I used to be a fat lass!
At the start of 2006 I weighed 13 stone and was miserable about my health and appearance. I had given up running about 5 months before after a couple of disasterous races due to not being fit enough. A search on the internet took me to a website called Weight Loss Resources, an on-line calorie counting tool. Something inside me clicked, I followed the guidelines, cut back my calories and upped my exercise. The site had an on-line runners board which encouraged me to get back into running.
Within 7 months I had lost 3.5 stone and reached my goal of 9 and a half stone and almost two years later I am still there. But the biggest plus that came from my weight loss was my running - it improved beyond belief. I entered my first race as a thin girl in June 2006 - the Race For Life 5k. I had completed it in 35 minutes the year before and was hoping to beat that - which I did by over 10 minutes. I went from being the fat lass that got round to the thin girl who came in the top 20 finishers. It was one of the best moments of my life!
I went on from there to meet all my running goals, sub 2 hour half marathon, sub 50 min 10k, sub 1.30 10 mile and a further minute off my 5k time - until there was only one thing left for it - I had to do a marathon! And on the premise that at my age there may only be one marathon in me - it had to be the London Marathon! I am so grateful to the Evelina Children's Hospital Appeal for giving me the chance to fulfil this dream before I reach my 40th birthday in August.
I cannot believe how much my life has changed in the last two years and I am so thankful to all the people who have supported me along the way - especially my running buddies on Weight Loss Resources - they really have made the difference. And of course to my long suffering husband Roger who traded in the fat bird for the skinny bird who is always out running!
Weight Loss Resources run the Bananaman 10k July 2007
