Lou DiStasi was a football and baseball stalwart at Chelmsford High, and later Colby College.
But a few years ago, he had drifted away from some of physical competitive outlets.
“It got to the point I was sort of lost,’’ acknowledged DiStasi, now 37.
“I was out of shape and hit that kind of lull where you get up, go to work, come home and watch television and that’s it. I decided I needed to get back in shape and put something on the calendar to set as a goal and work toward. I signed up for a Warrior Dash obstacle course race and started training. One thing led to another and it was kind of fun and I saw some progress and I kept going.’’
DiStasi dropped 40 pounds, to his current weight of 180; he and a few of his buddies now compete in three to four Spartan races per year.
“I sprinkle them in with some other things,’’ DiStasi said.
“I just [ran] my first Boston Marathon. It kind of started after the Spartan races. They made me realize I could stay in shape and survive long runs.’’
And the 120th Boston Marathon?
“I was humbled,’’ DiStasi said. “It was a pretty tough day. It was very hot. I completed it. My kids were excited to see me finish and it’s something I’ll never forget, but it was tough. I took four hours and 20 minutes. If you asked me last week I would have said no way I’d do it again, but now I kind of want my revenge. I feel the course did me in, I was too pumped or whatever the case may be and I wouldn’t mind giving it another shot.’’
The competitive fire of the former two-sport captain at Chelmsford High is certainly back.
At Colby, DiStasi helped the Mules football team bounce back from an 0-8 season his freshman season to a 7-1 record and NESCAC championship as a senior. On the baseball diamond, he was a three-year starter at first and third base, sitting out his junior season after shoulder surgery.
An economics major, DiStasi interned at Navigant in Burlington as a junior in college; he has been employed by the company since his graduating from college in 2001. He’s an associate director with the firm’s research and development team.
DiStasi and his wife, Rebecca, live in Chelmsford with sons, Drew, 9, and Cody, 8. The boys play baseball on the same team, coached by Lou, in the spring, and swim competitively in the summer, fall and winter.
“I would say the competitiveness I got from athletics goes for a lot of things in my life,’’ DiStasi said.
“I’m a team-oriented and competitive type person at work. I’m always looking for that team environment and to be competitive if we have a project. I try to do it better, or faster or more efficiently.’’
Allen Lessels can be reached at lessfam321@gmail.com.
