2012 Chevron Houston Marathon Results (Pictures & Video) Part 1

Awesome Marathon Shirt

Since the Shawn's Ironman blog is about my family's story and journey to become an Ironman and prove to my son that anything is possible regardless of what life hands you, I hope you don't mind if I share my victories in recent battles and my results at the Houston Marathon in this two part series.  If you do mind, you may want to stop reading right now.  I say all of this because what you are about to read below will make me feel very venerable and alone after I post:

As I passed a fellow runner around the 5K split, I took the time to read the back of her shirt that said, "23 weeks ago, this seemed like a good idea...".  Oh how I totally agreed with that statement at that time, and it made me look around and soak up where I actually was.  I was running the Houston Marathon.  I was doing something that I would have never dreamed possible just 2 short years ago when I was an overweight smoker that had barely ran a few miles collectively in my life.  Did you catch that? Yes I said "smoker."

Before Shawn Was Born
(Holding Cigarette)

Since I was a teenager, I have struggled with an addiction to cigarettes.  This has now become a 20 year issue for me.  I really can't tell you when it started or how it even became an addiction, but it did.  I have tried so many times to quit without success. 

When Shawn was born, I said that I would stop smoking the the day he arrived, but little did I know at the time that we would be dealing with his medical issues.  Cigarettes at the time was my only avenue to relieve the stress of dealing with everything, until I found endurance sports.

At the beginning of my
journey to the Ironman
(Holding Cigarette)

Some smokers may joke about their addiction and say, "I can quit anytime. I quit everyday," but that was just my joke that covered up how I really felt about smoking.  I HATED it.  At first, the training and races were not really affected by my habit, so I continued to be a smoker.  Of course there was always some reason or situation that gave me an excuse not to stop.  Finally after, I really started to see that smoking was affecting my training before the Ironman 70.3 in Florida, I decided to quit.  I was successful in doing so about 1 1/2 months before the race, but he first thing I wanted after completing the race was a cigarette.  The vicious cycle began again.

2012 was a new year for me, and so I decided to make it my resolution to quit for GOOD!  I strategically scheduled my smoking breaks on December 31st so I could take my last puff just seconds before the countdown went to 0 here in Houston.  I can proudly say, that I have been smoke free for 18+ days now without any time of help aids like patches, gum, etc.  It was just plain old cold turkey and family and close friend support that has gotten me this far.  I can't tell you how much better I feel since I took this huge step.  I am starting to smell again, taste again, I don't have to hide the nasty smell from friends or acquaintances who obviously could have smelled it on me. 

Finishing 2012 Houston
Marathon While Holding
Shawn

Finishing the marathon this past Sunday was achieved because of so many reasons.  It was because of the support that I received from text, tweets, and messages on Facebook while running.  It was because I knew that I was running not for myself or even my son, but because it was bringing awareness to his congenital anomalies that may prevent another family from going through what we did as a family.  Most importantly, it was because I had quit smoking.  I could not have finished if I had continued that habit.  The best part is, I did not succumb to powers of wanting a cigarette after I finished the race.  It was there, but I fought through it.  

When I started this journey, I did not realize that dedicating my races to change a family's life would ultimately change mine, but it has.  I feel that I am a better me because of it. 

*Disclaimer- Side effects to quitting smoking may have led to my attitude being short or "presumptuous" in the past few weeks. Please forgive me, pray for me, and keep me accountable to my quitting and actions.  Consult with me if you were have been offended by my attitude, as I will learn from your opinions and apologize.