"I'm slow. I'm so slow that I'll be running with Megan."

That's me. I'm Megan..... a 33 year old stay-at-home mom of three young children, ages 2, 4, and 6. I'm twenty pounds overweight and this summer I started running again....well, jogging, actually. I say "again" fairly loosely. My previous experience includes some road races that my friends talked me into and then talked me through. This includes the Festival of Races 5k at the Cherry Festival in Traverse City, Michigan. My girlfriends used to run it every year. This is where I heard my friend say to the others, "I'm slow. I'm so slow that I'll be running with Megan."

I've participated in various physical activities since high school...like bike tours, volleyball tournaments, and college phys. ed. classes. But, until a few years ago it has always been sporadic. For the past two years I've done a spin class one or two days a week and lifted weights a few times a month. This has kept me in good enough shape to run a few miles at a time. But I'd like to be faster. I've never run a 5k in less than 30 minutes. I'd like to do it in less than 25 minutes

I wish I could claim that being 20lb overweight is from having babies. But, it isn't. I've been overweight since high school. Just like most people, I know how to eat well. But, it's just so hard when Dunkin Donuts is on every corner. When I'm doing well I eat 5-6 small meals/day that include lean meats, whole grains, fruit and veggies with an occasional small sweet treat. And I write everything down. That lasts for about two weeks before I can't take it anymore and I start eating donuts every day and stop writing anything down. About two weeks after that I get back on track and start the whole vicious cycle over again. I want to stop this cycle and stay on a food plan that becomes second nature...... so I can live it with for the rest of my life.

My goals for this program are to run a 5k in under 25 minutes and lose 20 lbs.