How Running Helped This Dad Lose 62 Pounds and Give Time Back to His Family

Name: Dave Guymon
Age: 30
Occupation: Web Developer
Hometown: Salt Lake City, Utah

From Runners World for New Balance?
Running Supports This Marathoners Sobriety.

What prompted you to start?
This past year I started the process of getting myself off the couch and into shape. While diet All About 75 Hard exercise was critical to lasting change and improved health. Running seemed like a natural choice even though my body didn’t agree when I hit the pavement for the first time. (I barely made it to the end of the block before questioning my life choices.) Nevertheless, it was something I could do without driving to a gym or buying a lot of equipment. I persevered through the first few weeks of a Couch to 5K program and eventually started to look forward to going out for an evening run. (Heck, I occasionally even woke up to run before work.)

Although I wasn’t running far in the early stages of my newfound life as a runner, it gave me just that—a sense of identity as a runner. Running helped me to feel accomplished each day, no matter what else might have happened. It helped me to feel good physically, and it seemed to be helping me mentally and emotionally as well. So, I stuck with it. Now, I cannot imagine more than a day or two going by without breaking free to hit the road or trails How long have you been running.

CA Notice at Collection?
I currently run four to five times per week for roughly 45 to 60 minutes each time (Saturday long runs are longer). Three to four of those runs happen during the work week, and I never miss a long run on Saturday. In fact, since I started running in May 2016, I haven’t missed a scheduled run once.

What is your routine?
My routine continues to naturally evolve. Currently, I run Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday. During each run, I utilize the Galloway Method of running with brief walking breaks (my favorite ratio is 1:00 running/0:15 seconds walking). Most of my runs are done at an easy pace, with a long run at the end of each week. Now that I’ve built my running base, I’ve started incorporating more hill training and speed workouts once or twice each week as well.

After running my first full marathon, I was made painfully aware of some of my structural weaknesses. So, I now include strength A Part of Hearst Digital Media core. Rest and nutrition Is there anything else youd like to tell us recovery and for maintaining personal balance. I eat very well during the week, but I’m always sure to have a plateful of protein pancakes with dark chocolate chips, sliced strawberries, and whipped cream on Saturdays just to remind myself not to take things too seriously.

CA Notice at Collection?
I do race, and for me, racing serves as both a goal to structure my training around and a celebration for me to enjoy with other runners who are climbing their own mountains. While I started out with 5Ks and 10Ks in mind, I’ve found that I really enjoy the challenge of half and full marathons. Recently, I toed the starting line for a 10K with an out and back course that was also part of the half marathon course that day. I set out at what was a fast clip for me and felt very strong. It didn’t take long for me to get in the zone.

In fact, I was so deep in the zone that I realized I’d missed the turn-around point for the 10K and was now seven miles into my second half marathon. Not surprisingly, I finished near dead last in the 10K event. However, because of the pace I maintained for the 13.1 miles, I ended up taking second place among the Male 30 to 34 category. It’s the only podium finish I have to this day!

Do you engage in other sports or activities? If so, what and how often?
Does trail running count as another sport? I absolutely love getting away and running on single track wherever I can find them. I’ve recently become intrigued by obstacle course racingand have started training more intently for an upcoming event this fall as well. I also enjoy doing a bit of high intensity interval training Please describe your weight loss journey, including your before and after weights.

What’s the most rewarding part of running for you?
While I selfishly take a lot from running (the solitude, relaxation, and the ability to disconnect from responsibilities), the most rewarding part of running for me is my newfound ability to give time and energy back to my family. I initially got into running because I wanted to be healthy enough to play with my then 4-year-old daughter after a long day at work. Anyone with young kids know how much energy they maintain and require from you throughout the day. Because of running, I can now do that—and I actually enjoy it! Before getting into running, she would innocently comment on how big my tummy was. Just the other night, she told me she doesn’t remember me ever having a big tummy or coming home from work to spend the evening laying down on the couch. No other rewards from running will ever top that—for me, that is priceless.

Please describe your weight loss journey, including your before and after weights.
I stepped on the scale at a routine doctor’s office visit on the morning of New Year’s Eve 2015. The last time I had weighed myself, I was overweight—235 pounds on a 6’5 frame. And I didn’t expect things to be much different this time around. However, when I saw 263 pounds flash on the scale, I was shocked, embarrassed, and scared all at once. I was 28 years old and on the fast track to a life weighing 300 plus pounds. I had become so caught up in climbing the career ladder during my 20s so I decided to re-prioritize and commit to getting into the best shape of my life in my 30s—and I figured I could use 2016 to get a head start.

I did my homework, and in May of 2016 I reset my diet by cutting out sugar, fried and processed foods, and giving up the six plus cans of soda I was used to drinking daily. After 30 days, I felt better, stronger, healthier, and ready to take on new challenges. I had even lost 20 pounds that I did not want to ever see again! So, I started running, and kept up with it. Now, one year later I weigh 201 pounds! I’ve lost 60 plus pounds, reduced my body fat percentage by almost 20 points, dropped four pants sizes, have a resting heart rate of 40 bpm, and I have developed an interest in whole foods, meal planning, and cooking (much to my wife’s delight). Throughout the process, I inspired a few family members and friends to make healthy changes to their lifestyles as well, which has really brought us closer together.

What is the secret to your weight loss success?
After running my first fullweight loss success is finding a plan that is enjoyable and sustainable for you. There are plenty of experts with countless books, blog posts, and YouTube videos who claim to have found the “one true way” to losing weight and staying motivated. However, I found that while many approaches work in the short term, experiencing long term, lasting results is not a one-size-fits-all solution.

So, I’ve experimented. I’ve taken parts of programs that work for me and ditched parts of programs that didn’t. The virtues of patience, self-respect, and trusting the process are just as important. Change doesn’t happen overnight (no matter how much we wish it did). I personally experienced many ups and downs during my weight loss journey. Keeping a long term perspective helped me to persevere and stay the course. When we treat our bodies well, good things happen.

What is the secret to your weight loss success?
I like to always be signed up for a race. That race may be in a week, a month, or a year. As long as I have something on the horizon, I am able to use that to keep me motivated and working towards a new goal. I am also motivated by my newly discovered appreciation for my body and what it allows me to do. Eight years ago, I watched my father’s body waste away after he was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). He went from being able to bang weights in the gym to no longer being able to hold a pencil. My dad’s memory motivates me to run because I currently have a body that can, and I know that might not be the case forever.

Do you have any favorite motivational quotes?
My very favorite motivational quote is: “I didn’t come this far to only come this far.” I find myself going to that mantra quite often. Whether in life or on a long Saturday run, this quote helps me to consider the investment I’ve made into what I am doing and re-commit to honoring that time and energy by continually moving forward.

From Runners World for New Balance?
I ran my first half marathon last November. As many others do, I turned my attention towards training for a full marathon and eventually set the arbitrary goal of running three marathons in 2017. (I turned 30 years old in January, but 30 marathons in one year seemed unwise.) I already have two under my belt and am set to run my third in June. As for long term goals, I want my grandchildren to eventually be able to tell their friends that their grandpa is a runner and regularly goes out for long runs on the weekend. I would love to run until I am 100!

Is there anything else you’d like to tell us?
It’s easy to get caught up comparing your running to that of someone else. Whether distance, time, body mass, or shoes, we never seem to accept who we are as runners. I’ve found this to be the quickest way to kill motivation and rob ourselves of the joy that comes from running. In the last marathon I ran, I finished almost exactly in the middle of a field of 633 runners. As far as I could tell, everyone got a medal. Everyone crossed the finish line, and the people behind me were as jubilant as the people in front of me. Running doesn’t discriminate or withhold joy from those who do not run a certain pace. Run for running’s sake, and it will certainly change your life.

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