Tag Archives: resilience

Mistakes Make Better Runners

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There are weeks when everything clicks.

There are weeks when you set a personal best.

And then there are weeks where every run teaches you something you didn’t know before.

This was one of those weeks.

Showing Up Anyway

I’ll start with some honesty.

This wasn’t my best week.

It wasn’t my fastest.

It wasn’t my strongest.

It was simply a week where I kept showing up.

Sometimes that’s enough.

Sunday started exactly how I wanted it to.

An hour and a half of upper-body strength training.

Running is helping me lose weight, but I know if I stop lifting, I’ll eventually lose muscle too. I’ve always had broad shoulders and good upper-body strength.

Maybe it’s genetics.

Maybe it’s from years of carrying kids, groceries, backpacks, and every random thing my family asked me to haul around.

I’ll let you decide.

After the gym, I headed out for what was supposed to be a four-mile run.

That’s when I learned a lesson the hard way.

The Day My Knees Caught Fire

Earlier that morning, my knees were bothering me, so I rubbed Icy Hot on them.

Seemed like a good idea.

What I failed to consider was the weather.

It was 98 degrees with a heat index of 107.

I also sweat.

A lot.

About a mile and a half into the run, my knees felt like they were literally on fire.

Not uncomfortable.

Not sore.

On. Fire.

I managed three miles before calling it quits because there was no convincing myself to keep going.

Back home, I tried everything to get the burning to stop.

Then I made mistake number two.

I jumped into a warm shower.

If you’ve ever put Icy Hot on your body, you already know what happened next.

It somehow burned even worse.

The cold shower finally brought some relief, and I spent the next couple of hours sitting in my recliner with cold towels draped across my knees wondering if I was about to become the first person to visit the emergency room because of muscle cream.

Thankfully, by that evening, everything was fine.

Lesson learned.

No more Icy Hot before running.

A Bigger Engine Doesn’t Mean You Floor It

After taking a couple of days off, I was back on Wednesday.

The weather had cooled into the mid-80s.

The plan called for an easy recovery run.

My brain had other ideas.

Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve started feeling something different.

I finally feel like I’m becoming a runner.

My stride has naturally started getting longer.

My body is changing.

Running feels…different.

So instead of following the plan, my ego decided it wanted to see what this new engine could do.

I ran my first mile in 13 minutes and 29 seconds.

For me, that’s flying.

For about thirteen minutes, I felt unstoppable.

Then reality showed up.

The remaining sixteen minutes became an exercise in survival.

Every step reminded me why coaches tell you to trust the plan.

I paid for that first mile.

But I’m glad I made that mistake during training instead of on race day.

Sometimes experience is the best coach.

Running in the Rain

Thursday brought another first.

Rain.

Thunder.

Heat.

And somehow…

Peace.

There’s something difficult to explain about running through a storm.

Knowing everyone else is inside where it’s comfortable while you’re outside chasing a goal creates a different kind of energy.

It isn’t about proving anything to anyone else.

It’s about proving something to yourself.

Those are the runs you’ll remember.

Solving Problems on the Fly

Yesterday’s run reminded me that running is really just problem-solving in motion.

My heart rate was running much higher than normal.

I was frustrated.

The weather wasn’t terrible.

I hadn’t changed much.

Then I noticed my right calf.

It felt swollen and tight.

That’s when it clicked.

Over the last week, I’d changed my stride.

Longer strides meant different muscles were doing more work.

I shortened my stride back to what felt natural.

Almost immediately, things settled down.

Problem identified.

Adjustment made.

Keep moving.

That mindset feels familiar.

In operations, things rarely go according to plan.

You don’t panic.

You troubleshoot.

You adapt.

You solve the problem with the information you have.

Running isn’t much different.

Every mile is collecting data.

Every run teaches you something.

The goal isn’t perfection.

The goal is learning fast enough to keep moving forward.

One Battle I Still Haven’t Won

If there’s one area that continues to hold me back, it’s sleep.

I’m still averaging far less than I should.

I’ve tried melatonin.

I’ve tried CBD.

I’ve tried magnesium glycinate.

I’ve even tried prescription medication, but I’d rather not rely on it long-term.

Some things make me feel drowsy.

None of them have consistently helped me sleep.

I know recovery isn’t optional.

It’s part of training.

It’s probably the next habit I need to figure out.

Because fitness isn’t built only during the workout.

It’s built while your body recovers afterward.

If you’ve struggled with sleep and found something that genuinely helped—not just another supplement—I would love to hear it.

What worked for you?

Leave me a comment. I’m always looking to learn from people who’ve been where I am.

Looking Ahead

This week wasn’t about breaking records.

It was about making mistakes.

Learning from them.

Adjusting.

And showing up again anyway.

Burning knees.

An ego check.

A rainstorm.

A sore calf.

None of those things stopped the journey.

They simply became part of it.

I’m beginning to realize that becoming a runner isn’t about learning how to run.

It’s about learning how to adapt.

One mistake.

One adjustment.

One mile at a time.

Slow.

Steady.

Deliberate.

Forward under load.

Choosing Forward

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There are weeks when the miles matter.

There are weeks when the scale matters.

And then there are weeks where simply refusing to quit is the biggest victory of all.

This week was one of those weeks.

The Reality Behind the Progress

My current weight is 295 pounds.

When I started documenting this journey back in June, I weighed 310 pounds. Seeing 295 isn’t the finish line, but it reminds me that consistency adds up, even when life feels like it’s pulling you in every direction.

Running continued this week, although not as much as I had planned.

This week’s numbers:

  • Weight: 295 lbs
  • Runs: 3
  • Total distance: 9 miles
  • Longest run: 4.2 miles in 1:16:40
  • Average pace: 19:05 per mile
  • Average heart rate: 139 bpm
  • Total steps: 53,030
  • Total walking/running distance: 24 miles
  • Average daily steps: 8,698
  • Strength training: Upper body session
  • Average sleep: 5 hours, 32 minutes

One run stands out more than the others.

The temperature was in the 90s with a heat index around 110 degrees. Every logical excuse said to skip it.

I ran anyway.

Not because it was enjoyable.

Because becoming the person I want to be means learning to keep promises to myself, even when the conditions aren’t ideal.

A Wake-Up Call

This week also brought something I had been dreading.

I had an EGD, and if I’m being honest, I was scared.

I’ve never been put under anesthesia as an adult, and sitting there waiting forced me to think about how years of drinking and eating poorly have caught up with me.

Thankfully, the news was better than I feared.

There was no cancer and nothing immediately serious. The doctor found inflammation and red spots in the lining of my stomach, and I’ll learn more at my follow-up appointment.

A previous ultrasound also revealed that I have fatty liver disease. My liver is enlarged, and it’s another reminder that my health isn’t something I can continue putting off.

Exercise, better nutrition, and Omega-3 supplements are part of the treatment now.

There isn’t a shortcut out of this.

Only better decisions made consistently.

Running Gave Me Another Option

I’ll admit something that’s uncomfortable to say out loud.

With everything happening in my personal life, my health, and the uncertainty at work, I’ve wanted to drink.

The old version of me would have.

That was how I handled pain.

I would numb it.

I would run away from it.

This time has been different.

I don’t know if it’s because I found running.

Maybe it’s because I’m 33 years old.

Maybe it’s because I have children who are watching me more closely than I realize.

Maybe it’s all of those things together.

Whatever the reason, when life has pushed me toward self-destruction, I’ve chosen to lace up my shoes instead.

Running hasn’t solved my problems.

It has simply given me a healthier direction to carry them.

And for right now, that’s enough.

My greatest accomplishment this week wasn’t another mile.

It wasn’t a faster pace.

It wasn’t a lower number on the scale.

It was staying sober.

Learning to Take Care of Myself

One lesson surprised me this week.

I realized I need time for myself.

For years, I’ve tried to be present for everyone else.

My wife.

My kids.

My job.

The people who depend on me.

Recently, I decided not to attend one of my kids’ basketball weekends.

That wasn’t because I don’t love them or don’t care.

Anyone who knows me knows I’ve spent years coaching, supporting, and investing in them. Basketball has been a huge part of my life since I was young, and I still believe in what they’re capable of becoming.

But I also realized something.

You can’t keep pouring from an empty cup.

For thirteen years, I’ve made sure everyone else’s needs came first.

This Sunday, I stayed home.

I sat in the quiet.

I listened to music.

I wrote.

And for the first time in a long time, I felt like I was taking care of myself instead of simply surviving another week.

That doesn’t make me a bad father.

It makes me a healthier one.

Looking Ahead

There are still storms I’m walking through.

Some are health-related.

Some are personal.

Some are happening at work as our organization continues to change.

I’m not ready to share every detail yet.

Maybe someday I will.

For now, I’m choosing to keep moving.

The goal for the next seven days isn’t perfection.

It’s simply to be better than I was this week.

One better decision.

One more run.

One more healthy meal.

One more night without alcohol.

I’m learning that resilience isn’t surviving until the storm passes.

Sometimes resilience is learning how to live while the storm is still here.

Slow. Steady. Deliberate.

Forward under load.

Resilience Is Built in the Difficult Weeks

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This past week was a reminder that progress is not always measured by perfect days.

Sometimes progress is measured by continuing to show up when life feels heavy.

There have been some challenges behind the scenes that have made this season difficult. I’m not going to get into every detail, but I will say that life has been testing my patience, my discipline, and my ability to stay grounded.

What I’ve learned through this process is that rebuilding isn’t just about physical transformation. It’s about learning who you are when things are not going according to plan.

And this week, I learned something important:

I am more resilient than I realized.

The Physical Progress

My current weight is 294 lbs.

While I know I still have a long way to go, I can truly feel the progress I’ve made. The weight I’ve lost has made running feel completely different. My body feels stronger, my endurance is improving, and I’m starting to see what consistency can create.

This week I completed:

  • 5 runs
  • 13 total miles

The biggest accomplishment came when I ran for one full hour straight, completing 3.4 miles.

That moment meant a lot. Not because of the distance, but because I know how much work went into getting there. Running for an hour was something that once felt out of reach, and now it is something I have accomplished.

I also completed another longer run where I ran for 50 minutes and 3 miles.

The following day, I attempted another long run, but my body had a different plan. The soreness from the hour-long run caught up with me, and I completed 35 minutes instead.

Funny enough, my Garmin watch even told me I needed recovery after my hour-long run. It was a good reminder that listening to my body is also part of becoming stronger.

Recovery is not weakness. Recovery is part of the process.

Movement Outside of Running

The running was only one part of my activity this week.

My total movement was:

  • 63,733 steps
  • 30 total miles
  • 10,572 average steps per day

Every step represents the commitment I’m making to become healthier and build a better version of myself.

Nutrition and Sleep

This was not my strongest week nutritionally.

I’ve continued trying to make healthier choices, but the stress and challenges of life affected my consistency. My nutrition wasn’t where I wanted it to be, and that is something I want to improve moving forward.

Sleep has also been a challenge.

I averaged around 5 hours of sleep, which is not where I want to be. I know rest plays a huge role in recovery, energy, and overall health.

This is another area where I need to continue improving.

The important thing is that I recognize where I need to make changes.

Strength Training Update

The gym was another area where I missed the mark.

I did not complete any strength training sessions this week.

The reason came down to excuses. Going to bed late affected my mornings, and I wasn’t waking up when I needed to.

Instead of continuing that pattern, I found a solution.

My workplace has a gym available, including a stair stepper, and I’m going to start using it after work. The goal is to remove the obstacles that were preventing me from getting it done.

The rebuild is about adapting.

If one approach isn’t working, find another way.

What I Learned This Week

The biggest lesson from this week is that I am stronger than I give myself credit for.

I have responsibilities as a father, a partner, and someone trying to improve his health. Some days are harder than others, but I continue to show up.

When I look back at everything I’ve overcome in my life, I realize I’ve handled difficult moments before.

This is another chapter.

Not an easy chapter, but one that is shaping me.

The Next 7 Days

The goal for the next week is simple:

Stay grounded.

Stay patient.

Continue moving forward.

I know the road I’m on will have ups and downs. The goal is not to have a perfect week. The goal is to keep building, keep learning, and keep becoming the person I know I can be.

Slow. Steady. Deliberate.