(and how to support a great charity in the process!)
January, 2012: I didn’t know it then, but this was the start of the Year of Change. I was alone at home, going through what was becoming a ritualistic form of stress relief: my nightly bottle of wine. Sure, it’s been happening almost every night, but I wasn’t not getting too drunk… And my pants were getting tight, but I was still leaner than a lot of the people I hang out with, right?
And make no mistake, I had stress that needed relieving. I’d just finished my first year of running my own business, and I wouldn’t find out until later, but I lost a bundle that first year. I basically paid a bunch of money for the chance to be busier than anyone else I knew.
But for some reason, things felt different that night. I was ready for a change. So the next morning, I went to the local gym to sign up. This part was easy. I’ve belonged to gyms before. And I knew it could be a healthier form of stress relief. Heck, If this cut me back by a bottle a week, I’d be saving money.
I even went in for the introductory three pack of personal training sessions. I believe in coaching, and it’d been a while since I’d exercised regularly, so I figured it’d get me off on the right foot.
Enter Greg. I’ve heard it’s best to have a doctor who’s 10 years older than you, so he’s been through most of the aging-related stuff you’re going to face. I think with trainers, the opposite is true: 10 years younger is perfect. It’s like turning back the clock.
Greg showed me olympic-style lifting and CrossFit-themed workouts, and I knew this was the kind of thing that could change my life. I also knew it was stuff I’d never do on my own with any regularity. So I signed up for regular training. I had zero money, but knew I’d have to find a way.
That’s when everything changed.
In a very short period of time, my business turned around dramitically. Now, it could be that my business was right on the edge of a breakthrough, but I think my new fitness regime had a lot to do with it. Specifically, I’d inadvertently created an environment built around continous goal achievement. If I could break my record for the deadlift, what else could I accomplish? I started seeing improvements in almost every area of my life.
As my overall fitness improved, I started looking for other challenges. The first one was easy: the Sporting Life 10K, which I’d run almost 10 years before. After just a few months of training (involving very little running) I finished it in almost the same time as I’d run it when I was in my twenties (I’m 39 now.)
Next were the adventure/obstacle races. Spartan Race was in June, and I’ll be doing the Tough Mudder in August. That’s about 11 miles on a ski hill, trudging through waist-deep mud, plunging into ice baths, and climbing 12 foot walls.
And then the application date came up for the Waterfront Marathon. I wanted to do this two years ago, and then my son was born, and I didn’t sleep for three months, which derailed any hope of a training program.
This year I have no excuse.
I decided to run the full marathon for one simple reason: I already know I’ll be able to finish a half-marathon by then without changing my current routine at all. But a marathon will be my longest race by a factor of four. Frankly, I have no idea if I can do it, but I’ve smashed every goal I’ve had this year so far, so it’s time to push myself.
Here’s where you come in.
I work out with a personal trainer because I have zero intrinsic motivation for this kind of thing. I’ve learned over the years that if it’s left up to me, I’ll train for a few weeks, get distracted, and stop. So this year I swallowed my pride, acknowledged my weakness, and set up a system where someone else would make sure I did what I said I would do (he does a lot more than just hold me accountable, but this part is key.)
For the marathon, I’m asking you to sponsor me as I raise funds for the Toronto Vegetarian Association (more on them in a minute.) I’ve set an aggressive goal, because the marathon itself is agressive, but also because I want a supporter at every mile along the course, in spirit if not in body. Ideally, I want a sponsor for every kilometre. Or even every 100 steps. It all helps.
By sponsoring me, you’ll be pledging a vote of confidence that I can meet this challenge. When the training gets hard, or I’m at the 80% point in the race and want to stop, lie down, and stop moving, I’ll draw strength from your support. There’s something about how I’m wired where I can let myself down, but I can’t let you down. Let’s use that.
As I mentioned, you’ll be helping me raise funds for the Toronto Vegetarian Association. They’ve been around since 1945, helping people in Toronto and beyond adopt and maintain a healthy vibrant vegetarian or vegan diet.
I started volunteering with them in the 1990s, and I was able to take what I learned from them to start a number of online projects, including Barnivore, the internet’s greatest guide to vegan alcohol.
They’re also how I met my wife. So when I had the chance to help them meet their funding goals while also going after the toughest physical challenge I can imagine, I didn’t hesitate. (OK, maybe a little. 26 miles is a long run!)
Here’s what I want you to do
If you’ve read this far, you’re clearly interested in what I’m doing. Even if you’re not in a position to donate money right now, I’d like you to sign up for my marathon email list below. You’ll only receive mail from me, and it’ll be about my preparation for the race in October. It’s just a way for me to stay motivated, so even if you never read a single one of the mails, you’ve already given me another reason to keep running. (Oh, and you can cancel at any time.)
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Once you fill out the form and click submit, you’ll get a mail from me about how you can sponsor me. If you don’t want to, that’s totally cool. Then you’ll get an update on my training every week or so.
Thanks for reading this far! I’m a little nervous about the rest of this year, but also super excited. I’m looking forward to doing this with you.
