Inspiration can be a huge factor in maintaining motivation and momentum. Inspiration can come from professional uber-athletes, like Lance Armstrong or Dean Karnazes. Or you can be inspired by family, friends, rivals and people in the news.
Inspiration can come from anyone, anywhere at anytime. ALWAYS be open to inspiration – you never know when you will hear something that resonates.
Inspire Others
Share your story of overcoming obstacles, whether it was weight, substance abuse, physical limitations, etc. Our goal is to help provide inspiration to new athletes who are facing challenges of their own.Your story does not need to be long, just a few paragraphs on what you overcame, how you did it, etc. Nor does it need to be a literary masterpiece – it just needs to be YOUR story. Also, we will take the liberty to edit it for space or clarity, but assure you we will not change the context of what you provide.
We encourage you to inspire others every chance you get, whether individually or through the media. You never know when you might inspire someone to change their life and lead a more healthy, active lifestyle.
To share your story, please click here.
Chris Lauber, Race Director
St. Petersburg, Florida
Okay, I'll go first. I've been heavy my entire life. As a kid, clothes salesmen would describe me as "husky." In 6th grade, I was 5' 2" and 150 pounds, a real butterball.I started playing basketball at school and our coach made us run year-round to play on the team. Within two years, I had grown 6 inches to 5' 8" while maintaining the same weight. I learned of the importance of exercise for weight control at a young age. Thanks Coach Weingart!
As a freshman, I played varsity soccer at Boston College. I was in peak condition for an 18-year old. My playing weight at 6' 0" was 205 pounds.
So I've always been heavy-boned, and I've always been involved with sports as an athlete, photographer, race director, or youth soccer coach.
When I was 20, I became involved with Jet Skis as an enthusiast, raced them professionally, and started to stage and organize races throughout Florida. My races grew to become some of the largest in the world. I even had five of our races shown on ESPN.
In January 2000, I created and staged the Florida Gulf Beaches Marathon in Clearwater with 635 runners. In December 2002 I created the Florida Gulf Beaches Holiday Halfathon to complement the full marathon.
But while promoting a healthy, active lifestyle, I was not living one. Too many hours at the desk and too many late nights at work fueled by soda and snacks packed the pounds on my mid-section.
Once I reached 273 pounds on my 6' 0" frame, I adopted the ostrich approach – I buried my head in the sand and I stopped weighing myself.
In July 2005 I finally made the decision that I needed to change my lifestyle and work myself back into shape. I was 47 years old, and dreaded the thought of waking up on my 50th birthday, putting my head in my heads, and wondering, "Where did the years go? What happened to my body? Why do I suddenly feel so old?"
Once I chose to live a healthy, active lifestyle, I decided that I would zero in on bicycling and let the weight melt off, one droplet of sweat at a time.
I started with short rides, 6-10 miles on the Pinellas Trail, and later, increased the distance to 18 miles. I lost about 20 pounds in the first four months. The key was consistency – I rode regularly, logging a little over 400 miles per month. Eventually, I increased my long rides to 30-35 miles.
In October 2006, I had the great fortune of hosting Ultra-Marathoner Dean Karnazes in his quest to run 50 marathons in 50 states in 50 days, an unbelievable amount of running. Our 13.1 mile Holiday Halfathon course served as marathon #42, with Dean running from the finish line to the start and back to the finish to complete 26.2 miles on a certified course.Inspired by Dean, I created a huge, personal goal – completing 50 centuries (100-mile bike rides) in a year at the age of 50. The only problem? I hadn't even ridden one century at that time.
To celebrate my 49th birthday, I rode my first century – a 100-mile tour of south Pinellas County starting and finishing at my house. My goal was to finish at more than 18 mph average, which I did, completing the ride in 5:30. I rode another 4 centuries during the course of that year.
It took me two years and over 12,000 miles of consistent cycling to lose a little more than 50 pounds, but my pulse was down, my blood pressure was down and my energy was up. Riding my bike made me feel strong, powerful and confident. It was great for me physically as well as mentally.
On my 50th birthday, instead of waking up depressed, I was excited to reach the milestone and celebrated with my 6th century ride, finishing just 6 seconds slower than the previous year – talk about consistency. It was my first century at the age of 50.
During the next 12 months, I completed another 49 centuries, achieving my primary goal of cycling 50 centuries in one year. I also completed two other secondary goals - riding more than 10,000 miles for the year and averaging over 18 mph while doing so.
The absolute best part is that I felt like an athlete again!
This Inspirational Page effort comes from my own experience losing 50 lbs. on my bike. In order to stay motivated, I kept myself open to inspiration. These included the obvious inspirational athletes like Lance Armstrong and Dean Karnazes, but also included Tom Arnold, who appeared on Letterman one night, after having lost 70 lbs. in 6 months.
As a race director, I also had the good fortune of hearing so many personal stories of so many "everyday athletes" – hardworking people who are living healthy, active lifestyles, who do their thing without financial compensation, fame or glory.
Individually, many of you have shared with me your personal stories of weight loss, overcoming addictions, or simply becoming more healthy.
Collectively, you have inspired and motivated me to live a more active, healthy lifestyle. I feel very fortunate to serve as your race director.
Those athletes who participate in my races are my biggest inspiration! I soak up your success stories as runners and transfer that into energy to keep riding my bike. It can be awkward sharing your story, without sounding too preachy or too boastful. My reason for sharing is simple: So much of my motivation came from inspirational endurance athletes, I thought that perhaps my story might resonate with someone else.
Arlene Swartz
Tampa, Florida
I don't normally share my story, but I topped out at 206 lbs. on my 5' 1" frame when I graduated college at age 22. I later got down to 183 with a summer job that made me sweat, but climbed back up to 188 by the time I was 28.My blood pressure flirted on the "high" mark. I also have asthma, so it didn't help my breathing. I was getting sick of myself, so I did something about it.
I wanted to be in shape for my 30th birthday. I finally revamped my diet and added some low impact exercises. I also did not deny myself some of my favorite stuff (M&Ms and Coke were mine), but I used them to reward myself for doing well during the week.
My office supported me, like waiting for me to take my plain popcorn before they laced it with butter and salt. I weighed myself every day. I got down to 125 lbs. two months before the big 3-0. The BP is low, from the cardio I do in one form or the other every day.
I breathe better. Running did not come until AFTER I lost the weight as a way to keep it off. I run half marathons and now have four marathons under my belt (including one Boston). It's been 22 years now and I don't look back.
Melissa Thrumston
Pinellas Park, Florida
I was first introduced to the sport of running in the spring of 2007. Still a smoker, not heavy, but a smoker just the same; I plugged away at the miles until I lost 45 lbs and ran my first half marathon (2:04:08) in the spring of 2008. I have since given up the smokes and finished my second half marathon in December of 2008 (2:01:07).
Then I had a major set back, suffering a stress fracture. My leg was casted and I wasn't able to run for 3 months. While my leg was casted, I set out for upper body and core strengthening. I began a running program in April and it was very slow going. Just last weekend 9/19/09 I acheived my goal of 10 miles in 94:00.
I have realized a few things – I'm not 20 anymore – maybe I can run the miles at 45 – I just can't run them any faster than 9:15 minute miles, but I'm okay with it.
I am planing my first full marathon, but even if it takes me another year of training, so what – I just want to run. I have kept my weight off, I haven't smoked in a year and a half. I feel and look better than ever.
All I can say is be inspired and find what works for you.
Allen Weatherilt
Clearwater, Florida
I am sure you hear stories all the time about people that suddenly decide to change their life. I was 52-years old and decided I wanted to live to be 104. Fat was not going to get the job done. At 253 pounds on a 5' 8" body, I would be lucky to make it to 53.Everyone laughed at me when I waddled the one-mile Turkey Trot in 2002 and said, "Next year I'm going to run the 5K," like I was a big shot.
The next year, after changing my life around and losing 65 pounds, I shut them all up when I did the 5K and the 10K back-to-back.
The 2003 Gulf Beaches Halfathon was my first endurance event. It was very cold and wet. Three miles in, my coach and running buddy came up lame and I had to finish the last 10 miles by myself. I was clueless as what to do, so I just did a Forrest Gump.
It was the day after my son's wedding, which lasted until midnight, and everyone said I'd never make it. As my sister said, "Allen couldn't even run to catch the school bus – how is he going to run 13 miles?" My life has not been the same since that day.
In 2004, I ran the Gulf Beaches Marathon – 6 hours and 20 minutes in the extreme heat – and have never feared a challenge since. Everyone was amazed when I took on the San Francisco Marathon, with all those hills, and cut 1:20:00 off my Gulf Beaches Marathon time.
Last year, I knocked off the Goofy Challenge and lived to tell about it. Nobody laughs at me anymore.
I remember so vividly the weekend I almost quit running and my success at United Taxi would have never happened.
It was a typical Saturday morning. My marathon running group decided to run the "9 mile loop" (as we called it), normally considered a short run. Short runs are 10 miles or less.
I was about a mile into the run with 5 ladies and I did not want to run anymore, ever! All of a sudden, I hated running. I kept myself going because of the ladies, but said this was my last run. It was not fun any more. A few of the girls were going to run an additional 11 miles for a total of 20 miles.
I had not run 20 miles in a very long time. 20 miles is not something you normally get up one day and decide to do. You need to build up to it. We finished the 9-mile loop and I said, "That's it, I'm done!"
One of the other ladies said, "Me too!"
I had been whining to her the whole 9 miles and she knew where my head was. She was a very experienced runner. So the others took off for the 11-mile trip. After I had a drink of water, the other lady came over to me and said, "Why don't we run 1 more mile? We'll make it an even 10, that's what we normally run."
For some reason I agreed.
So off we went for another mile, then two, then three and we ended up with twenty plus miles before the run was over. The last 100 yards I kicked and came across the finish line in sub 9 minute miles.
The endorphins were just screaming in my brain. I was literally on a high I had never experienced. I could have done anything that day. I was so in love with life. I hugged Karen and thanked her for not letting me quit and went on my way, not knowing what other challenges were ahead for me that week.
The following Wednesday at work at Yellow Cab, I received a call that the general manager of United Cab of Tampa wanted to meet with me that night. She offered me a position as general manager of United Cab of Pinellas, a company that had a huge government contract, but was miserably floundering with it.
It was a nearly impossible task to turn it around. However I was still on such a high from that 20 miles I had run the previous weekend, I felt invincible. I had to decide, resign, clean out my personal belongings and be in a meeting in 12 hours with no guarantees ... and the success of this venture was all on my shoulders.
I walked away from 20 years of seniority with Yellow Cab into 10 times the work and much more responsibility, with no extra pay.
I would not have had the courage to say "yes" that day to the new position if Karen didn't ask, "How about one more mile to make it an even 10?" Had I said "no" to one more mile, I could not have accomplished what I have in the last 4 years.
This past Clearwater Half, I had a lady come up to me that I helped get through the Holiday Half a year ago. She still remembered me after over a year and came over to thank me. She said my story had inspired her and she has been running ever since. Her husband and daughter were out with her.
It will be interesting to hear stories of the people that crossed the finish line and then "owned" their future – the ones that suddenly had a new confidence to say "yes" when it normally would have been "no" .... and the ones who told "their story" to some stranger out on the course, helping them find their dream.
Starfishes have a very special meaning to me. I'll see you at the Clearwater Half. I live in Clearwater, so it's like my home turf. I am excited.
Roger A. Crabb
Tampa, FL
Three years ago, I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. This required the removal of my thyroid and parathyroid glands along with the tumor, followed by a large-dose radiation. Because my metabolism was thrown off without a thyroid gland, I gained 28 pounds in 7 weeks. After a year of recovery and adjusting to the daily medications needed to regulate my metabolism and eliminate muscle cramping, I recommitted myself to running as a way to lose weight.
As I returned my body to its normal size, I rekindled my love of running. This year, I challenged myself to do something I had never done before: run a half marathon. I selected the Holiday Halfathon on the advice of some excellent Masters runners in the area.
For me, this race is about proving that I can be better than ever, in spite of illness or age. I am physically and mentally stronger than I have ever been. This race is the next step in the rest of my life. The inspirational messages from others on your website have been encouraging. Thanks for providing the motivation for me to move forward.
Clearwater Running & Fitness Festival ©
