Wheelchair to 1/2 marathon PLUS 1 year of weight lifting

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joyzy
joyzy Posts: 97 Member
in Success Stories
So these past 21 months have been crazy. I've posted here before that I had a spinal cord injury in June 2011 (http://www.joyzyblog.com/my-story/) and was in a wheelchair, and then decided to get healthy to prevent reinjury. Over the next 11 months I lost 100 pounds. Now I run a LOT (30-40 miles a week depending on what I'm training for) and lift weights about 2x/week.

I'm posting today to let you know that you CAN do this. Really you can. I couldn't WALK at first and I still made it happen.

I started like this: 270lbs and couldn't walk. (5'8.5" 32 years old, three kids ages 2, 4, 6.)
Before:
IMG_5168.jpg
IMG_5171.jpg

I started walking slowly and then running and then 6 months later this is what I looked like at 195lbs the day I started weight lifting.
20120204ARMS.jpg

After a year of weight lifting, I look like this:
20130126_zpsc487905b.jpg
9385b421-1cdb-416d-b9ad-cf8ef5205df4_zps6b9f3902.jpg

Now I'm training for a half marathon. This week my local YMCA had me come in for a photo shoot to put my crazy story and picture in their annual report for the "healthy living" section of the Y's mission. The YMCA has been an invaluable resource for my health and fitness over the past year and a half.
Here's what I wore for the photos:
20130311_01_zps9b66170b.jpg
20130311_02_zpsb4422071.jpg

So I started in August 2011 at 270 pounds, and used MFP to track every single thing I ate and drank for 11 months until I lost 100 pounds. I also exercised 6-7 days/week. I hit 168lbs in July 2012. I've maintained 161-166lbs for the past 8 months, just with running and making sensible eating choices.

During 2012 I ran over 1000 miles. My first half marathon race is in 6.5 weeks and I'm PUMPED! Part of my injury remains. I'm still numb down the back of my right leg and the entire bottom of my right foot. I've learned to compensate for that and now I barely even notice it anymore.

Now I get to wear fun dresses like this
20130308_01_zps0de3cd98.jpg

And run in races like this
photo-118-1.jpg

Thanks for looking. Now get out there and mooooooooooove!!!!!

:-)
Joy
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Replies

  • jtslim42
    jtslim42 Posts: 240
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    What a great story! You rock!
  • emilyasdf
    emilyasdf Posts: 354 Member
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    Amazing! Amazingly inspirational. Was the Y valuable to you?? Cause it says invaluable^ but maybe I have a vocabulary misunderstanding, lol.
  • loseit4ever12
    loseit4ever12 Posts: 53
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    AMAZING!!!!!! What an awesome success story! WOW!!
  • CorvusCorax77
    CorvusCorax77 Posts: 2,536 Member
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    oh my goddess!!!!

    :love:
  • Ke11yJo
    Ke11yJo Posts: 141
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    OMGosh!! Absolutely the single most motivational post I have read on MFP!! Congratulations!! :flowerforyou:

    (... off to find my running shoes!)
  • 88meli88
    88meli88 Posts: 238 Member
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    awesome...am off to do abs...
  • lhgalant
    lhgalant Posts: 101 Member
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    what an awesome success story! and great motivation! congrats on your accomplishments
  • Davina_JH
    Davina_JH Posts: 473 Member
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    amazing and inspirational :flowerforyou: :heart:
  • silvergurl518
    silvergurl518 Posts: 4,123 Member
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    what a radiant smile! you are so freaking inspirational!!!!!
  • tulsaBill
    tulsaBill Posts: 84 Member
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    Incredible story. Thanks for posting!
  • stmcfred
    stmcfred Posts: 78 Member
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    She had it right .

    "The difference between invaluable and valuable can be subtle, but think of it this way: valuable usually applies to things that have monetary value, while invaluable usually applies to things that can’t be valued in monetary terms. For example, a hoard of gold is valuable, while a good friend is invaluable (i.e., can’t be valued in monetary terms—hence the negative prefix in-)." - Copied from grammarist.com
    Amazing! Amazingly inspirational. Was the Y valuable to you?? Cause it says invaluable^ but maybe I have a vocabulary misunderstanding, lol.
  • stmcfred
    stmcfred Posts: 78 Member
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    Absolutely Amazing!! Your such an inspiration. Congratulations on all your accomplishments. Good luck with your half marathon!! Your going to rock :)
  • odusgolp
    odusgolp Posts: 10,477 Member
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    Rock on, sista! Fantastic progress!!!!!
  • 6550mom
    6550mom Posts: 206 Member
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    Are you kidding me? Wow.

    Excuses... BE GONE!

    This is seriously amazing.
  • kisses4dylan
    kisses4dylan Posts: 46 Member
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    My girl! Go JOY! :-) Love reading your story!
  • moustache_flavored_lube
    moustache_flavored_lube Posts: 849 Member
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    Amazing!!! You rule!
  • geekyjock76
    geekyjock76 Posts: 2,720 Member
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    Your epic tale of victory is among my favorite here. I have such tremendous admiration for what you've accomplished in such a short amount of time. You are one of the most determined people I've come across on this site and won't take no for an answer. I love it.
  • Kelly_Runs_NC
    Kelly_Runs_NC Posts: 474 Member
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    You are AWESOME! End of story!
  • Docmahi
    Docmahi Posts: 1,603 Member
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    Omg - man one of the most inspirational stories I have read on this forum

    So amazing - phenomenal accomplishments
  • smilingirisheyes
    smilingirisheyes Posts: 149 Member
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    You are truly amazing!

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