Thursday, August 6, 2009, was the day it all began. As a 5'8" male, I weighed in at 270.4 pounds with a body mass index (BMI) of 41.1. To put that into perspective between 18.5 and 24.9 is considered normal. Not only was I considered overweight, but morbidly obese. It was on that Thursday that my job began a Biggest Loser competition. My co-workers talked me into it. I had always talked about doing something about my weight. Quite possibly, this competition could help me. In the end, I lost 40 pounds and I came in second. I was proud of myself, but that would only be short lived.

Two months after the competition, I gained 15 pounds. What happened? I stopped doing what I did to lose the weight. During the time of the competition, I only changed my eating habits. I tried to exercise, but gave up within two weeks. I guess I proved that you can lose weight with only changing your eating habits. As I have learned more about the body, doing so will cause you to not only lose fat, but muscle, too. That is not good! What next? My job decided to do another round of Biggest Loser. Just what I need to get my butt in gear!

Tuesday, January 5, 2010, was the day it started again. This time around I would change my lifestyle. I started using a Beachbody program called Insanity that worked wonders. By the time the second round was over, I had lost the 15 pounds I gained and some. It was not enough to win. I came in second, again, and to the same person as the first time. I was approaching the 200 pounds and excited about it. I could not stop now!

I started another round of Insanity after I took a week to allow my body to rest. I lost 20 pounds doing Insanity the second time. Someone at my job introduced me to SparkPeople. It was May 4, 2010. I did not know what to expect and honestly did not think the site would be beneficial to me. I was in for a pleasant surprise.

After two rounds of Insanity, I wanted to do something else, but I was not sure exactly what. I heard there is a runner in all of us, so a month later I decided I would start running. Tuesday, June 1, 2010, would be another date that would forever stick with me.

During my time on SparkPeople, I met Jerome Merlau. We immediately connected. Our journeys were similar and we started to support each other. We both had started running and were eager to run races. He mentioned that he wanted to do a marathon one day and so did I. He lives in Texas and thought the Dallas White Rock Marathon would be perfect. We decided Sunday, December 4, 2011, we would do it together. We would have more than a year to prepare for it.

It was around that time Jerome invited me to join a group on SparkPeople called Making It Happen. I was thrilled to be part of a group that my buddy was active in. The group became very supportive, inspiring, and motivational. We had become part of each other's lives and most of us had never met. Since most of us run, why not meet at a race? We could pick one in the middle of the country and one that has different distances, so everyone could participate. That is why we will be in Lawrence, KS the third weekend in April. We will meet, have good times, volunteer, and enjoy the atmosphere. It will be Jerome's first and my third half marathon. I can't wait! I have been training specifically for this event.

This year I have set a lofty goal to run 44 races. I ran 6 in 2010, so why the sudden increase? Well, I plan to do every race in the Arkansas RRCA Grand Prix series and experience different distances. Initially, I knew I would have over 30 races on my schedule. As I found other races that interested me, the number grew. I decided to cap it at 44 for my aunt that passed away almost a year ago. She would have been 44 this year on April 1, so this year is dedicated to her.

On this journey, I never thought I would be an inspiration to others. In fact, I have never viewed myself as being able to motivate another person. I have been supported by many along the way. Go! Running, a local running store in Little Rock, AR, has always been in my corner. I met one of the owners, Gary Taylor, at my first Little Rock Roadrunner meeting. Go! Running is a staple in our running community and I am proud to promote them to the world. We all need others to help us achieve our goals. For me, they are just that!

I want to be better, get stronger, and live a healthy life, but I also want others to do the same. After losing over 100 pounds, my body obviously changed, but I think my heart got bigger. I not only want to succeed, but I enjoy seeing others achieve their goals. One must realize this is not a quick fix. This is a lifelong endeavor.

This is a journey and everyday is not going to be easy. Falling down is part of the journey. You rise stronger and more focused each time. There are people willing to help you everywhere, but sometimes finding those people can be tough. Do not give up! Keep pushing!

Remember, you do not have to be the pinnacle of health to be healthy. Regardless of where you are on your journey, you should take pride in deciding to begin the journey. You just may be the inspiration that someone else needs.

STAY positive, STAY motivated, and STAY focused!