The Back Story

While growing up and in high school I was somewhat of an athlete, but not a very dedicated one. I could easily get into shape but never really made it a priority to stay in shape. After high school I joined the Navy, which meant I joined the 3 miles a year club. Only running twice a year during the physical readiness test. Tests that I barely passed, getting closer to a failure every time. When I finally decided to get out in 2006 my weight was close to 240 pounds. Joining the civilian world meant my physical fitness was no longer a priority for job growth. The weight gain was slow, but steady. Every time I hit the scale I was just a couple of pounds heavier. Which I quickly dismissed as a big meal the day before or inaccuracy in the scales. The 300 pound mark was a little bit of an eye opener and I started semi-dieting, but that just meant that I ate Subway more and stopped getting an extra sandwich with my up sized combo meals. Then my accident happened and totally changed me forever.

August of 2011 I was involved in an accident while at work. While going down a poorly maintained ladder I lost my balance, almost falling to the floor. While catching myself was a good thing, it also was how I did the damage. I tore part of the cartilage in my right shoulder, this was called a SLAP injury by the doctors. I also had a c4/c5 bulging disc and tore part of my right trap muscle. I had to spend almost 12 weeks in physical therapy for my neck to get strong enough to handle the sling that my arm required after shoulder surgery. During the time I was on steroids, painkillers, and was not doing anything at work but shuffling papers at a desk. With my physical activity being nothing more than a walk to the smoking area or walking to the soda machine so I had a drink with the fast food dinner of the evening. My weight jumped quickly to a whopping 330. When I heard that number at my pre-op visit I about crapped my pants. The icing on the cake was I had tremendous troubles breathing after surgery. The nurse had the mask on my face and the oxygen up as high as they could and I still couldn't get my O2 above 90%. To sit there for hours and fight for every breath was a real eye opener. The doctor said it was most likely because the shoulder block they gave me partially numbed my diaphragm, but in my mind the 17 years of smoking a pack to a pack and a half a day of menthol cigarettes was the problem, and my weight only made it worse.

With the surgery now done my next objective was to rehab my shoulder. Starting in December 2011 I was spending two hours a day, three days a week at rehab. Things started out good, but as I was getting my range of motion back I would push too far with the strength training. Seemed to have a problem with wanting results ASAP (still have that problem to date!) and all that would get me is pain and multiple setbacks as far as the timeline to return back to work.

By the middle of January 2012 I felt I was strong enough that I wanted to add some cardio to my routine. So with the blessing of the doctor and physical therapy staff I started, of all things, running. Why running you might ask. Because everything I read when trying to figure out what I was going to do for cardio compared itself to running, so why not do what everything compares too. I downloaded the couch to 5k app and on Jan. 17 I walked out the door and attempted my first run. 30 minutes and 1.7 miles later I was exhausted, dripping in sweat, and my knees were throbbing. Another one of those moments that I really hated what I let myself become. Instead of quitting I pushed through for three more weeks of running outdoors with the hopes of if I could make it a month than running would be a habit. It was then that my knees could no longer take the abuse. After some research I joined the gym and found a running store. Both saved my running life.

The running store told me I over-pronate. After trying on a couple of pairs and looking like an idiot being the fat guy running back and forth in the store I settled for a pair of Brooks (size 13 4E). While the new shoes helped I still thought I needed the cushion of a treadmill to run on until I could get my knees stronger. I got a pretty good deal when joining the gym. Part of the deal was three free meetings with a personal trainer. It was also about this time that I found a training plan online created by Jeff Galloway for an 8 week prep for a 5k run. Figured if I could do the plan in 16 weeks then I should be able to run a 5k (3.1 miles) by the end of summer. With the plan set it was time to make it happen.

As I slowly rehabbed the shoulder, running was taking over my life. By March I was running 2-3 miles a day, 5-6 days a week at a very slow place. At the gym I was hearing of a personal trainer who has completed multiple ironman triathlon, and still competed. She was a trainer that really pushed her clients and if you were serious about wanting results, she was the way to go. I had used two of my free sessions with a trainer at the gym and was unhappy with the trainer I had, we just didn’t connect. I kept my last free visit with a trainer and just waited for the right moment.

The end of March came and I was released from rehab, was given a home workout plan and told to take it slowly. If you know me slowly is something I can’t do, back to the issue of wanting results right away. When I start something I jump in with both feet. That meant I only had one option. The trainer I wanted taught a boot camp class and I made sure I was there the next class. Long story short I was in way over my head, but I took the time to talk to her before class and explain. One butt kicking class and I knew Shannon was going to help me. Was that ever an understatement. Since January 2012 I have lost 85 pounds. I have ran several 5k races, an 8k race, and still have a half marathon in a couple of weeks. Then starts the off season and the work towards my next goal starts. I want to complete a half ironman, all 70.3 miles!