blacktee92675

I'm a husband of 30 years. A father to two responsible college grads with their own budding lives. I'm a son to my 72 year old mother, and a brother to my Navy brother who has been transporting Seals and Supplies to the Middle East for the past several years.
 
After serving in the Navy for several oversees operations including the very first Gulf War, I had a choice to either follow a cycling career, or go into business. As you might guess, the fact that I'm here means I chose the latter. With that business career came security for my young family and more financial success than I expected. Unfortunately it also introduced me to a lifestyle that made it easy for me (personality/character flaw) to get into the unhealthy cycle of gaining and losing weight. Global travel and a seemingly unlimited expense account for client entertainment caught up with me, and my bike was collecting dust.

During the past 20 years I gained and lost countless pounds. I would put on weight, then diet and exercise my way back down to a fighting weight. The last weight loss ended in 2009, at which point I was back to amateur cycling and peddling about 250-350 miles per week to keep in shape, depending on travel. Then global travel picked up and so did the client entertainment ... Back to 383 pounds.

Our second child graduated college in December of 2014. Finally done paying for tuition!  Time for a permanent change, otherwise face the consequences - missing kids weddings, not being there for grandchildren, etc.  So what to do?

I started a sabbatical at the end of January. Not an easy decision on a single income household.  My intention is to take 6 months off to help make this a permanent change, and ramp back up to at least 200 miles of weekly cycling before going back to work. It will also give me some time to think about what I do next in my career. The door is open to go back to work for my previous employer, which I may do. That said, I have decided I will NOT be going back to a position with global or even national responsibility. Enjoying another 30 years with my bride, and being there for my kids and (someday) grandkids is much higher priority.

Life choices are interesting. I don't have any regrets for making the decision to follow a business career instead of cycling; that may not be entirely true. It was the responsible thing for a young father to do. On the other hand, that choice has a ripple effect that that leads me to post this message to all you fine people.  God's plan for me is perfect, regardless of what I think. Perhaps this journey is part of that plan, and will prepare me for some sort of future service to others.