Saturday, October 14, 2017

How Running Helped This 31-Year-Old Lose 70 Pounds & Overcome Tragedy

How Running Helped This 31-Year-Old Lose 70 Pounds & Overcome Tragedy 

How Running Helped This 31-Year-Old Lose 70 Pounds & Overcome Tragedy
How Running Helped This 31-Year-Old Lose 70 Pounds & Overcome Tragedy 
How long have you been running?
I am a former Division I women’s lacrosse player, so I’ve always run here and there to maintain fitness levels. But I didn’t start training to run competitively until May 2014. I signed up for an Olympic triathlon that year which gave me an end goal to reach for.
Please describe your weight loss journey, including your before and after weights.
I gained a tonne of weight between November 2013 and February 2014. At my max weight, I was tipping the scale over 200 pounds and at 31.2% body fat. I’m 5’2”, that’s a lot of weight for my frame to carry. At a lacrosse camp, my best friend and former college teammate, Alice, told me straight up that I needed to start working out. It hurt to hear the truth. I was so broken and had given up on life. She started encouraging me to do just a little bit at a time, and finally my friend Jordan introduced me to a spin class, which provided me the courage to proceed to a healthier living and led me back to running.
Alice and I started doing self-accountability running challenges where we would try to run a cumulative of 50 miles in a month. Now I do that challenge with a larger group on Facebook. By the time my triathlon neared, I was down to 140 pounds. By the time it was the Philly half marathon, I was down to 133 pounds and 24% body fat. I lost almost 70 pounds before the one-year mark. I currently weight 132 pounds, but my fat percentage is about 19.7%.
What is the secret to your weight loss success?
I had to make some nutritional sacrifices. I put the beers down, gave up bagels, and started working out more.

How often do you run?
I run four to seven times a week, depending on energy levels.
What is your routine?
I teach morning studio cycling classes at a local gym, which is a mile from my house.
A lot of times, I’ll run to the gym, teach a 60-minute spin class, and run home before work. I also teach in the evenings on some days, so I’ll do the same thing if time permits. I run to the gym, teach a 60-minute class, and run home.
On days I don’t teach studio cycling, I’ll run with a local running group at 5:30 a.m. called “Metro Milers.” We usually go between 3-5 miles and throw intervals in for speed training. Some days if I’m feeling energized, I’ll run a few miles during my lunch as well. Weekends always are a little tricky. Right now I’m putting up about 7-13 miles on Saturdays. My boyfriend is deployed and the itch to run from grief has been returning, so I use that alone time on the pavement as a way to sort through my thoughts and calm my emotions.
What’s the most rewarding part of running for you?
The mental clarity and emotional transformation. Running did more for me than change my body and help me lose weight. Running has brought me a support system I never could have imagined.
When I was withdrawn from those around me, running provided me introspection on the trauma I was dealing with. Through the fog of grief, because of running I’ve made so many new friends, have gone on new adventures, and created stronger relationships with my family.
Running has brought me happiness during the darkest times of my life because when I feel the grittiness of the road underneath my feet, and see the gold rim of sun peaking over the horizon, I feel my husband guiding me to an improved life. And now with my boyfriend being deployed, when I lace up those trainers it’s another opportunity to prove how strong I am. I’m in a constant battle with myself to break down or go. I choose to go because the reward of completing those runs is ethereal.
How do you stay motivated?
It’s really easy for me to stay motivated because when I don’t run, I don’t feel myself. Running provides me a sense of purpose and self-worth. When I have a race to work toward, I’m innately competitive and I’m always looking to push and compete. My fastest half is 1:43 and I want to see if I can get that time closer to 1:40.

Do you race? If so, how often, and what kind of races?
I’ve been running competitively since September 2014. I did an Olympic triathlon in September 2014, and then soon after I signed up for the Philly Half Marathon as my first half marathon in November of that year. I participated in the triathlon and Philly half before the one-year mark of my husband’s passing. Those races provided me with enormous amounts of strength and provided me with a feeling of self-worth. A halogen bulb lit up in my brain after the Philly half. Two weeks later, I ran another half marathon in New Hampshire. I was hooked.
I do mostly half marathon races, and the occasional 5K. In 2016 I was the first overall female finisher for the first time in my racing career, and then in 2017 I broke a goal that had been eluding me of getting my half marathon splits under eight minutes. From September 2014 to now, I’ve run in a total of 15 races. On October 1, 2017, I’ll be running in my first full marathon in Minnesota.
Do you engage in other sports or activities? If so, what and how often?
I teach studio cycling classes seven to nine times a week, and bootcamp style classes twice a week at the most. On Thursdays I play kickball in a league in my city. I also still play lacrosse on occasion when the opportunity is there. I try to do some strength training twice a week as well to break up the excessive cardio.
Do you have any favourite motivational quotes?
“How you expect to run with the wolves come night when you spend all day sparring with the puppies?” -The Wire

What are your current short and long-term goals?
I’m trying to sign up for one race per month until October. My long-term goal is to run the Twin City Marathon October 1st. It’ll be my first full marathon.

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