On October 31, 2010, I ran the Marine Corps Marathon. I did it as a fundraiser for melanoma research and will say that I had enough people believing in the cause that I was blessed to raise $13,000. It was a great day.
Life changed considerably for me the next week and by the following March, I was working two jobs and my weight had ballooned from 195 lbs. to 220 lbs. I was exhausted. Obese. And miserable. And it went downhill from there.
By December 2011, I weighed 248 lbs. — a personal record for me. My waist was 41 inches around and I was absolutely miserable. Walking up a single flight of stairs caused me to gasp for breath. I was a ticking health time bomb. And I knew it.
Patrick House, the winner for the Biggest Loser Season 10, came on my show and challenged me to lose the weight. My wife Amy talked to Paul Lacoste, the former football player turned trainer and motivational speaker, about me being in his Fit4Change 12-week training program. I started on January 4 and for the first two weeks, I nearly died. But as time went on, I quit fighting it and the weight started to peel off. But the end of the training, I had lost over 40 lbs. At the age of 44, I was in the best shape of my life.
Since then, I’ve run daily. I’ve lost another 10 lbs. My long runs started to lengthen. Yesterday, I ran 15 miles. I knew it was time for a bookend.
Today I started back Paul Lacoste’s training. I’m on the football field at Madison Central High School at 5:00 a.m. Today I pushed a board across the football field, ran with a parachute, did bear crawls and burpees and mountain climbers. I did over 100 sit ups. I ran an Indian Relay with folks who are very fast. I’m joining the athletes who have already been training for six weeks. I have a lot of catching up to do.
I’m crazy. I’m now burning the candle in the middle as well at both ends. I work two jobs and am about to promote a book. I don’t sleep and need to.
But I need to be in peak physical shape. I can’t accomplish what I want to accomplish without pushing myself.
So back to that bookend. I haven’t signed up for it yet. But I’m planning on running the Mississippi Blues Marathon. It’s a super challenging race because of the hilly course.
So I’ll be writing about my training for the next few weeks. If I can lose 50+ lbs. and get in shape, just about everyone in Mississippi can too.
Welcome back! We’ll be crossing paths (I’m in the 6 o’clock), but happy to have you back.
I discovered this morning I have a long way to go to being “back.” Felt really tired from yesterday’s 15-mile run and pushing a board just kicked my butt.
Boards are better than towels!
Marshall, good for you to make the time to be able to rejoin Paul’s training. I look forward to seeing you out there for the Blues.