If you read anything on Monday, read this.

This past weekend I spent time with my mother. She had a special ANNOUNCEMENT that day.

But first let me tell you a bit about her. She is in her mid-fifties, she has two grown children, and four adorable grandchildren.

She has struggled her whole life with her weight. When she was 23, she married my father, at that time she was 120lbs, physically active and healthy.

My father was emotionally, verbally, and physically abusive to her during their 14 year marriage, and she turned to food to comfort and also to build a wall between herself and others. For the majority of my life she wore a size 24, and was ALWAYS unhappy with herself. As she got older she developed health problems and their was a time when I was scared her weight would be what would take her from us at an early age.

Over the past five years, she has focused on healthier food choices, awareness of emotional eating, and gets up two hours before her 8am workday to go to the gym.

She now wears a size 16 and has more self confidence, more energy, and a better outlook on life.

On Saturday she announced to me, that she has started training for her FIRST 5K!
When she shared her new goal of running a 5K for me, she told me she cried on her run that morning because she was reminded during her run, of all the verbal abuse of my father over the years. She is happy because running is helping her let go of this pain and she can now run ONLY for herself and not for anyone else!

After I completed my first half-marathon this past May, she was there at the finish line, with lots of hugs and lots of tears. She told me this weekend she was inspired by me that day... but what she should know IS WHAT AN INSPIRATION SHE TRULY IS!

I can't WAIT to run by her side and cross the finish line with her at her first 5K!
I hope everyone can look in the mirror today and see their NUMBER ONE inspiration...themselves!

Enjoy your day!