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

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:



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.


After a year of weight lifting, I look like this:



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:



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


And run in races like this


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

:-)
Joy