Rachel St. John’s powerful story of losing control, and then taking it all back. It is hard not to enjoy this story and the transformation.
I was always active growing up, and never really ran into weight issues until I started my medical residency training. I went from a gym rat who worked out 6 day a week in med school to an overworked and under-slept resident who stopped working out altogether. The photo on the left was me during my residency at around age 28 when my patient’s mother wanted to get a picture of me with her son, and gave me a copy.  I had no idea how much things (aka 20 pounds) had snuck up on me until I saw that photo, and it was my push to get back in the gym.  I’ve done a variety of activities over the years, and I found Crossfit three years ago when my gym closed and I was forced to seek out another venue for HIIT training.  It was the best thing that ever happened to me, and it has really changed my outlook on olympic lifting and seeing what my body is truly capable of!
Crossfit, in a very roundabout way, was also responsible for my diagnosis of an inborn error of metabolism a few years ago. My whole life I’ve suffered from exercise intolerance and extreme muscle breakdown after activity.  I always just thought that was “normal” to a certain extent, and a number of medical workups over the years showed nothing.  After I really got into Crossfit and started escalating my workout intensity, the exercise intolerance peaked and I started waking up in the middle of the night with shortness of breath.  After a bunch more tests that yielded nothing, I was finally referred to an exercise institute for a metabolic evaluation.  And after 42 years, I was finally diagnosed with Primary Carnitine Deficiency, and started on replacement therapy.
Needless to say, since then I’ve essentially been reborn as a human being.  Running has always been really difficult for me, but now I know why, and am finally able to find the joy in gradually building my base and going from a Totally Crappy Runner to a Less Crappy Runner.  That base has also paved the way for me rediscovering some other loves, including long distance open water swimming.  The picture on the right was from last month at age 44 as I was completing a 2.5 mile swim, which is the longest I’ve ever attempted.  Not my speediest swim, but definitely my most satisfying.

***At Lift Heavy Run Long®, we are in constant search of inspiration. We are fortunate to have a Facebook group which involves people who have, for one reason or another, decided to make drastic changes in their life, in order to lead a more fulfilled existence.

We want to share with you some of the encouraging stories that have come from the people in our community. We would love for you to be part of the group.

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Feel free to contact me anytime. I would love to hear your story.
wilson@liftheavyrunlong.com