The power of motivation (13.1 continued)

Good evening Friends,

I'm feeling super inspired tonight, so I thought I'd write another blog post and share some insight into some of my recent goal setting/conquering and share my gratitude to some awesome friends and family members who've kept me motivated. Literally I would not be able to do what I do without you ladies and gents! Each text, like, post, share, comment, etc. serves as motivation for me to keep pushing and to try even harder to reach my goals.

As y'all may or may not know, I've had a goal to run a half marathon for a little while now. I originally posted about it in November of 2014, and looking back at that post, boy was I naive, ha! What a young moron I was way back then. I also mentioned it in my post this February, although I had no timetable on when I'd actually run one. I was really trying to run the St. Jude half in December, with maybe a 10 miler/other long run this summer as a kind of "barometer" of where I was at physically and mentally (really mentally, running after a certain point is all a mind game anyway).

Little did I know I'd start training and run a half wayyyyy sooner than anything I had planned... I got an email from Start 2 Finish here in Memphis about a half that was in April (4/22 to be exact), and I thought, "hhhhmmm, could this be the one?". Buoyed by some encouragement from friends (in particular my boss who told me about a training program that could limit any injuries) and family , I started training slowly and working my way up in miles and endurance each week. Most training programs are about 10 weeks long, and I only had about 4 to get ready, so I knew trying to cram in extra miles was important, but I also had to keep myself from getting injured severely.

The abbreviated training helped prepare me physically, but I knew the biggest test would be mentally. Waking up on race day (which was yesterday, in a monsoon, with a 7 AM start time, and no end to the rain in sight), I had no expectations of when I would finish, I just wanted to get out there, run out the nerves (I'm always nervous before a race, especially one that was this long) and finish.

The race started as well as could be expected with waterlogged shoes, soaking wet shorts, and a rain jacket with the sleeves rolled up. I was drenched before mile 1, so I just embraced it and pushed on.

Here's the race summary:

• Mile 0-1: well I'm soaked, so this will be fun
• Mile 2: Began questioning my sanity/hit my first mental wall
• Mile 4: Hit the wall again, but kept on pushing ("almost 1/3 of the way there" -my inner monologue for a mile"  
• Mile 6: "Why the hell am I out here? This race isn't even halfway over yet"
• Mile 7: Hit yet another wall, but we were also running past St. Jude, FTK!!!
• Mile 8-9: "Where the hell are we?" 
• Mile 10: "Why are there people out here with signs? Are they protesting the race? More power to them, but I don't even think we're running for a cause?" 
• **I'm going to stop here and explain/express my sincere gratitude to some of the most awesome people I've had the pleasure of knowing. Remember those conditions I talked about earlier? Driving rain, long race, 7 AM start time, no end in sight for said rain? So this group of people with signs were not protesting, not at all. THEY WERE MY COWORKERS WITH HANDMADE SIGNS CHEERING ME ON WHEN I WAS DOUBTING MYSELF THE MOST!!! How freaking awesome is that? Mile 10 is where I was questioning whether I would finish the race, and I come over a hill to see a group of people with signs, yelling at me to keep going. Game on, my friends! Talk about an injection of adrenaline and happy thoughts Literally, it was like a second (actually probably third or fourth) wind. **
• Mile 10.75-11.75: I call this stretch"the lonely island" nobody in front of, or behind me for an entire mile is the most disheartening thing. You never realize how much other racers push you until you have nobody near you to try and run with. 
• Mile 12.2 (ish): Guess who's back, back again? MY COWORKERS!! Another injection of pace and will to see the race out, all thanks to my friends! 
• Mile 12.8 (ish): Guess who, COWORKERS AGAIN AGAIN! Cheering me on as I crossed the 13 mile marker, with just a few more feet to go
• Mile 13.1: Race done, coworkers cheering, me stripping off clothes (it was hot in that rain jacket), and trying to figure out where to get brunch. Post race food is important after all (so are the beverages). 

I literally would not have been able to finish without y'all, and I hope you know that! The encourage both before, during and after the race was absolutely amazing, and I cannot say thank you enough! It's y'all that keep me going, even when times get tough. 

Special shout-out to everyone else who texted, commented, liked, called, talked to me in passing or just takes a genuine interest in my life. Those were motivation too!

21.4

Good evening, Internet! I hope all is well. In keeping with my New Years Resolution to write more, here's a second blog post for 2018, doubling 2017's posts. Boom, never say I didn't keep my promise to write more! In all seriousness, hopefully this blog is a source of inspiration for someone out there. At the end of the day I'm not writing for myself, I'm writing to share my experiences in the hope that they will help someone in some way.

Tonight I wanted to write about something that has always been a little difficult for me. Since I graduated high school my weight has steadily gone up, peaking about 5 years ago around 290 pounds. Unfortunately around that time was when I also began to suffer through some of my deepest and darkest bouts of depression. I'm sure the two are related, but this isn't a post about the dark times. This is a post about the happiness since then, and more recently some changes that have occurred over the last few months.

Inspired by some coworkers in December, I decided it was time to make a change in my lifestyle and start actually caring about what I eat and how often I exercise. I'd just finished my first ever 10K, and was suffering from a knee injury and working through PT, so I started out light. Slowly I worked my way into the routine, mixing PT in with gym days and always remembering to rest if my body felt tired or stretched too thin. I'm by no means a "gym rat", I usually just go and do about 30-45 mins of cardio and some light weight training. Nothing spectacular, but it was exercise.

While this was going on, I decided to make some dietary changes (again with the help of some coworkers) and began eating more fresh fruits, veggies and cooking my own meals instead of going out to eat for most of my meals. It was tough at first, not because I dislike cooking but because I had grown used to having food ready for me whenever I needed it. Soon I began to understand why it was so important to try and eat as good as possible. It really helps give your body the things it needs to maintain itself throughout the day, without the need for a coke or endless snacking. *I still drink a few cups of coffee in the morning, but it's black with no sugar or creamer.*

Little by little I could tell that the combined exercise and better eating habits were having a positive impact on my body. I felt more awake during the day, and was able to rest easier (most nights) after a workout. This in turn has lead to a much more balanced lifestyle, and a happier/healthier brain (which has allllways been an issue, see previous blog posts, the older the better). Having a stronger mind has definitely come in handy as I push myself harder while exercising, and when I want something bad for dinner. Sometimes my appetite gets the better of me, and that's ok. Every once in a while the cravings win.

It hasn't been easy, and it didn't happen overnight, but  if you stick with eating well most days, and try to exercise 4-5 times a week (start with less days if you have to, never push yourself too hard), you'll start seeing results. Proof of that is in this photo. We started a biggest loser competition at work in January and I weighed 225.8 lbs. Not bad, and definitely the lightest I'd been in the last year or so. I weighed in today as our next to last official weigh in, and I'm down to 204.4 lbs. That's a difference of 21.4 (ohhh, that's where the title of this article came from!) lbs in 3ish months. All done by eating better and exercising. Some of that exercise has been part of a half marathon training program, but I still think I'd be just about where I'm at without that much running.



I hope you've enjoyed this post! Don't be afraid to change your habits for the better, and don't turn your back on folks that want to see you succeed at your goals!

Mental Strength

Good morning All,

It's been 8 months since the last post on this blog, which is probably about 6 months longer than it should have been. No worries, it's back. I promised myself I'd start writing more at the beginning of the year, and it only took 38 days to actually start writing this year! So here goes nothing...

As you can probably tell by the title of this post, I want to take some time, and a few paragraphs, to write about mental strength, and how that helps me run! Running is really just you against you, so what better way to test your physical endurance and more importantly your mental strength?

If you've read any of the previous posts on this blog, you probably know that mental strength is something that hasn't always been something that I've been known for. I'm much better than when I started this blog. On to the topic at hand!

I set out to run my first 5K in September of 2016. It was a race for the kids at St. Jude, so I figured that was motivation enough. Wrong. Training kind of happened, and so did the race. It was awful, and caused me to have some significant pain in my knee and foot, which put me on the sidelines for a few months.

Fast forward a few months (actually to around the last time this blog was updated) - I'm about two months into a new job, with a work team (hell, I may as well call them a work family) that is always pushing me to be the best person I can be. Because of this, they kicked around the idea of running another 5K around the Fourth of July. No big deal right, but I knew that it would be tougher than I thought.

As I started training this time around I noticed that the running was easier than before. Don't get me wrong, it was still tough, but nowhere near as difficult as the first race. I hadn't done any training to get physically stronger, so I could only attribute this newfound endurance to continued running and this newfound mental strength. Having a strong-ish mind really does help with running. After a certain distance your body wants to stop over and over and over, but you have to keep willing yourself on.

As the distances got easier, more 5Ks were run, and even a couple of 4 milers. Crazy, right? The next logical step was to run a 10K. It just so happened that the first one I ran also benefited the kids at St. Jude. The race wasn't my fastest time, but it felt good to get out there and prove to myself that I could run it. At mile 3, 4 and 5 I wanted to stop. My knee injury was back, and it wasn't making the run easy. My mind kept saying "you trained 7 months for this race, and raised over $500 for these kids, if you stop how will that look?" Thanks, brain! I ran the whole race without stopping.

I'm not a professional runner. I run to help lose weight and stay active. While my mile times are nothing to write home about, even to this day, I'm still able to get out and run longer distances than I ever thought possible. That Fourth of July 5K was my first race of 2017, which I ran in a time of 41 minutes. I just ran a 5K in January and my time was 33 minutes. Still slower than I'd like, but if 8 minutes off your time in 7 months isn't progress, I don't know what is.

This year I'm running  a half marathon. I don't know when I'll try and run one, but that's my goal, and I'm sticking to it!

Catching up on lost time

Long time, no blog post. Has it really been 18 months, November 2015, since my last blog post? Yes, yes it has. Wow, I can't believe it's been so long between posts. Well now is as good a time as any to write a new blog post I guess!

What's been going on in the last 18 months? Let's see I've:

• moved twice (from Germantown to East Memphis and from East Memphis to more East Memphis
• switched jobs twice (although the second one may have been the shortest move in history)
• seen both of my siblings get engaged (congrats Jason and Leslie!)
• flown for the fist time in 7 years (whoo Omaha)
• visited California for the fist time 
• gotten back into reading
• learned more about marketing than I ever thought possible
• gone to my first USMNT game in Chattanooga
• found creative ways to vent stress 
• run my first 5K for St. Jude
• started biking with a buddy of mine, and almost rode 30 miles in a day last year
• learned to appreciate the little things in life more and more
• learned the value of teamwork, and that hard work doesn't go unnoticed
• been humbled by the faith my coworkers have in me. 

I'm sure there's a ton I've missed, but those are the highlights. All in all it's been a good 18 months, and I can't complain about anything. Life is good, work is great, and my family and friends are absolutely amazing. I'm grateful for all the time I get to spend with them, and for all the support that they offer me on a daily basis. If you don't already know, I don't have the highest sense of self esteem. That's something that I'm working on this year. If I can't invest in myself, and appreciate myself then everything else will suffer. 

Things are as good as they've ever been, and I can't wait to see what the remainder of 2017 has in store for me. More travel, more laughs, more time with friends and family and more time being active are definitely on the horizon. Thanks for reading and tagging along with me on this journey called life! 

-Hunter

Putting myself out there

Good morning everyone! Going to try a little different time slot/topic for a post today. I've been attempting to have a work/life balance recently. This includes having a social life, meeting new people, hanging out with the folks who care about me and enjoying my free time. In an attempt to do this I've had some dates with a couple of young women in the past 3ish months. It's definitely cool to put myself out there, since it's been a while. I've spent so much time focused on work, and just trying to get by, that I've failed to actually live the life that I want to live. I thought I was being responsible by doing this, and I was, but I also missed out on so much. BIG mistake. That's being corrected right now, and I must say that I am a fool for spending so much time focused on those things. Lesson learned, I hope.

I guess the main reason for me writing this post is to get some stuff off my chest in regards to my past, when it comes to romance. Everyone knows that I am a pretty emotional guy, and I tend to wear my heart on my sleeve more often than not. I've made great strides in calming these outer emotions, and building a tougher exterior to keep them in check. So far it's working pretty well! That being said, I've had some stuff happen (bullying mainly) in the past that has caused me to build up some internal walls that keep me from being myself around people that I don't know. I won't get into specifics, but if you would like to ask me please feel free. That makes dating really difficult, oddly enough.Recently I've started to slowly tear those down so that people can get to know me on a deeper level. I've already been on more dates in the last 3 months than I've been on in the last 5 years. I think that's a sign that those walls are being overcome. I still have a long way to go, and I'll be the first to admit that, but dammit if it isn't cool to see progress actually happening!

I'm going to share something with you guys that only a few people know. Despite all of the progress with these internal walls, they still tend to keep me from getting "physical" in a relationship. For those who know me, and have worked with, what I'm about to say next should come as no surprise, but I think I need to get this out in an effort to help overcome these walls. I've never had sex. Yep, that's right, I said it. I know this is nothing to be ashamed of, but it does weigh on my mind heavily. That being said, I've had a couple of chances with some women, but I refuse to even come close to taking advantage of a drunk woman. I literally would not be able to live with myself. I just wanted to get that off my chest. That being said, I don't want it to sound like I'm just here trying to get laid, that's not the case at all. I'm just attempting to move on from what's held me back in the past, and I think this will be a huge help.

I'm testing the waters again after being out of the game for a looooonnnng time. It's been fun and stressful at times, but it's worth it just to be putting myself out there! I've been so ingrained in work recently that I've struggled to break away and live my life. At this point I'm not sure what I'm looking for, but I'll find that sooner or later. It's kind of cool to have a social life again, and I've got my friends to thank for always inviting me out on weekends. Makes life that much easier when there are folks who care. Anyway, until next time folks!

-Hunter

Knowledge gained, lessons learned, peace attained

Good evening everyone! It's been a little while since I've written a post, and I figured now would be as good a time as any. I've had a lot going on to keep me busy, most of it good, but some of it not so good. If I've learned anything over the past few months it's that life gets tough some times. It's all about how you react to what challenges are thrown your way. In the past I would've moved to alcohol or gone down into a deep depression. I'm happy to say that I've moved on from those types of reactions. It's as much about personal growth as it is about the support I've received from those people who honestly care and want me to succeed. This post is about you guys. Sure I'm going to talk about myself and what's been going on, but I've found out recently that while I may have grown more as a person in the last 18 months, it's the constant support and encouragement from my friends and family that keeps me going.

I've been handed so many different kinds of advice recently, and it has honestly been amazing to see how much people care about me. It definitely make everything worth it at the end of the day. I've had my doubts about my career and path in life recently, but dammit if you guys haven't been there to help me along the way. Whether it's a tough day at work, troubles at home or even relationship advice, you guys have been there to help if I ever need anything. I know who honestly cares about me, and I can only hope I reciprocate that in some way shape or form. If not them I am failing you as a friend.

The number one lesson that I've learned from everyone is this: life simply goes on. To use my mother's words, "Forget about the past, say FUCK IT, it's done, and move on. No sense getting worked up over things out of your control." This is something that I've struggled with in the past, and continue to struggle with to this day. I think I've gotten much better at not getting caught up in the moment, but the past couple of weeks have left me feeling otherwise. At the end of the day I know that I've done my best, but I still feel like I have so much more to do/give. I'm always my biggest critic, and that never really helps. That being said, after some conversations over the last week I know that I'm not the only one who does this. That's a comforting thought, to say the least. I have an old coworker who told me to write my biggest worries for the day on a sticky note, and when I woke up each morning to throw them away and forget about them. Elegantly simple, haha. My friend Rhonda told me the other day to put all your worries in a "bucket" and when you leave work, or a stressful environment, to empty the "bucket" and don't bring it home with you. That simple metaphor is awesome. I'm definitely going to be using that going forward!

Through all of this I have learned that it's OK to be a little tough on yourself sometimes. It's about picking yourself back up and moving forward. That's the peace that I'm gaining throughout this. Sure I may stumble and fall, but I know that there are people who care enough to reach out and help me if I do fall too hard. I've come so far in such a short amount of time thanks to the love and kindness of my friends and family. That, to me, is absolutely amazing. It's also part of what makes life worth living! I'm confident that one day I'll be able to learn enough ways to deal with these kinds of stressful situations to never have to worry about how they will affect my life. It's crazy to me that I'm saying that, when not too long ago I was wondering if I could keep going at all. That is thanks to you all who have had a hand in helping me along the way. Whether it was a text, call, comment or post, you guys have had such a huge impact on me. I am amazed at this, and can only hope that I can assist in some way in the future. That's the least I can do.

Overcoming life's obstalces

Good evening y'all! I haven't posted in a while so I thought I would write a quick little update on where I'm at in the world. One word to describe me at the moment, HAPPY... Yes, you read that correctly. I'm happy with where I'm at in my own mind, and in the world. Sure there are things that can be improved, and I'm working on those constantly. I also just got a promotion at work, so that's definitely a positive. Looking back over the last year and a half I can honestly say that I'm proud of where I've ended up. I have had an amazing support group who has kept me going, and in all honesty I don't think I'd still be here if it wasn't for you gals and guys!

Despite everything that I've been through in the last 18 months, and all of the hardships (both mental and physical) I actually feel like I've made significant improvements in my life. I still get anxious and nervous, but I've found ways to cope with it and overcome it. Right now the most effective way for me is to "get physical" and vent the stress by running/biking/playing soccer/swimming or even walking. It's amazing what a little exercise can do for the mind! I've also been attempting to take steps back and look at the big picture when I get stressed. I'm also learning that it's ok to ask for help, and that I'm not in this alone. That's true about work and everything else in my life. It just took me 27 damn years to learn that, ha!

I've also started eating better. This is something that kind of started with the exercise thing. I still have a ways to go with this, but I've started eating vegetables, fruits, grains and all kinds of meals that I cook myself. I think that's something that has also helped. There is something mentally calming about cooking. The rewards are definitely worth the effort too.

I'm putting myself out there now too. I've become a more outgoing and even went on a date not too long ago. Crazy, I know. Anyway, I'm attempting to find a work/life balance, and me becoming more outgoing is definitely putting me on the right path to that. Anyway, that's where I'm at, and until next time.

-Hunter