Why do I run?

I was looking through my sister's camera last night and I saw a picture of me from last Thanksgiving. I paid it no more added attention at that moment, but as I kept scrolling down the pictures, a more recent picture of myself came into focus. It was a picture of my sister, Maureen, Meghan and I. It was the picture that we took from the Trick or Treat Trot last weekend.

Shocked is not the word that I am going to use as I saw myself nearly a year ago. Shock implies that you had no control over the situation. As I looked at the picture, I instantly started to remember the feelings that I had around that time in my life.

Last Thanksgiving, I was blessed with a promotion at work and I was about to finish grad school. I was on top of the world. All the goals that I have set out to do, I was about to accomplish. And I remember asking myself even then, "What am I going to do next?". I have always been in school and I have always been knee-deep in my career, to not have both going on concurrently is going to be alien for me. For the first time in my life, school and work offered no more distraction for me. I knew then that I had to tackle the one issue that I have put off ever since I started college - my weight.

I am not a huge guy, my weight has alwys fluctuated between the "non-desirable" stage and the "your mother is nagging you about going on a diet" stage. I wouldnt say I am athletic, I would describe myself as an average guy. I love to watch sports, but really had no passion for any recreational type of activities. I was lazy, and always cried about my poor physique but never did anything about it. I was one of those guys - one of those people who always thought something else important had to be done, thus my health was always placed in the back burner.

Graduation came and went and I remember sitting up one morning and asking, "Ray, what are you going to do next?" I had no more goals I needed to get done, no projects, no homework... nothing on my plate. Marriage??? Haha... thats for another place and time to discuss.

A friendly bet was made, and at the time, I knew it was something I can really sink my teeth into. This was the thing that I can truly lose myself in. This was going to be the next item to the agenda. I never took it as anything else but a catalyst for the change I needed in my life. The money was nice... but the everlasting effect was my prize. (Although a certain someone still owes me$50)

The way I tackled this bet was two ways 1) I had to change how I lived, and 2) I had to change the way I ate. Easier to write, but way harder to do. But it was a challenge, and I took it upon myself to make this my number one priority in my personal life at the time. If I wanted new and good things to change my life, I needed to treat this as the only thing that mattered.

My vehicle of change came in the form of running. I hated running... the most I ever liked running was probably running towards a filipino buffet line. I started to run on the treadmill... twice a week... three times a week... 5 times a week... hell I think I ran for 10 straight days at one point.

Running helped me get rid of the laziness my body was harboring all these years. Running helped me get the energy that my mind, body and soul needed to change my life. The first couple of months of running, I was obssessed with tracking the calories I was burning, the weight I was losing. And for the record, in 6 months - I lost 35lbs.

After a while, the calorie counting craze came down, and at that point I was just addicted to just running. I started to run outside - in the cold. After that I started to sign up races... 5K, 8K, 10K, Trail Races, Half Marathons... whatever race it was , I signed up for it. At the end, I had booked all of my weekends from April to end of September -- all were dedicated to a race. I was hooked... and it felt so good! When I wasnt running races, I was outside training for one. I tracked my progress and I always challenged myself to beat my personal best.

Running was my drug. It offered me pleasures and taught me the discipline that I needed at the time. It allowed me to be alone with my thoughts and not be afraid of them. It allowed me to communicate with my body - to know how to take care of it properly.

Its almost Thanksgiving 2009, and I am amazed by how much my life has changed. I knew if I put in the effort, that I was going to be able to make the change I set out for. Now, I am probably in the best shape of my life, and I look forward to doing more races, and keep on improving.

But most of all, I want to be able to inspire people to make that needed change in their lives as well. Its so easy to just give up, but its more worthwhile to actually push and better yourself. If I can do it, I know anyone can do it. But YOU will have to want it, for yourself and for no one else.

For my Races in 2010, I plan to write about my experiences for each race. Here is my race schedule for 2010... feel free to ask me if you are interested in running with me :)

2010 Race Calendar

1. Tropical 5K - January 30th
2. Miami Half Marathon - January 31st
3. Suntrust National Marathon - March 20th
4. St. Louis Half Marathon - April 11th
5. Wisconsin Half Marathon - May 1st
6. Indianapolis Mini-Marathon - May 8th
7. Soldier Field 10miler - May 29th
8. 13.1Chicago Marathon - June 13th
9. 13.1 Boston Marathon - June 27th
10. Rock N Roll Chicago Half Marathon - August 1st
11. 13.1 Minneapolis Marathon - August 22nd
12. Chicago Half Marathon - September 12th
13. Chicago Marathon - October 10th
14. Rock N Roll Los Angeles Half Marathon - October 24th
15. Rock N Roll Las Vegas Half Marathon - December 5th