Shoes for Spuds

“Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.” – Jim Ryun

I do not have kids to impress and my cat seems quite indifferent to my mileage and race times, but I can understand the need to set a good example for others, especially the next generation which seems so hooked on video games and their hand-held devices.

This week is a blog about a Nova Scotian father who found the motivation to get into shape, to start running and to set an example for his daughters. This is his story.

David Bobbitt is set to turn the pivotal age of 40 this December. Born in Scarborough, Ont., David and his common law partner, Prudence, have one daughter from a previous marriage and are expecting another soon. They have decided on the name Ruby.

David works for an Insurance company as an administrator. Before running entered David’s life he was a smoker. He had been since the age of 14. He was out of shape and a self-described couch potato. His daily routine would consist of coming home from work and jumping on the couch with a bag of salt and vinegar chips in front of the TV.

David is now far from a couch vegetable. He has gone from zero running to entering a half-marathon and is thinking beyond.

In 2011 something changed and an idea became a reality. Potato chips were set aside for running shoes. David decided to let me tell his story and ask him a few questions.

How and why did you start running?

“Through work I heard about how our company pays for the Bluenose Marathon event pretty much every year, so one of my coworkers asked if I was going to do it. I shook my head, said no way and laughed. So that day I came home from work, grabbed a bag of chips and jumped on the couch. As I was watching TV I looked down and saw my daughter playing and running around. I just stared at her and thought to myself  “is this how I want my daughter, my kids to see me?” What kind of an example am I setting for her? For them? So I put the chips away and started to make changes. The next day I joined a gym and set in motion that I was going to sign up for the Bluenose 10K.”

What happened after your first race?

“As the 2012 Bluenose 10K, I knew I had another challenge waiting. I knew I would not get far if I kept smoking. In April of 2012 I quit smoking. With great support from Prudence I beat my time from 2011 and I ran 1:00:16. After this Prudence joined me running and we starting going to events together. I am still smoke free.”

Whether David knows it or not, he now talks like a runner. Having gotten bit by the running bug, he describes signing up for the another half-marathon in 2013 with his wife.

2013 arrived and so did news of a forthcoming new addition to the family that caused David to lose his spousal running partner. Despite the loss of a running partner and getting one of his first running injuries, David ran across the finish line in a new personal best, under two hours.

What keeps you running?

“I cut back on smoking and tried to eat healthier to train. At the [Bluenose half-marathon] I crossed the line and saw the look of excitement on Piper’s face as she saw daddy coming towards her and I knew I had found my new hobby. I crossed the line in 1:16 and I knew I could have done better, so was I already setting my goal for next year.”

In 2013 David continued to run and ran races including the long-running Valley Harvest race weekend (Wolfville, N.S.) where he ran the half-marathon in the fall. Despite a cold, David battled through and ran under two hours.

What are your goals for 2014 and beyond?

“My goals are to run a Spartan race I have already signed up for, a triathlon in 2015 along with a full marathon, and hopefully qualify for Boston. In 2016 I hope to sign up for an Ironman. Big goals ahead but I know it can be done. This is coming from a man who was an out of shape, smoking, couch potato a couple of years ago.”

David has started a running journal for his training, race bibs and his running routes, along with pictures of places he has ran and raced or hopes to. He is hoping to inspire his two girls, Piper and Ruby, because they inspire him.

I am always inspired by the stories of others. We cannot all be Olympic athletes, or have the money and time to scale huge mountains, but we all have a story. Thank you for sharing and inspiring us, David. Welcome to the running community and run on.

See you on the roads or in the blogosphere.

Do you have a good running story to tell?

runningwriter@hotmail.com

*Shortly before publishing this blog David welcomed a new baby into the world, congratrulations and happy birthday David!

One mile of running can burn, on average, around 100 calories; that’s 10 potato chips!

**For any smokers out there: the Lung Association has a running group for smokers!