I have come a long way in the past two years. At the start of 2016 after my whole life had crashed and a hospital stay I was well over 300 pounds (331 lbs was the last time I had been officially weighed and I know I got bigger than that) and carrying an oxygen tank with me having difficulty walking and unable to completely bend over to put on my own clothes and socks. I found motivation from a new way of living which helped me not only put down alcohol but also to find a path to living a much better life than I could have ever dreamed. I found my new mission in life to be getting fit physically, mentally, and spiritually. I worked my way back from that dark place and during this journey I fell in love with running. I tend to overdo things and, in 2017, I trained and ran the Newport Marathon for the first time. I’ve been debating for months whether I wanted to undertake this feat again and decided I should. It was one of several life changing experiences for me in 2017. I have gotten a little relaxed in my pursuit of physical fitness and I know training for the marathon this year will get me right back where I need to be!
I’m collecting donations for the non-profit I work with, the Derrick Cazard Foundation. We help provide underprivileged families with limited resources the funds necessary for their children to participate in activities that will enhance their development and promote positive community experiences.
