Approximately 41,000 people in Virginia and 1.4 million people nationwide are diagnosed with diabetes every year. In 2001, I became a part of that statistic. Now, I need your help to raise awareness for encouragement and support for healthy diet, exercise and motivation.

My journey began in 2004 when I was originally diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, like many of my family members. I was 38 and out of shape. I was taking a lot of medication to control my blood sugar, but I was feeling worse and gaining weight.

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2012 was my wake up call. I was hiking with my son. Halfway through the hike, I couldn’t keep up with him. This was not the life I wanted for my family or myself. I had been in denial. This was the moment that I decided to fight.

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I began a diet regimen that I disliked immensely, but it was working. I dropped 45 pounds in 6 months. Then, I began running. My blood sugar dropped, and with it, I reduced my insulin by 75%. 

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As a goal-oriented person, I needed something to work toward. A marathon was the ultimate challenge. A triumph that would have been inconceivable even a year earlier. In January of 2014, at the age of 48, I ran my first marathon at Disney in Florida. I finished. I was sore and tired. And I was MARVELous!

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It is now 2022, eight years after my 1st marathon, and I have completed a total of 66 marathons and ultras. Nothing was slowing me down - except the pandemic of course .

 

As I update this page ( today is July 18th 2022 ) I will be embarking on my 1st international marathon, dubbed as " The Most Difficult Marathon in the World " -the Inca Trail marathon in Peru this August. 

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I may be in better shape than I was in 2012, but the running does not stop. I am still running for my life and the lives of other diabetics like me. The awareness continues - so will I.

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