I am not a runner. I was built for other activities. Mainly eating. I am very good at eating and I really enjoy it. I like trying new foods. I am constantly going to lunch with clients each day. I was tired of always picking my food. I know what your thinking, “Oh that is so terrible, You poor guy.” I agree with you, poor me. I usually picked the same type of food and had almost no variety.
So about a year ago I started to tell the wait staff when they come by to pick my food for me. Don’t tell me what you pick for me but give me your favorite food. Their favorite dish they serve. I have had some great choices. I received a Mahi Mahi meal at The Cheesecake Factor that was one of the top five meals I have ever eaten. Just two days I ate at Armondo’s Cuban restaurant and had Paellas de Mariscos that had very chewy calamari. Yesterday was Bison at Ted’s Montana Grill, good food, service not so much.
I hope you see that I enjoy the eats.
I needed a way to lose the calories from my eats so I trained and competed in a Sprint triathlon last year. I didn’t have the best time but I didn’t die and I beat the 76-year-old woman on the Huffy bike so that was good.
This year, and especially after this past Christmas, I needed a goal to shoot for. I decided that I was going to run the Jekyll Island Turtle Crawl International distance Triathlon. Which consists of 1 mile ocean swim, 25 mile bike ride and a 10K at the end for good measure.
I was okay with the swim, at my weight I float more than swim. I can ride like the wind on the bike, thought those iddy biddy seats leave A LOT of room for comfort. I know they make them small for less weight but at my size what is an extra 1.275 lbs. Give me the seat with Springs in it.
The problem with whole triathlon scenario is that I do not like to run. I have run and run and run before. I do not like it. I do not like it Sam I am. I do not like on a track, I do not like in the rain, I do not like in a gym, I do not like it Sam I am.
I have struggled with the running portion. I am trying to run 3.5 miles twice a week without stopping. I can do it but I talk myself out of it. So three weeks ago I said that I am going to run the 3.5 miles without stopping and you know what I did it. I ran 3.5 miles. In a blistering 30+/- minutes. Not a land speed record mind you but I think I can still beat the 76-year-old lady. No bets but I think.
Last week as I contemplated how far I had run I wondered. How far can I run until I have to stop, drop and curl up in the fetal position from cramps. I thought it a good idea at the time but really decided that I am good with 3.5 miles once I was into the run.
As I progressed in my run I eventually hit 3 miles and I was still feeling pretty good so I spontaneously turned right and headed down in front of the Home Depot to extend my run. I continued running and knew of another mile loop that could extend my run to 4.5 miles. Can you guess what happened at the end of 4.5 miles? For those playing along at home, if you said I kept running you are correct. If you said something different 10 push ups for negative thoughts.
So I chose a different path on my run and soon my run became a mission to see how far I could really run without stopping. Towards the end of the run I was just trying to extend my distance to the next street lamp. In fact I counted down from 8 to 1 to get to the corner and finish. It was a great run. I completed 6 miles in under an hour and had a huge personal success. By time I was done that 76-year-old lady was nowhere to be seen. She was probably already done and back to the gym resting but in my mind I had won.
Some days it pays to see what you can do, how far you can push it. You might just surprise yourself.
PS. I told this story to my friend Melanie. She had some of the same challenges running and said she had a mental block at 2 miles. We talked and she told me the next time she was going to run she was going to do three miles. Like a good friend she reported back her success and told me on Tuesday that she completed 3 miles without stopping. Congrats Melanie
Good day, Good times.
Matt Cheek's Food for Thought 
Matt,
Very inspiring. Thank you for sharing! You might find it interesting to read my blog about my struggle, er, journey to run a marathon. I came close … 20 miles … but not there yet. It is:
http://jeremylikness.com/blog/
Called “The Road to Ultra” … I still post occassionally as it is still my goal and I am easing back into longer runs.
Last May I decided to start training for a triath. I wanted my boyfriend at the time (who had 7% body fat and was trying to get down to 4%) and I to have something athletic in common. He’s into marathons and since I’m asthmatic and hate running, I decided that if I did a triath then he’d have a different respect for me. I am an idiot and on so many levels, too.
When he broke up with me in November, rather than meeting his parents on Thanksgiving Day, I ran a 5-miler… my first. I’ve got a personal trainer and I can’t begin to tell you how hard this training is and how shitty I feel.
I won’t drop out because 1) I’ve already told 50 billion people I’m doing this; 2) I’ve got a personal trainer and he’s not cheap; 3) I’ve been training since August for this and I refuse to destroy what I’ve already accomplished; and 4) I’m less likely to burst into tears if I’m on the bike or treadmill and can’t breathe.
I’m still an idiot but it gives me something else to focus on besides being alone. Plus my legs and biceps are looking fabulous!!!
My goal is no longer to impress my boyfriend… now it’s to not come in last place.
I understand the not wanting to come in last. So far so good. Keep training and maybe I will see you at an event.