I was nearing the end of a speed training run this morning when I realized that today was October 1.  Along with my wedding date, the day I completed my doctoral dissertation, and my daughter’s birthday, October 1st holds a significant place in my life.  Two years ago today, I started day 1 of P90X, began eating clean, and my lifestyle took a 180 degree turn for the better.  Prior to that I had settled into a lifestyle that considered walking 9 holes while playing golf an athletic event.  My diet was atrocious because I ate for pleasure, not for health and well-being.  Now just 2 short years later, I’m doing things that were once incomprehensible to me.  I would have never even considered running in a race, let alone finishing in 2nd place.  The idea of running through obstacles, climbing walls, and crawling under barbed wire for fun absolutely did not exist.  I most certainly would not have paid money to do it and travelling to destinations all over the country…..well, that would have been simply absurd!!

Fast forward to today and I’m a full-out Spartan racer,  bursting with energy, zeal, and a desire to compete with the best in these types of events.  I’m not going to be beating the elite 25 year olds, but I’ve proven to myself that I have the ability to compete and win in my age group.  The point of this post is in no way to boast about being a great athlete because that’s not what I am.  It’s simply a statement that anyone can change at any time and with dedication, determination, sweat, blood, and perhaps a bout of MRSA, can COMPETE.  For me that is one of the best feelings in the world.

If you’re reading this and you want to make a change, then you just have to decide to do it.  No compromises.   No looking back.  No regrets.  Just find the exercise and competition that excites you – that evokes an internal desire and do what it takes to better yourself.  Yes, this will mean eliminating foods that you currently like….I say currently because there are foods that I used to eat that I can’t imagine putting in my mouth today.  It will mean making sleep and rest a priority so that you can workout at your highest levels.  Yes, it will involve making better use of your time–cut out useless television, don’t spend your time at the mall, drop the fantasy sports, just quit lolly-gagging through life!  Do this wholeheartedly and I promise you won’t regret it.