David Rosado ran two marathons and a 51-kilometer ultramarathon in a year when he started running again in his 40s to regain his health.
David's perceived body image and the loss of his mother impacted his motivation to run.
David wants us to know that what holds us back are the limitations we put on ourselves.
As David Rosado approached the finish line of his first ultramarathon, the ET Full Moon Midnight Marathon 51k in August 2021, he simply had to "put one foot in front of the other."
Only minutes left before the final cutoff, he completed the race. He didn't care about his time, he just wanted to finish. David's journey began in 2019 when he was 30 pounds heavier and struggled to run around the block.
David, now in his mid-40s is a budding ultrarunner and my husband. He lost his motivation to run after losing his mother nearly 5 years ago and retiring from the Army. In 2019, he took up running again to regain his health.
I asked David for some insight into this running journey.
Where are you from?
David is a 44-year-old retired Army veteran. Originally from Michigan, he currently resides in Nevada.
Why did you first get into running?
David started running in high school as a way to get in shape for other sports. "I wanted to get faster for football, so I joined track."
Let's rewind. After graduating high school, David and I ran together, usually after work. He was faster than me, but he taught me to keep going.
He would point out signs along the river trail and tell me to keep running until I reached one sign, then the next one. That's how I began breaking my runs into manageable sections; a lesson that would come full circle as he would later use it himself.
Fast forward several years to 2019. I found out David was no longer running, so I tried to encourage him, but he had to be ready to start again.
David lost his motivation to run when his mom passed away around five years ago.
"My heart just wasn't into it anymore." He lost his mother after heart surgery and stopped running altogether.
Grieving the loss of a loved one is very difficult. It's something David and I both have in common, we've both lost our mothers. David remembers the year he lost his mom; he also lost his motivation and gained nearly 50 pounds.
David always enjoyed running; he ran seven half marathons the year before losing his mom. He would call his mom after a race, just so he could tell her about it. Without her, he no longer felt the joy of running, so he put his shoes back on the proverbial shelf for the next few years.
Little did David know that when I moved in with him I'd fill his head with so many dream races.
I asked David why he started running again after his hiatus.
Why did you get back into running?
"I wanted to spend some quality time with the love of my life. I went for a run with my (then) future wife and realized I was really out of shape, I could barely move, and I missed it."
In 2019, David struggled to run around the block without "coughing up a lung," but he's come so far since then. In the last 3 years, he's completed multiple races ranging from 5ks to half marathons, 2 marathons, and a 51k ultramarathon... Something he wasn't certain he'd be able to accomplish during his initial attempt back in 2014.
What is your favorite part about being a runner?
"Being in nature and the sense of accomplishment after a good run."
He also likes to feel the sun on his back, a feeling many of us can all relate to.
What's your favorite type of race, or distance?
David wants to see how far he can go. "For distance, I would say anything more than the half-marathon. Type, technical trail. I want to see how far I can run."
What obstacles did you have to overcome to think of yourself as a runner?
David's body image affected his perception of himself as a runner.
"My size, I'm not a lean runner. I've had co-workers who questioned my ability to run, and I've actually been called fat." That's something no one wants to hear; no one wants to be stereotyped. Body image is hard to overcome, but thankfully he didn't let it stop him.
From DNF to 51k.
David first attempted the ET Full Moon Marathon 51k (31.6 miles) in 2014 but dropped to the marathon distance (26.2 miles). Though he completed his first marathon, it felt like a DNF (did not finish) because he hadn't finished the entire 51k due to "all the hurt" he was putting his body through.
He was on pace to finish the 51k before the cutoff, but his mindset wasn't right. He said he talked himself out of finishing.
David told me he was "one and done" after that marathon. In 2021 he went back to finish the 51k.
"I feel good just because I finished. I had the audacity to start, and the discipline to finish." He said, "starting to run again felt like a bold risk" after not running more than "3 miles the 2 years prior," but he decided to train for the 51k again.
I asked him why he decided to attempt the 51k again.
He saw me finish my first 50k last March and decided he'd register for the 51k again. This time dropping down to the marathon was not an option; what mattered now was finishing. He said seeing me finish made him realize he could also "train for and finish" the 51k.
What motivates you to run?
"It depends on where I'm at in life. Before, when I was in the Army I had to run two miles quickly for PT (physical training). I was in charge of my own platoon and running was a way to get away from all my stressors. Now, it's so I can keep feeling good both physically and mentally."
How has running affected your health?
"I have more energy and can stay on my feet longer. I've also lost 30 pounds in the past two years."
What are your future goals?
"I want to see how far I can run. I want to run 100 miles eventually."
This year David has already completed 2 marathons; The Goofy Challenge at Disney World (which includes the half marathon Friday and the full marathon Saturday totaling 39.3 miles), and the Labor of Love marathon in Lovell Canyon.
He's looking at running the Red Rock Canyon 100k next year.
What's the toughest part of becoming an ultrarunner?
David says it's "earning the title." That's certainly something I can relate to. I think he means having the discipline to get to the finish line.
The race is made through many months of training and with his renewed passion for running, David is already setting up his race calendar for the next year. He's also training again for the 51k.
So proud of David and all you have done to bring life back to him. He is and always will be my favorite youngest Rosado boy.