Reasons To Run

Runners were asked why they were running the St. Luke’s Lehigh Valley Half Marathon on April 25^th, 2010. In these next few weeks leading up to the race I’ll be publishing some of the inspirational stories that were sent in. Many of you will be able to associate and understand the reasons behind the decision to toe the line for 13.1 long miles. Many of you may be lining up next to these runners that I’ll be showcasing.

As you read these stories, ask yourself one question. Why are you running the half marathon?

Half the Weight + Half Century = Half Marathon

Yep, you read that correctly: This 50-year old is now less than half her weight and aiming to run her first half marathon this April. Woo hoo!!

While my story spans an entire lifetime, the journey to the St. Luke’s Lehigh Valley Half Marathon is just two years in the making. I tipped the scales at over 350 pounds when I called Maureen Miletics (Director of Bariatric Services at St. Luke’s). With Maureen’s help, I decided to have RNY Gastric Bypass Surgery with Dr. Holland (Bariatric Surgeon at St. Luke’s) on April 21, 2008. Note that this Half Marathon (April 25, 2010) is just 4 days after my two-year anniversary following this life-changing surgery!

This surgery was such a great tool for me. I had never felt full prior to surgery making dieting very difficult. Now that I feel full, I can make smart choices about the foods I eat and feel satisfied. In fact, I really don’t feel as though I diet at all. I focus on eating good proteins first followed by fruits and vegetables and complex carbohydrates. The weight came off rapidly. In fact, I had lost over 175 pounds in the first 10 months!

This process is not just about the foods I eat, but also about exercise. The evening following the surgery, you are encouraged to get up and move. Moving about aids the healing process but also gets you burning calories. Short walks led to longer walks. I began working out on an elliptical machine as well. Six weeks following surgery I also began a weight-training program. Exercise is empowering! I felt stronger and stronger each day.

Even in my youth, I had never been a runner but 8 months following the surgery, I wanted to run. I started slow, very slow. I set goals for myself and worked to meet them. Running became an efficient way to cram in exercise with everything else I was doing. My running time became my time. I was addicted.

One year following surgery, I set my sights on my first 5K race. I was so slow but I completed the race. I came home from the race and registered for my next one! Over the summer of 2009, I competed in several 5K races, improving my times for each one. I wanted to participate in the Women’s 5K Classic in October 2009 but decided to run the 5-Mile race. My goal was to complete the race and my wish was to do so without stopping and in less than an hour. It was a cold, rainy day but I completed the race in 59:44. Again I was so stoked, I came home and registered for my next 5-Mile race (Christmas City Classic in December 2009). I took over 5 minutes off my time completing this race in 54:05.

I turned 50 in December and decided that it would be fun to train and participate in the St. Luke’s Lehigh Valley Half Marathon. My only goal is to complete the entire race. I’ve convinced myself that I can do this. After all, a half marathon is just two 5-Mile races followed by a 5K, right?

Written by Barbara Helm of Bethlehem