"Running Commentary"
Midnight In Kansas
“It ain’t braggin’ if you can back it up!”
Ever hear someone say that?
Well, I can back it up and then some – but I ain’t braggin’. Rather, I’m being accountable.
If you have a heartfelt goal to improve some aspect of your life, you need to have a realistic plan of attack. Once you have a plan, you are far more likely to succeed if you share your goal with others, keeping them informed along the way as to your progress.
It’s called being accountable. Knowing you have to share your progress with others is strong incentive to keep going until you’ve reached your goal.
Flashback! December 31, 2019. Visiting my mother in Concordia, I managed to stay awake until midnight. Moments before the clock struck 12:00 am, I walked outside into a cold and clear Kansas night. Standing alone on the sidewalk, I looked up at the brightest star in the dark sky – Sirius, the Dog Star – and had a “Come To Jesus” confessional, speaking out loud to the star and to myself.
If that sounds dramatic, trust me – it was.
The year 2019 was tough for me, following a divorce I never saw coming. Truthfully, I’m in a much better place today than I was married to someone with bi-polar and OCD issues prone to screaming attacks. Yet, my divorce was still a life failure, one I didn’t expect.
Feeling sorry for myself, I let myself go with comfort foods, gaining extra pounds that skyrocketed into an all-time high weight of 220. YIKES!
Three words: fat and ugly.
As the clock struck midnight, I made a solemn promise to that star. I promised two things. First, I would lose all those pounds I had gained; and secondly, I would get back in shape. I would return to one of the great loves of my life—training, running and competing in races.
In summary, I would get back to being me – Roy Michael. Certified rascal and raconteur.
The following morning, New Year’s Day, I went over to the track at the high school and attempted to run. Operable word: “attempted.” The farthest I could go without gagging for breath was 100 yards.
Think about how humiliating that was – me, a guy who has run multiple Boston Marathons and competed both nationally and internationally in track and field. A true-blue competitive runner – and I couldn’t run even halfway around the track without stopping to catch my breath.
In this very newspaper, I wrote about that midnight promise and said I would someday give readers an update. Today is Accountability Day.
Soooo … 126 days later, how’s it going? Well, this morning I ran five miles in 50 minutes, a pace that felt comfortable and easy. Much slower than my years of glory, but not too shabby for an old guy. Each week, my times and distances continue to improve. Going farther, running faster, week by week.
Those early days of gagging for breath are a distant memory. So, I’ve accomplished half of my goal – getting in shape. I’ve lost inches off my waist and feel “skinny” again.
As for losing weight? Since January, I’ve lost a total of 42 lbs. Currently, I weigh 178, and according to a fitness app I use which monitors trends, I should reach my target weight of 163 lbs. sometime next month. In June.
The end is in sight. WHEW! I will have lost over 55 lbs.
I’m no longer fat and ugly.
I’m merely ugly. Not much I can do about that. So what if I resemble Boris Karloff more than Cary Grant? At least I no longer see a puffed-out blowfish when I look in a mirror. Truly, I’m back to being me. And that feels ever so good.
A mere four months ago, it was as if I was carrying around four extra bowling balls of weight. No wonder I’m enjoying running again. I’m lighter on my feet. Less stress on the body.
Is there a lesson here for anyone else who wants to improve something in their life? Absolutely! The recipe isn’t complicated. First, acknowledge a problem – something in your life you’d like to change. Secondly, develop a plan of attack to change your behavior; and thirdly, share your goals and your plan with family and friends.
And then? Go to work! As they say, “Just do it.”
I’m not saying it’s easy. Improving our station in life is hard work; but, as you see signs of improvement, it becomes easier. There is hope for change in your life if you just stick to your plan. Don’t get discouraged by minor setbacks – keep at it!
American physicist Stephen Hawking once said, “Remember to look up at the stars and not down at your feet. Try to make sense of what you see and wonder about what makes the universe exist. Be curious. And however difficult life may seem, there is always something you can do and succeed at. It matters that you don’t just give up.”
That’s my heartfelt hope for anyone reading this who may have had a bad year, especially during these difficult days of isolation and social distancing. Make lemonade out of your lemony existence. Keep at it. Don’t give up!
Look up at the stars.
Make your own promise.
R Michael Owens, of Colorado, is enjoying an extended visit with his 99 year-old mother Genevieve. She is an inspiration – someone who has never given up.