We at The Road Back to Life would like to introduce our newest “Renal Racer”, Jessica Cole! Jessica joins her dad Bob Crabtree on the Renal Racing Squad: Bob races his Gasser and Jessica races with her feet one step at a time! Here is Jessica’s story.
“I remember in school telling my teachers and schoolmates that I just wasn’t a runner. I never thought of myself as the sporty type, quite the opposite actually! I was teased through school for my weight and was told that I was “big boned” and would never be thin. I would see runners alongside the road and think that they were a whole different type of person from me.”
“After I had my third child I started gaining weight rapidly. I put on 20 pounds in a short period of time. I knew I had to get myself under control. Someone had mentioned counting calories to lose weight, so I downloaded an app to my phone that would help me keep track of my food. The weight just melted away. I won’t lie, it took self-control, compromise and sacrifice, but I was happy to do those things to lose those pounds. So this is where my love affair with running came in. I remember calling my dad and telling him that I jogged for 1 minute straight. I felt like I had climbed a mountain, it was a HUGE accomplishment for me. So I pushed myself every day, a little harder, a little longer, a little further. Eventually I could run 1 mile without stopping. I found that when I ran 1 mile it burned about 150 calories. That meant that I could eat 150 calories more that day! It became a game for me; run=more food. I signed up for my first 5k. I told myself that I would jog the whole 3.2 miles, and I did. It was amazing. Now I am running my first half marathon. I started this process one year ago. I have lost 60 pounds, 10 dress sizes and I have gained so much more than that. I have gained perseverance, a respect for my body and mind, confidence, and a hobby that my kids can be proud to tell their friends about.”
We are loading Jessica up with some great new gear to spread the word. She will be sporting our logo at the Mercer Island Half Marathon coming up on March 23rd, and the Seattle Rock n’ Roll Half Marathon on Saturday June 21st. We encourage all of our racing fans to support Jessica by showing up and rooting her on at the finish line. She will be sporting our beloved Sidney the Kidney on her jersey, so keep your eyes peeled! To learn more details on parking and times please visit their websites:
www.mercerislandhalf.com
runrocknroll.competitor.com/seattle