So last night I went running with my wife Lindsey and my brother Eric. We took off and headed for the outskirts of town, down a gravel road, back across on the nature trail, up Pioneer road and back around by the cemetery. For those of you not familiar with Reinbeck, we basically made a lap around the outside of town. All in all it was a 4 mile run. 4 miles! Seriously, 4 miles!
I'm a guy that weighed well over 300 pounds just 9 short months ago! I couldn't have ran to the end of the driveway without having a coronary! Now, on a hot Thursday night, I'm just running a 4 mile run with my wife and brother like it's no big deal. Well, I'll tell you, it is a big deal! I am approaching the best shape of my life at 33 years old, and it is all because I decided to take my life back. I made the decision that I wasn't going to be unhappy and depressed about my weight anymore. When I started this journey, I would have never in a million years thought that I would be running a 1/2 marathon by June! Hell, I never thought I'd run 3 miles at one time, let alone the longer races that Lindsey and I have participated in like the 13.1 mile 1/2 marathon!
It hit me while I was running last night. I really think that anyone of you could do the same thing if you put your mind to it. Forget that, I know any of you could do it. In fact, my brother Eric would tell you the same thing. He just started running with us not more than a month ago. I talked him into running the Reinbeck 5k with me and he has been addicted to running ever since. Last night was the furthest he had ever ran at one time, and let me tell you, he felt a real sense of accomplishment! That is so motivational to me. I love seeing people break out of their shells and become the healthy and happy person that they have always wanted to be! My brother is taking the 24 Day Challenge with us and will share his results at the end of it. Let me tell you this, it will be an amazing story! He had already lost over 40 pounds before beginning the 24 Day Challenge, but it appears to me that he has lost quite a bit in the last 9 days - he looks great and is running further every week!
I hope that this post will inspire just one person to get moving. Go find something you enjoy and stick with it. It doesn't have to be running, but find something, biking, swimming, circuit training, something. For Lindsey and I it is running. We have become addicted. We love the feeling that a long run gives you, the feeling of endurance and strength, the mind games that you must control to keep moving forward, and especially the feeling of crossing the finish line! Let me tell you, it was an amazing feeling to cross the finish line after running our 1st 1/2 marathon! It was so rewarding to know that we were able to do it, to run the 1/2 and make it to the end. I hope that you will know the feeling of setting out and accomplishing a goal like that! It really makes all of the hard work worth while!
Now get out there and get moving! If I can do it, YOU can do it!
Weigh in today, morning of day 10 = 240.8 pounds!!! Loss since beginning the 24 Day Challenge = 15.0 pounds!!!
Michael
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