|
Rob made it!! Not only did he complete the full Marathon he placed 82 in his division of 372!!! Over all Rob placed 550 out of 4,022 full Marathon runners. His time was 3:51:00 to run 26.2 miles.
It's been a 16 month journey for Rob Dempsey, midday DJ on Smile FM. In January 05 he weighed 308 pounds and suffered from hypertension. His shirt size was XXXL and waist line at a button popping size 44 pants. "I was tired all the time" recalls Dempsey "Playing with my kids in the park became a chore."
Enough was enough for Rob. He enquired the help of the YMCA and brought his listeners along on the journey. Through the program "Wellness Works" at the YMCA. This has helped Rob gain that healthy lifestyle. The side benefits - the loss of over 130 pounds, dropped 7 pants sizes, body fat went from 38% down to 11%. He's healthy with normal blood pressure and cholesterol level. The greatest benefit of all is that his family has a healthy and fit father and husband.
Now he conquered the Country Music Marathon in Nashville, Tn. "It was awesome!!" Rob recalls about his Marathon experience. During his 16 month training he made friends and trained with the group traveling from his YMCA to run in the race. "We became a community. If one needed encouragement to keep going we'd give it." As for his experience during the Marathon, "The spectators that lined the streets kept every runner going. They'd shout your name, give high fives, and encourage you to make it one more step."
Physically Rob had cramps in his left Achilles tendon at mile 18. Then his left hamstring cramped around mile 21. "I just kept running through the pain and they worked themselves out." He was determined to finish the race and when he felt pain Rob would quote a bible verse over and over "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
Now that he's completed the Marathon Rob's next two goals are to compete in a Triathlon and another Marathon before the end of the year. | 
