It is kind of funny when you think about how your definition of a “big” week changes over time.

I used to think it was a big week if I had some important meetings or solving a big technical issue at work. During my weight loss journey I thought it was a big week if I lost five pounds. Now the weight loss is done and my weight is holding pretty steady minus the day-to-day fluctuations (which can be as much as five pounds sometimes) and “big” weeks are taking on a new meaning.

At first I was going to say that this was a relatively average week without anything major to talk about. But, it turns out, I am not giving myself enough credit. I am doing things on my “average” week that are phenomenal by any rational person’s standards. I am just not necessarily seeing it that way because my perspective is a little skewed since I am in it.

In some ways my inability to distinguish my “big” weeks from just “average” weeks reminds me of my weight loss. I was about forty or fifty pounds down, my clothes were falling off of me and people were commenting on my weight loss daily. But I didn’t see it. When I looked in the mirror all I saw was how much I have left to go and not the progress. I still saw the same guy looking back at me. It happened so gradually and I was deep in it the whole time so it was hard for me to see that I was making incredible progress.

I need to take a minute, pull myself up out of the details and look at weeks like this one with the proper perspective. This was NOT an “average” week and next week will not be an “average” week. I have started something big and I need to remember that I am making huge strides in my own journey while helping others. This was a “big” week”!

• I launched the paperback version of my book
• People are buying the book albeit slowly
• Somebody I didn’t know excitedly approached me and told me she just bought my book
• The stranger who bought my book got there from my social media posts and tagging a local wine bar so I got some validation that my social posting is having an impact
• My Instagram followers got to 400
• I learned that I am going to get some press about my journey and book
• My bench press goal got fully within reach
• I had my last few runs before going into rest mode for next weekend
• Plus my wife and I lived a week full of love and fun and it was her birthday

Just an “average” week? I guess I need to get the hell over myself and open my eyes to the fact that I really am kind of killing it. I just need to do a better job of seeing that!

This is marathon week

This coming Saturday will be the Cap City Half Marathon in Columbus. This will be my second organized half marathon in six months and my fifth overall half marathon distance run in nine months. I think I am ready though I am going to be on edge all week thinking about the race.

My last half marathon (see my post from 10/28) was an amazingly rewarding and an amazingly tough experience for me. I struggled and almost gave up twice during the race. But I didn’t give up and I finished with a time of 2:44 which isn’t terrible for a first run. I embraced a run/walk strategy of alternating miles of each.

For the Cap City my goal is to achieve a time of 2:30. My plan is to continue my run/walk strategy but to alternate between two miles running and a half mile walk. I tried this a few weeks ago (see my post from 3/24) and hit my 2:30 time on a course that wasn’t closed and while stopping to take some pictures along the way. But it was really hard at the end and I felt pretty sore and out of it for a couple of days. So my fingers are crossed but I have a fair amount of anxiety about the race.

In preparation for the race this week is going to be a rest week with no significant running and only low impact exercise. So this past week was the end of my pre-race running. Fortunately it was, mostly, a beautiful spring week and I got out several times to enjoy the weather with a run. I ended with my final run of any distance this morning when I did 4.5 miles, practicing my run/walk strategy, on a chilly morning by the lake.

The rest of this week is going to be walking, resting and taking care of proper nutrition. It will culminate with Thursday and Friday being all about getting into the zone mentally and cleansing my body of “bad” foods to focus on being ready for Saturday.

Lesson Learned: nerves are a natural part of building up to something big. Just take care of the things in your control, trust your training and expect the best.

I have a real book

My book, Operation Melt: How I Used Life-Changing Project Management to Lose Over 100 Pounds in Under a Year, launched in paperback this week. The paperback is available exclusively on Amazon right now and is starting to sell.

While I have had the eBook in the market for a while now there is something different about a paperback. You can pick it up and it is something tangible. It just feels like even more of a “real” book though an eBook is absolutely real.

People are starting to read the book and even people I don’t know. That is amazing! I have been approach about some media coverage in one of my favorite podcasts which is super exciting. People are very interested in my story and have ideas about how to help it impact even more people. So this journey is really starting to build momentum.

Lesson Learned: keep focused on your goal even when things seem to be going slowly. If you do what is in your control to prepare a good product and help it get visibility you will build the momentum needed to get you there. Patience grasshopper!

Thanks for reading and happy Easter!

Last week’s stats (4/8-4/14):

Maintain avg. weight of 189-199 pounds: 200.6 lbs average
Run 10+ miles per week: 10.86 miles
Total walk/run miles: 42.7 miles
Weight training 2-3 times per week: 1 workout
One race per month: January, March and April races complete, half marathon 4/27
Continue to track & manage calories: 3,122 calories under budget