Big Red
December 6, 2022
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“I am now 55. I did my first 1/2 in April. Only been running since April 2020. I have done a total of 3 1/2 marathons and will start training for a full soon. “
“The reason I got into running was the walking got old. I weighed 315 pounds in January of 2016 and needed to lose weight. I cut sugar and starting walking. I lost weight quick, but needed more challenging things. So I joined a fitness center and started to jog on treadmills. I could jog for 3-5 mins at a time before I felt like I was dead. Lol”
“Then I did a couple 5Ks in 2020 after pandemic hit. It took me 21 5Ks to get to where I could run an entire 5k without walking. Lol”
“Next, I did a couple triathlons after I took swim lessons. Later in September of 2021, a running coach got me to do a 10K.
Subsequently she convinced me I could do a 1/2. We trained from January to April 2022 and I did my first 1/2 in 2 hours 34 minutes in April of 2022. I have been doing strength training for about 2 years and I am now weighing in at 222 pounds.”
Kevin with his running coach, Jordan, after getting thier finisher medals
“In November 2015, I went to hospital thinking I was having a heart attack. After 10 hours of testing it was determined no heart attack, but a strained muscle in chest. I went through blood work, an ekg, heart tests and more. I was set up to do a stress test. The results of stress test indicated as a 50 year old male that never smoked and doesn’t drink. My heart was as strong as it should be.
HOWEVER, the cardiologist said if I didn’t lose weight I would end up with diabetic or cardiac issues. We made a 1 dollar bet that in 1 year I could lose 50 pounds. December 7 2015 I was 315 pounds.
I made inquiries thru my employer’s [health] program and met with a weight loss guide/ trainer on 1/1/2016 and started simply walking. I walked every day. I’d wake up at 4:45am and get on a treadmill where I could barely walk 2 miles in an hour. I cut calories and sugar, but no specific plan. I did the numbers and I was ingesting 300 plus grams of sugar a day and 4,000 calories, bad calories.
I lost 8 pounds in first month! By month 6 I had lost 50 pounds and was taken off high blood pressure meds (never been back on). In fact I take no medmedication. By December of 2016 I was down 75 pounds, so I won my bet.”
First sprint Triathlon in August of 2020
“I continued that process of walking until summer of 2019, when I saw a post on FB about something called a triathlon. I was intrigued and said I could do that but there were 3 problems.
Ha! Right.
So I checked in with the trainer and she said, “I have an idea”, she was like, “I’ve got coaches for you.” Then in January of 2020 I started strength training with one coach and began swim lessons with another.
The strength stuff I always despised, but the coach, she was awesome. ( I still strength train 2 days a week) Swimming was extremely tough, I drank a lot of water. Just as I was getting used to it, Covid happened and shut my center down from March until June 1.”
“I bought a cheap bike and rode a little. THIS is when I started to run out of what I could to do to keep exercising. I would run, walk and crawl 3 miles after work. I signed up for an outside triathlon for August of 2020. I swam in a pool, biked and ran on the open road. It took me almost 3 hours to complete but I did.
Then I started to do 5Ks and completed 4 to end 2020. None were finished in under 40 minutes. In 2021 I did 21-5Ks and I averaged 33 minutes. I finally got to under 30 minutes after race 21. I also did 1-5 mile race, 2-10K races and another triathlon where the swim was in Lake Erie.
That’s when the running coach got me and convinced me that I was ready for a 1/2. I was like a 1/2 what? She said a 1/2 marathon….. 13.1 miles. So we started training in January 2022. Outside….. in North Eastern Ohio!
I did a 15K in Lousiville during our training in April 2022. The first 1/2 marathon was in May 2022, Canton Hall of Fame 1/2 marathon. My goal was 3 hours or less, as it’s quite hilly. I finished in 2 hours 34 minutes. My coach ran it and was waiting for me at the finish line with my wife and all my coaches.
I trained while battling shingles, a nasty corn on my toe, and new arthritis in my knee. I’ve kept my weight between 220 and 225 pounds and have changed fat to muscle. Ran first 5K at 53 First 1/2 marathon at 55 My health is outstanding
That lil scare and my coaches probably saved my life. That’s it in a nutshell.”
Stephanie Reid-Noe is a full stack web developer, content creator and mother.
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The training listed in this post is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to take the place of medical or training advice. Everyone’s body is different. Please consult your physician or a professional trainer for any training and health advice.
Vincennes Half Marathon Copyright © 2022. All rights reserved. Photos by Inzaption Photos.