Marshall Ramsey

Have you ever done something and knew — I mean just knew that you’d pay for it the next day?  You know what I’m talking about: That choice. Yes, that choice that sounded like a good idea at the time to your stomach while your mind was screaming, “NO!!!!!”

I had one of those choices last night and unfortunately listened to my stomach. And now I’m listening to my stomach once again.

For the record: Taco Bell is not a performance enhancer.

Before you go and get all judgemental on me, I’ll admit, I was weak.  And I’ll also admit that the Taco Bell in the Pilot Truck stop was calling to me like a siren’s song.  And I’ll plead with you that there just aren’t many places to pick up a quick dinner between Carrollton, Mississippi and my house.  And yes, I was hungry from being on the air for three hours.

But I should have resisted.  I should have made a better choice.

I did run this morning. I ran 5.35 miles and I ran it quickly.  Mainly because I had to.

After you eat healthy for a few months, your body rejects fast food.  You feel bloated and sluggish from all the fat, carbs, additives and salt.  Next time my stomach craves a 1/2 combo burrito, I’ll remind it of the price it paid the last time I ran for the border.

Now if you excuse me, I’m going to get a salad.  I think my stomach is still mad at me.

I needed a day off. I normally work out either five to six days a week. This week, I’m making it five.

Too many tired muscles and sore joints. I’ll be back at it again tomorrow.

On Halloween 2010, I ran a marathon and weighed 195 lbs.  On Halloween 2011, I weighed nearly 250 lbs.  This Halloween, I’ll weigh 195 lbs.

That’s a 110-lb. swing.

I went from a 36-inch waist to a 41-inch waist to a 34-inch waist.

I drank sugary sodas for energy a year ago. Now I don’t even drink caffeine. I do drink lots of water, though.

I’d pump the vending machine full of coins to get a quick hit of energy. Now I eat a piece of fruit or a Cliff bar every two hours to keep my energy levels consistent.  I avoid sugary foods.

My blood pressure was 150 over 80.  Now it is 112 over 70.

My resting heart rate was 70+. Now it is 54.

I couldn’t walk up a flight of stairs a year ago without gasping for breath.  Now I can run 12 miles.

A year ago, I stopped by the fast food joint and grabbed a couple of burgers.  Now, I bring leftovers or get a salad.

I’m less cranky, moody and have more optimism.  I know that I’ve reduced my risk of cancer recurrence, heart disease and diabetes.  And I have more energy when I push myself through new tasks.

I went from fit to fat. Now I’m back fit.  Just looking at the stats on paper have convinced me that I’m never going back to being fat Marshall again.

Today’s run was a very comfortable 5.24 miles. I had much on my mind, so I used the time to work through a few things.  The run seemed like it ended before it even began.  The stars were bright and peeking through the light cloud cover.  It was a little warmer than it has been the last couple of days, but was still comfortable.  My heart rate stayed in the comfortable range, even as  I climbed the many hills I faced.

Goal weight: 185 lbs.

Today’s weight 196 lbs.

My phone didn’t get plugged in last night. Oh the humanity, right? It was almost dead, so I left it at the house. And no phone means no music.  I entered the star-filled morning in dead silence.  I heard the acorns and leaves crunch beneath my feet as I walked to the corner to stretch.  I could hear my breath, too. I’m really loud.

My footsteps’s sound made a comforting rhythm as I ran up the first hill.  There were no air conditioners running, so the neighborhood was tomb-quiet otherwise.  A dog barked in the distance. And then the world calmed like a pond after a stone was thrown into it. All I could hear was the sound of my footfalls. My mind began to wander.  I thought about it being 9/11. I revisited the horrors of that fateful day eleven years ago.  I could hear my heart pounding. A deer ran through the woods as I passed.

I’ll bring my phone in the future, but I’m going to occasionally leave my headphones home. I’ll engage all five of my senses.  I’ll listen to my run as well.

I ran 3.4 miles this morning. It was a fast run, I ran it at my normal 5K pace of around nine-minute miles.