by Thomas W. Potter
I never imagined when I started running for my life that I would find so much life in running
For me, it started one day when I received a call from my brother while I was at work. At the time, he was working as a labor and delivery nurse. The previous week he had passed out at work and was taken to the ER where they discovered he had a low blood count. He called to tell me that the results of the scoping they had done indicated he had colon cancer.
My brother is only 18 months older than I am. In addition, this news came only 2 years after our mom had died from breast cancer. I dove head first into learning as much as I could about colon cancer. My research re-enforced much of what I already knew, but never took seriously. I was reminded that fat around the organs was a main contributor to cancer, diabetes, and heart disease.
At the time, I was heavier than my brother at 316lbs. Needless to say, I was scared for my brother and scared for me. Up until that point, loosing weight was always more about looking better. Now loosing weight was about staying alive.
I was always a walker at local tracks and parks but never pushed myself to run. Mainly, that was because in my mind I didn’t think runners looked like me. In researching how to lose fat from my mid-section, everything said cardio was the fastest way to do it.
With this knowledge, I increased my walking to 5 miles a day and then started alternating ¼ mile walk with a ¼ mile run, then ½ walk with a ½ mile run. I continued to increase these rotations until I finally made it to a 1 mile walk and 1 mile run and eventually to just running. At this same time, I was learning about nutrition and went from eating for pleasure to eating for fuel. I also began trying to make sure to put clean fuel in my body. To this day, nutrition is the hardest part for me in my journey for better health. However, with these changes, I eventually lost 116lbs within 12 months, discovered better health, and discovered a love for running!
Running is personal. It is challenging yourself; it is fighting through pain and pure exhaustion to push yourself further than you think possible. Running is building a better and stronger you, physically, mentally, and emotionally. Just as important, however, running is community! It is a shared experience with friends and strangers alike who need no words to understand the sacrifice, commitment, and reward one receives from running!
Whatever path led you to running, regardless of your distance or speed, and regardless of the brand of running shoes or clothes you wear, keep challenging yourself. Keep battling through the pain because you are a runner and you inspire! Keep running for your life and you will find life in running.
