Correctional Officer Jeffrey Boyd recently conquered the 2023 LA Marathon after a year-long journey of achieving physical wellness goals.
In honor of Physical Wellness Month and to kick-off the Special Olympics Law Enforcement Torch Run season, read the California Correctional Institution (CCI) staff member’s inspiring story.
Q&A with Officer Boyd, California Correctional Institution
What started you on your physical wellness journey?
Guess I really started in February 2022 out of a necessity. I was 39 years old, 250 pounds and always felt like I was a pretty athletic person. But at that time, I was not physically able to do what I felt mentally I could handle. So with 100% support from my family, I dove head first into bettering myself. I am one of those people who puts everything I have into something I set my mind to. With that being said, I told myself when I hit the age of 40 (December 2022), I want to be in better shape than when I was 20.
Spartan runs aid 60-pound weight loss
What brought you to racing?
I started out in the gym like everyone else does, cut my calories like everyone else does, and really was just winging it like most everyone else does. I didn’t feel that was going to get me where I wanted to be when I wanted to be there. So I signed up for a Spartan race, something to motivate me even further.
After my first race in Big Bear, which I finished, I was completely demoralized about how out of shape I was. So I went back to the drawing board and dove even deeper. I started long-distance running, circuit training, and sprinkling in some CrossFit workouts. The weight started falling off. I signed up for 14 more Spartan races in 2022. By July that year, I had lost 60 pounds, putting me at 190, right where I wanted to be. Now it was time to maintain, build strength and push those long distance runs to build my endurance.
From smaller runs to a marathon
Tell us about your participation in the LA Marathon.
Fast forward to December. I ended up having shoulder surgery for an existing injury so I couldn’t do strength training for a few months. I decided to sign up for the 2023 Los Angeles Marathon. Something in my mind I thought was not even possible for me. Also, I had never really wanted to run a marathon. I trained for a few months, really pushing those runs. On March 18, I raced the L.A. Big 5k, placing 14th in my age group with a 5k time of 23:41 (7:37 mile time). The next day, I ran the marathon of 26.2 miles for a time of 3 hours 54 minutes (8:57 mile time). This blew away my goal which was a 4 hour 20 minute pace. Never would I have thought I could run a sub 4-hour marathon with where I started just a year prior.
How has improving physical wellness impacted your life?
To say the last year has changed my life would be an understatement. Mentally and physically, I am a much better person. Also getting my kids involved with a couple races in 2022 was great. For the rest of 2023, I have 12 Spartan races already scheduled and possibly a couple marathons. I feel I reached my original goal of being in better shape at 40 then when I was 20. Now it’s time to set new goals and look to the future.
Story submitted by CCHCS
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