From Fat To Finish Line

As I'm mulling over the words to write, I'm thinking "This can't possibly be happening to me. I'm not worthy. Things like this don't happen to people like me." But they are, and they are happening to 11 other people just like me. 12 people who were obese. God, I hate that word, but it's the truth. No matter how we may have referred to ourselves- husky, chunky, fluffy, plus-sized... the reality is we were OBESE. Unhealthy. Slowly killing ourselves with food.

But something in all of us made us want to change. Whether it was the motivation to lose weight for a high school reunion (80 pounds in 2 months? Could happen! NOT!) or the fact that I was a moment away from being diagnosed with hypertension or worse, a kidney disease (thankfully I was not), I decided I had enough.

I started eating less and moving more. I lost weight. The conversation I had with my husband over the Biggest Loser marathon was looming in the back of my mind. He asked if I ever contemplated running one, and if so, he would join me. Could I really run? Instead of blowing the idea off as insanity, I tried. I started going to the track. I would run half a lap. That eighth of a mile felt like it was going to kill me, but I kept at it. I started to fall in love with running, not just because of what it could do for my body, but what it did for my mind. It started to help me like myself, to be proud of something that I did, just for me.

I'm forever looking for inspiration  and motivation to keep me going, and lo and behold, Katie's success video was posted via Spark People on Facebook back in June. Watching that video, I cried. I saw myself in her before photos and I felt the pride she must feel for having taken control of her life and succeeded, because I was finally there too. I'm at a weight I'm not embarrassed to say, in a size that frankly, I'm STUNNED by, and I'm now a participant in life, rather than a spectator.

After watching that video, I started following Katie's blog. I loved reading about all of her running accomplishments, including several half-marathons and a Ragnar Relay. Rik approached Katie with the idea to create a Ragnar team comprised of 12 people who all lost a substantial amount of weight using running as a tool. Katie invited me to be one of those 12 members. Me? Really?!? I had to think long and hard about it. The cost...the commitment...the responsibilities of home were all things that could make a trip like this all just too much. But, I have such an amazing husband. Charlie said if I wanted to do it, we'd find a way.

The team started coming together...we were from all different walks of life, but the common denominator was our weight loss achievements and our desire to run. That sparked an idea in Jen's mind. Since she is a television producer by trade, she realized that this journey of ours would make an incredible documentary! 12 people that were, like 65% of America, facing the insurmountable task of losing weight, but became part of the small percentage to keep it off. And they were running. We all ran while we were overweight. We didn't wait to be thin to start. This film will prove to those who are struggling with their weight that they can do it too. They can achieve the unthinkable, just like us. From our stories, From Fat To Finish Line was born.

"You don't have to be great to start. You just have to start to be great."

So like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter- @FatToFinishFilm. You'll be able to find links to all of the great blogs everyone writes, keep track of all the events we're running in and follow us where ever this crazy train is heading. All because I said "Yes" to run a relay.