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I'm Anabell (belladonna921). I've been battling weight for years. I hit the 300 mark in 2005 but waited to do something in 2006. I bought Turbo Jam. I lost 20 pounds really quick but then I plateau. I've been in between 280-290 for the past 6 months or more. I've changed my eating habits and I've added more water to my life. The number on the scale barely budged month to month. I started training for the 5k about 2 months ago. Mind you my goal on a 5k was to do it on January 1,2008. That was my goal date. I did it 8 months before that date. I've also haven't ran since I was 15 and in the 9th grade. I am now 33 years old. Never in my life would I have thought I could walk a 5k let alone run it. I thought you had to be super thin. I was wrong.

On the morning of April 14, 2007 I woke up to wet, cold, snowy weather for my first 5k run. I thought for sure that my run was going to be cancelled. It wasn’t. I got there, picked up my number, and began to stretch. There were a lot of people there so I started in the middle. When they said start, I started with a run. I made the first mile and my calves started to burn literally. I had to stop running. I started to walk and fall behind the pack. I kept going though. I even kept going when I realized I was the last one. I felt alone and even thought about giving up. I kept thinking to myself "it's cold, why am I doing this." I turned the corner at a mile and half and saw a family who was walking in the race. (They had two small girls with them and passed me awhile back.) I caught up. I kept going. I realized that as long as I can see someone in front of me then I wasn't too far behind. So I kept going. I thought about running but couldn't. My right calf was hurting so bad that it was making my right foot feel like it was asleep. (I didn't even know that was possible.) Ever time I got up to a race staff member with a red arrow and was about to pass they cheered me on even though I was last. It felt great to know that there were people there cheering everyone on. (My husband was there but the trail was so long and far my husband couldn't be there at each stop so he could only wait for me at the end of the race.) I pass the 2 mile mark and realized I'm still speed walking, I can finish this. I passed the family and as I did, I told them "thank you all, you kept a pace that I was able to maintain and seeing you all made me realize I still had a chance to finish and I wasn’t out here alone. Thank you". I saw the entry to the zoo which I thought was the end and found the strength to run it. I saw my husband right there and he took my picture. When I stopped he told me I was in the home stretch... I had 1 miile left. I didn’t think I could do one more mile but I wanted to finish so I kept going. My calves started to hurt again. I had to walk the rest of the way. I speed walked through the zoo for a mile and then I see it. The finish line.....it's right there. I kept speed walking up until the end. My husband was there and he yelled "you did it, babe. You finished it." I walked over that line, the lady took the bottom part of my number, and handed me my medal for finishing it. I did it....I really did it.

For anyone who ever thought there was something they couldn't do due to their weight, I'm here to tell you that you are wrong. I was the biggest one out there on the 5k and I finished it. I ran a full mile before my calf started to hurt but I speed walked the rest of the way. Running any chance I got the strength do so. I did it in the cold, wet weather when many people didn't even show up to run. (There were supposed to be over 1068 people signed up for the 5k and there weren't that many running) So I did it when many others didn't do it. I did it. If I can do it then there is not one person in here who couldn't do it. It's a choice. It really comes down to a choice. When I saw the cold, wet, snow outside, I could have stayed home but I didn’t I got dressed and ready to go. When I felt the cold air on my face, I could have quit but I didn't. When my calf was hurting and I just wanted to sit and cry I kept going. When I was the last one turning the corner and couldn't see anyone, I kept going even when I felt alone. I ran the fastest I could when I thought I was done with race and then wanted to cry when I was informed that I had 1 mile left inside the zoo that I had forgotten about, I took a deep breathe and kept going. When I crossed the finish line, I had never been so proud of myself. I DID IT.

Please listen to what I'm saying next...I AM THE ULTIMATE PROCRASTINATOR. I GIVE UP AT THE FIRST SIGN OF PAIN OR DISCOURAGEMENT. I AM THE ONE WHO CAN MAKE UP ANY EXCUSE ON WHY I GIVE UP AND DON'T EXERCISE. AND YET, I JUST DID THE FIRST 5K OF MY LIFE SO FAR...I DIDN'T GIVE UP WHEN I FELT I WAS ALONE, I DIDN'T GIVE UP WHEN I FELT THE PAIN, AND I DIDN'T GIVE UP WHEN I FELT I COULDN'T DO ANYMORE. I DID IT.

What should this tell you? This should be telling you that if you really want something, you could get it. We can all lose the weight we want to lose and we can all change our lives for the better. And yes we can all run a 5k; we just need to make that choice and stick through it even when we feel like giving up. For all of you who hate the number on the scale, think of this one thing, the changes you do for your health may not always show on the scale but it will show on what you are able to do now that you weren't able to do before. Measure it by your habits you have now that you didn't have before and measure the energy you have now that you didn't have before. Nothing in this world comes easy; we have to work hard for it.