Today’s Featured Runner Is Amber!
Amber Hicks and Deanne Rue Stephens are Independent Distributors for Advocare and are sponsoring all of our events this year!
This is her story: “My friend Amy asked me recently why I run and I had to really spend some time thinking about my answer… There are so many reasons I could’ve put, but I think they’re all best summarized into one simple statement: because I CAN! 🙂
Until a couple years ago, I despised running because I wasn’t “good” at it. (I’m a former athlete, competitive, and my own worst critic… I’m sure this resonates with a few of you!) Anytime I ran, it was a reminder of how out of shape I had gotten and I’d feel defeated as soon as I started. I couldn’t even finish a mile back in 2015, despite how frequently I was working out, and I’d quit on myself mentally before I even walked out the door. That June was when #AdvoCare entered my life and helped me change all that! I realized that not only was it possible for me to lose weight and keep it off, but that what I really longed for was to set the best example of what “active” looks like for my son so he’d grow up being fit and healthy. I made up my mind that it was time to stop the self-loathing and excuses, so together with my husband (and our little guy in tow, then just one year old), I set out to change my mentality surrounding my health and fitness – and that needed to start with conquering fears and breaking through false barriers I had created in my mind. Running was what was going to set me free!
Once I was able to run my first mile in under 10 minutes (which was a huge accomplishment for me!), I set my sights on finishing a 5k in under 30 minutes. I surprised myself when I conquered this goal in Ft. Lupton, CO with a finishing time of 29:02 and after that I was hooked! I wanted more! I rediscovered the athlete buried deep down within me and was feeling strong, healthy, and capable of crushing whatever goal I set my heart on!
This spring, in an effort to continue challenging myself, I’ve decided to run my first half marathon (#Windermere) with a group of friends. I am feeling a little nervous I must admit, but overall I’m excited to be pushing myself to a new limit and continuing to discover what I’m capable of! The best part is my husband and our now three-year-old will be cheering me on and there to see me finish. <3″
Amber, thank you so much for sharing your story with us! We can’t wait to watch you to continue to crush your goals this #Spring!
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windermeremarathon.com
#nsplit #windermere #whatsyourstory #featuredrunner
