by # of views):  Fat Kid Chronicles, Tough Mudder, Lessons from Tangled, Dear Jeff, Police Appreciation Run

This was never really meant to be anything big.  Just a way for me to chronicle my life- a sort of digital personal scrapbook to keep me motivated and strive for new things in my life.

But as it turns out, a lot of people have read it.  Surprised.  Flattered.  Humbled.  Honored.

A word that keeps coming up when people talk to me about it is inspiring.  For some reason, people read some of my posts, stay connected to my life, and feel a new sense of inspiration and motivation.  I'm not sure if I will ever understand it, but it amazes me.  I've shared some ups and downs that I have experienced in my life.  I have shared successes and failures.  I have shared once in a lifetime moments and the mundane.  For some, a few of my stories have struck something in them, made an impact, and inspired some sort of action.

Through this journey, I have spent a lot of time thinking, reflecting, challenging, dreaming, hoping, learning, and living.  And through this journey, I have found so much hope and joy in in the people and world around me.  So I want to say a quick thank you to everyone who has read my blog, commented, talked, and shared this journey with me.  Whether you realize it or not, you are the ones who inspire me.

And for that, I am forever grateful.