I did an interview with one of my high school classmates about her journey to running her first marathon back in February.
Let’s hear a follow up from here- shall we?
I ran my first marathon in February. Going into the race, I knew it would be my one and only and I knew I would finish under 4:30 (my goal was 4:20).  Turns out, I finished the last 3 miles in the rain and crossed the finish line at 4:44, slightly disappointed and knowing that it wouldn’t be my only one.Â
There were several things that I would call positives and negatives from the race. I ran with my friend Ally for the first 17 miles and was really excited about seeing my family at mile 16. The community support was absolutely amazing.
As for the negatives- I was not used to the higher temperature and humidity that day. Training through the winter, I was used to running in cold gear- not capris and a tank top! As I said earlier, I ran the last 3 miles in the rain (they actually ended pulling people off the course because of lightning). The finish line experience was also washed out due to the rain- I was more concerned about getting my sons out of the rain than really celebrating the accomplishment of just running 26.2 miles!
Two weeks later I ran with a vengeance and was much happier as I PR’d in a half marathon with 1:59! 🙂
Fast forward a couple months and my disappointment still lingers, but I am very proud of how far I have come since I started my weight loss journey. Never did I think that I would be a marathon runner and an inspiration to people with 25, 50, 100+ pounds to lose.
Another big part of my story is, I am now getting ready to have skin removal surgery.  Since I’ve lost 150 lbs, excess abdominal skin is a major issue and causes me to be extremely self-conscious. Even though I will get rashes when I run if I don’t wear compression gear, this is considered completely elective surgery at pretty hefty price.
This past year, I also made the decision to stay home with our two boys. A lot of big life changes going on around here! Knowing that we are going from a dual-income household to a single one, I was looking for and praying about something that would help add to our income a little without taking away a lot of time with my boys.
A friend of mine was raising money for cancer research and invited me to a Jamberry Nails party. They are heat-activated vinyl nail wraps that come in 300+ designs and last 2-3 weeks on fingernails and 4-6 weeks on toes. Being that I had lost a few toenails in marathon training, I needed something to make my pedicure look good! I soon found that I loved the product and became a consultant.
Kassi is doing a giveaway for one lucky winner to choose a design of their choice to be mailed right to their door! Â
To enter:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
You can follow Kassi’s business on her Facebook page:Â facebook.com/jamberrykassio
Order online:Â kassio.jamberrynails.net
Cheers to Kassi & the journey she has been on and where she will go. I am so happy to support her and am excited for what’s next for her and her family. 🙂 Help me support her & sign up for the giveaway. I can’t wait to try them myself!