Well, that's it.

[Pheidippides]

I am officially signed up for my first marathon ever.

I am very nervous but excited. I have a lot of training to go through but I have a good start.

The competitive part in me is fighting the sane part of me now. The sane part in me wants to just say that finishing is a great goal this first time. The competitive part in me wants to finish somewhere near what I actually put down as my anticipated finish time (a time well faster than I had any right to put down, but well slower than what cowboy's worksheet has me at). I think I will worry about that a bit later.

[Sea Chicken]

Way to take the plunge. Nothing keeps you motivated to run like the fear of humiliation.

[Teenage Dirtbag]

Way to take the plunge. Nothing keeps you motivated to run like the fear of humiliation.

Ha ha, ain't that the truth.

Way to go nikuman. I've noticed the difference between good races and bad races is how consistently I've trained. Lots of things will be out of your control, but you can only do your best if you've trained properly.

[cowboy]

Ha ha, ain't that the truth.

Way to go nikuman. I've noticed the difference between good races and bad races is how consistently I've trained. Lots of things will be out of your control, but you can only do your best if you've trained properly.

For me it's all about injuries. Don't overtrain, and stay healthy.

Is the race on a Saturday or Sunday? I might try to run it with you if it's a Saturday race. I have a deal with my wife that she stays married to me if I don't run Sunday marathons.

[Pheidippides]

For me it's all about injuries. Don't overtrain, and stay healthy.

Is the race on a Saturday or Sunday? I might try to run it with you if it's a Saturday race. I have a deal with my wife that she stays married to me if I don't run Sunday marathons.

Sunday, alas. But a funny thing about that - the Ward Clerk (me) and the Executive Secretary (my friend) in my ward are both running it.

[Sea Chicken]

For me it's all about injuries. Don't overtrain, and stay healthy.

Is the race on a Saturday or Sunday? I might try to run it with you if it's a Saturday race. I have a deal with my wife that she stays married to me if I don't run Sunday marathons.

That's funny. My wife and I have the same deal.

[happyone]

Sunday, alas. But a funny thing about that - the Ward Clerk (me) and the Executive Secretary (my friend) in my ward are both running it.

So who is taking the count for Sac Mgt?

[Pheidippides]

So who is taking the count for Sac Mgt?

I plan to simply use a number by plugging in my finish time to a proprietary mathematical formula, under the theory that, if I have help from the Divine in finishing fast, others had help getting to church.

[Sea Chicken]

At least it's not on Fast Sunday. Then you'd really be screwed. Gotta fuel up for a marathon.

[ERCougar]

Awesome niku--what a way to complete this whole road-to-health of yours. When is it?

[Pheidippides]

Awesome niku--what a way to complete this whole road-to-health of yours. When is it?

January 17. Six months from today. And about four days past one year to the day I started losing weight.

When I think back on it, I am kind of shocked with what I did with the last six months. I'm not even close to the person I was at the beginning of the year.

[Teenage Dirtbag]

When I think back on it, I am kind of shocked with what I did with the last six months. I'm not even close to the person I was at the beginning of the year.

I can relate to that. People are always shocked when I tell them how I used to be. I used to hit the fast food drive thru twice a day. At least 3 times a week I would get 2-3 Big Macs and fries and go find a church parking lot to sit in and gorge myself. 6 years later, I'm shocked and embarrassed that I ever behaved like that. I'm not even in the same universe as that guy now. I do not eat that garbage any more, and I haven't touched a soda in over 5 years.

You should be very proud of yourself. Hell, I'm proud of you and I don't even know you. Making these kinds of changes in our culture is really hard. Losing 40 lbs and keeping it off is something I'm very happy I did. I've never looked back.

[Pheidippides]

I can relate to that. People are always shocked when I tell them how I used to be. I used to hit the fast food drive thru twice a day. At least 3 times a week I would get 2-3 Big Macs and fries and go find a church parking lot to sit in and gorge myself. 6 years later, I'm shocked and embarrassed that I ever behaved like that. I'm not even in the same universe as that guy now. I do not eat that garbage any more, and I haven't touched a soda in over 5 years.

You should be very proud of yourself. Hell, I'm proud of you and I don't even know you. Making these kinds of changes in our culture is really hard. Losing 40 lbs and keeping it off is something I'm very happy I did. I've never looked back.

I didn't know you'd been like that too! I would never have guessed it, either, what with all the running you do.

I would pound down fast food of many varieties, always feeling very guilty afterwards for having the Triple Whopper With Bacon and Cheese, super large fries, and Coke. Twice. I once ate five whoppers in one meal. I am so ashamed of that now, but I have forgiven myself because it is all in the past. I have not eaten at any fast food place in months. I have had a hamburger here and there, but I always know where it fits in my diet. I have learned self control.

I can't quite give up diet soda, but I'll never touch the sugared stuff again.

[Surfah]

I can relate to that. People are always shocked when I tell them how I used to be. I used to hit the fast food drive thru twice a day. At least 3 times a week I would get 2-3 Big Macs and fries and go find a church parking lot to sit in and gorge myself. 6 years later, I'm shocked and embarrassed that I ever behaved like that. I'm not even in the same universe as that guy now. I do not eat that garbage any more, and I haven't touched a soda in over 5 years.

You should be very proud of yourself. Hell, I'm proud of you and I don't even know you. Making these kinds of changes in our culture is really hard. Losing 40 lbs and keeping it off is something I'm very happy I did. I've never looked back.

Really? I don't know why that surprised me but it did. Were you heavy? Or did you just binge?

I'll tell you what, this board has done some amazing things for me and my fitness. So many here like you and Niku have been very motivating.

[Teenage Dirtbag]

Really? I don't know why that surprised me but it did. Were you heavy? Or did you just binge?

I'll tell you what, this board has done some amazing things for me and my fitness. So many here like you and Niku have been very motivating.

At my heaviest I was only 200 lbs. I just didn't feel good, though. I was, in every way, addicted to fast food. I craved it. I am convinced that they manipulate their products to make people "have" to have it. It's bad bad stuff.

I finally just woke up and decided it was enough. One of the coolest things has been seeing the pride in my kids when they tell people their dad runs marathons. They still don't understand why I've never won one, but they're proud anyway.