A friend sent me a message this weekend saying, "You have had an amazing journey so far with running and I'd love to have some stats... I think those of us who are following your posts would be amazed to see the totals!" Well, I do not know about being amazed, but I thought it might be helpful to summarize my statistics here. Actually, it was fun going through all my training logs and postings to consolidate all the numbers. So here they are!
Health Statistics
On April 2010, I was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes. I was grossly obese and was told that I needed to make some serious lifestyle changes if I was going to live a decent life. I took that advice to heart. The numbers for 2013 reflect how far I have come in my journey to live healthier, particularly in the area of my blood sugar levels which are now at normal, non-diabetic levels.
| Statistic Category | 2010 | 2013 |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 351 lbs | 246 lbs |
| Blood Sugar | 297 | 83 |
| HbA1c Test Results | 11.7 | 5.7 |
| Body Fat Percentage | 45+ | 34.3 |
In 2012, I really did not lose much weight. I think that was due to all the training and racing I was doing. All that effort required fuel so my intake had to meet that need. The good news is that I did not really gain weight either. So while staying in the 240s, what I realized was that my body composition was changing. I was developing more muscle, which weighs more than fat. So when I recently had my Body Fat Percentage evaluated, I could see the difference. So, while I still have more weight to lose, I am thrilled that my body composition is still improving.
Racing Statistics
In 2011, I ran 13 races within an 8-month period between April and November. In 2012, I ran 20 races across the entire year. And this year, 2013, I have already run four races with 12 additional races on my race calendar for the remainder of 2013. So as of this posting, I have run a total of 37 races since April 2011. All of my races, both completed and scheduled, are listed on the Race Schedule page of this blog (including my finish times and Personal Record times).
| Race Distance | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Miler | 1 | ||
| 5K | 9 | 5 | 1 |
| 10K | 2 | 1 | |
| 15K | 1 | ||
| 10 Miler | 1 | ||
| 20 Miler | 1 | ||
| Half Marathon | 10 | 1 | |
| Full Marathon | 2 | 2 | |
| TOTALS | 13 | 20 | 4 |
I have been running/training since April 2011 and in that time, along with all the races I have entered and finished, I have logged quite a few miles. In 2011, I ran for 533 miles between April and the end of December. In 2012, my mileage significantly increased to 1,132 -- more than double my mileage in 2011! I do not expect to run that many miles in 2013. In fact, I have only run for 108 miles so far this year.
Since the beginning of my running, I have run for a total of 1,773 miles. That is enough miles to run from Chicago to Toronto, Canada and back, or, a one-way run from Chicago to Los Angeles! Most of the races I have run were done in Illinois but not all. Since 2012, I have run races in multiple states including Illinois, Florida, Indiana, and California.
Milestones accomplished
- Oct 2011: My blood sugar was within normal range for over 4 months so all medications were discontinued
- Nov 2011: I finished my first sub-30 minute 5K race
- Jan 2012: I finished my very first Half Marathon at the Disney World Marathon Weekend
- Jan 2012: I qualified to become a member of the Half Fanatics running club
- Apr 2012: Set new Personal Records in the 5K and Half Marathon distances at the Illinois Marathon Weekend
- Jun 2012: Completed the AVON Walk for Breast Cancer (both Full and Half Marathon distances over two days) and raised $2,500
- Oct 2012: I finished my very first Marathon Major -- the Chicago Marathon!!
- Dec 2012: I ran for over 1,000 miles in a calendar year -- 1,132 miles!!
- Jan 2013: I finished the Disney Goofy Challenge (the Half Marathon and Full Marathon back-to-back)
- Feb 2013: I finished the Surf City Marathon with a new Personal Record and my first sub-6 hour marathon finish time
My goals for 2013
My first goal for 2013 is to qualify for membership into the Marathon Maniacs running club (the Half Fanatics are a sister club to this one). In order to qualify, I need to complete three Full Marathons within 90 days. I have completed two Full marathons already. On March 3rd, I will run the Little Rock Marathon and when I finish that race, I will qualify and realize this first goal.
I will finish four Full Marathons, five Half Marathons, 2 10Ks, 2 10 Milers, and 3 5Ks in 2013. I will add California, Washington DC, Ohio, and Arkansas to my list of states I have raced in. And I will finish the inaugural Dumbo Double Dare challenge at Disneyland this Labor Day (which is a 10K followed by a Half Marathon). My son Ryan will accompany me in this challenge, completing his very first Half Marathon in the process.
I will add swimming to my regular workout regimen, improving my swimming endurance and stroke efficiency. I will also add Yoga to my fitness plan in order to improve my core strength and balance.
By the end of 2013, I hope to lose another 40 pounds and reach my goal weight of around 200 pounds. I hope to do this while continuing to run, train, and make healthy eating choice. I hope you stay with me, and perhaps reach a few of your own goal/milestones for 2013! I'd love to hear what your goals are for 2013!