SILVA: Dealing with issue of weight

This week, I approach a subject that is quite personal: My weight.

Over the past few years that I've been running, I've lost about 30 pounds. This makes meeting people I haven't seen in a while interesting.

Their responses are all over the map, from "you look great" to "are you sick?"

I've even had family show concern, asking me, "are you eating enough?"

It can be a nice ego boost when someone says I look good. But it also can be quite frustrating when someone tells me I look "too skinny."

For the record … yes, I eat a lot. But everything I eat — well, almost everything — is healthy food. This is how I am able to run about 40 miles a week, lift weights, help raise two kids, work and enjoy life. You can't do all that if you're not fueling your body properly.

I am 5 foot 10 inches tall and weigh about 150 pounds. For all the BMI calculators I've checked out online, this comes under the "normal" range. I'm not sure how accurate those calculators are, but this is how I can tell I'm OK, weightwise: I feel strong, I feel fit and I feel good. What more is there?

For me, weight is no longer an issue I worry about.

When I first started running, I checked my weight on a scale every day. But other than when going to the doctor, I never check my weight anymore. The only numbers I'm concerned with are how far I run and how fast I run.

Here's the bottom line: I like the way I look, I like the way I feel … and that's enough for me.

I am now less than two weeks away from the San Jose Rock and Roll half-marathon, my fifth overall. I feel about as strong as I've felt since I started running a few years ago, and am hopeful I will be able to break my best time of 1 hour, 35 minutes, 4 seconds. But I know that a personal record might not happen, and I'm OK with that.

I just want to have a fun time in my hometown, run a good race and whatever happens, happens.

It may seem strange, but every time I get close to a big race like this, I think about how far I've come. My fitness journey started about three years ago when I was approaching my 40th birthday.

I look back at the notations in my running journal and realize how far I've come.

To think I will be running my fifth half-marathon … well, it's overwhelming. And it just proves that with a little hard work, dedication and great support from family and friends, anybody can do it.

Reach Jim Silva at jsilva@modbee.com. On Twitter: @mission26point2