Meet 45 year old Chris Chagnon from St. Albans ……

Five years ago I was pushing 40. I weighed over 300 pounds. I was on three different medications for hypertension and I had a herniated disc. I was drinking too much and eating crap. Quite plainly, I was playing Russian roulette with the prospects of seeing 50. I have three teenage boys and, not only was I ruining my health, but setting a poor example for them. I wish I could say that it was as easy as trading in my wine glass for running shoes, but it wasn’t that smooth or that quick.

However, I did have my last drink on March 18th of that year. I did start eating healthy. And, I did start walking. In a year I had shed 100 pounds. I was off all medication and my back issues are seldom and milder. Maybe it’s the obsessive nature in me but, over time, walking wasn’t enough. I would log my walks, measuring time and distance, always trying to go faster and farther. Somewhere in that behavior I transitioned from walking to running. And, Wow!! A whole new world opened up for me. 

I have been running for 2+ years now. I ran a few 5Ks, then 10Ks. This past February I ran my first half marathon in Hyannis. In September I ran my first full marathon in The Islands. I love running! Running has saved my life. Running makes me healthier. Running relieves my stress. Running gets me high. I have made new friends. I have built a lifestyle around making healthy choices. This is the example I want to set for my boys. I’m feeling pretty good about hitting 50, 60, and 70.  You use to see a lot of people wearing the yellow Live Strong bracelets. I picked up a black bracelet at a charity run this year that says, “Run For Your Life”. For me that says it all.

Tagged as: KBVCM, KeyBank Vermont City Marathon, running, training, Vermont, weight loss