I am a former fat guy, well I still qualify as a Clydesdale in any race I enter. The name of the blog says it all. When you picture a gnome, that is the former me. Five years ago I weighed in at over 256 pounds. I do not know how big I actually was because I stopped getting on the scale. I was literally breaking buttons on size 40 x 30 pants. In a good pair of running shoes I might reach 5'9". Get the picture? I used to refer to my stature as short and stout. Today, I still might only stretch to 5'9" in a cushy running shoe but am about a seven year old child lighter, weighing in around 210 pounds. Eventually I would like to go below two bills but that is another post.
I am a former college athlete, football player. As long as I can remember I lifted heavy weights and ran as little as possible. I always completed the summer running programs, but they never incorporated more than a couple miles. After graduation I gained a little weight, got married gained a little weight. My wife had a baby, I gained a little pregnancy weight. She had the baby and lost the weight and lets just say I looked a little jollier around the holidays. My wife got pregnant again and I looked even jollier. At this point I was pushing well over 250 on my 5'9" frame. I could still lift weights but now I could not even run a mile without my knees and back screaming at me to stop. My wife was kind enough to suggest a New Years resolution that we could work on together. With in the year I lost about 50 pounds.
I did not immediately turn into a runner. I am not sure I would say I am a runner now but I guess I do run or at least meander down the road or trail a few days a week. A few years back a good friend and I would say to one another "Hey man, we should run a 5k." It began as little more than just a wild idea and then it happened. I am not sure which of use did it but one one of us actually signed up for a race. That's how it started.
