Judgment Day Approaches

Today I finished the last 5 mile run in the training schedule for my marathon. My dream is finally becoming reality. On Sunday, I will run 26.2 miles in the GO! St. Louis Marathon. I've put in the long long hours of running required and I will resolute this journey on April 19th.

The thing I am most excited about is that all of my friends and family will be there, and I will be a living testimony that even the unlikeliest of candidates can achieve great success with hard work, determination, and a hell of a stubborned personality.

I could have listened to all the people who told me I couldn't do it. I could have listened to all the people who thought I was insane. I could have listened to my body when it was SCREAMING at me on some of the first very long runs. I didn't. Now, I'm in the best shape of my life, I no longer have high blood pressure, my stress level is next to nothing, my resting heart rate is that of an athlete, and I have made more friends in the past 4 months than perhaps ever in my life.

The story I would have written about my life had I not begun this training program would have rung significantly different tones. I was a smoker who ate fast food regularly with high blood pressure and drank to inebriation at least every weekend. I was overweight, unhappy, and unworthy of happiness really I suppose. Then, I made a decision, I wanted to know who I was again, regain some of the direction and purpose I had when I was younger. I started on a training schedule doing the one thing I KNEW would force me to get in shape, lose weight, quit smoking, and help me pull out of my funk. I became worthy again, I was no longer a drag. I know that if there is even an ounce of water left in my cells at the end of Sunday's marathon, I will cry the happiest tears of joy that anyone has ever cried.

Thank you running, for fixing my life.

Love,
Billy the Kid


Positive thought for the day:
There are no ends, only beginnings; no goal, once achieved, brings about an end, but only an opportunity for a new beginning.