The Beginning: When Everything Broke at Once
Earlier this year my health completely fell apart.
Multiple ear infections → vestibular damage → lost balance.
Anxiety went through the roof.
Sleep collapsed — many nights only 2–3 hours.
Walking straight was hard. Driving felt impossible.
Every symptom fed the next, and I was terrified this was permanent.
I wasn’t functioning. I felt trapped in my own body.
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Why I Turned to Data
When everything felt out of control, I needed something I could measure.
So I started tracking everything with my Apple Watch and InBody scans:
• HRV
• Resting heart rate
• Sleep
• Body composition
• Running pace
It didn’t fix me overnight, but it gave me proof that small actions were moving the needle.
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August: My First Mile
First run in months → ONE mile.
Time: 14:36. Had to stop twice. Dizzy, heart racing, embarrassed… but proud.
That single mile became the foundation.
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What Actually Changed (the real numbers)
Resting HR: mid-60s → 48 bpm
HRV: 30s–40s → 70–90+ (108 ms peak)
Longest run: 6.4 miles
First 5K: 33:38
First 10K: finished last weekend
Body-fat: −8 lbs
Sleep: still fragmented, but more 7–8 h nights than 3–4 h nights
Mental health: anxiety no longer runs the show
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The Realization
You don’t have to feel well to start.
You get well by starting.
Running didn’t cure me.
Data didn’t cure me.
But together they rebuilt my confidence — one slow mile at a time.
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Why I’m Sharing This
For anyone who feels stuck right now — overwhelmed by symptoms, lost in health anxiety, unsure where to begin.
This is living proof:
Start small. Start messy. Start scared.
Just start.
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If you want to follow along…
Every week I’ll post:
✓ Raw Apple Watch & HRV data
✓ Running progress (or setbacks)
✓ What’s actually working for sleep & anxiety
✓ The messy truth behind the graphs
If you’re rebuilding your heath like I am, subscribe for weekly updates on running progress, sleep recovery, health trends and mental health wins Subscribe below – it’s 100 % free
Thanks for coming on this ride with me.
— Dave
46 & Running