Walking the Miles ...: How it all started...

I am a walker! I am actually a real marathon walker! In fact, I am also a jogger! I walk most of the time but love to throw in jogs now and then to speed things up! It's crazy to even write that about myself! After multiple back surgeries (SEVEN to be exact!), a spinal fusion, two battles with MRSA on my spine, years of numerous medications, major weight gain and pure laziness... who would believe I would be this person I am now?! Not me and certainly not any of my family, friends or doctors.

In the spring of 2009, I was watching the Biggest Loser episode where the remaining four contestants were running the marathon. These still-overweight individuals were running 26.2 miles! I was amazed with their ability to run and asked myself what was wrong with me? I was sitting on the couch wishing I was one of them - a runner - but doing nothing about it and actually feeling sorry for myself. I had dropped nearly 40 pounds at this point and weighed less than some of the contestants yet they were RUNNING and I was SITTING! I decided if they could do it, SO COULD I. I signed up for my first six mile event in June. I jogged about 10 YARDS of it and walked the rest… out of breath and in pain. My hands swelled up like balloons and scared me, thinking something must be wrong with my heart! (I knew nothing about walking, exercise, hydration, etc.!) I finished in just under 2 hours and was so proud of myself you would have thought I had just run the Boston Marathon! I limped away with a blister on the bottom of my foot the size of a silver dollar and pride in my chest the size of Texas! For the next FOUR DAYS I could barely move! I couldn’t walk, sit or sleep without major pain. I sat back down on the couch completely defeated. Six miles nearly killed me. During the walk I hurt my foot and as a result, limped around for almost four months. I quit. Walking was not for me. It was simply too much work.

In February 2010, I saw a commercial on TV about the Susan G. Komen 3-Day, 60-Mile Walk in Seattle taking place in September. Fund raising was mandatory (a minimum of $2,300), which I thought was probably impossible. Walking 60 miles was like a dream to me but dreamers are allowed on the walk, right?! Believing in the cause and wanting to try walking again, I signed up the next day! I went to work and sent out the “fund raising email” asking for donations and stating what my plans for September were… to walk SIXTY miles. Did they think I was crazy? Absolutely! In fact, the reaction I received is really what motivated me the most. I was going to prove to them that I WAS capable and I WAS going to walk ALL SIXTY MILES (which I did!). No way could I back out of it and still hold my head up high!

I immediately searched the internet for a training group to “teach” me to walk so I wouldn’t hurt myself again. The search led me to Portland Fit, a marathon training program. I had NO intention to walk ANY marathon. I simply wanted to be able to walk 60 miles without injury.

Now fast forward a year and a half later … 94 pounds lighter (with a bit more to go), one 3-day 60-mile event completed (another in September), 3 half marathons (two more in the next three months), 1 full marathon (another next week and one in October) and MILES AND MILES AND MILES of training walks behind me with so much more to accomplish ahead of me! I am so blessed!