2019 and 2020

SUMMARY:
Duodenal Switch, Panniculectomy, and Abdominoplasty

Basic Timeline of events over the last 18 months:
20180624 - Accepted for WLS and set appointment for a Duodenal Switch
20180718 - WLS done
20181230 - Down to 255 (120lbs lost / 14.5in off waist)
20190707 - First time under 200
20190811 - Under 200 since this weigh in
20191209 - Panniculectomy and Abdominoplasty

From the start of the process I went from not being able to walk 1/4 of a mile without stopping to finishing a 1/2 marathon in 3 hours.

Measurement wise, I have gone from 66.5 inch waist to a 39 inch waist (before tummy tuck).
After tummy tuck measurement will have to wait for a while for the swelling to go down but I can tell it is smaller.

CHARITY CHALLENGE:
Last year I struggled to make 700 miles in walking steps.
Basically I counted anything my Garmin told me I did.
I had to really push in late December to make it but I did.

This year I was only counting workout or event miles.
Basically if I went to the store and wandered for an hour I didn't count it.
I had to go out and specifically do a workout, walking/rucking/jogging/running.
I had it all planned out to finish late Dec, about the 25th.
Then I got the approval to do the surgery and had about 60 miles in 8 days.
I didn't want to do the surgery and know I had to do workout miles to finish my goal in case I had issues.
I did make it by the 6th so I got the weekend off to do surgery prep.

Post surgery and I am walking again finally.
I had to wait for the drains and stuff to come out before I could do much.
Work is being really awesome about knowing I need to get to the gym a couple times a day and not being able to sit at my desk to work all day.

GOALS:
I have been thinking about goals for next year.
Knowing I will be getting a late start due to surgery recovery, I am going to go for 1000 miles of workout miles.

Speed/Race Time/Distance goals.

5K - Sub 30 min
10K - Sub 60 min
1/2 Marathon - Sub 2 1/2 hour
Full Marathon - Sub 6 hour (never having completed a marathon I am being nice to myself, especially since my only full is early in the year)
Ultra - 100K or 50mi/50k in 24 hours


Assuming I do the Ragnar races, which I expect to do, I am signed up to run 225+ miles of just events next year.
4 1/2 Marathon distances
1 Full Marathon
1 Ultra (62+)

I am debating the Las Vegas event since I might be in Vegas around that time and it is supposed to be a really cool race.

2020 RACES:
I have started setting up my 2020 race schedule.
What I don't have are any of the charity 5K events I have done before since I can't sign up for those yet.
* Signed Up
# Potential

*20200208 - Valentine's Day TC 5K

*20200321 - Hot Dash 5K & 10 Mile

*20200509 - Fargo Go For Challenge, 5K & Marathon

*20200608 - Eagle Up Ultra - 100K or 50K/50Mi

*20200704 - Red, White & Boom! TC Half Marathon

*20200725 - Chasing Bigfoot 25K - Sub 3 hours

#20200816 - Ragnar Road MN

#20200918 - Ragnar Relay Trail WI

*20201004 - TC 10Miler (confirmed admission still have to register)

*20201017 - Kansas City Marathon presented by Garmin

*202021018 - IMT Des Moines Marathon

#20201115 - Las Vegas Rock 'N Roll Marathon or Half Marathon 
-- 5 hour time limit on the full means I might move down to the half depending on where I am before Oct 1)

Below are my picture summaries:
These are post Panniculectomy, and Abdominoplasty compared to starting point.

These are pre & post Panniculectomy, and Abdominoplasty compared to starting point.

#YIAAGAITIA
#IAmWorthIt
#DFQ
#CharityChallenge
#OneFatGuysJourneyToHealth
#RagnarRelay
#EagleUpUltra
#SelfWorth
#WLSSuccess

Surgery

Surgery today.

Pics, stories, and comments to follow as I can.


Oh, and by the way, I made my 700 workout miles for the day. 

What is the Difference Between a Goal and a Dream???

I got a FB memory popup from a LONG time ago.

A GOAL is a dream with a plan and a deadline.

Many people have dreams.
They want to go somewhere, do something, or meet someone.
They spend time thinking about what they want, they DREAM about it.
They wonder what it would be like to do it.

What many don't do is to make a real plan.
You might have heard the phrase "The person who fails to plan, plans to fail." by Ben Franklin.
When it comes to dreams, it isn't so much as failing but it is more a matter of simply never accomplishing that dream.
Since some dreams might be something that can never be accomplished, like doing a space walk on the moons of Jupiter or being able to cast magic fireballs.

For dreams that can be accomplished, like doing a 5K or taking a cruise in the Med or learning a second language, plans need to be made.
Those plans need to encompass step by step guide on how to accomplish that dream.
Be it a workout plan, like Couch to 5K, to run that race, or a savings plan to buy the tickets to fly to the port and buy the tickets for the cruise, or find lesson plans or a classroom to learn that language.

A plan isn't enough tho.
That plan needs to have a deadline.
Some Day isn't going to happen for most people.

For the 5K, the deadline might be signing up for an event which locks in a set date.
Then taking the plan and applying it in such a way to be finished with that plan in time to accomplish that dream.
Couch to 5K normally takes 9 weeks to finish. 
To realistically set a SMART goal, find a race that is 9+ weeks out, sign up to lock that deadline in, and START.

For the cruise, work out the cost of all the various aspects for the trip, flight/cruise/tips/expeditions/incidentals/extra, work out when you want to go, build a budget to allow you to save the money in time, and START.
Keep in mind that the costs might change if the cruise is years out or seasons change from high to low.
Make the budget something that can be sustained without causing distress since the vacation fund is easy to plunder when an emergency comes up.

For the language, find an online/in person course that works.
There are many different ways to learn.
You might even have a friend willing to teach you.
Once you find the way and location you plan on learning, set a schedule and pay for the course.
Learning a language is harder to set a timeline for but if you can find a definitive way to set a deadline, it helps.
Maybe a trip or a presentation.
The main thing is that you need to have some sort of deadline to help keep you on task.

I will admit some goals can't really have a hard set deadline.
One of my goals was to lose enough to get my tummy tuck surgery done.
There was no way to set a hard deadline on that since it also includes a surgeon, insurance, and variables of how my body would react to the initial WLS.
But it was a goal for me.
I set the plan as simply working out on a regular basis, doing what the doctors/dietician/nurses recommended, and eating smart.
The deadline was a rolling daily task for me as I just kept the plan in the front of my mind and worked towards it.
In effect, the deadline was daily.
My daily task was to do, EACH DAY, the things I needed to do to get to the point where I could qualify for the tummy tuck.
This is harder for some as they have to have to keep that focus.
I have kept the focus for 18 months and am so proud of myself for doing that. 

With my tummy tuck happening in a week I have to switch goals.
I have started looking at races in 2020.
Currently I am signed up, thinking about, or plan on running these:
Fargo Go For Challenge, 5K & Marathon, 20190509. 
Eagle UP Ultra, 100K or 50K/50Mi, 20190608.
Chasing Bigfoot 25K, Sub 3 hour, 20190725.
Ragnar Relay Road MN, 20190816. 
Ragnar Relay Trail WI, 20190918. 
Las Vegas Rock 'N Roll Marathon or Half Marathon, 20191115.  
-- 5 hour time limit on the full means I might move down to the half depending on where I am before Oct 1)


Now I am heading to the gym to work on finishing my CharityChallenge for 2019.
I need 40 miles by end of the year.
Since I have my tummy tuck on the 9th and won't be able to really walk much for probably 2 weeks, I need to get as close to done as I can.
I guess I might get up to 10 miles after surgery by the end of the year but I don't want to depend on that time in case I am not up to speed yet. 
The plan today is to go long distance since it is a weekend.
If I can go 3 hours on the treadmill and get 10 miles, that gives me some leeway thru the week.
I don't want to go into next weekend needing a ton of distance to make my goal.



#YIAAGAITIA
#IAmWorthIt
#DFQ
#CharityChallenge
#OneFatGuysJourneyToHealth
#RagnarRelay
#EagleUpUltra
#SelfWorth
#WLSSuccess


Say it with me:
Yes, I Am As Good As I Think I Am!!!
I Am Worth It