A Fork in the Road

As a senior at UT Austin Ryan Valdez was 40lb overweight. A Pack a day smoker. Ate anything and everything.

Not unusual actually. Really average if you look around.

When his Dad was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Ryan being the smart guy that he is he paused and caught a glimpse of his future.

He saw a fork in the road. And he made a decision.

First he started walking to campus. Then he started walking around the campus.

Slowly he started to change his diet. Cutting out the daily fast food runs.

Cutting  out  the junk.

Slowly the weight started to come off.

In the beginning he couldn’t run a mile.

His habits started to change.

Slowly a smoking habit that could have lasted a lifetime went away.

His clothes started to get looser.

He signed up for a local 5k race. Unable to run more than a mile. He walked the last half.

Slowly the weight started to come off.

Slowly the exercise started to get easier.

Slowly.

Tomorrow he’ll run 100 miles.

Across the Heartland of America. Right across the great state of Kansas.

The gun goes off at 6am Saturday. If everything goes well he’ll finish at Noon on Sunday.

A 100 miles.

And he’s not a Nut.

He balances his training with his family. Starts as early as 3:30am  so the family doesn’t get short changed.

He’s a respected attorney. Amateur musician. And UT football fanatic.

He gets more done in a month than most do in a year. And he makes it “look” easy.

Absolutely one of the best clients I’ve had the pleasure of working with.

Probably one of the best men I’ve ever personally known.

And he’s not an indestructable superman either.

He’s tried this distance before. Stopping at 73 miles to prevent permanent physical damage.

He knows the risks.

And the rewards.

And the choices he’s made.

And tomorrow he’s going  after it again.

100 miles.

I’m sure he didn’t know how far that decision 10 years ago would take him.

But I tell you to remember this.

Because  when you come to your own personal fork in the road.

You’ll have to make a decision.

Take the  same old path everyone else takes.

Or the one less traveled.

Ryan took the one less traveled.

And he’ll tell you.

That has made all the difference.

UPDATE:

100 miles: 28 hrs, 53 mins.

61 runners started the 100 mile run. 41 finished.