One year ago I started walking to get healthy. I started at 296.6 with a 54 inch waist. Today 225.4 and a 37 inch waist. I admit I have fallen short of my goal of 100 lbs in a year but, I have enjoyed food this summer and managed to stay within 5 lbs at all times, so I at least know I can maintain it.
A year ago I did a Charity hike called Our Hike, I was one of the last three to finish and was hurting. This year I was one of the first four to finish and I had ran a 5k earlier that day.
Last year I joined a walking club called Dairyland Walkers, in the year I have walked almost every event of theirs. We (my wife also jointed) were some of the slower walkers when we started, now we are in the batsoutofhell club (its not supposed to be competitive but to those who know me know I don't understand how not to be competitive)
Last year walking a 26.2 mile marathon, forget about it. Proudly now done in under 8 hours and 20 minutes
Last year if there was a geocache that required tree climbing, my wife did it. Now I have done one (and after all the sap I got on me she can do them again)
Last year the idea of running a 5K would have been a joke to both me and my wife. I run 5Ks 3 times a week now and my wife will run her first in a day. Events like Warrior Dash would have been something that only foolish thin people did, we are looking forward to doing Warrior Dash in a few days.
If I look at all the distance I have walked and ran in the year I would have walked from home in Milwaukee to Santa Fe NM, that boggles my mind.
So what does the next year bring, I still want to get to 195. Starting in October I am starting to work on Couch Potato to 10K and if all goes right in early next year Couch Potato to 1/2 marathon. One of my goals is to run a 1/2 marathon in the next year (and a full marathon before July 2014 when I turn 50). Anybody want to run a half with me next year?
The person I was a year ago is long gone, and he I hope is never coming back. Taking a year to get healthy was one of the best decisions I have made in years. More work needs to be done , but I now know I can do it.
I put aside a hobby, geocaching, something we both enjoy in order to have the time to get fit, yes we miss the caching but once we get healthy we can always go back, just in much netter shape.
There are many people I owe thanks to those who have kept me motivated and maybe never even knowing it, like Dave of DeeJay for showing me a guy my age can do this. Or Anne for all her fitness challenges. The endless support of BQ, Drhass and all the caching community. To Kevin and Meg for starting their journey, we are rooting you two on. To all the friends we have not seen in months who didn't recognize us or had to do a double take. Dairyland Walkers for accepting us in and being supportive in our efforts. To Robin for having the first event I did and offering her support and showing me strength along the way, as long as their are "Our Hikes" I will be there.
And to my wife, she also has taken on this journey. She has pushed me when I thought I could not go any further. She supported me when I needed it and showed me an inner strength in both of us that I didn't know either of us had. To say I could not have done this without you is a monumental understatement. Thanks You
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Monday, April 4, 2011
Iowa and Cedarburg
The last weekend in March members of the Dairyland Walkers made a trip to Iowa to prewalk three off the AVA Convention walks. The walks in Rock Island/Davenport and Cedar Rapids our club is responsible for manning and the walk in Des Moines many of our members wanted to do since they would be working our booth at the convention that day (us we have to be back at work)
The first walk we did was Rock Island/Davenport which had its strong points and some weak ones. Rock Island is a city that just looks rough, old and tired but I assume that they added the area in so that we could cross the Mississippi (twice). First thought on this, the second crossing was part of the Americas Discovery Trail, a trail that goes from Delaware to California (I think this is the first I stepped foot on it). Second thought, crossing the river was bitter. We liked the Davenport side much better, having been in this are before I hoped the walk would go up by the Putnam Museum, but didnt. It did however go on the skywalk by the casino, in theory this sound nice (and the cache is still in the skywalk) but several hundred people going into this taking the elevator up will cause this to become a choke point. Walked by the Davenport Minor League Stadium which looked real nice, and along the downtown area.
From here we headed to Cedar Rapids, starting by their Minor League Stadium. This walk went thru some areas that were severally damaged by floods in 2008 and you could see it in some neighborhoods. The path took us thru their Czech neighborhoods and onto a River Walk that had a Czech Museum and an African American History Museum. In front of the later was a unique sculpture called Trumpet dedicated to Dr. King with some of the words from his "I Had a Dream" speech. Once off the trail the course took us thru some more residential neighborhoods and into a very ritzy neighborhood that include a historical mansion of one of the city's founders.
Sunday we found our way to Des Moines. The first thing I thought was a little odd is they have a Papa John education center. As we are walking we come to some sculptures that we donate by the found of Papa John and his spouse, well I understand art is abstract and beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but really a 12 foot tall, red garden spade. The walk goes up to and onto the grounds of the Governors mansion and thru many of the streets around the governors mansion, most of which are cobblestone and the streets are very hilly making for tough walking. Finally we ended up back downtown after a long 12.75K walk
I can say that Cedar Rapids and Des Moines impressed me, not ever being to either one before the came off as friendly, inviting and seemed like a nice place to visit.
This last weekend we did the clubs Cedarburg walk, with a little twist, we invited friends along. For most of those who came with us the idea of walking a 10K may have seemed a little much, but I have a lot of respect for everybody as they all finished it. Some had some medical issues that prevented them form walking quickly or comfortably but they pushed thru. Kevin and Megan are who we originally challenged and I have to say they did better than I expected, but they have taken their lifestyle changes seriously and have really changed. When I first met Kevin this 10K would have kick his butt, not now. The both of you two continue to impress me.
As for me I saw some new milestones this last week, the 240's are gone and I am getting very close to 60 pounds down, my wife continues to loose at a faster pace than me. Other than one point when I got very ill I think this is the smallest we have both been during our nearly 17 year marriage, its kind of like having a different woman, but in a very good way.
I also eclipsed 900,000 steps walked in this journey. I figure roughly May 14 for 1 million and figure to get to the weight I want to be I am a little over 1/2 of the 1.75 million steps I am thinking I need to go.
Anybody want to go for a walk?
The first walk we did was Rock Island/Davenport which had its strong points and some weak ones. Rock Island is a city that just looks rough, old and tired but I assume that they added the area in so that we could cross the Mississippi (twice). First thought on this, the second crossing was part of the Americas Discovery Trail, a trail that goes from Delaware to California (I think this is the first I stepped foot on it). Second thought, crossing the river was bitter. We liked the Davenport side much better, having been in this are before I hoped the walk would go up by the Putnam Museum, but didnt. It did however go on the skywalk by the casino, in theory this sound nice (and the cache is still in the skywalk) but several hundred people going into this taking the elevator up will cause this to become a choke point. Walked by the Davenport Minor League Stadium which looked real nice, and along the downtown area.
From here we headed to Cedar Rapids, starting by their Minor League Stadium. This walk went thru some areas that were severally damaged by floods in 2008 and you could see it in some neighborhoods. The path took us thru their Czech neighborhoods and onto a River Walk that had a Czech Museum and an African American History Museum. In front of the later was a unique sculpture called Trumpet dedicated to Dr. King with some of the words from his "I Had a Dream" speech. Once off the trail the course took us thru some more residential neighborhoods and into a very ritzy neighborhood that include a historical mansion of one of the city's founders.
Sunday we found our way to Des Moines. The first thing I thought was a little odd is they have a Papa John education center. As we are walking we come to some sculptures that we donate by the found of Papa John and his spouse, well I understand art is abstract and beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but really a 12 foot tall, red garden spade. The walk goes up to and onto the grounds of the Governors mansion and thru many of the streets around the governors mansion, most of which are cobblestone and the streets are very hilly making for tough walking. Finally we ended up back downtown after a long 12.75K walk
I can say that Cedar Rapids and Des Moines impressed me, not ever being to either one before the came off as friendly, inviting and seemed like a nice place to visit.
This last weekend we did the clubs Cedarburg walk, with a little twist, we invited friends along. For most of those who came with us the idea of walking a 10K may have seemed a little much, but I have a lot of respect for everybody as they all finished it. Some had some medical issues that prevented them form walking quickly or comfortably but they pushed thru. Kevin and Megan are who we originally challenged and I have to say they did better than I expected, but they have taken their lifestyle changes seriously and have really changed. When I first met Kevin this 10K would have kick his butt, not now. The both of you two continue to impress me.
As for me I saw some new milestones this last week, the 240's are gone and I am getting very close to 60 pounds down, my wife continues to loose at a faster pace than me. Other than one point when I got very ill I think this is the smallest we have both been during our nearly 17 year marriage, its kind of like having a different woman, but in a very good way.
I also eclipsed 900,000 steps walked in this journey. I figure roughly May 14 for 1 million and figure to get to the weight I want to be I am a little over 1/2 of the 1.75 million steps I am thinking I need to go.
Anybody want to go for a walk?
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Been a long time..but still going strong
Although it has been a long time between posts I am still out there trying. Though there has been an albatross that has been on my back for quite sometime, namely the 250lb mark.
We ended the year with a candlelight walk at Fort Snelling State Park. This walk was sponsored by the North Star Trail Trekkers, which like Dairyland Walkers is a AVA club, but they are out of Minnesota.
Then in January we did a Dairyland Walkers walk in Middleton and did their walk at the West Towne Mall, along with walks in Frankfort and Geneva Illinois, and snowshoed at Lapham Peak State Park
February bought us walks in Coldwater, MI, and the campus at Norte Dame (South Bend, IN) and a 5k Run/walk in Green Bay sponsored by Seroogy's which according to our timing chip we completed in under 50 minutes (walking). Thanks to Robin for alerting us to this one, to bad your experience was not the same as ours. And finally back to Minnesota for a snowshoe event (we hiked due to not enough snow) at the William O'brien State Park near Scandia MN.
Some thanks to put out there, to Anne and her fit club. You kicked me in the a$$ when I needed it and stated to get me going again. Kevin and Megan for starting there journey and helping me remember mine. Hope to see you April 2 for your first 10K.
And always to my wife, who has now started her journey past 60lbs lost.
Somethings I remember saying I could not do. Run a mile, done and doing it pretty regularly. Run a 5K, done for the first time in 30 years this weekend (maybe awhile before I do that one again). Get under 250, done (finally). Loose 50lbs, ok did that to. I started at 296 and now at 245, I am 1/2 to my goal. It certainly feels good. My goal is to now be at goal by the time of the West Bend Cache Bash in August
We ended the year with a candlelight walk at Fort Snelling State Park. This walk was sponsored by the North Star Trail Trekkers, which like Dairyland Walkers is a AVA club, but they are out of Minnesota.
Then in January we did a Dairyland Walkers walk in Middleton and did their walk at the West Towne Mall, along with walks in Frankfort and Geneva Illinois, and snowshoed at Lapham Peak State Park
February bought us walks in Coldwater, MI, and the campus at Norte Dame (South Bend, IN) and a 5k Run/walk in Green Bay sponsored by Seroogy's which according to our timing chip we completed in under 50 minutes (walking). Thanks to Robin for alerting us to this one, to bad your experience was not the same as ours. And finally back to Minnesota for a snowshoe event (we hiked due to not enough snow) at the William O'brien State Park near Scandia MN.
Some thanks to put out there, to Anne and her fit club. You kicked me in the a$$ when I needed it and stated to get me going again. Kevin and Megan for starting there journey and helping me remember mine. Hope to see you April 2 for your first 10K.
And always to my wife, who has now started her journey past 60lbs lost.
Somethings I remember saying I could not do. Run a mile, done and doing it pretty regularly. Run a 5K, done for the first time in 30 years this weekend (maybe awhile before I do that one again). Get under 250, done (finally). Loose 50lbs, ok did that to. I started at 296 and now at 245, I am 1/2 to my goal. It certainly feels good. My goal is to now be at goal by the time of the West Bend Cache Bash in August
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