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After 18 months of dieting and exercise, Mabel Smith and Tim Warren have collectively lost 110 pounds. Now, the co-workers at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge get their sights focused on the conclusion line at this Sunday’s Bank of the usa Chicago Marathon.
What began as an effort to shed weight and get in shape has got the pair embracing a running lifestyle. This will be their first marathon and they’ll be raising funds for the South Asian Cardiovascular Center at Advocate Lutheran General.
“I have so much more energy now and feel fabulous,” says Smith. “I never imagined being a runner, however I’m hooked.”
Smith said she was motivated to obtain active due to her dad’s health problems. “My father includes a history of heart issues and I wanted to do everything I possibly could to get fit,” said the 44-year-old mother of three kids. “This is one thing that runs within our family and affects South Asians particularly hard.”
Warren, 47, says his regular check-ups and Advocate’s employee exercise program got him pointed in the right direction. “My doctor really encouraged me to obtain moving and also to slim down,” he explained. “I took the advice to heart.”
Finding time to coach for that 26.2 mile endurance event has been difficult but Warren said it has been worth the effort. “We’ve been fighting to help keep on schedule,” he states. “And we understand the importance of staying on the right track to finish well and avoid injury.”
Planning to operate side-by-side, Smith and Warren are hoping to complete the race in five hours. The pair has run numerous races to prepare for that big one.
“Including Chicago, we will have completed 13 races including seven half marathons in 2013,” Smith said. “We really encourage everyone we all know to consider steps to get fit. It’s been a great journey.”
