In June 2001, I started running as a way to lose weight. To be honest, I couldn't run 1/4 of a mile in the beginning but after using a 5:1 program...I worked my way up to a mile which I was very proud of, although I didn't see much weight coming off. I started at a hefty 193 and went down to about 184. Yes, 10 pounds is nice but on my large frame, it didn't show. In September, still at about the same weight, I had a throbbing pain in my foot and running seem to aggravate it so I decided to take a break (pardon the pun) and by October, it was no better. I saw a specialist, they ran some test and found a stress fracture on my heel..OUCH! I knew it hurt! We tried a boot immediately with the ability to remove it as necessary. Necessary meant showers, driving and sleeping to them, necessary to me meant pretty much anytime I found it annoying and that was all the time. Needless to say, it had little healing effect so we moved to a much less complicated tool of a very cushy heel form in my shoe. We actually used 2 of these and within about 2 months, I was new again! So this took me up to around March of 2002 at which point I decided to try the Atkins diet. This is a wonderful way to lose weight fast but eventually, you will eat carbs and when you do, it all comes back. So, I dropped to 174 by June of 2002 with Atkins only to see 188 by September 2002. Disgusted and with no excuse anymore, I started walking. I walked about 1.5 miles and cut my calories to 1200 per day. Within a couple of weeks, the weight was falling off and I do mean falling. By October 11, I had dropped 11.5 pounds and picked up the pace to run a mile and walk 2 for a total of 3 per day. November 2000, down another 9 and averaging about 20 miles a week. I do about 3.25 miles and run 1.5 of it.. I'm down 23 pounds to 165 and feel so much better. So, in a not so short blog entry, that is my history and this is where I pick up the pace because by Spring, I want to run my 5k which was my goal early on (last year) when I fractured my heel....probably due to so much impact. Now I sing the praises of my new ProForm treadmill and Saucony running shoes. Of course the 28 pounds probably helped too. When I pick up my little girl (who is roughly 30 lbs) and think about running with her, well, lets just say it's very motivating to continue this trek!