Success Stories
Franci Tuck
“Race At Your Pace was introduced to me by a friend in February this year and I have become super excited about pushing myself to reach each challenge’s target.”
I am so gutted that I had to reduce my mileage for May to 75 miles. I took part in a marathon walk in London on 11th/12th May overnight and picked up a stress fracture which got worse from about mile 18/19.
I sill completed the race though albeit much slower due to excruciating pain! And I covered well over 100 miles in May in the end. I started my training for the marathon on 1st January 2019 and have walked over 600 miles since. It doesn’t sound like much, but for me, personally, it is quite a big thing.
You see, just over 3 years ago, I weighed 30 stone and couldn’t even climb a flight of stairs to go to our bedroom. My mobility and activity levels were zero and I was very unhealthy. I woke up one day and thought if not now when? I looked down and couldn’t see my feet. I looked up and saw opportunity. I sacrificed. I celebrated small victories. I never gave up. I now look down and can see my feet. The are not the prettiest feet, but I can see them! And it’s when I look back that I am most amazed at just how far my journey has allowed me to travel. We are so quick to jump on a scale to be ‘measured’ at how far we have come. I’ve learnt on my own journey that my happiness and my capacity for life cannot be ‘measured’. How much I weigh, isn’t what makes me socially acceptable. I have yet to see a scale that can thank me for my compassion, my commitment, sheer determination, sense of humor and (I’d like to think) contagious smile.
No scale can admire me for my perseverance and determination when challenged in life and on this journey. While the scale will give me a numerical measurement, it is photos like these that reminds me that my journey have taught me to accept who I am, to live my life with grattitude and to make choices that will put wind beneath my wings so that I can continue to fly and potentially soar like an eagle. I really like who I have become since my journey started! My motto remains #fly. First love yourself.
Race At Your Pace was introduced to me by a friend in February this year and I have become super excited about pushing myself to reach each challenge’s target. My injury have set me back ever so slightly, but I hope to reach 1000 miles by New Year’s Eve before the clock strikes 12! Thank you then, for the amazing virtual challenge – one that keeps me active, keeps me motivated and mostly, keeps me moving!
I love it! I have become addicted to walking… how cool is that!