Change Is Coming

Running in the Fat Lane is now

The Tatted Runner

     I have thought long and hard (#) about this and I have come to the conclusion that my time as Running in the Fat Lane, has come to an end.  It is a bitter sweet feeling because it has been such a big part of my life the last 2-3 years, but I have decided to close this chapter of my life and look towards the future.  I was looking for a new moniker that easily expressed who I am in as few words as possible.  I have tattoos, I plan on getting quite a lot more and I run, so it was a no brainier.  To be honest, I was really surprised that The Tatted Runner was available in all social media aspects.

     I am not sure yet what or how this blog will change, I may get more active then I've been or I might just post as I feel like it, but either way, it has been a great sharing my weight loss struggles and triumphs with you all.

Thanks for reading! 

Out With The Old, In With The New

     So another year has come and gone, and boy am I happy that 2015 is gone.  It started out on a bit of a down note dealing with my IT Band injury, but things started to head in the right direction once I started getting treatment for it.  I got hooked up with my AWESOME Physical Therapist at Elite Sports & Orthopedic Physical Therapy, who got me stronger and helped me correct my bad running habits.

     April turned out to be the best month of the year and in one case my life!  Alisha trained me for my comeback race at the Glass City Half Marathon, where I ended up crushing the shit out of my PR by more than 12 minutes, which was awesome!  I would say though the most shocking day I had was at my run-aversary race, when I not only set a new 5k PR, I won the whole fucking race!  Oh yeah, and how could I forget one of the proudest and greatest moments in my life, day that I hit my weight loss goal!

     I would say I took things fairly easy for the next couple months till I was getting ready to start training for my second full marathon in early July.   That is when my year in running took a total shit.  I was out on one of my runs when pain and tightness in my hip showed up.  After a couple visits to my PT, anti-inflammatory meds and rest the pain would go away.  I ended up going to see a specialist that eventually diagnosed my pain as a labral tear in the hip joint.  After months of dealing with insurance company bullshit December 3rd was finally the day that I could start looking forward again.

     I took a pause at looking forward so I could look back at what goals I set for myself and what I was able to get accomplished.

2015 goals in no particular order

Get back to regular running
I would say this was partially accomplished in the first half of the year anyway.  Once the hip injury entered the picture that goal pretty much was over.

2015 or more total miles for the year
Really, do I need to state the obvious.

Run a trail race

I did a couple of trail runs to try it out, but again the hip.

37 miles on my 37th birthday
Nope

Complete an Ultra Marathon
HAHA yeah right

Complete the Detroit Marathon
I held out hope till the very end but not a chance

Hit my goal weight of 173 lbs
2 years, 3 months & 8 days to make it happen.  One of the proudest day in my life!

Maintain my weight within the range of 168 - 178
I'm going to take this one.  I'm close on this and really I have managed to keep it right at about ten pounds.  Plus this goal was made with the thought that I was able to run all year, so I would say I did it. 

Try more fruits & vegetables 
I have added cabbage to my lunch pita sandwiches, I now eat 1 to 2 apples a day and I tried a banana twice, so yeah I would say I accomplished it.

     After looking at that list, I would say I set some big goals for myself, and to be honest I didn't think I was going to do them all, but I sure wanted to try.  So 2016, what do I say, well as much as I want to go big I think it would be stupid to put undue pressure on myself, so here is my modest list of goals:

Get back to running regularly
For me to accomplish this I want to be able to run 3-5 days a week consistently.  I know it will take time to get my distance built back up so if I am getting in the daily runs and able to increase my mileage consistently then I will be happy.
Run and complete a 5k and a 10k (stretch goal would include a half as well)
As I build up my mileage I don't want to push myself to hard, there is plenty of time for that.
Hit my goal weight again (stretch goal would be 165lbs)
While I am happy with how well I have maintained things with the lack of exercise I really want to get back to my goal weight.  
Incorporate regular strength and cross training to help prevent future injuries  
I think this will be the key to it all.  nuff said 
Try more fruits and vegetables
No matter what this should always be a goal of mine
And last, try to be a better blogger
I haven't done a great job of blogging regularly, pretty much since my hip injury.  I think being down and depressed about things had a big affect on me.  I started this to bring hope to those who needed help and inspiration like I did over three years ago, and I am not keeping up my end of the bargain. 

     Well there you have it.  While 2015 was a bust, well except for Star Wars, that was pretty f-ing cool.  Anyway, I am no longer looking back and have my eyes fixed on the future! 

   

Where the Hell Have You Been

   
     Well it has been a little over a month since my last post and I want to apologize for not being more active for you all.  I have just struggling to feel any sort of being or purpose lately when it comes to my blog.  Every time I think "that would be a good topic to write about" the desire just hasn't been there for me to do it.  Ever since I was told I needed surgery I have been down in the dumps with the whole "why me" argument.  I am sure the lack of exercise that my body is use to is having an effect on my mood, but when you add in being inundated all day every day on Facebook and other blogs about others that are hitting these great milestones, running some great races and just plain enjoying life doing what they love while you can't doesn't help the situation.  Don't get me wrong, I am so happy and proud to see so many people making healthy changes in their lives, but it is hard not to fight that feeling of jealousy and anger at my situation, and I think I have let it get to me so bad that I have been disengaging from almost everything in my life.  More and more the idea of just coming home from work, sitting on the couch and doing nothing but watch Netflix has become my norm, and I don't like it.

     Since I can't run I have dusted off the bicycle and given cycling a shot.  Mandy and I have gone on a few 2-3 mile rides together, but she likes to just relax and enjoy the view when she rides, which I don't mind since we are spending time together, but to me that is the equivalent of walking vs. running.  I have managed a 9 mile and 13 mile rides at a brisk pace, which felt pretty good, despite my ass getting sore. (#) I would like to get out there more, but really the only time I have to ride, other than my day off is in the early morning when its dark, so until I spend some money on lights for the bike, that is out.

     Time to change the attitude and think more positive about things.  I am sure the last thing anyone once to read about is my fucking pity party on how I can't run right now, when there is so much more going on in the world to deal with.  I have to admit, what you are reading now is the third time I have written this post, and before deleting most of it, I think typing those previous drafts really helped.  How you ask?  Well when I read it back to myself, all I heard was a guy that wants something to come easy to him, feels like he is owed something, wants others to feel sorry for him and say it is ok to be like this.  I know this feeling well, and you know what this feeling has gotten me in the past?  I'll tell you  142 POUNDS OF PURE WASTE OF SPACE!  That's right, the last time I felt this way was before this journey ever started and when I didn't want to put in any of the effort, but gain all the results.  

     My plan for the blog's future is to do a daily or every other day post about my surgery experience and recover, but until then my post will be few and far between and may have absolutely nothing to do with running. There is a little more than three weeks till I have my surgery, so until then nothing but living life and concentrating on the positives in life! 

Hell Of A 3rd Run-aversary

     Today turned out to be one hell of a day to celebrate my 3rd Run-aversary.  The Run the Res 5K was the first ever race I participated in and so I use it as my running anniversary.  This was the 6th year for the race and the third that I had participated in.  The race features a 5K and 10K distance that circles around the charming reservoir in Fostoria.  

     The day started out waking up to a beautiful cloudless sunny morning.  I wasn't feeling my best yesterday so I decided to skip my run and if I was feeling better I would do a few miles in the morning before my race.  Well I was feeling much better with the extra sleep I got so I suited up and headed out for 4 miles close to my half marathon race pace.  After I finished my run I sat down and ate, jumped in the shower and got dressed for the race.

     Once Mandy and I got to the park I headed over to packet pick up and get warmed up for the race.  It has become a tradition now that Mandy takes a picture in roughly the same spot as kind of a yearly comparison.  Below is all three years prior to the start of each race:

     Before the race began Mandy asked me what I was thinking about running, time wise.  I wasn't really sure, I didn't think I had it in me to get a new PR for the distance, but I thought I could at least PR the event.  The 5K and 10K races start together and at the 2.25 mile mark they split left and right to an out and back section before finishing back at where we started from.  Once the race started I was feeling really good and was surprised to see I was hanging in the top 15 of all the runners.  I was holding around a 7:12 pace when we hit the first mile when a guy passed me and the lady a few feet in front of me.  I pushed a little harder and tucked in behind him, trying to stay with him.  I keep wondering now if I could have pushed myself harder at this point, but when I was running I kept thinking I didn't want to burn myself out to early. 

     I came around the corner and saw Mandy there taking my picture and gave me a high 5 as I passed by.  I headed up the small hill, where we split off from the 10K runners, still behind the same guy, but a few more steps behind.  As we started down the hill I noticed a young lady in front of both of us maybe 25 yards or so, but what I didn't see was anyone else in front of her or anyone already making the return trip.  It was at that moment I realized that I was currently in third place and couldn't believe it.  The guy in front of me and I made up ground on the front runner and almost immediately after making the turnaround we both past her.  At this point in the race I was about 10 yards behind in 2nd place when we started the climb back up the hill.  Once we hit the top and started our way down, I used gravity as much as possible was able to be right on his heels.  Just as we hit the 2.8 mile mark I decided to pour it on and make my move, hoping I had enough to hold him off.  I glanced back when my watch beeped the 3 mile mark and I didn't see him, I had to look again and sure as shit he was nowhere in sight.

     I came flying in to a bunch of volunteers that clapped and congratulated me for not only winning the 5K, but being the first runner back from either races.  Mandy came up to me saying "you won, you won babe!"  She later told me that while she was waiting for me a volunteer said "here comes the first runner back" and when she turned around she was stunned to see it was me and fumbled with her phone and wasn't able to get a pic of me.  To be honest I am still in shock that I won, and I think I did because all the guys that were ahead of me were running the 10K, but I am not going to let that tarnish my race. 

     We waited around to see the official results and for the prizes to be awarded.  According to the official results I finished in 22:20 which was one second faster than my current 5K PR, so needless to say this was one hell of a day.  Here are a few other pictures from today's race.

2 Years, 3 Months & 8 Days In The Making

     Today started as any normal day off for me.  I never thought April 8th 2015 would have been the day of all days for me.  In my mind I always thought this day would be an epic tale to tell, but I think because I wasn't expecting it, I am still in shock.  This morning the scale read 172.8, a number that I haven't seen since 1994 when I was in wrestling my freshman year.

4/8/15 official weigh in

173 lbs

Total loss from heaviest:  144 lbs

Current BMI:  27.1 (overweight)

     You may be wondering why this was my goal weight, and the answer to that question is because it was the last time in my life when I was truly healthy.  I started my freshman year right around 200 pounds and when I went out for wrestling, do to my weight, I was put in the heavyweight weight class.  I was getting my ass kicked all over the mat by those that were much larger and heavier than me.  I worked my butt off to drop to the next weight class of 175.  I stuck right around 173 for the rest of the wrestling season.  Once the season was over I made the decision not to go out for the team next year and the long slow upward march to 317 pounds began.

     After years of roller coaster fad diets, failed attempts at exercise and just plain old laziness, the beginning of October 2012 was when my life would forever be changed.  2 years, 3 months & 8 days later, I am at goal weight, healthy and happier then ever, hell I am eating an apple almost every day now.  

     This is just the first step in continuing a life long commitment to stay the course.  I am now entering what I have read and been told is harder than the weight loss itself, maintenance.  I have read that as low as 50% and has high 95% gaining most if not all their weight back.  Now I can't imagine that it is even that high, but even if it is, I am determined to go against and beat the trend.  Its a battle that will only end when I take my last breath, but when that time comes nothing will make me happier than at that moment to smile and give this demon the finger.

I thought I would share a few pics from over the last two years.  Just some different shots of some milestones and fun times I have had.  They are in no particular order, enjoy!