Kid no more

By Jason Hussey

May 1 8PM - I’ve always considered myself to be fat.  My Mom used to be nice and say I was just ‘husky’ but for as long as I can remember, I’ve been just plain fat. Actually one of my earliest memories is of my witch of an Aunt saying to her two sons, “stop eating those chips, do you two want to be fat like your cousin?” as I stood next to them in the yard. That scarred me for life, as I was probably only 11 or 12 when I heard it.

I’ve also always considered myself to have zero athletic ability.  I couldn’t play ice hockey because doctors said my ankles weren’t built for skates, I didn’t hit well enough for baseball and I wasn’t fast enough to play basketball.  This of course was hard to deal with because as anyone who knows me can attest, I absolutely love sports. So instead I focused on school, and I was so driven to be the best at something that I studied constantly, and I eventually graduated MUN with an honors degree. 

But damn it…I was still fat. 

Actually by the year 2000, I remember stepping on a scale for the 1st time in years thinking I’d weigh in at 240 pounds or so.  When I stepped on, the numbers quickly dashed by 200, then 220, and 240 was a blur. It eventually landed on 272 pounds.  I was heartbroken. I could not understand how I had gotten to this point. I needed to change my life.
Well, skip forward to late 2007, when my wife, Stephanie, and I booked a cruise vacation for May 2008.  So when January 1, 2008 rang in, I was determined to do whatever I could to look as good as possible for the cruise.  I decided to started eating better and running. 

I never in a million years thought I could be a runner, and when I started that January, I pretty much felt like I couldn’t be one.  But little by little it became a little easier and slowly but surely, the weight started to drop.  By May 15, 2008 (the day we left for the cruise) I weighed in at 212 pounds, which I was thrilled about. My goal was 215, and for the first time in my life, I felt like I had actually achieved something outside of school. 

A couple of days after returning from the cruise I started a new career with Metrobus and I can say without a doubt this was the best decision of my life next to deciding to ask Stephanie to marry me. What a place to work! The people are fantastic, its like a big family, and I was also pleasantly surprised to find out they had a running club, which was just what I needed to keep going forward.

After nursing a bad back for the summer, I started in with the club around Labour Day, and it was one of the best decisions of my life. We ran through rain, snow, wind, everything that could be thrown at us, and by this spring I was beginning to feel comfortable on the pavement and ready for more. I might actually say I feel somewhat ‘fit’.  I’m amazed at my motivation and actually feel terrible when I miss a scheduled run.
Now this Sunday will mark my first road race. The Burton’s Pond 5K. I picked up my race kit last evening and what a rush!!! When that bib hit my hand, an instant smile from ear to ear came across my face. I can’t believe I’m actually doing this. But I am and I will. I also will continue to run, faster and longer. My next goal is the Tely 10, which I’ve always kidded about running. Kid no more; it’s gonna happen in 09. 

Running has completely changed my life.

…see you all out there on the pavement

Racin’