I took a two-day break this past weekend from running due to the many activities we had scheduled that required a lot of physical activity. I didn’t want to over-do it and risk an injury. Oddly, on Saturday evening, my legs were very tired but also uneasy. It’s as if they really wanted to run, and without running that morning, they felt like they were filled with nervous energy. On Sunday, the feeling was gone, and it actually felt nice. My legs felt like they were healing from the previous day’s heavy use (I was working in the garage building props which required a lot of squatting and up/down movement).

By Monday morning, I was ready to run. I set out with a comfortable pace and surprised myself with a second-best pace since starting six weeks ago. I also ran almost 4 miles which, while not my longest distance, was probably the longest I’ve run and felt so comfortable. Again, I could have run longer, but time was of the essence and I couldn’t spare the time to run the extra distance.

People mistakenly assume that my weight loss has been due to running. Nothing could be further from the truth. Actually, since running, I’ve only lost about 5 lbs, and even that has been very hard fought. My weight goes up from time to time, and right now I’m actually up a few pounds from my low of 177.7 lbs. I’m hoping to get back down to that weight and perhaps even lower, but it requires a lot of discipline and hard work.

I lost over 100 lbs through diet alone, and by diet, I don’t mean through a weight-loss diet. I changed the way I eat, and I have adopted the Paleo lifestyle which is not a weight-loss diet like Adkins. It’s a way of eating for the rest of my life. The fact that I ate good food in normal portion sizes has allowed my body to shed the excess weight and get down to a normal weight. Now that I want to lose another 12 lbs, I’m having to work for it in a way I haven’t done in a very long time, but it’s rewarding and I’m finding that I’m actually able to enjoy it quite a bit.

As the weather cools, I will have to wear long running pants and long-sleeved shirts, but I’m ready for it. My headset, belt (for holding my iPhone) and shoes are all set, too. Most importantly, I’m motivated to do it, and I am enjoying it. Sometimes I have to force myself to enjoy it, but I find it really helps to make it easier to run faster and to get more out of it if I’m enjoying it. “Fake it until you make it” really works. Try it!