Thursday, March 28, 2013

It's About Training, Not Weight Loss.

I've been skinny. 



I've been fat.



Really fat.



And I've been healthy.



Right now, I'm somewhere between healthy and fat. I have put on weight over the last few months, mostly because my food choices were terrible and my fitness activity was hit-and-miss. Since January 1st, I have run two different team relays, two full marathons, and a 10K on St. Patrick's Day. That seems like a lot, but it isn't. My daily training was non-existent. I showed up for the big events but completely blew off the routine running and strength training.

Poor eating choices. Missed workouts. Pfft, what did I expect? I put on weight. And now, I feel sluggish and out-of-shape.

Obviously, I need to do something about it. The old me would immediately get on the scale, assess the damage, and make a short-term challenge to drop the excess weight. It worked before, it will work again. Right? Wrong.

Sure, I lost weight. And I'm proud of that. But I'm in a different place right now. Yes, I'm carrying extra pounds. But I also ran a marathon this month. So my "out of shape" is very different than the "out of shape" of a few years ago.

This time, my plan is very different. I am not focusing on losing weight. In fact, I'm not even going to weigh myself. Why should I? My clothes fit tighter, my running pace is slower, and my weights are lighter. I don't need a scale to tell me that I need to improve.

Nope, this time I am going to focus on training. Not weight loss. Training. Oh, sure, I'll do the same things. I'll eat healthier, I'll make my workouts a priority and I'll run farther and faster. But I won't be weighing in every day. I'll do the right things and trust that my body will respond in the right way. The bottom line is, I don't want to be skinny. I want to be healthy. Strong. Powerful. And that will come.

And here I am this morning, fresh off a 5K run to kick-start my day. I think I'm on the right track!



So, what about you? Are you trying to shed pounds or are you building a healthier you? What are you training for?

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Who's Running The Marine Corps Marathon? This Guy!

 

I wasn't sure if I was going to sign up, but when registration opened this morning, I found myself on auto-pilot clicking away like a madman. And I got in! 

Bring on the Marine Corps Marathon!

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

When Equal Isn't.


People are arguing before the highest court in the land to persuade the Justices that my husband and I don't deserve the right to marry each other in the eyes of the law. It's a bitter pill to swallow, knowing that my military service, my years of paying taxes, my lifelong allegiance to this nation... none of these guarantee that I am treated like a full and complete citizen. 

After sixteen years together, my husband and I are still strangers to each other according to the Federal Government. 

No. This man is many things to me - my husband, my partner, my strength, my best friend, my salvation - but the one thing he is not is a stranger. 


Today is bittersweet, indeed. 

Waiting On The Supreme Court...

It's tough to explain my emotions today. 

People are arguing before the highest court in the land to persuade the Justices that my husband and I don't deserve the right to marry each other in the eyes of the law. It's a bitter pill to swallow, knowing that my military service, my years of paying taxes, my lifelong allegiance to this nation... none of these guarantee that I am treated like a full and complete citizen. 

After sixteen years together, my husband and I are still strangers to each other according to the Federal Government. 

No. This man is many things to me - my husband, my partner, my strength, my best friend, my salvation - but the one thing he is not is a stranger. 

 

Today is bittersweet, indeed. 

Friday, March 15, 2013

Make Your Own Magic Moments.

Have you seen this video, yet? A guy gets a chance to play on stage with his musical idol and walks away with an amazing experience. See for yourself:


There are so many lessons here, and all of them are important. Even life-changing.

Imagine
  • When he knew he was going to attend the forum with Billy Joel, he envisioned the chance to join him for the song. There really wasn't any reason to expect it to happen, but the chance was there. And that was enough.
Prepare
  • Despite no real chance of this happening, the guy spent time practicing the song on the keyboard. If his moment presented itself, he wanted to be ready.
Ask
  • Against the odds, he was presented the opportunity to ask Billy Joel to sing with him. So he did. And what happened? Billy Joel said, "okay."
Deliver
  • And deliver, he did. He did everything he could to make this moment happen, and when it did, he played his heart out.


Some people will watch this and think, "oh, he's so lucky." Sure, there's an element of luck involved. I mean, not everyone there at the forum had the chance to ask a question. But this is an example of luck meeting preparedness. His earlier planning and his willingness to take a risk combined to deliver an amazing reward.

And it's not just a moment with a superstar. Each of us can make our own magic moments. We just need to imagine, prepare, ask, and deliver.

For me, running my first Ragnar Relay Race was a magic moment. When I first started working out, I had absolutely no expectation of being part of a 200 mile relay team. But I did imagine myself running faster and farther in the future. I had faith that I would get better if I just kept at it. And I did. I prepared myself for whatever was to come by running the miles, day after day and week after week. And months later, I stumbled across the RagnarRelaySeries website and asked, "what is this all about?" Then, with the right connection (thanks, Denise and Lisa!), I stepped up and took a leap of faith. I joined a team, showed up, and delivered.

And since that experience, running has taken me across the country, introduced me to (literally) hundreds of amazing people, and allowed me take part in relays, long-distance runs, obstacle courses, and crazy physical challenges.

It all started when I imagined something big for myself, because possible when I prepared, became a reality when I asked, and a success when I delivered. I made my own magic moment.

So, what of you? What will be YOUR next magic moment?

Thursday, March 14, 2013

If You Don't Like It, Look Elsewhere.

Today's life lesson for me is simple. I am never going to please everyone else, and trying to do so will only result in me feeling physically exhausted, mentally overwhelmed, and emotional drained. And really, who wants that? 

Instead of spending time trying to give people what I think they want, I will focus on me. What can I do to be healthier? What will satisfy my own needs? What fuels my spirit and my soul? 

Perhaps you're wondering, how would that really play out in real life? Can a person actually get through the day focusing on actions that improve their life rather than reactions that help others? 

Yes, a person can. I can. And *YOU* can. And here's a real-life example for you to consider. 

Some people blog about their eating habits. Others blog about their physical fitness activities. Some share jokes or inspirational messages. And still others rant about people or things that bother them. In response to those different types of entries, people love to criticize. 

"Why do people post recipes? I can check the recipe section if want that." 
"Yeah, we get it, you work out every day. So what? We're tired of hearing about it." 
"That joke offends me." 
"I've seen that inspirational poster a hundred times today. People should stop posting it." 
"Stop complaining about your life. Others have it worse than you do." 

So you want to write a blog entry of your own but don't know what to do. How do you communicate your own thoughts without making someone else unhappy? 

Easy. You don't think about others at all. You write what is on YOUR heart, what is in YOUR mind, what matters to YOU. You act like a mature adult, focus on your words, and everyone else can take it or leave it. This is your journey, not theirs. 

Another example, this one personal? Sure. People tease me that I am always posting pictures of myself. I have been accused of being vain and full of myself. And I've actually been "advised" that people who aren't at their goal weight might be bothered by some of my photos. (Seriously. I've had all of those reactions over the last three years.) 

My response? "If you don't like it, look elsewhere." No one is forced to read my blogs, and if they are tired of my pictures, they have only themselves to blame for continuing to read my new ones. 

The message here is simple, my friends. You only have so much energy. Why waste any of it worrying about people that simply don't matter to your own success? Focus, instead, on you and your needs. 

Personally, I post photos of myself to remind me that I am no longer the man who hides from the camera. And that is a message worth hearing daily. 

 
(See? Smiling always makes a person look great!) 

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Accepting vs Settling

There is a difference in accepting and settling. Acceptance says, "I appreciate who I am and what I have." Settling says, "this is as good as it will ever get." 

Today, I will accept the good in my life while continuing to strive for more. 

(And as it turns out, there is so much good in my life that I can ride out the whole day just appreciating that fact. True story. I hope that anyone reading this will take a moment out of their own day and enjoy all the great that they have, too.) 

And smile. It gives your face something to do! 

 

Monday, March 4, 2013

Who's got a big smile and a new Finisher's Medal? This guy!

This, my friends, is what "fighting my way back" looks like: 

 

I've had a very dark and gloomy couple of months, and I will be writing about it over the next week or so. But today, I'm going to celebrate that I have fought my way back and found my Spark again! 

Saturday was my slowest marathon ever, but it was one of the greatest running experiences I have ever had. And it was proof that it isn't about the time, it's about the run. 

Thank you, all of you, for giving me such great support while I've been struggling. You really are amazing! 



Friday, March 1, 2013

From a Big Crash to a Bigger Goal!

I had an amazing year in 2012.

I started 2013 with the Ragnar Relay Florida Keys and an amazing adventure with my Fat To Finish Line team.

And then, I crashed.

More details to follow, as I find the words to explain what happened.

Now, though, I am focused on rallying back for a big 2013. I've decided that this will be the very first time I have ever run 1,000 miles in a single year.

Ready, feet? Because we've got a lot of running to do!



Phoenix Marathon? Sure.

I've been sick the whole week, but I'm fighting my way back and feeling a little better today. Hopefully, by morning, I'll feel good enough to run my scheduled marathon. 

Let's do this, Phoenix!