Introduction - Why I Run

Well, here's my story and Im sticking to it (unless of course you push me and then I'll fold like a lawn chair!!). About three years ago, I realized that I was becoming, if not already there, an oompla loompa or as my kids would say " fat man in a little suit!!!!!" The actual confirmation came, sadly, as we were doing our traditional "runaway from the family at xmas time" trip to Hawaii. As part of the trip, I planned a helicopter tour around Maui, a perfect way to see everything in a short period of time - you know time is money, uh I mean time away from the pool bar. Anyway, since there five of us, we got a helicopter for ourselves and the only issue was load balancing the helicopter. At the gate, they had, much to my wife dismay (no not a drug sniffing dog) was a SCALE- you know the thing you step on several times to get the lowest number. So they weigh each of us, presumably to properly load balance and ensure the aerodynamics of the helicopter, which if you think about it, does not instill confidence! Anyway, I get on the scale and tip it at 203 lbs, well if I was Shaquille Oneill's height that would be OK but instead Im closer to Tatum Oneill's. It was truly an eye opening event and I committed to do something about it.

First approach was to starve myself, well obviously that didnt work well - my desire for Big Macs overcame that! So I decided to start running for the quickest impact. Now unlike many on these running blogs, I did not run in high school or college and generally get winded walking upstairs to our bedroom. However, in a garage we have this really nice clothes storage device which actually doubles as a trendmill. So that was my start, after spending two weekends arranging the trendmill into the optimal training position - which means facing the TV, remote nearby, cordless phone, and the obligatory towel. Sounds easy, right?, Not so much - adjusting the volume on the TV, velcroing the remote and phone, and then making sure the cup holder is properly positioned - it can be tricky, btw, I tried the beer helmet idea but it was too messy.

So now I was ready, I put on my workout clothes, headband and proceeded to the clothes hamper, huh, i mean trendmill. I went slow at first, walking for a certain time, usually a TV show (that my measure of time - good thing i dont work for Seiko), and then I would gradually move from sitcoms to discovery channel and finally to mini-series. Once I got to an hour, which was about two weeks or so, I started moving the incline button and repeated the same process - a little move each time. Surprisingy, before I knew it, i was sweating like Richard Simmons at a Boy Scout Jamboree.

From there, I started walking for a specific pace, and again gradually increase it, then on to eventually running outside and doing races. Generally, I have been running shorter distances 8 to 12K and have lost alot of weight - 35+lbs!!! Hurray. I need to keep at it or I will find it - the weight that is and try to run 15 to 20 miles a week. It has been great for stress and work and I enjoy it (cant believe I just said that). I never planned on running a marathon but did just finish my first half and enjoyed it. I consider myself a beginner and didnt consider myself a "runner" until a couple of weeks ago, at a race, they had the pace groupings at the start and my pace was titled "Runners". So I think I have arrived, well kinda.

So thats the reader's digest version, and it was, is, a journey that took me to me to several places that I never thought I go. I want to use this blog to chronicle this journey and share my successes and failures in it. And believe me there were plenty of failures, but thats part of it too. Alot of people helped me with this, some knew they were helping, some did not. I am hoping this odyssey will get some people off the couch and start motivating them, but if not, maybe they will start looking in between the cushions. Eventually, I will divulge, (my Geraldo teaser) the background of the title of this blog, so if you arent interested in my running adventures, stay tuned for that explanation. So take that, I started my 2009 resolution!!!!