Success Is Still Possible - Even Without A Finish Line

This is a guest post from one of our most awesome friends (and fellow trainer Mike victim), Crystal.

We love her!

Hi there!  My name is Crystal and I am one of the amazing ladies who train with the recovering cupcake addict girls.  I wanted to share the experience of my first (and probably last) marathon.  

 I did the Top of Utah Marathon in Sept. 2004 in Logan, Utah with my sister, her sister-in-law and niece.   I weighed about 60 lbs less than I weigh right now (before pregnancy, bad eating habits, knee problems & 2 yrs of prednisone put on the love handles - I will get to that) and by no means was a runner or a skinny girl. However, after training for 5 months, I felt like I was in the best shape of my life. I hadn't lost any lbs, but I lost inches and my stamina improved.  We trained using a walk/run timed combo with Salt Lake Fit.  

If any of you have run the Top of Utah Marathon, you are familiar with mile 22 - where you can look basically down the street and see the finish line, but still have to go 4 miles around to get there.   Believe me, it was really hard to not cut through even with the support of my husband and our dog doing the last 5 miles with me.  My husband even pointed out "Hey look! There is the finish line!" and I saw it with my own eyes and was so tempted to take a shortcut.  I was probably dead last and my sister was about 10 to 15 mins ahead of me.

But, I decided to power through and finish strong.

  I finally turned the corner to the last stretch and was so anxious to be done with this race. I looked toward the end and - to my shock and amazement - saw that the finish line was GONE!!! The marathon organizers had taken it down before I got there.  

Despite extreme exhaustion, I still ran that last little stretch across where the finish line would have been.  My running team and our family were still there waiting for us and I did get my medal before the marathon organizers left with it.   My sister was there waiting too and we hugged and cried from either exhaustion and pain or pure happiness!  I remember she called me a "stinker" for running in the last bit of it across the finish line. I seriously could not have done it without her and she is the one who talked me into doing the training program with her.  It was some great sister time. 

 I finished the marathon in just over 8 hrs, which isn't a great time, but I did it! It was one of the hardest things I have ever done, but so glad I had the experience to cross off my bucket list. 

Speaking of knee problems and 2 yrs of prednisone, here is a little about me and I hope my story can show anyone can do this despite health issues and limitations.  I injured my right knee in 2005 tearing my ACL, several ligaments and disclocating my knee in a kick-boxing class.  The orthopedic surgeons messed up not once, not twice, but 3 times & never fixed my ACL. So, I walked around with knee issues for 3 yrs until I found my current orthopedic surgeon who fixed me.  By then, their error had caused bad arthritis and additional damage to both knees from wear and tear.  I continued to have instability & even a few more injuries.  Since 2005 I have had 10 knee surgeries, 3 on my left knee and 7 on my right knee.  I will need early age knee replacements since the damage is already done, but decided I didn't want to ruin my new knees when I finally get them so I needed to make a change in my life and get the weight off.  Our trainer, Mike Andam, has been great to modify workouts to accommodate my old lady knees. 

In 2006, I was diagnosed with an auto-immune disease called Sarcoidosis.  I was on a steroid drug called prednisone, which causes weight gain.  I gained about 70 to 80 lbs, thus causing more knee problems.  Then I gained another 35 lbs when I was pregnant with my daughter.  The Sarcoidosis has caused a few other health issues over the years, but I have gotten through all of the obstacles.  

Last February when our company started a fitness program with Mike Andam, I was terrified and initially didn't want to do it.  My husband talked me into it and this experience has completely changed my life.  I have done things I never thought I would do again.  I was very athletic growing up but just walking up the stairs at my house or playing with my daughter became difficult.  Although I haven't lost as many lbs as I would like, I have done well. I have lost inches and my bloodwork results did a complete 180 for cholesterol, tryglycerides, liver function and blood sugar.  I have been able to stop taking my pre-diabetes medication as well.   I recently became brave enough to stop wearing my knee braces at workout and so far so good. 

 
I hope my story will help others realize that even if you think you can't do something, it never hurts to try.  I am not going to lie, this is not easy, but it is worth it.  I struggle every day with the emotions and nutrition, but I haven't given up.  I wouldn't be able to this without the support of my husband, my sister, family, friends and these amazing recovering cupcake addict ladies along with Charis and Rae from the rest of our team and our amazing trainer!!!  I am excited to continue our journey together for weeks, months & years to come!!!!  This is a time in my life I will cherish forever with the friends I have made through this training program and some great memories!!!