Summary: When you set out on your running journey you never know where it may lead you. In this episode you'll hear the stories of Rik Akey and Ada Wong. They are 2 of 12 members of a Ragnar Relay Team that were once strangers who have come together through significant weight loss. They are now in the process of making a documentary about their stories and their journey together as one team in an upcoming 200 mile relay race from Miami to Key West, FL. You will experience their personal journeys in becoming runners, accomplishing their goals and benefit from what they have learned along the way. They will also share how they fit it all in with their busy lives and offer tons of motivation. For Rik and Ada it has lead to a new lifestyle and having an incredible opportunity to inspire others in a way they never imagined just a few short years ago. Rik Akey In 2007, Rick Akey was age 38, 275 pounds, had borderline high blood pressure, sleep apnea, and low energy, and realized he had to take action. Unable to run around the block or even do one pushup, he hired a personal trainer and took massive action for 6 months. At the end of those 6 months, Rik set a fitness goal to learn how to run. Undaunted by how much goes into proper running at the start, he progressed to running a mile without stopping in 6 weeks. His journey lead him to his first 5K, half and full marathons where he counts himself today as a sub-4 hour marathoner. He is now a captain of a Ragnar Relay Race team and paying it forward by inspiring others to take action. In all he dropped 90 pounds, his blood pressure dropped 30 points, and his cholesterol dropped 100 points and is off his medications. Rik now has a lifetime goal to run a marathon in all 50 states. Rik shares his personal story from when he couldn't run around the block to crossing the finish line of his first marathon - including his emotional reaction. He also shares things he has learned along his running journey. We also hear about how the idea of forming a Ragnar Relay team came about and how it lead to the creation of the forthcoming documentary. Ada Wong At age 27 and 259 pounds, Ada felt she had missed out on the best years of her life during her 20's. She took a chance on entering to become a contestant on The Biggest Loser and was selected to be on the show. During the show, in addition to her incredible weight loss of nearly 100 pounds she ran her first marathon and set a female course record in the process. She finished The Biggest Loser Season 10 as the runner up. After the show, there are stories of contestants that return to their old habits. Not Ada. She took massive action once home and continued a healthy eating and took running more seriously. She has completed triathlons but has put a renewed focus on running. Ada shares her personal story on what she has done since The Biggest Loser, how she maintains a healthy lifestyle today, things she has learned along the way with her running and her advice to anyone considering what might be possible. After listening to this episode ask yourself, where will my running journey take me? In the quick tip, are you unsure of what to wear on a cool race day when you are debating if you should wear shorts or long sleeves? I'll cover strategies to ensure you are warm at the start without overheating during the race. Links Mentioned In The Show fromfattofinishline.com - Fat To Finish Line Website indiegogo.com/fattofinish - Fat To Finish Line Funding Site to Support the Film facebook.com/fattofinish - Fat To Finish Line Facebook Page runsforcookies.com - Blog of Katie Foster
