A little past history of why I started running

Back in February of 2009 I decided to take a 4 month leave of absence from my airline job to try and tie up some loose ends back home in Pittsburgh. You see, I'm only 5 foot 5 inches tall, and at the time I took my leave, I was 175lbs!!!! My pot belly put Santa's to shame. So my plan while on my leave was to tie up loose ends, and also try and lose 20lbs. I figured I would be away from all the processed airline food, and the fast food that I constantly ate having a life on the run, that it would be A LOT easier not having the " bad " food around me. I also figured that I wouldn't tell any of my co workers. This way, I would get the reaction I wanted when I came back to work when I lost the 20lbs.
When I got back home to pittsburgh, I figured I would give it a week before I started my hard core diet. I'm the type of person, that, when I get something in my head, there's no turning back, I'M DOING IT, consider it done by any means necessary!!, I started my diet as planned. It was actually kind of easy because, I would sleep in until noon, wake up, eat some oatmeal, and then not eat again until dinner. At dinner I would have something low fat, such as grilled chicken, or turkey. Just a sensible dinner. I also cut down on my portions. I stuck this out for about a week and a half to two weeks, but the weight was coming off way too slowly for me. I lost maybe 2lbs in 2 weeks!!! Not good enough for me!!! After all, we live in a society that everything we do is INSTANT, and this diet just wasn't instant enough for me!!! I knew I had to do something more, so........
I started walking around my neighborhood, and if you know Pittsburgh at all, you know it is very hilly!!!! I walked a few days a week, and still, maybe 2lbs would come off in 2 weeks!!!! Grrrrr!!!! I was getting pissed!!!! So, I started a light jog while I would do my walks. I would walk, and then jog for maybe 5 minutes, and then walk, and jog, etc..... This seemed to be doing some good as the next week, I lost 2 lbs in that week alone!!! Well, I then wanted to lose more weight, and more quickly!! So I cut out the walking, and started jogging the entire time. It was a slow jog, but hey, it was a jog.
I kind of did it the wrong way, but like I mentioned before, when I have something in my head, that's it, consider it done. I then started jogging 4 miles on the hills of my neighborhood. I did that three days a week, and then on the 4th day I did 2 miles. A total of 14 miles a week, and never missed a day. On the days I wasn't running, I would do sit ups and push ups, and eventually worked that up to 120 a day of each. I kind of went from 0 too 100 in a matter of weeks, but boy was it paying off. The weight started falling and melting off me!!! This was my new motivation. It took me about 2 months to lose the 20lbs that I had set out to reach. But once I hit that goal, I wasn't satisfied. I wanted more!!!!!
I had almost 2 months left on my leave, so I stuck with the program of maybe 1200 calories a day and a ton of cardio and sit ups and push ups, NEVER straying once from my diet or my plan!!!! You have to take into account though, I had no outside influences, and I surrounded myself with all healthy foods!!!! I was feeling awesome!!!
When the 4 month leave was almost over, I had lost a total of 38lbs!!!! My self worth and self esteem were sky high!!!! My sister was having a picnic with all of the family and extended family over. I couldn't wait to make my appearance. ". Wow!! They're gonna just gush over the weight I lost, and how good I look!! " I couldn't wait, I was so proud. Well the picnic day was here, and I purposely arrived late as to make my " grand " entrance!!! When I walked up , my mother, brother , and aunt were sitting on the front porch, and everyone else was in the back or in the house. I was just waiting to take in the compliments, and tell how I did it, and inspire others that they could do it as well. WHAM!!!! My brother says, " Mike, you look terrible!!! " I thought I heard him wrong, or he was just kidding, but then my mom chimed in and said that I looked sick!!! I was in denial, and crushed as well!!! I worked so hard to lose this weight, and feel better about myself and my health, and two of my closest family members just crushed me!!!! What I didn't realize was, they were right. I wasn't eating the right foods, so my face was sunkin in, and I didn't look healthy.
I stayed the course though. When it was time for me to go back to work, I couldn't wait because I wanted to see the reaction from my co workers.I
I got a much better reception from them. A lot of them didn't recognize me. This made me feel great!!! But I still had the comments from my family in my head. So I got off my diet and decided to start eating what I wanted, when I wanted. I started looking healthier. I also kept my running up because I figured I had worked so hard that it would be a shame and counter productive to just stop doing what I was doing.
I kept running every other day, but , for the life of me, couldn't break the 4 mile marker. It amazed me how mental this running was. I would also go through diet phases where one month I was great with my healthy food choices, and the next month, not so much. Sweets are my major weakness!!! I started to keep a weekly weight log, and my weight varied from 139 to 144. I was happy with this. Back to the mental game running has with your brain. No matter what I did, I couldn't get past 4 miles. Something in my head said, at 3.7 miles, " Your tired, and should quit niw!!! " Until one day in Indianapolis!!!
I was on a layover in Indy, and decided to go for my 4 mile run. I wasn't even thinking about my run, I was just running enjoying the sights, when I heard my run keeper say " Time : 40 minutes, Distance : 4.7 miles ". I DID it!!!! And I felt great!!! The best part is, I was still running. I had broke the barrier!!! I continued to run 10 miles that day and could of run at least 15, but I had to get back to the hotel to get ready for work. That was all I needed. I then started looking into races around the New York City area, and I came across this group called the New York Road Runners. This was an awesome group for me because, not only did they put on races every weekend in NYC, but they were a huge group and also puts on the largest marathon. The NYC marathon!! I quickly signed up for a membership, and then signed up for my first race, the Ted Corbitt 15k ( 9 miles ). It was held in mid December. I ran this race, and finished in the top third percentage, and I have been hooked ever since!!!! Now I do slack a little bit, and have my off weeks and months, but I'm a Runner now, and it's in my blood!!!!





I've completed 8 races to date, and 7 this year with two more scheduled. I've done all 5 boroughs half marathons. Best time was the Staten Island half at 2:04. I've also done the fifth avenue mile which I did at 6:59, and I did the More Fitness games 4 miler at an 8:42 pace and did it in 35 minutes.
I have many goals, and will take you along the way with me. I plan to hit a sub 2 hour half. I am going to hit a 6 minute mile, and will do my first marathon, which will probably be NYC next year. I'm already qualified and have a guarantee. I'm torn though, because I would love to do the Pittsburgh marathon as my first, but the NYC and Pit are too close to do both. Stay tuned folks!!!

-Running to a town near you!!!
Mike