2014 has almost passed us by, and I must come full circle, with thanksgiving and give a final report on the Year Of Wes.
As mentioned in an earlier post, at the start of the this year my friend and former trainer Jason had challenged me to take on 2014 as the Year of Wes.
What started with hope, turned into success, and then some.
As you can clearly see in the graphic, a lot happened for me this year and more is hoped for next year.
Before I jump into talking more about myself than I probably should, I would be remiss to not mention the passing of my mother two weeks before Christmas this year. Mom had a rough year, and it took a nosedive in the summer when she was first hospitalized.
After a courageous battle and decision to face death head-on, Mom went to be with the Lord two weeks to the day before Christmas.
As you can imagine this was very hard for me, and many tears were shed even though I believe that she is in a much better place.
I am grateful, among many things, that Mom got to see me drop so much weight this year. Being a retired nurse, she was always concerned about my weight.
With the love, support and prayers of many, including my F3 brothers I am making it through these days of grief and reflection.
It would be easy to get down during the Christmas season with Mom's passing, and there have been rough days, but there is still Hope for me in this life and the next and that includes taking care of my health.
I won't rattle off the accomplishments of the year, you can read them above. I will however say that this year has been one of the most transformative ones in my 42 years on this planet.
You're like sure Wes, you dropped 56 lbs., that's transformative. Well, sure. But like anything it starts deeper than skin-deep.
I had no idea what I was missing coming into 2014, and it was true male leadership in my life.
The guys in F3 and SPEARHEAD have challenged me, and encouraged me all along the way to keep pushing and keep changing.
Many mornings at F3, not much is said, but I'm deeply inspired by these guys who are my brothers now, and amazed not only at their physical fitness levels, but the size of the hearts.
Our society has reduced male society to some macho, drinking, sexist community when true male society is so far removed from all that.
True men lead by example, and inspire by doing what many refuse to do. Namely get up before the crack of dawn to work their bodies to the point of exhaustion.
I've met men more than thirty years my senior who can run laps around me, and can still kick serious butt in life and in a workout.
The gym lie (I don't hate gyms, just not a fan anymore) tells you that you can do it all -- alone. Well I couldn't. I had a gym membership and hated it.
I never laughed. I never talked to anyone there. There was no community there as the sales rep had told me there would be. Strangely enough that gym has since gone out of business. Coincidence?
But at F3 we're laughing and cutting up, and sweating and sucking wind, and pushing each other and then when it's all said and done we go eat! Well, at least on Saturdays.
People have told me that F3 sounds too intense. It sounds too hard. It's just as hard as you want to make it. Honestly the hardest thing about F3 is showing up the first time. Many of the workouts you set your own pace. If you're a slow runner, run slow. You'll get faster in time.
Then after a few times, you find you don't hate it quite as bad. Then suddenly you miss it when you are sick, or out of town or whatever.
Soon you find yourself doing races and doing things like GORUCK that you thought were physically impossible for you to do. But there you are, doing them.
So don't believe the lies you've been told. It's too hard, it's too long, you'll get bored, you'll get injured, you won't find any friends, on and on.
Step out and try F3 or FIA (for ladies) and you may just have your own Year Of (Insert Name Here).
I'm amazed, humbled, shocked, inspired and challenged by all that 2014 has brought me and excited to see even more goals crushed with a little help from my friends next year.
Best wishes for a wonderful new year, and here's to the Year Of Wes 2.0!
