nikki & leks on the run!

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... :)