Its been a year

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