Believe it or not I made my first blog entry in June 2005. This was the only entry other than a couple tests of pictures that I had on that blog. I've had several requests to post this story on this blog so here goes.
My Running Story
written on June 20/21, 2005 (Pictures added)
Part I
Its been about 9 months since I started "running". Why did I start? Very good question. There were several events that could have (or should have) motivated but did not.
In early 2003, I was suffering from snoring that seemed to be getting worse (or should I say Judy was suffering from my snoring). Plus I would get up in the morning after 7 or 8 hours of "sleep" and still be exhausted. I went to a specialist and he said that I was probably suffering from sleep apnea. He told me that first off I needed to lose some weight and that would help. He also said that he could operate but there was only a 50% chance of success. He refered me to a sleep institute where they did an overnight test on me and concluded that I did indeed have sleep apnea. In addition to the extreme snoring, they found that I actually woke up hundreds of times during the night. I didn't really "wake up" but my sleep is disturbed so much that I never got a restful sleep. And on top of that, there were several occassions where I stopped breathing for extended periods. They put me on a CPAP machine that helps me breath at night. Its quite amazing - I sleep much better with it. The first couple nights , Judy would check to see if I was still alive because I was so quiet and still. But did this motivate me to exercise and lose weight? Not yet.
A month or so later we were driving home from Edmonton and I had some chest pains. We arrived home and the pain continued. I didn't think it was anything but Judy thought that I should go to the hospital just in case. Her dad had a heart attack and didn't know it because he always thought a heart attack would be more painful. That story was enough to get me to the hospital. If you ever want to jump the line at emergeny room just say you are having chest pains. I got right in and they started checking me out. I was in overnight for testing and fortunately there was no heart problems. They figured that it was chest, arm and shoulder muscle related. But they did recommend me to a heart specialist. But did this motivate me to exercise and lose weight? Not yet.
I went to the heart specialist and they did a heart stress test. After being wired to a treadmill, they concluded that my heart was in relatively good shape for a middle aged, out of shape guy. But my blood pressure was a bit high so the Doctor but me on medication for that. She suggested that I get regular exercise and try to lose some weight. But did this motivate me to exercise and lose weight? Not yet.
Lets just take a step back - I would walk around the neighborhood and ravines with Judy sometimes. So I was getting some exercise - I wasn't a total couch potato.
Life went on - fast forward to April 2004. We went to General Conference in SLC and then on to Disneyland for spring break. It was lots of fun. I didn't realize it but at the time my weight hit an all time high of over 240 pounds.
It was later in the year in September when I saw a picture of myself taken at Disneyland that I decided that something had to be done.
Part II
Why running? I guess there are 2 parts to the answer. One goes back to when I was younger and I used to run. The other part has to do with that middle age thing.
Let's go back to when I was younger. I wasn't always over 240 pounds. It took 20 years of work to get to that point. Back in high school I was pretty active. Depending on the season I played baseball, football and basketball. During the winter I skied and during the summer I worked as a lifeguard at the local pool. During the summer before grade 12 (or Senior year for any Americans), I wanted to get into shape for football season. For work I was required to swim 1/2 mile 5 days a week to keep us in shape. We would do that when the pool was closed between 5 and 6. I would also ride my bike out of town about 3 miles and back most days. And to top in off, I would jog around town - out around the sugar factory and along the lake and I even lifted weights. Now that I think about it, I was a triathelete and I didn't even know it. I was in pretty good shape back then was able to buff myself up to a huge 175 pounds. I pretty much kept at this weight for a few years. When I went to Japan on my mission, my Mission President had us run every morning (except Sunday). When I returned home and went to University I kept on running. It continued until I got married. After that, between school, work, family, church I slowly backed off on the exercise. It took me 10 years to gain the next 25 pounds to get me to 200 pounds. Then over the next 10 years I added the next 45 to get me to 245. You do the math - that 70 pounds in 20 years. Average gain of 3 1/2 pounds/year or aboutv1/4 pound every month. Doesn't seem like much but it sure adds up.
As for the middle age thing, I saw people around me about my age getting active and seeing results. Judy's sister was on of the first. She started running and was losing weight and even going to races. A friend I knew in the computer industry started an exercise/diet program and lost weight and was also running in race. But after all these years could I get back into it? These two individuals helped me to realize that I could.
Part III
September 2004. I decided to try the run-walk method. I really didn't have an alternative. If I did just the run method, I would be done in a minute - literally. When I first went out, 1 minute was pushing me to the limit. And talk about blazing speed. I could cover about 100 yards in that 1 minute. I think I could cover more distance when I walked 1 minute. I started runing 1 minute and walking 3. I gradually increase the running and decreased the walking. Once in awhile on of my kids would come with me. Jamie, who was 11 at the time, could walk faster than I could run - but I was running. By Thanksgiving (Canadian) I could run 3 minutes (very slow). But that same weekend we were in Picture Butte and I made my first breakthrough. I ran around town doing the run walk with Judy and Alana. When we got back by home I kept going and was able to pick up the pace. It felt really good. For the first time in over 20 years, I enjoyed running. This changed everything. It was about a month later that I first noticed that the weight started to come off. I lost nearly 15 pounds by Christmas.
I kept at it - I would usually run after 10pm - many times after 11pm. I had my routes around the neighborhood measured out. I did it all through the winter. Even when it was -30. I actually enjoyed running when it was cold. I'd wear layers and do laps that passed by our house. I would often throw off a layer as I ran by. One of my favourite things was to run in the fresh snow and then follow my footprints as I did the second lap. By March I could easily run 4 miles with a couple of walking breaks. Still slow (13 minute miles) but I could do it. Once a marathon was not even a thought, but know I made a goal to someday run a marathon. I thought it would be nice if I could run one a year after I started. I applied for the lottery for the St. George Marathon. People I knew had done this - why not me. But I didn't get selected in the lottery. But I found a marathon that was run on Saturday in Cochrane in June. I knew I wasn't ready for the full marathon, but why not a half? I had done 8 miles in a long run so with a couple months of training I figured I could do the 13.1 miles. That was the goal. Over the next couple months I found that my pace increased from 13 minute miles to 11 minute miles. I could even do a 10 minute mile if I ran downhill. I also found that I could run the 4 mile route without taking the walking breaks. By May I had lost almost 35 pounds. I ran the 1/2 marathon in Cochrane with my cousin's husband. It took me nearly 2 1/2 hours but I did it. I was a runner.
8 Months after starting running and 35 pounds lighter
crossing the finish line at the FootStock Half Marathon.
(again official race pictures that I was too cheap to purchase).
The end of what I wrote in 2005.
Update - October 5, 2008
I continued to run and my weight seems to stabilize when I lost just over 40 pounds.
This is what I lost by running for 3 years.
2 10kg bags of rice = 44 pounds.
I mentioned in an early blog entry that 2 of my brother-in-laws lent me bikes. In the summers I would often commute to work by bike. I enjoyed that. When I was a phone operator at TELUS it was a 45 minute ride to work (downhill) and about 1 hr and 15 minutes home (uphill). When I moved to ENMAX it was just over an hour to work and over and over an hour and a half home. I really enjoyed riding. Some days when I drive it takes longer than if I was riding the bike.
As I already mentioned in previous posts, I ran another half marathon in Banff (actually 22k - a half marathon is 21.1k) and I did the St. George marathon 1 year ago this weekend.
Since there I haven't run regularly - just a few times here and there.
Here's what I've gained back by not running.
The problem is that I have been eating the same, but not getting the exercise.
Here are three face shots of me. Can you guess which one is now and which one is when I was at my heaviest and which one was when I was running regularly?
A little effort every day can make a difference. Its like anything in life that you do. If you work consistently at anything you will get better. It just takes time. At the same time if you don't do it consistently you can slide back to where you were quite quickly. Its like a marble on a hill. It takes effort just to keep it from rolling downhill.
