Get a beer for finishing a race, Ill run for that!!

So during this journey I have had many firsts, I have come across obstacles I have not had to deal with when I was obese.  During this journey to a healthier and happier me I get to learn new things about myself and about those around me.  But also during this journey we have moments or we meet people that will change the direction of where your journey is going.  I had one of these moments associated with this race.

It was with the Documentary From Fat To Finish Line, their runners and the productions crew were part of the Craft Classic race and with that it allowed me to meet and learn from this amazing group of people.  I will go more into how meeting these people changed my direction and in a way my life in an upcoming blog.  But in regards to this race and my journey, they made a huge difference.

 

Its funny, the more I run races the more people I meet for see that I already know.  This is Abhi who is a fellow Weight Watcher and for my first 4 months in Weight Watchers we attended the same meeting.  I knew he was a runner because he would always come to the meeting with his recent race bling,  He had done the Craft Classic Half and did a great job.  Running and making friends… What a concept.

Along with fellow Weight Watchers I also got to meet one of my favorite Bloggers Carlee from bethechange .   I completely geeked out when I saw her.  I met her first at the Cardiff Kook Run when she asked if I would take her picture, she was a duck.  I then saw later she had a blog and love what she says and all that she shares about running.  I reached out to her when I first started putting this blog together and she sweetly shared tip and advise on getting this up and running.  Thanks Carlee.

I ran this 5K without stopping and did it in 34 mins.  Yes thats pretty good, but lets take into consideration there were HILLS from HELL!!!  So many hills that my Fitbit registered 31 flights of stairs.   Why was I able to do this? Because a group of people who had faith in someone they barely knew, but saw something in me I did not see in myself, pushed me to believe in myself.

I ran this race with one thing going through my head, you can do this because you are F#*@ing awesome. Something I would never say to myself but after a conversation with a couple of the runners from the movie John Hulsey and Jen Small I was beginning to believe this.

The race itself was part of a Half Marathon combination run and OMG as challenging as the 5K was the Half Marathon was brutal and those runners were my hero’s.  I also met some of the nicest people that had also found their way to the From Fat To Finish Line Family.  The more that I am doing these races, the more confidence I have to talk to other runners at these races.  So many new friends, Shawn Gallagher, Collin Jackson, Nora Roberts, Regina, Tammy there were just so many.   The then of course the From Fat To Finish Line Runners and Directors/Associates, John Hulsey, Jennifer Roe, Jen Small, Rik Akey, Angela Lee, Valerie Johnson Barbe, Victoria Johnson Graham and Cynthia Akey who I am know wishing I had taken notes during our Yoga session.

 

Although we all strive for the finish line.. but this time this finish line was also the beginning of a new chapter in my journey.