Genesis

The origin of my run Disney adventure goes back to June 2012.  49 years old, and weighing at the time 200+ pounds (I had been 200 or better for many years), I was signed up to run a 5 mile road race here in Danvers. I have been running consistently since my high school years, generally no great distance and typically 10-15 miles per week in 3 or 4 mile chunks. This was for general health purposes and I didn't consider myself a "runner", although I occasionally ran a 5k, the last time back in 2008.

I can't remember why I signed up for the 5 miler, but I did, and began to regret it the day of the race when the temperatures soared past 90 degrees. With a sick feeling in my stomach I noticed that virtually everyone else waiting at the start line was a skinny running type. Apparently everyone else of my size/shape had the good sense to bail out given the weather conditions. Not quite everyone, as there was one other "plus-size" runner in the back with me, waiting with the same wan expression I had. In the event, the race turned out to be just as dreadful as I expected, with me trundling along well behind most of the runners and forced to walk up the first big hill we came to. As the race went along I waved off the volunteers who shouted out mileage and split times - they were only embarrassing me, as were the volunteers who stayed out there to cheer me along well after most of the runners had gone by, clapping for the fat guy who should be applauded just for getting his lazy ass off the couch. This was grossly unfair to them, of course, people who were volunteering their time so the race could happen and who were genuinely trying to be supportive. It was also unfair to the fat guys who really should be applauded for getting off the couch. The thing is, I am a naturally thin type who once ran 18 minute 5k's and only got in this condition through neglect and lack of self-discipline. I deserved jeers more than applause. In any case, I managed to finally waddle across the finish line, completing the five miles in 52 minutes at an average pace of 10:24 minutes per mile. The experience was so humiliating that I vowed to never again run a competitive race unless I became a lot smaller. And I didn't, returning to my 10-12 miles a week and cheesesteak subs.

Fast forward to January 2014. I had a tooth pulled in October 2013 followed a day later by arthroscopic knee surgery which, combined with the deteriorating weather, demotivated me from restarting my running program after the surgery (which is possible to do after a few weeks with an arthroscopic surgery). Then the holidays rolled around and I found myself weighing an all time high of 223 lbs in early January. Now a few days short of 51 years old, I noticed the little aches and pains I had long had getting worse, and found myself accumulating some new ones as well. I figured the additional weight could not be helping any of this.

It occurred to me that I was at a decision point: If I didn't do something to change this situation, I would soon be at a point where my physical life would be primarily concerned with managing the aches and pains and adjusting my lifestyle to accommodate them. In other words, I would be old. But I wasn't sure I had the motivation to really do something about it, as I did like my cheesesteak subs and 20 oz. Cokes. I had made some somewhat successful attempts in the last decade to lose weight, but I had never gotten under 200 lbs and the losses were (as they almost always are for everyone) temporary. I've never really been successful at losing weight for losing weight's sake.

It was at this moment that Tricia mentioned that a woman at her morning "boot camp" class had run the Disney Marathon and that you could check out the race online. So I visited the run Disney website and was immediately enchanted. I've always liked Disney World and the race looked like an absolute blast. An idea formed in my head: The next Disney Marathon was a year away. That event could be the carrot motivating me to do something about my dreadful physical situation and, if not turn back the clock, at least avoid spinning it forward a few years, which was what I was doing.

A nice idea but there were some questions that needed realistic answers: Could my body, especially my knees, handle the necessary training? Certainly not in my present condition. It quickly became clear the order in which things would have to happen: I'd have to lose weight first, then begin the real marathon training. Even with the loss of weight, there was no assurance my knees would stand up to the punishment. The Disney Marathon registration did not open until late April (and, I discovered, quickly sells out), giving me four months to discover how serious I was about actually doing this. That would be judged by how much weight I could lose between now and then and, in April, an increase in running mileage to judge the effect on my knees (and anything else!)

In the event, I managed to go from 223 lbs in early January to 210 lbs on March 31. I did not follow a formal program but used common sense: I first cut out all the obviously bad things I was eating. No more Coke, no more ice cream or cake, try to limit eating between meals as much as possible. Then I cut back the portion sizes I was eating and ate more fruit and fewer potato chips.

Then, in April, as planned I began to increase my running mileage, getting to about 25 miles/week by the end of April, by which time I had also dropped to 204 lbs. Surprisingly, I discovered that my knees felt better the more I ran. Some other middle aged runners told me they were not surprised. The additional running strengthened the muscles around the knee as well as kept the joints lubricated.

This was evidence enough for me to commit to the 2015 Disney Marathon, which I did at the end of April.