You Can Do It!

by Eddie McCoy
Team AllEars 2013

Almost four years ago I weighed 308 pounds. I went to the doctor because I was feeling sick and found out that my blood pressure was high and that I was borderline diabetic. It hit me like a ton of bricks. I have two daughters: a two year old (Emma) and a newborn (Abby), and I knew I had to change myself so that I could be a Dad to them and a husband to my wonderful wife Anna for many years to come.

I decided that I was going to lose weight. I didn’t have an immediate game plan on how exactly to do it, but I needed to get started and figure it out along the way. I joined a gym and began by hitting the elliptical machine for 30-45 minutes per day. I used Weight Watchers to teach me moderation when eating. I was able to knock off 120 pounds in less than two years by being faithful to the elliptical machine every single day.

Going to the gym allowed me to meet a good friend, Alex, who loves Disney as much as I do. He hounded me to sign-up for the Disney Wine & Dine Half marathon with him in 2011. I decided that I would do that race and check it off the list. One and done.

I foolishly thought I could train for that race without ever doing any outdoor running. I decided that if I put in a few hours on the elliptical machine on Saturdays for two months before the race, that it would be enough training for me to finish the race. On race day, I struggled mightily, but I finished in just under two hours. My body was the sorest that it has ever been”¦but I was hooked! It took a week before I could walk right again. Still, the first thing I did when I got back home was sign-up for both the Disney World Half Marathon and the Princess Half Marathon!

I started looking for local 5Ks and started doing those one after another. I was addicted to running! I started running long distance on the weekends. I have another friend, Roger, who was training to run the full marathon at Disney in January. I thought he was nuts. I knew how tough a half marathon was! When Marathon weekend came I ran well in the half marathon, finishing in 1:34. As I watched him race on Sunday I was so proud of him and all the other finishers. . I had watched him train for this race and on that day, I really hated that I was not running with him.

I immediately signed up for the Georgia Marathon with Roger and we started training by running five times a week, averaging 45-55 miles a week. I ended up running four half-marathons in the beginning of 2012. Especially exciting was participating in the Disney Princess Half Marathon with my wife. It was her first half and I am so proud of her! During my training I proudly became a member of the Half Fanatics club and on March 18th, a MARATHON FINISHER! (I cried like a baby when I crossed that finish line!).

I went from being a 308 pound guy who wouldn’t even think of running unless I was being chased, to being a fit guy running a full marathon within six months. Amazing, right?!

As a runner, I have ambitious goals. I want to qualify for the Boston marathon, become a Marathon Maniac and become a part of Team AllEars. Finding this group where I can meet and train with like-minded people that share my two passions for running and for Disney is awesome. The icing on the cake is being able to help raise money for Deb Willis’s Avon Breast Cancer Fund. We all know someone personally that has been affected by cancer, for me it was my Mom & Aunt, and running in support them is truly motivating.

I’m convinced that anyone can do anything when they put their mind to it. It takes motivation to start and to continue along the way, but once your mind is set, it will happen.