One Year in Retrospect- Part 1

As I ran last night I thought of the significance of the day and of the past 12 months. I decided there are three major date of significance that I will review one year from that date. As per the title this is part one.

On September 9th, 2009 I quit my job as a North Carolina Parole Officer and the next day moved from our state's capitol to the rural city of Statesville, NC. A city that for the most part would be void of any major activity if it weren't for the intersection of two major roads US-40 and US-77.

On October 17th, 2009 after dating each other exclusively since 2002, CB and I married. The next morning we left for a cruise from Miami to the Bahamas. We could only afford the cruise itself and no airfare so we made the 13 hours drive in my Dodge Ram. That was a long drive.

We returned October 22st and on October 23 I spent the day moving all of CB's stuff from her parents house to our rental. After things slowed down, on October 25th 2009 I stepped on the scale and it read 250 pounds. This was the most it has ever read and this begins where I start reflecting.

It was shortly after this that I decided to make a change. Actually, two time previously the same year I had made "changes" that did not stick. Unemployed, I figured other than searching for a job I could also start working out. I do not know where my little notebook from the gym is so I do not know when I started working out, I vaguely remember going to the gym on Halloween and then going to a friends house for some plinking. My first daily log on http://www.mapmyfitness.com/ is dated November 2nd. I recorded my weight as 248 pounds. My first workout I recorded on the same website was November 15th, 2009. I ran for 15 minutes at 6 mph and noted my weight as 240 pounds.

This morning October 25th, 2010, I weighed in at 204 pounds. My all time low for the year was Saturday at 202 pounds. I ate nothing but crap totaling 6,000 calories in 2 days this weekend.

A sample of things I have learned this year, in no particular order:

1. Rewards help.
2. Eating healthy is hard if you are the only one in the house doing it. 
3. Moderation!
4. I can meet goals.
5. I can run 15 miles.
6. Running is cheap, triathlon is not.
7. I can revel in the cause of my own vomitting.
8. Motivition can come in many forms.
9. Support is essential (thank you everyone)! 
10. Change is good!

I still have many fitness, professional, and personal goals that are not met yet. I am hoping to meet most of them, but I realize that many of them will not be completed this year. Staying grounded is very important and not expecting instant gratification is even more important. It has not been a year full of work yet, just a year since I realized I needed to start working. I look forward to being able to write about year of work soon (or at least most of the year).