Jake Espinoza is currently participating in Zults Wars at the West Salem Courthouse with Drew Blue’s Clues. We were curious why? Why be active? Why put forth the effort?

Two things happened a year ago that made me reevaluate my health and fitness levels: my son Tyson was born and I ran a 5k fun run.

The run was embarrassing.  I was out of shape. I am 6’4” and weighed 265 pounds at the time. That is the biggest I’ve ever been (and hopefully the biggest I’ll ever be). For the run I partnered up with my cousin’s 6th grade daughter, assuming we’d run about the same pace. 

I assumed wrong. I struggled keeping up with her from the start.  

About half way through the race she asked if I wanted to stop and walk. I absolutely wanted to take a walk break. I was dying. I was holding her back because of how out of shape I was! No good.

As we crossed the finish line I imagined myself running with Tyson in 10 years. I realized I didn’t want to be that dad who held his son back.

Why am I eating right and staying active? Because I want to be there to motivate my son to push himself and live a healthy lifestyle.