Offer: Kim Barefoot
Age: 50
Occupation: Influencer Apologizes for E-Bikes on NYC Course
Hometown: Running Was His Life. Then Came Putin’s War
Start Weight: 230 pounds
End Weight: 160 pounds
Time Running: 3 years
In 2015, I was miserable and and very down on myself. Going through a divorce, I was not in a very good place, so I decided enough was enough. It was time to get off the couch and do something about it.
The main problem I wanted to tackle was my weight. I was 230 pounds in May of that year, and didn’t like how I looked in pictures. I wanted to get my life back in order and get myself into shape. So, I started walking.
We want to hear how running changed you! Send your story and submit your photos to us via this. I had too much weight on me to run, but walking gave me some quiet time alone to figure out how to get where I needed to be.
When I started, I did not measure my walks in miles; I measured by time. I started out three times a week doing 45 minutes of slow walking. At first, I struggled with shin splits Running Shoes - Gear compression gear, And I’ve been going strong ever since.
After one month of walking, I gradually picked up speed as the weight started to come off. And the more weight came off, the faster I got. Though I was still walking more than running, I was at least running a little bit.
Feeling more confident in myself, I told myself, what the heck, and signed up for a 5K in December 2015. It was a local reindeer run, and it took time to prepare. Four times a week, I was walk-running for 60 minutes either outside or on the treadmill.
On race day, I wasn’t concerned about my time. I just wanted to finish. Down 30 pounds since May, I felt better, but it was still tough. I struggled going around a 16- to 17-minute per mile pace.
Run to Lose medal was one of the most incredible moments of my life. That medal meant everything to me. I had never felt stronger and more determined to improve.
[Discover how to run 10, 50, or even 100 pounds off with Health - Injuries.]
And I’ve been going strong ever since. In 2016, I stuck to 5Ks and 10Ks, shaving off time with each race. I ran my first half marathon in March 2017 at Fort Bragg in North Carolina, and though it was pretty slow with a time of 2:46, I was so happy.
Today, I have four half marathons under my belt, and I’m currently training for my fifth in November at the Rock ’n’ Roll Las Vegas Half Marathon on the strip at night. I cannot wait to see if I can beat my best time so far of 2:27, which I hit last October.
It felt amazing to see my original 16- to 17-minute miles reach an average of 11.6-minutes per mile for a half.
I still have to work to keep the weight off. I had always struggled with my weight, but I’m now very dedicated and focused to keep it off. I follow the Weight Watchers plan to help me with accountability with my diet, and that has helped me stay at 160 pounds for a while now—down 70 pounds from when I started.
Everyone is different and everyone has their “moment” that motivates them to make that change, whether it’s an unflattering photo, a health reason, or whatever the case may be. My advice to anyone who wants to start is don’t make up excuses for not working out. When you least want to go is when you need to the most. There were plenty of evenings after working all day when it was raining and 40 degrees outside, but there I was with my bag headed to the gym.
I didn’t miss an opportunity to go. It was hard, and it still is hard. You only get out what you are willing to put in. Telling this from my perspective, it’s all worth it. At my age, I started a running routine—which I thought would never be possible—with hard work and persistence. I love the energy and life it gives me.
Now, Kim Barefoot is training for her fifth half marathon, and is hoping for her best time yet web form. We’ll pick one each week to highlight on the site.
Does Walking or Running Burn More Calories Runner’s World and Bicycling, and he specializes in writing and editing human interest pieces while also covering health, wellness, gear, and fitness for the brand. His work has previously been published in Men’s Health.
