Reunited… and It Feels Like Another Starting Line

There’s an old 1978 song by Peaches & Herb called Reunited. Most of Gen Z probably has no idea what I’m talking about, and honestly, that’s their loss.

A few weeks ago, while driving north to Coupeville, I received a phone call from a number I didn’t recognize. Like most of us do these days, I let it go to voicemail.

Sorry, Jerry.

Later that evening, while relaxing on the couch, I listened to the message and realized the call was from someone I had followed for years but had never actually spoken to. Funny how life works sometimes.

Back in 2013, I was in the middle of making major changes to my health. At the time, my primary care physician seemed more focused on prescribing medications than helping me understand why my health was declining in the first place. The goal was simply to slow the progression of disease.

That approach didn’t sit well with me.

So I started learning about nutrition. I changed the way I ate, took responsibility for my own health, and eventually stopped taking the medications I had been prescribed. I was told my choices were “extreme.” Maybe they were. But I also never went back to that doctor again.

Around that same time, I discovered Plant Purity — a small recipe site started by Julie Marie Christensen and her husband Jerry. Over the years, that small site evolved into something much bigger: Protective Diet, a lifestyle platform built around plant-based nutrition, health education, recipes, and community.

And it worked for me.

I lost 42 pounds and became the fittest version of myself I had ever been. To this day, Julie says my 2015 testimonial remains one of her favorites. Honestly, the before-and-after photos tell most of the story without needing many words.

But this post isn’t about trying to convert anyone to a specific diet or lifestyle.

Trust me, I’m not here to beat anybody over the head with a banana.

This story is really about reconnecting.

When I finally returned Jerry’s call, we immediately fell into conversation like old friends catching up after years apart — even though we had never actually met. We had both spent time living in San Diego, followed similar paths, and somehow managed to orbit many of the same circles without crossing paths in person.

Jerry had called because he wanted to talk about ultrarunning.

Now, I wouldn’t call myself an expert, but over the course of about three years I completed five ultramarathons. Those races taught me more about myself than almost anything else I’ve done. Success taught me confidence. Failure taught me humility. Both taught me endurance.

Ultrarunning strips you down mentally and physically. Somewhere after mile 30, your body starts negotiating with your brain in ways that are hard to explain unless you’ve lived it.

One of the biggest challenges for both Jerry and me was figuring out how to maintain a clean, plant-based approach to nutrition while running ridiculous distances. Anyone who has spent time at ultramarathon aid stations knows they’re not exactly designed around whole-food nutrition.

There are sugary snacks everywhere. Processed carbs. Candy. Sports drinks. Whatever gets calories into exhausted runners fast enough to keep them moving.

I still remember one race where, around mile 48, volunteers were serving spaghetti and meatballs with garlic bread. After hours of running, my body looked at that table like it had discovered religion.

I wanted it badly.

But I stayed the course and kept moving toward the finish line.

What stayed with me most after my conversation with Jerry, though, had nothing to do with mileage, pace, or nutrition strategies. It was the reminder of how influential certain people can be in different chapters of our lives.

Life has a way of pulling us off track. Careers shift. Families grow. Interests change. Social media fades into the background. Priorities evolve. I drifted away from the Protective Diet Facebook communities years ago, but my appreciation for what that period of my life represented never disappeared.

Because I still remember how I felt back then.

Not just physically, although that was certainly part of it. I remember having energy. I remember my bloodwork improving. I remember fewer aches and pains. I remember looking in the mirror and recognizing the person staring back at me.

And if I’m being honest, I miss some of that version of myself.

Over the years, I’ve fallen off the wagon more times than I can count. Most people do. Life gets messy. Habits slip. Motivation fades.

But sometimes all it takes is one unexpected phone call to remind you where you’ve been — and maybe where you still want to go.

I’m not announcing some grand transformation. I’m not selling a program. I’m not pretending I have everything figured out.

I’m simply sharing my journey.

And after this week’s conversation, it feels a little like I’m standing at another starting line again.