SAN ANTONIO – Taking life one mile-marker at a time — That’s the philosophy of one UT Health Science Center doctor and marathon runner who’s helping his patients achieve their weight-loss goals.
“I don’t really like to ask my patients to do anything that I wouldn’t do myself,” said Dr. Richard M. Peterson.
Peterson said he was never a runner and didn’t start running until 2009.
“I was preparing for my annual physical training for the military, and one of my buddies who was training with me said, ‘You know, why don’t we train for the half-marathon?’ and I was like, ‘Are you crazy?’” he said. “But we did."
For the Petersons, running is a family affair.
He said his wife was a cross-country runner in high school and her father coached her, so it was a big part of her life already. He also said after he started running, his children asked about it and when they could start doing it.
Their first marathon as a family was a Disney-sponsored half-marathon, which included a kid-friendly race. Both of his kids wanted to participate, since they saw their parents doing the bigger race.
Peterson said he and his wife have been running in half-marathons ever since.
“I think the running is exactly what I want my patients to visualize in their journey,” he said. “When I first started, it was, ‘Take a couple steps,’ and then I got to a block and then I got to a mile, and when you’re running a half-marathon, you really do get the markers that say ‘1 mile’ and then ‘2 miles.’”
He said weight-loss is all about breaking the journey into small goals.
“Then a big goal just comes,” he said. “It just happens!”
For more information about the UT Health Science Center in San Antonio, call 210-450-9000 or visit www.UTMedicine.com.