by Amy H.

How do you get to the start line at the Chicago Shamrock Shuffle?  For me the journey started almost two years ago, although I didn’t know it at the time.

On May 1, 2010, I was well over 300 pounds and facing the very real fact that I needed to change my life.  I was facing yet another summer of laboring to walk the dogs.  I couldn’t even walk a mile in under 40 minutes and was sore for days after doing it.  I chose a healthier path.

Fast forward to November 2011.  I was 70 pounds lighter and more active, had a couple of walked 5Ks behind me and had just a taste of an indoor triathlon.  I knew I wanted to be able to do more but how did I get there?  I was active in sports in high school and college but I always had a coach on my side helping me.

Enter Coach Suzy and the ET Group.  Three months later there I was at the start line of an 8K and feeling ready to go.  My goal for the day was to finish with an official course time, which meant finishing in 1:15.  Nervous, yes, as I was thinking back to my first 5K and the fact that I finished it in just under an hour.  The race I was about to start was almost two miles further and I wanted to finish it in 16 minutes longer than my 5K time.  Who was I kidding, no way that was going to happen.  Then I heard Coach Suzy’s voice in my head, “Have Fun!”  I can actually say I enjoyed every step of those almost five miles and just took in the entire experience around me.  Did I run the entire thing?  Well, no, I’m not at that point (yet), but I ran more than I thought possible.  Not only did I finish with an official course time but I finished in 1:03:26.

Granted, I know I will never break any land speed records, but for me it’s about the journey to see what I can do.  Now on to prepare for the next start line…