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ONCE A HEAVY SMOKER, JD DOTSON IS NOW A SEASONED RUNNER. HERE’ S HOW HE CHANGED HIS LIFE ONE STEP AT A TIME.
Story & Photos by JD Dotson
It is hard to believe that I spent most of my adult life as a heavy smoker. I smoked a pack and a half to two a day throughout my late twenties and thirties, trying and failing to quit many times. Applying patches to the back of my arm( too itchy), nicotine gum( they didn’ t last), taking medication( made me sick), even hypnotism( just fell asleep) all failed to make me a nonsmoker.
I remember standing on the street with a friend watching the runners for the Ketucky Derby Festival miniMarathon and Marathon pass and saying,“ I would like to run a marathon someday.” My statement was met with laughter.“ You will never be able to run 26 miles,” said my friend.
At that moment, something clicked in me. Being told I would never be able to do something lit a fire. It was then I realized all the tricks and remedies hadn’ t failed me: I had failed myself by making constant excuses. I decided then and there to quit and run.
I decided on a date to quit and I was determined. I couldn’ t and wouldn’ t fail again. The date I chose was the last day smoking was legal inside bars in Louisville, June 30, 2007.
I started my running journey with the goal of finishing a marathon at some point just as soon as I quit smoking.“ Running” might be a bit of a stretch. I was hacking a bit, lungs aching and my pace was just above a brisk walk. But I was out there. Every day. For a year and half, I ran 5Ks and 10Ks and a half marathon all the while thinking“ someday I will run a marathon.”
My hacking and aching decreased while my speed increased. A buddy of mine mentioned he was applying to the New York Marathon. Out-of-state runners can apply and potentially be picked lottery-style. The odds were slim, but I filled out the application anyway. Not too long after, I received a notice that I was entered to run in the 2010 New York City Marathon! I won the lottery! I really didn’ t think it was actually going to happen, so I had made no plans, but I knew well in advance so I had plenty of time to prepare.
Preparing for a race is different for different people. I had been running for a couple of years, yet never considered myself a runner. I thought of myself as a smoker who runs so he doesn’ t start smoking. I also considered myself a guy who ran so I could reward myself with extra dessert. I knew that I would have to change the perception of myself if I was going to get through this race. So,
24 EXTOL SPORTS / DECEMBER 2017