How Running Changed My Life: Amanda's Story

Amanda has a truly inspirational running-related journey to share. Like many, Amanda has discovered the importance of setting goals as well as the wonderful sense of accomplishment when you work hard toward those goals and achieve them. In her own words, here's Amanda's story:

How running changed my life? How hasn’t running changed my life is a better question. Let’s start from the beginning. January 2008 I walked into Weight Watchers weighing 276lbs. This is not the heaviest I have been but my brother was getting married in 8 months and I didn’t want to be the fat sister in all the pictures. My weight loss journey went well. By the time August came around I had lost 40lbs. I was still overweight but I felt much better about myself. Now that the wedding was over I was stuck. I thought; what next? I had a goal the first 8 months but now that I didn’t have something to reach for I didn’t know what to do with myself.

Around this time I came across the C25K program on the WW message board. The program intrigued me. Probably because my dad was a runner and I remember him running the NYC Marathon year after year. He was always super fit and loved to run. August 2008 I started week 1 of C25K. The program is 9 weeks long and it gradually increases your running up to 30 mins straight. You start with 60 second intervals of running and then walking. I wont lie the first week was pure torture. At 230lbs it was not easy. I kept with it and I completed the program October 2008. I signed up for my first 5k which would take place on Thanksgiving morning. At this point I was not running 3 miles yet so for the weeks after C25K and before the 5k I worked up to running 3 miles. It took me 45 mins but I couldn’t believe I was running! I ran the turkey trot in 39:02! I was so proud of myself. I ran the entire time!

Fast forward a little. I have run a bunch of 5ks and a 10k throughout the months. I decided that I would train for my first half marathon. I trained throughout the summer and I ran my first half marathon on October 11th. It was the most amazing feeling in the world. I wanted to cry several times during the race. I just kept thinking that a year ago I couldn’t run for 60 seconds and here I am running 13.1 miles! The best part is that I finished the race 25 mins faster then I expected! My finish time was 2:26:21!!!

In case you are wondering – I have continued to lose weight and I have lost a total of 98lbs to date. I know that if it wasn’t running I probably would have not lost this much weight. I owe my life to running.—Amanda

Go Amanda! You truly are amazing! Be sure to check out Amanda's Blog Manderz Journey to a New Life. Thanks for sharing your story, Amanda!

How Running Changed My Life: Ron's Story

I got to know "Ron the Runner" through Twitter. He's a man of few words, but he has such an awesome story to tell, that I asked him if he'd share it with you. In his own words, here's Ron's story.

My name is Ron. I decided in June it was time to get back in shape. After losing my wife to cancer, I spent a good year just sitting on my ass drinking all day. I knew how upset she would be to see me that way so, I stopped drinking, stopped smoking, stopped drinking soda, etc.. I have since lost 42 pounds and taken up running, so far I am horrible at running, my best run so far has been one mile, but I keep trying, eventually I will get to the point I can run 5k, hey maybe...—Ron Kops

Ron sent me his story back on August 30th. In just a month, not only did Ron surpass his 5K goal, he ran his first 10K (The Alminians 10K) this past Saturday! Here's Ron's posting about his newest running accomplishment on his blog—Ron The Runner: From Couch Potato to Runner.

"I didn't get the sleep I wanted the day before, Only had about 3 hours in two days. It was cold raining and a 2 hour drive away. I was questioning WTH I was thinking getting into this ! It was a fairly small race not a lot of people there. I was really nervous, I don't at all think of myself as a runner. I don't even run outside unless I have to... It was a very narrow course, I think I ran faster just because of that, defiantly my fastest time. Sadly my knee and groin are paying for it now ! but I did win entry into next years race series. so I can look forward to the same pain next year"

Ron now has the VASA Trail 10K in Michigan as his next quest to conquer. You da man, Ron! Keep up the great job! Rest assured your wife is very proud of you and your accomplishments!