Where to Start????

Let's start at the beginning and go with a quick running/training update.

Last week was a great 27 miles. 3 runs of 9 miles, all easy pace. i'm still probably running too hard as my pace seems to be in the low 8 minute range, but the addition of some walk breaks after 7 miles, to hit a 7 mile hour seems to be working.

Again, i hope to train harder than the actual pace i plan to run in Traverse City. As always, the goal is to finish and enjoy doing so. But hey, the chance to maybe move into a starting corral for the Chicago Marathon is a great motivator. If not ready for a BQ attempt, how about a starting corral attempt, Babysteps baby.

Anyway, this week looks like a nice 8 miles yesterday, 7 miles with 3 tempo at 7:49 pace, piece of cake, and my last, final, 20 mile run until the big 26.2. That means Saturday will be my last run with the camel-pak for a while, as the following week has a long run of 12 and then the taper.

Now for the sake of my running blogging buddies, that's the running update, but how about real life?

Well, this is going to be a little while to get through so everyone, grab a soda, take a pee break or whatever you need to do. Cause, in breaking my rule about too long of a post, and for my great friends, who are also clients, i really need to go into detail regarding the complete break in my career path.

Last Wednesday, after a few months of interviewing and making some personal assessments of what i want to do, i have left the home financing business. This was a tough decision, since i have been involved in lending for about 8 years. But the time has come to move on, to advance, into an area that allows me to still develop new clients and business relationships, and in a way that further allows me to help provide financial advice.

Now this is a huge step. Not without some risks, but the rewards can be great, both financially and mental health wise.

From a mortgage lender standpoint, i really look to the great times of the refinance and housing booms as a negative. A few years ago let's see....i worked 70 + hours a week, and wrote more business than ever believed possible, and made more money than ever, but.....

i weighed 260 lbs. i never saw my wife or kids. walking up one, that's right one, flight of stairs left me winded.

i had decided that i was just going to be a fat guy for the rest of my shortened life-span. Adult diabetes was most likely a few short years, if not months away. i ate every meal at my desk and only left my desk to get more food, usually chinese take-out, and hit the bathroom.

Feeling like i only really had a few good years left before i started to truly fall apart, i began to give as much as i could to friends and family. If i was going to live unhealthily, i was going to enjoy it.

So, Pistons season tix's, yep....Concert tix's....yep, always spend big and take a loved one along to enjoy.

Life was good, and thankfully, the market shifted.....The refinance boom ended.....the housing market stalled and loans were harder to come by.....

As i sat in the office i began to take inventory of who i was. i actually had the time to consider some items....

Although my kids had a nice, comfortable life, i couldn't take time to play with them, or even have the energy anymore to do so.

My relationship with Fun Guv was miserable, and she'll agree to this one. We had contemplated splitting apart a few times, and never because of infidelity (at least, not me, who wants a 260+lb work-aholic??), but because of lack of real time together.

i missed....me. i had deteriorated so far from the person i had been, and the self image of myself, that i didn't recognize myself in a mirror any longer. i had been so busy being the mortgage guy, that i let everything important, everything that i had cared about, become second to writing loans.

The exact opposite of what led me to want to write mortgage loans in the first place.

So what happened....????

So today, 60 lbs lighter, significantly in love with my bride, involved in my kids lives, happy with my self and extremely, financially poorer,.....honestly feel the richest that i ever have.

This is the big thank you to my family and friends.... Although i owe so much to so many, and i am sure to leave people out, here goes.....

Mark....for being the friend, who has also struggled with diet issues and helping me see the difference between a low fat and low carb diet;
Mac and Gknee....for showing me 38 isn't too old to change careers
Tess...for actually telling me, and believing, i could get into better shape, by just running, even real slow
Brett...for our lunch discussions about family, and how the simple things are most important
Fun Guv....for not leaving me, or giving up
My ex-co-workers... who have shown me the real meaning of "friends are friends and business is business"

In a small way, mortgage lending is that last bit of old me.

This is one of those reflective post. i guess it really means to bridge the difference between a journal and my need to write. To have anominity and be honest and open.

For a few running bloggers out there, still reading this non-running so much post~ Thanks for sticking in all the way to the end of the post.

More to come on, i've gotten some free time as i am off work until May 21st. i need to use posting as a good excuse to get away from the ever increasing list of honey-do's.

Thanks for reading.