Photo by Jonathan Chapman
Chris Wookey from Watertown, SD
Started at: age 40
Been at it: 4 years
Pounds lost: 50
"To say learning to run was challenging is an understatement: I started in the dead of a South Dakota winter, carrying 50 extra pounds. I'd tried to lose weight and get in shape before, but this time it was different. When I turned 40, it was like I woke up and clearly saw my life for the first time. I had a wonderful husband, two amazing sons...but I wasn't happy. Something had to change, and I knew it had to start with my weight. Every day I'd climb on the treadmill and push myself to go just a little farther. At first, my goal was to run a quarter mile without stopping. Then it was a half mile, then a mile, and soon it was warm enough for me to take my runs outside. It was always hard work, but once I got through that first mile, it was like my body turned on autopilot and I could just—go. The weight's been gone a long time, but the lightness I found from running is a different sort. With nothing more than my breath and the beat of the music, I find peace—a moment to just be. And that's enough to get me out there any day." —Chris Wookey
Photo by Ben Sklar
Debbie and Bill Gelber from Lubbock, TX
Started at: age 40; 50
Been at it: 5 years
Pounds lost: 55; 80
"It started with a promise: Every night after work, we'll go to the gym. At first, walking on the treadmill with 30-second jogging bursts was all I could do, and Bill's knees were so sore that he stuck to the elliptical. But as my body warmed to the mileage, increasing my distance became a fun challenge. I joined a local running club, and before I knew it, I was training for a 5K, then a 10K, and soon half- and full marathons. Seeing how much I loved it, Bill trained behind my back with the help of a physical therapist. At my ninth race, he surprised me by showing up with a bib number pinned to his shirt. Since then, we've trained as a team. When we crossed the finish line of Bill's first half-marathon together, holding hands, the pride I felt was overwhelming. Running has brought us more than just health. It's introduced us to new friends and inspired us to travel—to date, we've completed a total of 81 races. And when life gets tough, now we know we're strong enough to get through it. We're runners, after all." —Debbie Gelber
Photo by Thomas Chadwick
Janis Noone from Naperville, IL
Started at: age 60
Been at it: nearly 2 years
Pounds lost: 59
"After years of taking care of my family and working 12- to 14-hour days managing an intensive care unit, I was stressed out and 50 pounds overweight, and I felt like somebody had stamped O-L-D across my forehead. Fed up with putting myself last, I decided that 2013 would be my year for change. First step: Get back in shape. I'd heard that Orangetheory Fitness, a national gym that mixes treadmill or row-ring intervals with strength training, had just opened in my area, so I decided to give it a shot. It nearly killed me, but the high was so out of this world that I kept going back. I'd never realized it was possible to feel that good. Soon I was so hooked that my trainers gave me a nickname: Jan-imal. Even hip surgery couldn't keep me away for very long. Little by little, as the pace of my walking intervals increased, I could do something that honestly shocked me: run. Sure, it's more of a slow jog with some walking sprinkled in, but I've learned that getting fit is a journey. And mine is far from over." —Janis Noone
Now it's your turn. Whether you've never been a runner or it's been a while since your feet ate asphalt, you're only a few weeks away from discovering—or perhaps rediscovering—what only a run can bring. Get the free week-by-week schedule that'll get you running comfortably in 5 weeks.
