need friends with similar goals for motivation

Hello all,

I am back at this losing weight thing. I am 5'3 and my CW is 156.2. My GW is to get down to 140. Being super skinny is not my thing, but I do want to lose this belly fat that I have accumulated by my poor diet and lack of exercise. I will be 35 years young this July and would like to get fit and toned before my birthday. I have also signed up for a 5k race this May that my school district is endorsing and would like to be able to run all or most of it along with my coworkers. I need some encouraging friends to help support me through this journey.