Let me be clear: I’ve never liked running.
Not even when I was a high school tight end and defensive end logging stadium steps and sprints, or a basketball player doing miles in the Alabama summer heat. I did it. I even got good at it for a while. It was always a drill, never a lifestyle.
This spring, I’m trying to do something I’ve never done before: lose 56 pounds by my 56th birthday on July 12. That’s the heart of 56-for-56, my personal transformation story — and a public one, too.
So when I committed to running a full 5K — start to finish, no walking — for the first time since 2011, I knew I was signing up for something personal. And hard. I’ve done it before. In fact, back in 2011, that 5K was my reward for losing 100 pounds — yes, 100 — between April 1 and Sept. 11 of that year. But I was 41 then. This is a whole different game at 55.
This past month reminded me just how different it really is. I hit the wall — mentally, physically, emotionally. Completely spent.
Between running six newspapers, launching new programs, and juggling everything else in my life, I didn’t just lose motivation — I lost momentum. I was drained — physically and mentally. I tried to push through it. I kept saying, “Just one more workout. Just one more day.”
Eventually, I realized I was flirting with burnout or injury. So I stopped.
I gave myself permission to take nearly two full weeks off — just a few light workouts, nothing structured. I made a quiet promise to myself: When April hits, I’ll re-engage. But right now, I need to rest.
That decision may have cost me some progress. But it may also have saved the whole project.
On April 12 – three months before the final weigh-in – I showed up for the UAB National Alumni Society 5K. I hadn’t trained for it the way I wanted. HOTWORX workouts in Vestavia Hills, some HIIT at the Shades Valley YMCA, walking in the weighted vest on the Lakeshore Trail — those help, but they’re not the same as putting in road miles. I hydrated the day before with a Prime IV infusion in Homewood. And I gave it all I had.
I crossed the finish line in 47 minutes and 3 seconds. I walked more than I ran and finished more than 11 minutes behind the goal I’d originally set. But I got it done under my revised target of 50 minutes.
Not pretty, but a win.
And it reminded me: this journey isn’t about crushing every milestone. It’s about learning to listen to my body, to protect my mental health and to show up even when things feel out of sync.
My most recent InBody scan showed I dropped 1.5 pounds — a sign of progress, though not the result I was chasing. My muscle mass percentage dipped slightly, and my body fat percentage ticked up — not ideal, but understandable given the downtime. We’re recalibrating now: more protein, cleaner carbs, and locking back in on meal tracking through MyFitnessPal, strain and recovery monitoring through WHOOP, and weekly recovery support at Prime IV.
I’m still working with my trainer, Mickal Thomas at the Shades Valley YMCA, who has advised me to alter my meal plans to “earn” the calories I eat by burning them off. And my therapist, Dalila Bass, to keep this mission rooted in sustainability — not punishment. As Dalila reminds me, it’s not about outrunning the past. It’s about building something new that lasts.
Next time, maybe I run the whole thing. Maybe I don’t. But the goal isn’t perfection. It’s presence.
And I’m still here.
Next month: Pick up the pace, fatboy!
Catch up on the series: Watch Episode 1 and Episode 2.
Know someone with an incredible transformation story? Nominate them for The Transformation Project.
Follow along with Tim Stephens’ journey on Facebook, Instagram, and X for behind-the-scenes updates and milestones.
Earn the burn with a free workout at 56-for-56 sponsor HOTWORX Vestavia Hills.
Rejuvenate your body with 56-for-56 sponsor Prime IV Homewood.
