The Journey: Part II

Press play please. Enjoy the new anthem of my runs.

Wow. Just Wow.
Fifteen weeks.
Fifteen months ago, there was a complacency in my life that was starting to accept that I had tried to lose weight, and I had tried hard but I just couldn't do it. I was meant for this no matter how much I tried and wanted it to not be true. I saw a saying today that summed up my way of life as I look back on it; DO or DO NOT, there is no TRY. I can convince everyone all day long that I was trying, fact of the matter was, I wasn't doing.
On a short side note, I do have to hand out some credit in my period of DO NOT, Kettlebell Bob taught me one important thing that has insanely assisted me since I have started the period of DO. Endurance is between the ears, not below them. My first two weeks of kettlebells I wanted to end when said I couldn't do anymore, but he generally ended them when I dropped to the floor or in front of a waste basket. Another quote; Laziness is the habit of resting before you are tired. 
Most of my runs start with the same thought; Ugh. How am I gonna make it 2.5 miles, I struggling out of the parking lot.
Most of my runs end with the same thought; Well that was a stupid thought to have.
JUST DO!
Back to the point- Fifteen weeks
I finally decided on the demise of my former self and committed to a new way of living fifteen weeks ago.
I pulled a Forrest Gump and I just started running. And then I ran some more. And when I finished with that, I just decided to run back.
For my Toledo friends, and well I guess anyone else that can get access to Google Maps, (keep in mind I wasn't keeping track of mileage when I started running, that start three weeks in) I have roughly ran the distance FROM Comerica Park in Detroit TO The Great American Ball Park in Cincinatti (via I-75). Similarly for my Cleveland bro's and gals, Progressive Field to The GABP. Over 260 miles. Fifteen weeks.
Week Eight, I ran my first 5K in a time of 38:35.
Week Thirteen, I ran my first 10K in a time of 1:15:09.
Week Fourteen, I ran my second 5K in a time of 36:06.
I departed with the goal of murdering 126 pounds. Fifteen weeks, I am already more than a third of the way, about to break the 50 pound mark.
It's weird to think about, how long has this mental roadblock been keeping me down. I don't even know why, but now that I have conquered it I am looking down the road at the adventure I am creating, I am anxious. I am excited to look back at what I will have accomplished. I am hungry for new satisfaction, something video games, fantasy sports, sitting on my ass indoors can no longer provide.
I am going to complete the Warrior Dash. Will you come with me?
I am going to complete the Pelotonia 43 mile trek. Will you come with me?

I am lining up 5K's(First On The First, Dublin Irish Festival) and at least one quarter and one half marathon(Emerald City). Will you come with me?

I want to lead a group of my outdoor loving friends down a mud slide, through a lake, up a hill on bike and through a cold morning on foot. Will you come with me?
I want to look back at the end of next year at everything I have accomplished, and know I earned this. Will you share that feeling with me?

Thanks Wayne, but you shouldn't feed the animal.

A while back, I was sitting on the steps of the locker room at work. A co-worker, Wayne, sits down next to me and says "What's this I hear you're trying to lose weight?"

"What, you can't tell??"

"Aww, man, I just telling you what I heard. how much weight are you trying to lose?"

'Total, 126 lbs. That'll put me at 200."

He laughs.

"What's so funny?"

"Man, guys like you and me, we ain't meant to weigh 200."

What I am thinking- What the f*** is wrong with this person?! What I say- "Are you serial?"

"Yeah, man. I'm sayin, we ain't got the bone structure for 200, we're too big."

"Sooooo.... Are you saying I won't make 200?"

"Well, yeah. We just ain't meant for it."

"I hope I know you in a year, bud."

Wayne is about 10 or so years older than me and is from Alabama. I am not sure which of those two facts play more into the conversation we had, but I am sure both had alot of influence.

Thanks Wayne, but please don't feed the animal.
So Wayne comes up to me recently and asks "How much weight have you lost, man?".
I tell him "Around 37 lbs".
"Hmmm... that's not good man. You're losing it too fast. You better be careful, you might end up anorexic or something!".
"First of all, why are you always naysaying on me? B, I've been at this for 12 weeks and lost around two pounds a week except for the first couple weeks when I lost like 15. And then just how am I gonna become anorexic???".
"Well, I'm just sayin, you know, you lose too much weight, you might become it cause you get so focused on not eating, and it just happens".
"Let me tell you about my eating, ok? Yesterday I had a grilled ham egg and cheese sandwich for breakfast, today a cereal bar and a banana. For lunch yesterday I had a BBQ chicken pizza and today a double cheeseburger without a bun. Every night I have a ham and pastrami wrap and ramen noodles for dinner, and a apple, grapes, banana for snacks. Do I sound anorexic?"
"Hey man, I'm just trying to look out for you, that's all. I'm just sayin every now and then you need to cheat a little."
"...Yeah?"
"Yeah, man. Just a little."
So I did. I think deep down to prove a point, or maybe just maybe, because I borrowed Tori H's car and we hadn't really hung out outside of our weekly pavement thumping. B-Dub's here I come!
Had some naked hot wings, couple of Bud Light's, and a shared... TUB of nacho's. They were ridiculously huge. When I weighed in on Friday, I had gained three pounds back and let Wayne know how cheating went and let him know how much cheating will be in my future. He had nothing to say, just shook his head and walked away.
Tightened the reigns, got back on the horse, focus, focus, FOCUS!
Now I know full well those three pounds probably came from the fact the food hadn't fully cleared my system yet. Whatever, I recovered in a furious fashion. The following Friday I see Wayne just standing there in the locker room, I walk up and say "Didn't cheat. Stuck to the plan. Lost 8 pounds." and walked away.
Thanks Wayne, but you shouldn't feed the animal.