I recently was honored to accept the invitation to be a "Running Buddy" with my best friend's wonderful daughter, Leks, in a 5K event with "Girls on the Run." Her own mom unfortunately could not attend, because her other fabulous daughter had her 5th grade Graduation on the same evening. And, so I was able to attend the run with Leks, and I was thrilled to do it!
Just a little background, here, to fully explain why this was such a special opportunity for me. See, growing up and even into my adult years, I had always struggled with my weight. Girls in my elementary school teased me for being the fat girl. Had there been a "Girls on the Run" at my school I probably would not have had the courage to participate. I still remember some of the comments the other girls would make when I would talk about trying to lose weight, and how embarrassed I would feel when I couldn't use the teeter-totter with my friends unless I sat
in front of the bar (since it wouldn't balance otherwise).
As an adult, my weight issues continued. At my heaviest I weighed just over 250 pounds. About a year after Geoffrey was born, I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia, which is a condition that causes widespread muscle pain and chronic fatigue. In my efforts to learn how to better manage my fibromyalgia, I kept reading about exercise again and again, and how it could help in improving symptoms. So I started walking, and I could only walk 10 minutes (roughly a third of a mile). But I did my 10 minutes. Over time, I added another 10 minutes later in the day, my speed increased over time as well. I just kept adding to my time until I was walking about an hour each day.
Slowly, and I do mean s-l-o-w-l-y, my weight started to change (serioulsy, I only lost 14 pounds in the entire first year!). Eventually I reached a very healthy weight for my body, but experienced an unexpected weight gain as a result of a medication change. Earlier this year I joined our local YMCA, and began to change a lot of what I was doing in terms of exercise. I also started using a very cool device, called a Fitbit, which helps me to track the calories I eat and burn. Since September I have been able to lose almost 30 pounds (all of what I had gained from the medication issue), and I'm still working toward my long-term goal weight. Best of all, though, is that I feel good--I'm active and healthy and I actually seem to have become one of those crazy people who enjoys exercising! :)
So when I said 'yes' to participating in the Girls on the Run 5K, I can honestly say that I was happy to do it! I knew if I focused on my goal (which was to run the whole thing, and do it in less than 40 minutes) I could get there. And the little fat girl that is still somewhere inside of me was so proud to be running that night (in the rain, I might add... which wouldn't have been so bad had the temperature not been 50 degrees).
And in case you're wondering, I did meet my goal! I certainly wasn't the fastest person on the course (and in fact, my buddy Leks finished before me! Way to go Leks!!), but I did run the whole thing without stopping. A week before the event, I had run the distance on a treadmill at the Y, doing it in 37 1/2 minutes. On the night of the Girls on the Run 5K, I finished the course in 33 1/2 minutes.
And, also in case you're wondering, this 5K will not be my last... :)
