Episode 6 - THE FINALE

I cant believe we just lost Anthony. Despite what TV showed he and I were close. He has so many great qualities and compassion. Nobody knows that more than Jami Lyn and Mike. The three of them had a great bond that began to develop towards the beginning. Even though Anthony was one of the heaviest guys he brought so much optimism to the team. I also look back at stage 5 and wonder how Matt was able to stick it out as long as he did. The type of terrain he endured was immense. I have trained for both strength and physical endurance my whole adult life and there were times during this thing that I was being punished from the weather and the terrain. These 12 people, yes all 12, are heroes. No, they didn’t save anyone from dying… but they finally got selfish enough to try to save themselves. That takes courage.

So here we go… beginning stage 6 without my boy Anthony, the giant we called Matt, the “Champ” Will, my precious Wendy, a true hero Shane and my first walking buddy Kim… We have 6 of the toughest people I have ever met in my life about to embark on the last leg of this 575 mile journey. This stage will be the toughest stage yet. It will be the hottest as we have traveled almost 500 miles closer to the equator over the last 2 months and find ourselves in the dead heat of summer. The amount of time to complete the incredible miles will be diminished. We did not shorten the times and lengthen the miles to torcher the marchers, we are doing it to challenge them. The Marchers that are left will have to depend on each other as a team because we are going to exhaust the motivation that they hold within them individually. To make it to DC on time… they will have to pull together. Oh, and by the way… who ever starts day 1 of stage 6, must cross the finish line in order for anyone to win their share of almost a quarter Million Dollars.

Right off the bat Jami Lyn’s knee gives out. She has been dealing with a lot of knee pain since half way through stage 5. She never really complained to me about it and has always been one of the strongest walkers. Many times she would walk many miles to the back of the group to help motivate other walkers and I think this has finally taken its toll on her body. Too many extra miles! Tonight Jami Lyn’s knee is swollen and hurting her. I am advising her to go to the ER to at least get an x-ray and perhaps some NSAIDS to relieve some inflammation and pain. I also think Jami Lyn’s mental state is slightly askew since some of the team decided Anthony wasn’t worth re-walking 6 miles to keep him in the walk. I know that this has been very tough on her. Anthony was special to a lot of us… but just like the last 500 miles, we must keep going forward, regardless of the circumstances.

Jami Lyn missed an entire day of walking due to her knee and subsequent doctors visit. I think the rest will do her good but I don’t have a clue how she will catch up. Everyone knows we have a 26.2 mile marathon to do in a couple days and she is gong to be an entire day behind, and her knee is still really hurting her. If I suggest she pulls out of the walk she will cost everyone 40 thousand dollars each. It is her decision. She is also struggling with even wanting to finish in order to get back at the rest of the walkers. She and I had a semi-private conversation about that. She knows she would never hurt someone on purpose just to get revenge. She is just really hurt that they didn’t believe in Anthony the way others did. But she is trying hard to forgive. She totally understands why the team voted him off, she just wishes things could have been different for Anthony, and so do I.

Jami Lyn is back with us and it is a day before the big marathon. She is going to have to make up some serious miles if she doesn’t want to cost everyone 575 miles of walking in vein. But if I know her… and I do, she is going to brave it all the way to DC. Sure enough Jami Lyn caught up all but 8 miles. That means tomorrow at the Marathon, she will have 10 hours to walk 34.2 miles. It is going to be hard enough for everyone to complete 26.2 miles in 10 hours, even without extra miles and a injured knee. She is doing it for Anthony and she is doing for the rest of the group.

Marathon day: Everyone including Lorrie and I are very excited. We adjusted their calories last night and this morning and we have been talking about strategy so the marches can all be successful in completing this huge task. To think 9 weeks ago of any of then trying to bite off a goal this big would have been suicide. Now I expect them all to make it… all except maybe Jami Lyn. As they were heading out Mike decided to go back to Jami Lyn. She is already way behind and now if she is to hurt to catch up we will have two marchers that have fallen way back and may not catch up at all. Personally I don’t know how Jami Lyn‘s knee is going to hold up.

Slowly, one by one, the marchers start to cross the finish line with hours to spare. The looks on their faces is enough of a reward for me. It is amazing to know I had something to do with why they were able to complete this incredible goal successfully. I love this feeling. After the Sam and Loralie crossed the 26.2 mile walk, I really felt like that was it for the day. But even though it was starting to get dark the official time had not expired yet. So we all anxiously waited to see if Michael and Jami Lyn were able to brave the 34 miles that it was going to take to catch up. Were they going to be able to take advantage of the 10 hour time limit even though they were going to have to walk 34 miles. So we waited, and waited, and with seconds to spare, in the setting sun here they came. Holy crap… I couldn’t believe they finished! What an amazing feat. This was enough to bring us together again. Finally the team would be starting from the same beginning spot tomorrow, and after experiencing a marathon together nothing could come between this team.

We took a small hiatus from walking one evening and decided to allow the marchers a real dinner to reward them for the fancy walking they have completed and to test their will power and decision making skills. We were buying dinner for the last 6 at a good ole American diner. Even though it was a typical greasy spoon, the menu was full of very good choices. Lorrie and I set it up where they felt as though no one would be holding them accountable for what they ordered. What they didn’t know is we were lurking right around the corner to congratulate them on there great decisions. NOTTTTT!! I couldn’t believe my eyes. There was everything from Philly cheese steak to country fried steak. A few marchers did very well on their choices and some did not. Let me give credit to all of them on their portion control. That particular display of will power was incredible. All of the marchers had a fantastic idea of when to stop eating. I felt a lot better when I saw all of the left over food. I guess I got through a little anyhow.

Strawberry Challenge. Oh my gosh… I wish you could smell the strawberries and feel this breeze. It is the most amazing sensation. The idea was for the marchers to collect enough fresh ingredients to make a smoothie, and then answer a few questions regarding other challenges. The first one to complete the questions and make a smoothie wins some fantastic prizes. Shea came through again.. Isn’t she amazing? I hope you all see Loralie as she tries to bring that bicycle down the home straight away. It was so funny, I thought I was gonna wet myself. I just love that Loralie.

Back to walking: It seems as though the team has worked through some of Jami Lyn frustration about losing Anthony and the marchers are starting to come together again. This is great because it would be unfortunate to experience such a special time in your life with all of these other people and leave the experience estranged form one another.The Finish:Lorrie and I and all of the production staff wanted to have a finish that personified the incredible life changing event this walk represented. Many of the reasons for these 12 people to be here had a lot to do with the relationships they shared at home. And we felt what better way to celebrate the accomplishment of such a huge goal than with their loved ones. So we made arrangements for the people closest to the marchers to fly out to DC unannounced and be here to wrap the marchers up in a huge hug one by one as they finished. Everyone was on task to finish that last day. Barring any injury or anything unforeseen Lorrie and I were not worried about anyone finishing.

After 550 miles these 6 new how to dig deep and come hell and high water… they were gonna finish! Lorrie and I left the walkers and ran ahead to the finish so we could welcome them in one by one. And so we did. Each one bringing us to tears and goose bumps. The looks on the faces of family and friends with the crowds screaming… I have had few times in my life when I was this proud. I was honored to have been a part of changing the way these people thought about the rest of their lives. No longer enslaved to their weight. No longer a puppet to their appetite. They have walked 575 miles across 9 states through the most grueling terrain and weather that could be thrown at them… and they laid down every demon that has ever haunted them along the way.

Tears… yes, but I am not sad. Laughs and cheering, that too, but there is nothing funny. I have goose bumps, but I am not cold. I am torn… For the first time this magical summer I have to say good bye…. I know many won’t quite understand how and why this is all produced. I know that many viewers will be upset how we pushed the unsuspecting “fat” people. I know many will never believe me when I say… all of us would do this again!!!! I shared the summer with 12 of the most amazing people I have ever met and can now call friends! I’m gonna miss you guys…

Episode 5 - Matt

It has been evident for sometime now that Matt has been walking on borrowed time. The terrain we have encountered here in Pennsylvania is absolutely insane. The distance and speed we are covering in these mountainous hills are nothing less than miraculous. Even Lorrie and I are going to have to step up to the plate if we want to continue to drive these guys to do better.

Stage four has brought out a hard to describe energy throughout the entire team. At first glance one would think we are all falling apart, but when I stop and really observe the team I truly think we may have gown closer than ever. The entire ambience of stage five is one of anxiousness. These are serious hills that are taking their toll on everyone. I think when the team sees guys like Mike and Matt struggle it scares the rest of them. I wish the team didn’t measure their individual performance against what others in the team are doing… but I would have done the same thing.

When Matt and some others started to struggle, everyone got unfocussed and panicked. Matt had a few days he absolutely couldn’t continue walking due to inflammation and discomfort. He was being as conservative as he possible could with his walks and at the same time he was trying to not to fall back as not to hurt the group’s chances of making it to DC on time. In other words, Matt would fall a little behind only to catch up the next day, but that was wreaking havoc with his knee.

One morning early in stage four Matt finally came clean and told us his knee is starting to fail. He tried not to make a big deal out of it but it was obvious that he was trying to say his last good bye’s in case his knee gave out in the middle of the stage. If anyone left in the middle of the stage there was no opportunity given for the marchers to say goodbye. Sure enough, about two days later, Matt was unable to continue. The medic and I both had a chance to run back to his position and Brian (the medic) and I both felt like it was a great decision to go to the hospital for an x-ray. Hopefully an x-ray and some other tests would give us an indication what was causing the inflammation and soreness. Even with a background in exercise science and physical therapy, it is hard to do a field assessment on a 400 pound pro-wrestler’s knee.

Once at the hospital it was obvious what Matt had been dealing with for the last month and a half. The doctors told Matt he wasn’t able to continue without destroying his knees completely. Matt was devastated but he knew if he was going to return home and have any hope of meeting his weight loss goals he would have to quit fat march and allow for his knees to heel.

The rest of the team got the news later that night at the campground. Matt was such a motivating and encouraging part of our team. This was really going to change the entire dynamic of the team. But we will overcome. The same way we have been overcoming the harsh circumstances throughout this entire walk. This would prove to be no different. That isn’t to say that we didn’t lose a great man today or that we aren’t going to miss Matt tremendously, I am only saying we have to continue walking regardless of how this loss affects us.