The inspiration for starting this blog are the testimonial statements I've written for my trainer and friend Andrew McConaha, owner of Train for Life (aka, my happy place). You'll see from my words below how much he and the friends I have made at TFL have influenced my life recently. You'll no doubt hear much more about them in the future...
Part 1
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| December 2010 |
“Love yourself first and everything else falls into place.” This phrase was on a fortune cookie I cracked open almost a year ago; I’ve carried it with me ever since (the fortune, not the cookie). In January of 2011, I was coming off of a year full of life changes, a move, a new job, among other things and feeling accomplished but not happy. I sat down with a couple of friends and had a very candid conversation about getting healthy. We vowed we would work out more, eat and drink less and we did!
By March, I thought I was well on my way to a “brand new me.” Somewhat confident in my new found athleticism a co-worker finally convinced me to try out a boot camp class she had become addicted to. Little did I know how much my life would change the first day I walked into the Train for Life gym. That first hour was more challenging than I could have imagined, but when it was over I felt accomplished, exhausted but accomplished. Within weeks of regular boot camp classes my body began to change, I could see and feel myself getting stronger! Nothing I could have done on my own at the gym compares to what a Train for Life workout can. This past summer Drew challenged all his clients to set a goal for themselves. Mine was to start running and complete a race with the TFL team. At the end of September I finished the 2011 Rugged Maniac 5K, something I never would have imagined doing just months earlier!
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| September 2011 |
It has been just over six months since my first class and I’ve lost 70 pounds and counting, I’m running regularly, I have MUSCLES! During that time I’ve learned what it means to truly test myself in a place where it is safe to fail, reward my successes and forgive my failure, lean on my friends and TRUST my trainer. Spending time at TFL is how I give myself love and that cookie was right, everything else is falling into place. Train for Life is much more than a gym or exercise program it is family of people who are working to get better, together! I am truly blessed to be encouraged and inspired by each of them and most importantly to have trainer and friend who challenges me every day and pushes me to attempt the things that scare me the most. Without a doubt I consider myself a work in progress and I cannot wait to see what the next six months and beyond will bring! I am a stronger, happier person than I have ever been thanks to this program. 70lbs, new clothes, compliments… yeah, that’s pretty cool. Becoming the person I was always meant to be… that is the true result of Train for Life.
Short update on my journey with Train for Life since you last heard from me at the end of October 2011. Weeks after completing the Rugged Maniac 5K, during a moment of temporary insanity and at the encouragement of the TFL crew, I signed up to participate in the May 2012 Tough Mudder race at Mount Snow. Tough Mudder events are 10-12 mile obstacle courses designed by the British Special Forces; they proclaim themselves to be “the toughest event on the planet.” This stuff is no joke and I decided it could never be too early to start to train. I began to step up my running, registered for another 5K, and increased my mileage. But I still wasn’t feeling like that was enough. What better way to prepare my body for that kind of torture? Train for a half marathon… naturally. Clearly, my streak of insanity had continued, or so I thought. It’s important I mention that I have been following the lead of my fellow TFLer’s into these races. I was inspired by those around me setting goals and aiming high and I believed I should do the same. I set my sites on two things, hit 100lbs lost by March 15 (my TFL anniversary) and a February trip to Florida to run…or walk, the 2012 Disney Princess ½ Marathon.
While it might sound like I made all these decisions lightheartedly and with an “I got this” mentality. I questioned myself and my ability every step of the way. At this point I had lost over 70lbs, had a couple small races under my belt and was stronger than I had ever been but it’s true we are always our own worst critics and I had some serious doubts about my plans. To be honest that doubt always lingered but the people who never doubted me were my friends at Train for Life. I have joked with Drew that if I announced that I planned to climb Mt. Everest next week his reply would be “yeah buddy!” So, on the days that I didn’t believe in myself I relied on the fact that others had faith in me. For those of us prepping for long races, half and full marathons, Drew put together a 15 week running program. I’m not exaggerating when I say I struggled through almost every training run. I would listen to my friends talk about their runs, their pace, their mileage, and their…runner’s high?! I started to loathe the nice lady on my Nike app who reminded me of my pace every half mile. I questioned myself, why I did I decide to train for this over the winter? How much money would I lose if I back out now? Why did I do this? WHY did I DO this? My weight loss was a different struggle. I plateaued, like we all do, more than once. I did my fair share of beating myself up over 1lb, 2lbs, and all that wine I drank last weekend. And I certainly had a few “pull yourself together kid” conversations with my friends, there was no doubt, this part of my journey had some bumps.
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| Mile 11 |
These thoughts stayed with me for months, pretty much until race day, at which point my goal was finish… running, walking, crawling, just finish. There is a photo of me somewhere on this page at mile 11, I look happy but at that moment I’m pretty sure I could have stopped and walked the last two miles, no question. But my longtime friend and running partner that day kept running and so did I. It was in mile 11 that I let myself think back on the previous 11 months (coincidence? Hmmm). I thought about what a different person I was, not just physically but in all areas of my life. The goals I had achieved and the ones I had yet to conquer, the people who’ve told me I’ve inspired them and most importantly the incredible people who have inspired and supported me. When I was done I was amazed with myself, I spent the entire rest of that day saying “I can’t believe we ran a half marathon this morning!... No, seriously, I can’t believe it.” What I failed to recognize until that day was the challenge of training truly had prepared my body, it was my head that was creating the struggle.
I flew back from Florida just over a week ago considering myself a runner for the very first time. Yesterday, March 6, 2012, nine days before my 1 year anniversary at Train for Life I hit the 100lb mark. I am not the first of us to reach this milestone and I’m certain I won’t be the last. When I started out a year ago it was never my goal to lose 100lbs or to run a race of any kind I simply wanted to be healthier and happier. And I am. It’s funny now that I’m here, what should feel like the end of something instead feels like the beginning of something much bigger. I’m still not sure what, but I can’t wait for whatever comes next.
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