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!