January of 2009 I weighed 299lbs Yes almost 300 I know I was HUGE.
I didn't need someone telling me I was big, I didn't need my doctor to tell me lose weight or die. I knew that if I didn't do something about it I would die.
It took me a VERY long time to accept the fact that I wasn't just chubby and that it was no longer cute, or plump with curves. I was FAT. I went through all the stages of denial unable to recognize that I was really WAY to big. I tried to fool my self in to thinking I was healthy.
Well I did the only thing I wanted do. I ignored the fact that I was out of breath climbing the three flights of stairs and renewed my relationship with Ben&Jerry's and buried my head in shame.
Then the worst possible thing happened. I got sick. I woke up one Sunday my DH (dear hubby) and I were relaxing prior to getting ready and leaving for church. I started to get up and I couldn't breath and my chest hurt, thinking it was indigestion, but in the back of my mind I was worried that it wasn't., I got up and moved around and the pain began shooting down my arms and up my neck. My husband rushed me to the ER. We both thought I was having a heart attack.
I was fortunate, it wasn't a heart attack it was double pneumonia. I was told to follow up with my primary care doctor the next day. So off to the doctor I went. He confirmed the pneumonia but did a heart scan anyway. The scan showed I had the heart of a 30 year old with no traces of plaque or clogging of veins and arteries. He was also concerned with my weight.
Lady's and Gentleman that needless to say scared the pooh bear out of me. That is when my life really changed. I changed the way I was eating and starting moving. That friends helped me lose 30lbs. That is a toddler or two. At my November check up my doctor was happy that I had lost what I had but said I needed to get more exercise.
I am not one to go out and and "just do it" I need a goal or something/someone to prod me on. I know several people who have recently participated in 1/2 marathons. I started thinking hey I can do this. I just need motivation and accountablity. So I did the only thing I could think of. I started "Lynne's Country Music 1/2 Marathon Support Group" on Monday the 30th of November 2009.
Life moves at a constant pace around here and the one consistent thing in my life has been running. Heading into my second year of being an endurance geek, I have found there is a place you go when you run that is like no other.
Some yogi's and guru's say you can only get to this place with devoted meditation. Well running long distances is my meditation. It is a place where nothing else exists other than my beat of my heart the rhythm of breathing and the sound of my feet hitting the pavement. You are one with your body when you push it to do things it really doesn't want to do. At the end as you cross that finish line or end that long training run the only person you have to thank is yourself. You can take time and thank your support group and your coach if you have one but it still comes down to you when you cross that finish.
That's my favorite thing about running it is the one thing that I can do for myself and be selfish about it. It benefits no one but me, and I can only do it for me.
So welcome to my journey and please feel free to jump on board and join me and the rest of the DOAFCR support team.
Lynne Blaisdell
The Fat Chick Running
The Fat Chick Running
One More Step, One More Mile, One More Finish. ©
