First Timer Tina Morrow

Familiar with living a sedentary lifestyle, Faustenia Morrow shied away from engaging in any activity that required exercise, even walking a short distance. Inspired to make a change in her unhealthy habits, Faustenia participated in her first race ever at the 2015 Gospel Run 5K! 

“I vividly remember the day of the 2015 Gospel Run 5K because it was pouring rain in Chicago that morning. I had declared that I was NOT running in the rain.  I weighed 322 lbs and I barely liked climbing a flight of stairs. I remembered thinking ‘Big Girls like me don’t run!’ 

I got to the Gospel Run 5K and the rain stopped. I started the race and I was feeling good because I prepared using the Couch25K app.  As I was running along, I saw a woman with a walker participating in the Gospel Run.  I was blown away and humbled because I knew if she could do it, I had no excuse! I will never forget that moment.

Gospel Run has greatly impacted my life because I have never been this active ever.  I wake up with the desire to move my body and go for a walk.  I have incorporated walking/running into my daily routine.  I joined a FitBit group to track my daily steps and as a result, I know that approximately 7,500 steps = 3.4 miles.  Lastly, because of this experience I lost 30 lbs while training for the 5K and 4 years later I’ve lost over 50 lbs. I feel AMAZING!”

Faustenia encourages first-time participants and sedentary populations interested in Gospel Run to get up and get going! Since joining Gospel Run in 2015, she has become more physically and mentally fit and continues to incorporate healthy routines into her daily life.

“For sedentary participants, I have been where you are. I would often count my steps and spend a lot of effort trying to limit my exercise. If someone said that 4 years later I would be intentionally walking over 3 miles a day or that participating in the Gospel Run 5K would stimulate the desire to eat healthy and make better lifestyle choices I would have said, ‘You are crazy. Big GIRLS like me don’t RUN!’

But, I am a living witness! I am even considering training for an International Triathlon in 2020!  I give God the glory for my ‘Butterfly Transformation.’”

Faustenia Morrow, 2015 Gospel Run Participant