The Warrior is back!

Last we spoke I was debating what the next chapter would be in my quest for adventure and personal development. I have 2 things that I am working on right now and I can't give them away just yet. 1 will be an adventure that will test many of my skills and my endurance in a way that I have never tried before. The other will take me to a place that I have dreamed of. I know that I will walk away from both a changed and better man and hope to positively effect others in the process. More details to follow in the next few days! So much planning and training to do!!

All good things must come to an end.

Epic. That is the only way to describe the Warrior Dash. It was much harder than I thought it would be but in a way I was so glad it was. I trained for my own health first but the Dash was always on my mind. I have to say that Stefan and Jeff were huge helps to keep me running when I thought that I had had enough. Thank you both for that. It was everything that I expected and more. The camaraderie was the best part but knowing we all finished and conquered something that we weren't sure we could handle made the day worth while. I also got to reconnect with a friend from long ago. Adam, it was a pleasure and an honor to have run with you at the Warrior Dash! Take care brother and don't let time and distance separate us for this long again!

I could bore you with the specifics of the event and how I destroyed the field but that would be a lie and it also would not make for good reading. The truth was I had one of the best days of my life surrounded by my best friends (minus Tank and Chris) and followed through with a promise I made to myself 8 months ago. I can officially close this chapter of my life and get ready for the next adventure.

I guess that is the question. Should I take a couple of days and think about my next great adventure or just shoot from the hip and announce it now? Lets see what tomorrow brings and I might let you all know what I have in store. I know that all my friends are curious because they are all bound to get drug into it but you all will have to wait till tomorrow when I have had time to think things out.





Just a little hint... It involves several states.........

Twas the Night Before Warrior Dash

I was going to get really creative and rewrite the poem "Twas the night before Christmas" but to tell you the truth it wasn't all that good when I started to write it and well it doesn't really tie up any of the loose ends from my 8 month journey.

I started this blog and my training for the Warrior Dash on January 19th 2011. That day I weighed 261 lbs. My goal was simple. Lose 40 lbs and complete the Warrior Dash on August 27th. I can report that I didn't quite reach my goal. I wanted to lose 40 lbs but I only got to 35. I'm still pretty happy even though I came up a little short. I wish that I had achieved my goal but with my job and my life in general I knew that it was going to be a pretty tall order. I would like to think that I gained a little bit of muscle too so hopefully between the gaining muscle and losing fat I am in a much better place than I had been when I started this in January.

It is a very strange feeling to know that something that I have thought about everyday since January 19th is about to happen. The part that is the most strange is I don't remember what I thought about before I started my crusade to get healthy and run in the Warrior Dash. The Warrior Dash has become kind of who I am right now. I have a big old beard that drives Becky crazy and everyone knows me for having it. In some cases people don't even recognize me anymore because I look so different. After tomorrows race the beard will be gone and I will be done with this chapter of my life. Without my goal of finishing the Dash I really don't know what I would be doing right now. It has renewed my interest in so many things that I had just let go of because of being out of shape. I couldn't be more thankful for having this opportunity to reboot and start living life to the fullest again.

I have to give a lot of the credit for my success to my wife and kids. They have let me workout and run even when it was not exactly convenient for them. Without their support I would still be 261 lbs and sitting on my couch every morning and night.

So, its 10pm and I need to be thinking about going to bed. Hurricane Irene has made life a little more interesting but I think that it just adds to the overall experience. It was a tough road to get to where I am and a little old category 1 hurricane isn't going to get in my way now!

1 more blog post to go and it will be over...

Unless I set a new goal! I'm thinking the Tough Mudder. Or maybe this time a 1/2 marathon or a triathlon. I guess the sky is the limit. First things first. Warrior Dash, I'm ready for you and ready for the next great adventure!

The Omen...

Well Monday started like most all other Mondays... really crappy! Had a long day at work only to cap of the day having horrible cramps while running at the pace of a snail. To top all that off I had to jump out of the way of a car that came onto the shoulder of the road and twisted the mess out of my ankle. So, needless to say I didn't get any running in today. Hoping for a better day tomorrow. I need to get some better runs in before the Dash. I still think I am ready but I would feel a lot better if I was closer to 100%. I also have an unexplained elbow injury that is causing a pretty sharp pain in my left elbow all the way down to my hand. Is this some sort of an omen to not run the Warrior Dash? I can't say that I have ever really paid attention to omens before so why start now?

I'm back!

So its been a really long time since I have updated this blog. A lot has happened in the last few months. I don't think I can or should try and fit it all in so just a couple of high points. One of the biggest accomplishments was I ran 8 miles straight for the first time in 7 years. I have also rediscovered my love hiking and getting back to nature. Getting in better shape has allowed me to do so many things that I had just stopped doing. Every aspect of life seems better and frankly easier to do without all the extra weight. My family has also jumped in on the new active life style. Becky and boys have really enjoyed riding bikes together and some kid friendly hiking. Even my Dad has jumped on board! He has a few back problems so running is out of the question but bike riding has become a activity that we enjoy doing together.
I feel like I am as ready for the Warrior Dash as I'm going to get. I will be sure to finish strong on the blog and the Warrior Dash!

What a month!

So I was kindly reminded by my better half that I have been a little on the slack side about posting on my blog. The first thing that came to mind is "I really doubt that anyone really reads it anyway!" But she's right, I should honor my commitment that I made to do this till the Warrior Dash. Anyway, I've been running a ton and trying to keep up with it on dailymile.com and using the Runkeeper app on my iPhone. Both have been very helpful in tracking my progress and making me push a little harder at times. I know that I have not entered every time I went running but what I can say for sure is I have run over 100 miles since February 1, 2011. I can also say for sure that I need to start eating better again. I have slipped in the last few weeks and started to eat out a lot. Time to start really buckling down and dropping some more weight so I'll look great in a bikini. Now that you are all completely disgusted with that thought running through your head I'll give you something else to think about that is much more serious and heartfelt. My oldest son Connor's Preschool teacher was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer. She is a wonderful teacher, wife and mother of 4. She walked in the Angels Among Us 5k every year for the past 7 years for her sister in law who lost her battle with brain cancer. She is a very inspiring woman that has forever changed my sons life. I will be running in the 5k Saturday morning in her honor. I encourage anyone who has the time or ability to signup and run with me in Durham this Saturday. If you need further details get in touch with me or my wife and we'll point you in the right direction.

Zakk Wylde, Black Label Society - Suicide Messiah