Today was an amazing day for me, and while I’m not at my goal weight it showed me just how far I have come in the past year. When I first started loosing weight in June 2012, cycling was my exercise of choice and is still my favorite. I felt like it allowed me to do more then I ever dreamed possible and took me places I hadn’t been before because I was so fearful of walking. I actually had refused to walk around the block with friends. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to, I wanted too. It was fear and terror that kept me sidelined. I was afraid that I would get halfway around the block and not be able to get back. When I would go shopping or to craft shows I would always need to take a break and sit down so I knew there was no way I could walk around the block and not need a break.
By September 17, 2012, I had started losing weight and my legs were getting stronger from my cycling so I decided to brave it and walk with a couple of coworkers during my lunch break. Ahead of time I had driven around the block and had calculated escape routes so that if I started having a hard time I could take a short cut and get back to the office. I was actually shocked and pleasantly surprised when I made it the full 1.5 miles. Two weeks later was the Susan G. Komen walk for the cure in our town. However, I refused to sign up and walk for it because the fear that I couldn’t make it was too great.
Fast forward one year, today not only did I sign up for the Susan G. Komen 5K run/walk, I ran the entire 3.1 miles and recorded my best time ever.
What a difference a year makes when you keep going in spite of fear. Each little victory helps you make it to the next goal. I started with the first walk during my lunch hour and that has continued almost daily over the last year. Then when I had to put my bike away for the winter I started walking in my neighborhood or on a treadmill at the gym. Then I got real brave and started the C25K (Couch to 5K) program on my phone. It wasn’t at all easy and I would repeat some of the weeks over for a couple of weeks before moving on to the next week, but I did it!
I never would have dreamed in a million years that I would ever be running, but I am and it feels awesome! It’s never too late to change habits and lifestyles to become a healthy fit person.