|
My Running Friends
By Liz Luchies
 My journey began in March 2008. My employer, Gerber Products, decided to close our onsite fitness center and provide us with memberships at Tamarac. I was an unmotivated couch potato. My days consisted of taking care of my family, but not myself. I spent most of my evenings cooking dinner and then checking out the nightly television line up. I didn’t play outside with my two sons because I didn’t have the energy too.
During the Tamarac enrollment process, I was asked if there was one thing I could do without any restrictions, etc., what would it be? I wrote down running. I wanted to run, didn’t believe I could do it, but it was something to daydream about. At 5’ 2’’ and about 175 pounds, I wasn’t exactly running material.
I began taking fitness classes, mostly Zumba. I will never forget how that first class felt like torture; I thought I was going to die. I could hardly catch my breath and my face was as red as a tomato. It sure wasn’t fun, but I kept coming. In May 2008, Tamarac introduced Body Pump. Since everyone else was as new to it as I would be, I decided to try it out. After about 4 classes, I was hooked. I was a regular in the Monday and Wednesday night classes.
During the summer of 2008, classes became very crowded, especially Zumba. Since space was limited, I was not excited at the thought of trying to squeeze into the room. I was scared that I would crash into someone or someone would crash into me, so I wanted to try something else. I thought, how about running? I hit the treadmill, very slowly, but I was running!
I continued running on the treadmill week after week. I slowly built up to running a 5K on the treadmill. In March 2009, I saw that Gerber Products was sponsoring company teams for the Triple Crown which began with the Irish Jig 5K, so I signed up to run with my coworkers. My only goal was to prove to myself that I could finish the race. I ended up finishing in 31 minutes and 34 seconds. When I crossed that finish line it felt truly amazing. I ran a 5K! I kept running as much as I could fit it into my schedule, which is not always easy. Over the past year, I had lost 20 pounds and gained back about 10. I realized that I needed more help.
In April 2009, my fellow coworkers decided to join the New You program at Tamarac. I had adjusted my routines to incorporate exercise, but my eating habits needed help. I didn’t want to miss out on a great opportunity to join New You with my friends who would be there to support me. So, I made the commitment and started New You on April 7, 2009.
During the 20-week foundation class, I learned a lot about myself. The program includes nutrition education, support, accountability, and structure. All of the things I needed to help me lose the extra weight I was carrying around. Along the way, I started meeting more Tamarac citizens who were in New You. It seems that they were everywhere, which turned out to be a very good thing. Not only does it feel good to have support, but you also have “Big Brother” watching your every move. I started New You at 168 pounds. During the 20 weeks, my lowest weight was 137.5 pounds. As I gained self confidence, I also assumed that I could control my eating habits. I found out quickly that this will be a challenge for me for the rest of my life. I began to gain back a little bit here and a little there. It is very frustrating to be so close to your goal and then begin to fall off of the “wagon.” I am now participating in the New You ongoing practice program.
As a part of New You, I found a group of people who I call my “running friends.” They’ve helped me continue my running journey. Running is now a reality, not just a daydream. I ran with my “running friends” for many weeks this summer as they prepared for the Rock N Roll ½ Marathon. It helped me improve my running times and endurance along with improving my self confidence.
On July 4, 2009, I ran a 5K in Hesperia and finished with a personal record time of 26:24. I also ran my first 10K the same month. My most meaningful race was in October 2009. I was a member of a marathon relay team with fellow Tamarac citizens. Running with my “running friends” means a lot to me. They have been the best support I could ever ask for. The Grand Rapids Marathon was amazing. I couldn’t believe all the runners going the full 26.2 mile distance in a matter of hours. I can’t quite imagine myself doing it, but you never know…
My journey has provided me with education about nutrition, running, and physical activity. It is most certainly not over yet, but I am well on my way. I have learned that I need specific goals to work toward in order to remain focused. I am already forming a plan around a new running goal. I have also realized that a support system is critically important in achieving your goals. The most important thing I have learned is to start your journey and never stop. The best gift I have received is the ability to keep up with my two sons, which was truly my motivation for starting my journey. I want to thank my family, friends and Tamarac for being a part of my success. I couldn’t have done it without you!
|
