Hey Blog 2,
I know it's been awhile, and yesterday I ran a pretty big Race known as the Human Race. I ran the 10k and came in at Twenty-One out of twenty-two in my age group of 20-29. My time, was 1:01:58. As you can see below, later on another champion was added below me. I think we did great, considering only twenty-two out of our age group came in to actually do the race. That's what matters. To all of those people that ran that race, all of them are champions. Heroes that don't even know it. (Also, to those people pushing their kids in strollers... you are a huge inspiration.)
Anyway, it was great. I loved every moment of it, even though it hurt a lot. It felt wrong stopping three times during the race to take a twenty-pace walk. It felt wrong because it made me come to a lot of realizations in that race and where I've been sitting for the past year or so.
After the race, I felt liberated. I felt so unstoppable, even though I knew I could have possibly gone longer. I could have not stopped and maybe placed higher. Even though I ran it alone and didn't have anyone there to cheer for me, I never felt alone. But none of the speed mattered to me in the end, because during the race all I could think of was... "I can breath. You can slow down, but you cannot stop. If you can breath, you can win."
I realized how far I had come in all of my climb up this mountain. I've realized how far I have managed to bring myself up from what I considered to be a very deep pit of my life. A time where I regretted waking up every morning and looking in the mirror knowing the body I was living in was so incapable. All of my life, I lived wanting to be the best for the people I cared about. But I knew the life I lived, the body I carried, and more importantly how much that affected my confidence.
Anyway, that's all stuff I've talked about before. You saw it in the last post, which I know was a ways back but I'd like you to know that I hadn't gone backwards in the time frame between then and now. Actually, I've managed to do pretty well for myself. For the past year, just about, I've been sticking to my weight of about 175~180. I'm impressed that my body allowed for this, although that doesn't mean this is over at all.
This simply means, the stakes are higher.
The mountain is bigger. The climb will be harder. The results will be better.
One 10k Race doesn't mean I've accomplished my goals. It simply means I'm showing results. This is a minor step in the road to what I'm shooting for, gunning for one-sixty has never been more alive.
So what's next really?
Well, dropping fifteen~twenty more pounds. Why? Well, to reach the end goal for the most part, which is to drop down to one-sixty. I know I said I'd do that in that year in 2011, but that was a failure I'm prepared to take.
Would I stay there at one-sixty? No, in truth I would tone from there and probably build muscle. Or at least, that is the plan. But I still want to maintain endurance, strength, and agility. I want to run further and maybe even faster. I want to swim more, and ride a bicycle more. There's still a lot about my body and health that needs refinement and I plan on getting there. This has always been the plan, and we've gone over this all before but this is just a proclamation that this can happen and will happen within the next year or so.
What do I need to do now?
Well, I need to push harder. I have worked hard for the past two years or so to be where I am now. But I'm still lacking. I need to improve my diet more, again. I need to push myself further than before and work harder with less.
Do I plan on doing it alone?
Well, no. I've had a lot of people inspiring me throughout the way. Although I don't have them much now, I know I can still count on them if I reach out. I know there are people around me who will read this. I'm there for you. A burden shared, is a burden halved. A victory shared, is a victory doubled. I think I want to start doing some nutritional stuff on here as well. Although I'm not the best at it, but I try!
Lets keep fighting, okay?
Something to remember, and don't let me forget:
"It's not about being better than the next guy or the last guy. It's about being better than you were the day before."
See you soon Blog 2.
P.S.
I'll try and post more often. Sorry, I've been a little busy.
