Paralysis-->Losing 100 pounds --> Marathon!!! (pics)

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Replies

  • scubasuenc
    scubasuenc Posts: 626 Member
    Congratulations!!!! Your story is inspiring.
  • Fit_Lean_Priya
    Fit_Lean_Priya Posts: 164 Member
    you are an inspiration, wow, just wow
  • The_Enginerd
    The_Enginerd Posts: 3,982 Member
    Wow, you are a ****ing rock star! Congrats!
  • robinb07
    robinb07 Posts: 33 Member
    Totally inspiring. Congratulations on your success!
  • TammyW18
    TammyW18 Posts: 244 Member
    Congratulations truely inspiring!
  • Mpol2
    Mpol2 Posts: 442 Member
    What a fabulous example you are for us at MFP and for your lovely family. I salute your awesomeness and power :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou:

    Edited for typo
  • 34blast
    34blast Posts: 166 Member
    I love to read through these success stories. I have to stay this is one of the most inspiring because of what you did for your health and not just vanity. Very impressive and inspiring, keep up the great work.
  • Reading your story brought tears to my eyes. Wow, wow, and wow! You are a true testimony...success story...inspiration for all of those who feel they can't because of an injury or anything else. Thank you for posting. Congrats on your success.
  • MallieRose91
    MallieRose91 Posts: 159 Member
    You are such an inspiration!! Truly amazing and motivating.
  • StarChanger
    StarChanger Posts: 605 Member
    This story brought tears to my eyes! I am so happy for you, your family, and your friends....and for the hundreds and hundreds of people, including myself, who you just inspired to be better, stronger, and thankful for what they have!!!
  • _TastySnoBalls_
    _TastySnoBalls_ Posts: 1,298 Member
    Holy crap... You are fracking awesome!!!! Congratulations on everything !!
  • nathalier71
    nathalier71 Posts: 570 Member
    That was an inspiring read! Way to go and thanks for sharing!
  • weightedfootsteps
    weightedfootsteps Posts: 4,349 Member
    OMG...Happy tears for you girl! You have overcome so much!!!! So inspired by your story!! Happy for you too!! :flowerforyou:
  • Gwen_B
    Gwen_B Posts: 1,018 Member
    Wow!! Over 100 pounds, awesome work!!! You look awesome, keep up the great work!!!
  • Manda_1986
    Manda_1986 Posts: 42 Member
    How amazing :). I love reading stories like this. Thank you for sharing xx
  • PinkNinjaLaura
    PinkNinjaLaura Posts: 3,202 Member
    What an astounding story from a very low spot to an amazing high. Congratulations on running your marathon! An accomplishment for anyone, much less someone who started out paralyzed. Truly amazing story of taking charge and not giving up.
  • jigsaw_me
    jigsaw_me Posts: 616 Member
    Really impressive and a definite inspiration! Thank you for sharing.
  • AlongCame_Molly
    AlongCame_Molly Posts: 2,835 Member
    You! You're awesome!
  • seren1ty74
    seren1ty74 Posts: 171 Member
    Less than three years ago, this was me:

    December 2010. 270+ pounds. Mom of three kids ages 4 and under. Age 30. Height 5'8"
    0489783B-9BE1-4FDC-9265-26F8C5C8EC28-742-000000641AB10AAD_zpse49a2d74.jpg

    Six months after this photo was taken, in June 2011, I had a herniated disc rupture into my spine, due to being significantly overweight. I had emergency surgery: laminectomy, discectomy and decompression of the spinal cord. The injury left me paralyzed from the waist down. I spent about a month in the hospital, working daily with therapists to regain strength as I regained sensation in my legs.

    I was released home with a walker. After another 2 months at home, in order to prevent the injury from recurring, I decided to get healthy. I started using MFP to watch what I ate, about 1600 calories a day, and I began very slow daily exercise. The first day I walked around my block with a cane. Really really really slowly. I kept it up every day and added in more speed or distance as my body could tolerate it.

    Most of the sensation slowly came back into my legs over the next 5 months. Right now, I can still not feel down the back of my right leg, nor the bottom of my right foot, and three of the toes.

    My daily walks turned into walk/run intervals, and then just straight up jogging or running. By February 2012, I had signed up for my first 5k race.

    Within one year, I had lost over 100 pounds. And then I managed to maintain it for another year by exercising.

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    In April 2013, I ran my first half marathon and finished in 2:24:59. I am not fast at all, but I am consistent. In July I began training for my first full marathon, the Philly Marathon which is held in November. As part of my training, in September 2013, I ran another half marathon, this time finishing in 2:19:02.

    The marathon training runs went up to 22.8 miles at our longest run. I trained the long runs with my best friend from college, and we ran the race side by side yesterday. It was the first full marathon that either of us had done.

    We ran the Philadelphia Marathon, yesterday, November 17, 2013.

    We ran by my mom at miles 1 and 5.
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    One of the most memorable parts was running by Jefferson University Hospital I think around mile 6. That is the hospital where I had my emergency surgery just 29 months before. It was truly amazing to me to be running by in a marathon.

    The first 14 miles were a breeze considering how much we trained. This distance was not that much of a challenge anymore. We only stopped once for the bathroom, and that was at mile 14 where there was no line, we just ran into the porta-potties and were out again in 30 seconds. Miles 17-19 hurt a little.

    We ran by the third of our trio of our best friends (she is 6 months pregnant!) at mile 20. It was just lovely to see a friendly face that far into the race. She screamed and jumped up and down and stepped out and we ran up and hugged her and kept running.
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    I felt rejuvenated from 20-24. Got a side stitch at mile 24, walked for only about 90 seconds, and then ran to the end. So aside from a handful of water stops, and that little bit at mile 24, we ran the entire thing!!!

    At mile 26, our husbands and daughters were on the side, cheering and yelling for us. My legs were completely on auto-pilot at that point. I started to tear up knowing that we were actually going to finish this. After we crossed the finish like we cried and hugged each other. Then we met up with our families and I started crying again, all happy happy tears.

    It was INCREDIBLE.

    We had a few goals in mind before we started. In order of importance:
    1. To race with no significant injury.
    2. To finish the entire 26.2 miles.
    3. To run or jog the whole thing.
    4. To finish in under 5 hours.

    We got pretty close, with a finishing time of 5:07:30. That's an 11:43 pace over 26.2 miles.

    Here I am with my family at the end.
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    Last night I laid in bed with my sore legs and blistered feet and chafed right armpit (wth is that about? lol) and I just laid there and enjoyed the pain. Knowing that I can FEEL the soreness, and that it's from an accomplishment like running a marathon, well, I was just overjoyed that I was able to feel it at all. I'm really really lucky.


    I currently work part time at the YMCA, leading the running club twice a week, and once a week I teach a beginner class called "Moving with Joy" for beginner runners/walkers, with the end goal of training for a 5k race in 9 weeks. The programs are going SO well. I'm very grateful to have a job that I simply adore. I also volunteer twice a week for the elementary school boys running club. They're also preparing for a 5k race which is next month.

    And with all that being said, I'm here to tell you don't set any limits on your goals. I was the kid who was always DEAD LAST doing the mile run in gym class in high school. I couldn't even run a quarter mile lap around the track without stopping because I couldn't catch my breath. And yesterday I finished a marathon. I came in number 9,164/10,876 overall. 3,883/4,882 for all females, and 692/883 for my age group. NOT last, and I did not get carried off on a stretcher.

    So, set small goals, do it one step at a time. Don't give up, and NO EXCUSES!!!!!!!

    Thanks for reading!!
    Joy

    no coincidence that your name is Joy. i feel it coming from what you just posted. I don't know you but I am so proud of you! Thank you for sharing with us!!!
  • CEMH1
    CEMH1 Posts: 33
    Congrats! Your story and dedication are truly inspiring!
  • DragonflyF15
    DragonflyF15 Posts: 437 Member
    That was a truly inspirational story! Thank you for sharing this :)
  • JNettie73
    JNettie73 Posts: 1,211 Member
    Tears of joy when I came to the part of you and your best friend running past your mom and viewed the picture. Such an adorable photo! Congrats to you. You have come such a long way. You are a true inspiration. Thanks for sharing your story!
  • twooliver
    twooliver Posts: 450 Member
    This is such an inspiring story! Thank you so much for sharing it! I have so many questions...how did you lose 100 lbs in one year???? Wowzaa!!! Is it really possible? And you did it with a family! I feel so lame...I complain everytime I work out...gripe about counting calories... and am just overall unmotivated... well except there is a small part of me that keeps pushing ahead regardless...but that's about 20%...

    Anyway thanks again!!!! You're flippin amazing!!
  • carolina822
    carolina822 Posts: 155 Member
    What a terrific story! The smile on your face says it all. You rock, lady!
  • stealthSLOTH
    stealthSLOTH Posts: 695 Member
    YOU ARE AMAZING!
  • lauramblair
    lauramblair Posts: 74 Member
    Amazing!! What an inspiration!!
  • Sharon_C
    Sharon_C Posts: 2,132 Member
    Okay. This made me cry. I have tears in my eyes and no adequate words to say to this except you are an inspiration. :flowerforyou:
  • SlytherinBat
    SlytherinBat Posts: 53 Member
    Congrats! You are truly an amazing woman.
  • lau444
    lau444 Posts: 120 Member
    You are absolutely amazing! May God continue to bless you and your family!
  • KimP202
    KimP202 Posts: 68 Member
    Spectacular! thank you for sharing!
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