RunJunkEes Runner of the Week- Stacy Legg

My running story begins in February 2012.  I was at my heaviest weight of 235 lbs.  I had just joined Fitness World Gyms in Hartsville, SC the month prior & started making smarter choices about my food at that time as well.  Although I had started to drop weight by using the elliptical, going to fitness classes, and by monitoring my caloric intake, I wanted to try something I had never done before.  I wanted to challenge myself....I wanted to compete in a 5K race.  

I downloaded the Couch To 5K app so I could run the April 28, 2012 Carver C.A.P. 5K in Florence, SC.  Starting out proved to be extremely difficult.  I was obese even after having lost about 20 pounds at that point.  I remember trying to run for 90 seconds was nearly impossible for me.  I had aches and pains, but I persevered.  Eventually I was able to run for those 90 seconds and even worked my way up to running for 5 minutes straight!!  I was able to complete the Carver C.A.P. 5K with a time of 43 minutes, 34 seconds.  I was not able to run the entire 3.1 miles, but that didn't bother me.  Something happened to me that day; I realized that I COULD do something that I set my mind to IF I was willing to put in the hard work that it required.  I didn't know that completing that 5K race would cause me to get bitten by the run bug :)  It wasn't long after that race that I found out that Fitness World Gyms decided to start a run club.  I signed up and made many new friends.  By the end of 2012, I had completed 14 - 5K races and earned a PR of 36 minutes, 50 seconds at the Charlotte Turkey Trot 5K in Charlotte, NC on Thanksgiving Day.  I also estimated that I ran/walked approximately 200 miles in 2012.  

So far the year 2013 has been very eventful for me.  I have a new PR 35 minutes, 39 seconds for a 5K. I completed my first 10K at the Cooper River Bridge Run in Charleston, SC with a chip time of 1 hour, 29 minutes, 38 seconds.  I have also completed my first half marathon at the Run Like A Diva Half in Mrytle Beach, SC on April 28, 2013, one year to the day that I completed my very first 5K!!!  My chip time for the half marathon was 3 hours, 14 minutes, 21 seconds.  As of today, I am over halfway to completing my goal of running 400 miles this year. I am currently training for the inaugural Darlington Marathon that will take place in September in Darlington, SC. 

During the course of my journey I have lost 67 pounds, but in losing those 67 pounds I gained so much.  I gained lots of friends, self-confidence, and a sense of pride in myself that I never though I would have.  

And that is my story......to be continued ;)

---