Hello friends! As you know, I’m currently on vacation in Italy with Matt. We have limited internet access (apologies in advance for delayed responses to email and comments) and want to make the most of our time exploring, so I arranged a few guest posts while I’m away. Today’s post is from my friend Theodora. We met a few years ago when she emailed about meeting up for a run, and we’ve been friends ever since—running races together, traveling to blog events, and chatting almost every day.
Theodora’s story is truly inspiring. Looking at her now, you might assume she was always active, but that’s not the case. Over the past few years she lost 50 pounds and completed three full marathons. Her transformation and dedication have been a major motivation for me as I prepare for my first full marathon, and I hope her story inspires you as well. Take it away, Theodora!
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Theodora’s Story: From Overweight to Marathoner
Just over four years ago I decided I wanted to lose weight for real. My best friend was getting married in Aruba, and I was tired of feeling like the person who hid under cover-ups at the beach. This wasn’t the first time I felt embarrassed about my weight, but it was the first time I committed to change.
Before.
I began training with a personal trainer who taught me to believe in myself. We worked out twice a week and those first sessions were brutal. I was embarrassed as I struggled through exercises I assumed were easy for everyone else, but I kept reminding myself that the discomfort wouldn’t last forever and that persistence would pay off.
My trainer introduced interval running on the treadmill. I pushed speeds and inclines that felt extreme at first, convinced I was working harder than anyone else in the gym. The effort paid off: the numbers on the scale and the fit of my clothes steadily improved, and I felt proud and energized by the progress.
About 35 pounds down, for said wedding in Aruba.
I lost the first 35 pounds in six months, and it took another six months to lose the remaining 15. When I started I didn’t imagine losing 20 pounds, much less 50, but learning to trust myself made all the difference. That confidence led me to run half-marathons and eventually full marathons. Those clichéd inspirational sayings turned out to be true: if you keep pushing, you can achieve things you once thought impossible.
Before this transformation, I had run a few races without proper training, and they were struggles. Determined to improve, I signed up for a 5K with the simple goal of running the entire way—and I did. From there I kept setting new goals: a 10K, a 10-miler, and then my first half marathon. My first half took 2:36, then my second improved to 2:13. I was officially hooked on running and driven to get faster.
That fall I ran another half in 2:09 and completed my first marathon in 4:59. I hadn’t done structured speedwork for these races; my body adapted to the increasing distances and pace naturally. Since then I’ve embraced tempo runs and track intervals, and my speed has continued to improve. My marathon personal best is 4:04, and I’m aiming to break four hours at Wineglass Marathon in October—more than an hour faster than my first marathon time.
My half marathon PR is now 1:50, nearly 50 minutes faster than my first attempt—a time I never imagined possible. Pushing myself to lose weight and take up running taught me more about resilience and capability than I expected. Stepping out of my comfort zone has shown me what I can achieve, and along the way it’s been genuinely fun.