5 years ago I was a sedentary 3-4 pack a day serious couch tater. Somehow I
quit smoking (good!) and gained 50 pounds (bad!)

So I started walking. I can still remember the first few weeks....
misery.... aches..... shin splints..... then one day I jogged about 10
steps.... scary!

In 2 years, I lost 40 pounds and AMAZINGLY could walk 5 miles and
occasionally run a whole lap at the local track.

Then a mile, then 2 miles......

Two years later at age 52 I entered and finished my first race ever.... the
Houston Half Marathon. While I didn't quite win..... 3 hours and 6 minutes
(soooo close!) (My PR?)..... I did manage to run (slooooowly) about 75% and
walked the rest and was happy to finish tired and sore but with no injuries.

A lot of that was due to what I have read in R.R. in the last year.

Thanks for the advice, the inspiration, and for letting me brag a little.

Those 732 people behind me........ now THEY were pitiful.... :-)
--
Les Stewart
Beaumont, TX

From:	susan
Subject:	Re: Houston Half - First Race Ever - 6004th Place!!
Date:	Wed, 19 Jan 2005 18:08:09 -0800

Congratulations on this big achievement! Waddle on is my motto.
Susan

Les Stewart wrote:
>
> 5 years ago I was a sedentary 3-4 pack a day serious couch tater. Somehow I
> quit smoking (good!) and gained 50 pounds (bad!)
>
> So I started walking. I can still remember the first few weeks....
> misery.... aches..... shin splints..... then one day I jogged about 10
> steps.... scary!
>
> In 2 years, I lost 40 pounds and AMAZINGLY could walk 5 miles and
> occasionally run a whole lap at the local track.
>
> Then a mile, then 2 miles......
>
> Two years later at age 52 I entered and finished my first race ever.... the
> Houston Half Marathon. While I didn't quite win..... 3 hours and 6 minutes
> (soooo close!) (My PR?)..... I did manage to run (slooooowly) about 75% and
> walked the rest and was happy to finish tired and sore but with no injuries.
>
> A lot of that was due to what I have read in R.R. in the last year.
>
> Thanks for the advice, the inspiration, and for letting me brag a little.
>
> Those 732 people behind me........ now THEY were pitiful.... :-)
> --
> Les Stewart
> Beaumont, TX

From:	Les Stewart
Subject:	Re: Houston Half - First Race Ever - 6004th Place!!
Date:	Thu, 20 Jan 2005 08:30:27 -0600

"susan" wrote

> Congratulations on this big achievement! Waddle on is my motto.
> Susan

Why, thank you ma'am! A'waddllin' I will go....

--
Les Stewart
Beaumont, TX

From:	bikeme
Subject:	Re: Houston Half - First Race Ever - 6004th Place!!
Date:	Fri, 21 Jan 2005 09:57:22 -0500

"Les Stewart" wrote in message
news:10uvg4mtncsti11@news.supernews.com...
:
: "susan" wrote
:
: > Congratulations on this big achievement! Waddle on is my motto.
: > Susan
:
: Why, thank you ma'am! A'waddllin' I will
go....
:
: --
: Les Stewart
: Beaumont, TX

The Waddle On reference is to John Bingham, the Penguin- one of his mottos
is, "No need for speed." "Waddle on" is also his.
http://www.waddleon.com/

From:	Anthony
Subject:	Re: Houston Half - First Race Ever - 6004th Place!!
Date:	Wed, 19 Jan 2005 07:55:11 +0200

"Les Stewart" wrote in message
news:10uqvntr29q0702@news.supernews.com...
>
> 5 years ago I was a sedentary 3-4 pack a day serious couch tater. Somehow
> I
> quit smoking (good!) and gained 50 pounds (bad!)
>
> So I started walking. I can still remember the first few weeks....
> misery.... aches..... shin splints..... then one day I jogged about 10
> steps.... scary!
>
> In 2 years, I lost 40 pounds and AMAZINGLY could walk 5 miles and
> occasionally run a whole lap at the local track.
>
> Then a mile, then 2 miles......
>
> Two years later at age 52 I entered and finished my first race ever....
> the
> Houston Half Marathon. While I didn't quite win..... 3 hours and 6 minutes
> (soooo close!) (My PR?)..... I did manage to run (slooooowly) about 75%
> and
> walked the rest and was happy to finish tired and sore but with no
> injuries.
>
> A lot of that was due to what I have read in R.R. in the last year.
>
> Thanks for the advice, the inspiration, and for letting me brag a little.
>
> Those 732 people behind me........ now THEY were pitiful.... :-)

Well done Les! Congrats on your 1st race and the lifestyle change.
Good luck with future running and racing.

Anthony.

From:	Les Stewart
Subject:	Re: Houston Half - First Race Ever - 6004th Place!!
Date:	Wed, 19 Jan 2005 13:01:41 -0600

"Anthony" wrote in
> Well done Les! Congrats on your 1st race and the lifestyle change.
> Good luck with future running and racing.
>
> Anthony.

Thanks for the kind words.
--
Les Stewart
Beaumont, TX

From:	bikeme
Subject:	Re: Houston Half - First Race Ever - 6004th Place!!
Date:	Wed, 19 Jan 2005 07:56:11 -0500

"Anthony" wrote in message
news:csksnq$bl4$1@news.iucc.ac.il...
:
: "Les Stewart" wrote in message
: news:10uqvntr29q0702@news.supernews.com...
: >
: > 5 years ago I was a sedentary 3-4 pack a day serious couch tater.
Somehow
: > I
: > quit smoking (good!) and gained 50 pounds (bad!)
: >
: > So I started walking. I can still remember the first few weeks....
: > misery.... aches..... shin splints..... then one day I jogged about 10
: > steps.... scary!
: >
: > In 2 years, I lost 40 pounds and AMAZINGLY could walk 5 miles and
: > occasionally run a whole lap at the local track.
: >
: > Then a mile, then 2 miles......
: >
: > Two years later at age 52 I entered and finished my first race ever....
: > the
: > Houston Half Marathon. While I didn't quite win..... 3 hours and 6
minutes
: > (soooo close!) (My PR?)..... I did manage to run (slooooowly) about 75%
: > and
: > walked the rest and was happy to finish tired and sore but with no
: > injuries.
: >
: > A lot of that was due to what I have read in R.R. in the last year.
: >
: > Thanks for the advice, the inspiration, and for letting me brag a
little.
: >
: > Those 732 people behind me........ now THEY were pitiful.... :-)
:
: Well done Les! Congrats on your 1st race and the lifestyle change.
: Good luck with future running and racing.
:
: Anthony.
:
:
Congratulations! I love your positive, upbeat style. You're right- it
doesn't matter what place you came in. You've had a radical lifestyle
change for the better.

I'm from Houston originally and almost chose the Houston marathon to run.
Signed-up for one in Tampa instead. Glad to hear that you liked it. Maybe
I'll run it next year. Again, congrats!!!

From:	Les Stewart
Subject:	Re: Houston Half - First Race Ever - 6004th Place!!
Date:	Wed, 19 Jan 2005 13:02:39 -0600

"bikeme" wrote > :
> Congratulations! I love your positive, upbeat style. You're right- it
> doesn't matter what place you came in. You've had a radical lifestyle
> change for the better.
>
> I'm from Houston originally and almost chose the Houston marathon to run.
> Signed-up for one in Tampa instead. Glad to hear that you liked it.
> Maybe
> I'll run it next year. Again, congrats!!!

Thanks and good luck to you!
--
Les Stewart
Beaumont, TX

From:	FabulustRunner
Subject:	Re: Houston Half - First Race Ever - 6004th Place!!
Date:	20 Jan 2005 02:20:41 GMT

>You're right- it
>doesn't matter what place you came in.

L-O-S-E-R!

From:	Roger Herzler
Subject:	Re: Houston Half - First Race Ever - 6004th Place!!
Date:	Wed, 19 Jan 2005 13:26:40 -0800

Missed your post - way to go Les! That's a great turnaround.

Clear skies,
Roger
--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
R o g e r H e r z l e r <><
"Fear is temporary, regret is forever"
journey through your universe: http://astronomylinks.com/
NOTE: Incoming e-mail with .ZIP and .EXE attachments are
automatically deleted.

"Les Stewart" wrote in message
news:10uqvntr29q0702@news.supernews.com...
>
> 5 years ago I was a sedentary 3-4 pack a day serious couch tater. Somehow
> I
> quit smoking (good!) and gained 50 pounds (bad!)

From:	Teresa Bippert-Plymate
Subject:	Re: Houston Half - First Race Ever - 6004th Place!!
Date:	Wed, 19 Jan 2005 15:40:13 -0700

Big Congrats Les, not only on the race but on successfully changing
your lifestyle. Brag away, you've earned it!

Teresa in AZ

Les Stewart wrote:

> 5 years ago I was a sedentary 3-4 pack a day serious couch tater. Somehow I
> quit smoking (good!) and gained 50 pounds (bad!)
>
> In 2 years, I lost 40 pounds and AMAZINGLY could walk 5 miles and
> occasionally run a whole lap at the local track.
> Then a mile, then 2 miles......
>
> Two years later at age 52 I entered and finished my first race ever.... the
> Houston Half Marathon. While I didn't quite win..... 3 hours and 6 minutes
> (soooo close!) (My PR?)..... I did manage to run (slooooowly) about 75% and
> walked the rest and was happy to finish tired and sore but with no injuries.
>
> A lot of that was due to what I have read in R.R. in the last year.
>
> Thanks for the advice, the inspiration, and for letting me brag a little.
>
> Those 732 people behind me........ now THEY were pitiful.... :-)

From:	Les Stewart
Subject:	Re: Houston Half - First Race Ever - 6004th Place!!
Date:	Wed, 19 Jan 2005 17:21:51 -0600

"Teresa Bippert-Plymate" wrote
> Big Congrats Les, not only on the race but on successfully changing
> your lifestyle. Brag away, you've earned it!
>
> Teresa in AZ
>

Thankyathankyavermuch..... I have to laugh at myself....... bragging about
6004th place!!
--
Les Stewart
Beaumont, TX