About
For those of you who don’t know me my name is Mike and have been running for the past 8 years on a consistent basis, actually since November 2, 2003. OK so you probably are asking why that specific date? Some recreational runners decide to pick running as a form of exercise because they have a wedding, high school reunion or some other event taking place in the near future. Others have had a dramatic wakeup call in their lives, whether it be heart surgery, lose in the family etc. Well here is my story.
I’ve always been an athlete, 3 varsity letters in High School (Football, Baseball and Ice Hockey) and continued to play baseball and softball over the years but as I got older the weight started to creep upwards. Then in December of 2002 my wife and I found out that we will be expecting the birth of our first born in late summer of 2003.
That’s when it happened I ballooned to 270 lbs. (maybe more I stopped weighing myself) and was up to a snug 44 inch waist. Laziness, no motivation, sympathy weight you name it, in a matter of 8 short months I was overweight at the age of 28 and I knew this could spiral out of control. 2 1/2 months after the birth of my son on November 2, 2003 I was laying down on the couch, my son sleeping on my chest and flipping through the TV channels when I stopped on the NYC Marathon. It was at this moment that my life/exercise routine changed. Mentally I said to myself, I don’t want to be an overweight father who needs to take breaks when playing in the back yard or even worse leave my wife and son unexpectedly because I didn’t take care of myself. That night I told my wife that I’m going to run the NYC Marathon the following year and give myself 12 months of training. With that I put on my sweats, sweatshirt and old sneakers and decided to go on a 4 mile run. Not only did I overdress, have no support on my feet, I thought I was never going to make it. At the end of my run (took me 56 minutes) I said how the hell will I be able to run 26.2 miles. Over the next 12 months I pushed and was standing at the starting line for the 2004 NYC Marathon. Finish time was 4:12 not bad considering I was still tipping the scales at 255. I stayed at that weight for the following NYC Marathon in 2005 finishing 4:39. I didn’t change my eating habits and still managed to lose over 15 lbs so I took it a step further. September of 2006 I decided to make a three month commitment by dieting. I dropped an additional 40 lbs. and have kept the weight off ever since. No marathons in 2006 and 2007 though I did run in some 5k’s and half marathons so I had something to train for which leads me to 2008.
I decided to run the 2008 NYC Marathon for LiveStrong in the honor of my mother in law who passed away in June 2008 after a 6 month 28 day battle from brain cancer. The world will never be the same without her as she dedicated her life to everyone around her and on marathon Sunday she must of pushed all things aside in heaven to be the wind beneath my wings. I crossed the finish line with a new PR and a time of 3:47. My run was euphoric, in fact my last mile was 7:20. I couldn’t stop but think that the pain I was experiencing was nothing compared to what she had to go through, thanks Mom.
I guess that brings me to today, yet again training for another marathon and yes the lucky winner once again is NYC. Four marathons and all four being NYC. I just can’t imagine running in any other city. My goal this year is sub 3:40, I hope I’m like a fine wine, getting better with age :)
Update: 2009 Marathon PR 3:36:46
Next Race: 70.3 Pocono Half Ironman
Goal: Finish
Ultimate Goal: 6 hours and 30 minutes
More Facts:
- Married to my high school sweetheart, 10 years
- 2 children
- AVP, Sales Global Media Company
- Hobbies include running (the obvious one), golf, weather, fishing, softball but most of all spending time with the family
Running PR’s:
- 2009 NYC Marathon- 3:35:46
- 2009 NYC Half Marathon- 1:46:05
- 2008 5k- 21:37
