A personal passion for FT North County -

Three years ago, when I was 44, my doctor told me to start running to lose weight. So I started running, lost some weight, and enjoyed running so much I became a regular 5K runner. But I wasn't happy with my race results. In October 2004, at age 46, I ran a 23:14 at a race in Encinitas. That's a pace of 7:31 per mile: not bad for a 46-year-old, but I'm a competitive guy.
As fate would have it, a week before this, I won a Gift Certificate at a charity event for 2 free Personal Training sessions at FITNESS TOGETHER in La Costa. So I said let's try it. I met a personal trainer there who said he could develop a training program that would increase my running performance significantly. And that's exactly what happened! Yes, I can attest to the typical benefits of developing and following through on a Personal Training Program: I lost 15 more pounds, tightened my belt by 2 notches, I have more energy, I require less sleep, etc.

And yes, I can point to other benefits: now my wife works out with me twice a week and my 3 children work out with Personal Trainers (and they've all gotten great results too!). So training has become a fun family thing to do together.

But here's is the REAL PROOF. I ran that same Encinitas 5K exactly one year later in October 2005. And I set a Personal Record of 19:59…and I was one year older!! That's a pace of 6:26 per mile. THAT'S RIGHT- IN ONE YEAR I TOOK OVER ONE MINUTE PER MILE OFF OF MY 5K PACE!! And three weeks later, at another race, I set yet another PR at 19:49! I finished 12th out of over 400 runners.

So why does Personal Training work? First, I'll tell you the attributes that I wasn't lacking:

I did not lack SELF-DISCIPLINE…already had lots of that quality. After all. I am a successful businessman, who still plays high-level tennis and over-40 baseball (that's right, baseball not softball), who is organized to the point that I pick my kids up at school everyday at 3 PM.

And I did not lack TIME…yes I'm busy, but my trainer would see me at 5:30 AM, 6:30 PM, or any time in between. I just set my Personal Training sessions as a part of my regular business Calendar.

Nor was COST an issue. FITNESS TOGETHER GUARANTEED MY RESULTS! And boy did FITNESS TOGETHER deliver! So as far as I am concerned, Personal Training is the least expensive option out there. In fact, I'd say it COST ME NOTHING BECAUSE OF THE GUARANTEED RESULTS!

What I lacked was ACCOUNTABILITY. I didn't have anyone that I was responsible to for my fitness. That's where my Personal Trainer came in. He was the one who made sure I kept to my exercise, running, and eating plan, which plan he had customized just for me.

And do you want to hear more about ACCOUNTABILITY? Since I had brazenly told everyone that I was going to break 20 minutes for a 5K for the first time ever at that Encinitas race last October, my 24- year old trainer (who ran track in college) and the 28- year old Marine husband of my FITNESS TOGETHER studio owner both signed up to race that 5K with me.

Talk about pressure, eh? Well I guess the pressure was on them…I beat our 28-year-old Marine by 1 (one) second (what a fun finish!) and I beat my 24-year-old trainer by 29 seconds.

So there is the proof of Personal Training. In my case, just look at the numbers. Feel free to contact me, Richard, either by phone at 858.967.6335 or by e-mail at rjm@fabcpas.com if you have any questions or comments about how Personal Training and FITNESS TOGETHER can change your life!.