I am, right now, a runner. I love going fast in the shorter races, but love to run long. This season I reset my 5k PR 3 times. I also completed 3 ultramarathons, Blues Cruise 50k and Labor Pains 12 Hour Endurance Run (I did 35 miles). I plan on doing more ultras in the years to come. But, I haven't always been a runner...
In high school (way back in the lousy hair styling late 80's) I was fat and lazy. I was over 200 pounds- close to if not over 215 by about halfway through my junior year. I started losing weight the second half of that year and continued to do so throughout college. In college, I played rugby. My last year and a half I was the starting fly half for the Kutztown University B-side (I never made the A-side). Rugby not only toughened me up, it also helped me become an athlete.
I got into cycling and running before the start of my senior year. During the summer, and the next couple, I did about 6 or 7 duathlons. I never did well overall (I sucked at cycling but usually ran around 16:25-16:40 for the 5k's) but enjoyed them nonetheless. While training for a marathon in 1994 I developed some major knee pain. I stuck with just cycling for a while, but could never get back into running- the pain would just not go away! As I know now, it was just major ITB pain. But, I wouldn't trade that pain that pushed me to cycling for anything!
Since I wasn't running, I only rode- and ride I did! From 1995-1999, I did over 100 races! I never won, but I could fly and I will never forget that feeling! Being able to rocket downhill at 50+MPH or riding in a pack of 50-100 riders at 25-30+ MPH is exhilarating- and the sprints for the finish or for a prime (I did win a REAL NICE CamelBak one year and a phone another year!), attacking on climbs, pushing people out of the way to get a better spot or fighting to keep my line...it was just awesome! I got to the point during my last two years that I didn't use a cyclometer- I felt it was limiting me as I was relying on it too much. I just rode for fun and for love. Those two years were my best- the two years I won the primes as well as some top 10 finishes. I don't know how much I rode, but I would ride all afternoon after work and all day on the weekends year around (on the rollers when it snowed). All in all I probably logged 8,000-10,000 miles each of the last two years that I rode. Then, being unhappy with my career, I went back to school...
...and I let myself go for the next 8 year and gained back all the weight I lost and lost all the muscle and fitness I had gained.
Come 2008, and a wife and 2 kids and a new career that I LOVE (I teach 2nd grade), I decided it was time for a change. I was back to at least 215, again. I couldn't get up the stairs without breaking a sweat. So, I went all out...
I cut out sugar (I was addicted to Mountain Dew!!) and got off my ass! Over the next 10 months, I lost 60 pounds (and also won $300 doing the Biggest Loser at work) and did my first triathlon close to the exact date, 1 year later, that I started my diet. After that triathlon, I was hooked on racing! And the rest is history...
And that history includes placing in my age group in 6 local races from 5-15k and a 3rd overall in a 6k trail run. I've also become hooked on ultra marathons after only completing 2. All this came in 2011. 2012 in running is going to be LEGEN- wait for it...
