Linda (Before and After)

In 2008, while volunteering at the Sims Store Erie Canal Museum, a large group of 500 bicyclists came through, on their way to Albany. They were riding across NY State covering all 400 miles of the Erie Canal. The group seemed to be having the time of their lives, laughing and riding all sorts of bikes. They were all ages and sizes. I told myself, that the next year, I would be among them. With the motivation of the 2009 bike ride in my mind, I was determined to be a part of the fun loving crowd I saw that day.

There was a problem though. I was more than 50 pounds overweight and knew I could never take that ride on with that amount of excess weight. At the same time, in our church bulletin, I saw a Pray It Off meeting being offered and decided that I would ask if I could join. Ellen looked at me and said she didn't think I had that much to lose but said I could join. I think she was amazed when, I got on the scale, and she saw the number that came up.

The PIO meetings were held in the church basement, by the most motivated speaker I've ever come across. Ellen McCauley had me in stitches as she told it like it is; dead honest and right on target. I knew immediately she was the real deal, no phony here. I could identify with all her struggles, with weight over the years, and that motivated me as I saw a "soul sister." It's not easy to get up in front of people and share the angst over extra weight and the health issues that come with it.

I had a check up just before I started PIO and the doctor went wild over my very elevated cholesterol; 276. Yikes! He put me on Lipitor immediately. I now had another reason to belong to PIO. It wasn't just about a fun bike ride, it was about my health.

I started to train for my big bike ride by riding just one mile; as that’s all my butt could handle. I got off the bike aching and sweating, I hate to sweat! The next day I rode a mile and 20 feet more and so on until after a week I could do a whole 2 miles. I was also, as Ellen says, moving more and eating less. Every meeting I would get charged up and go out to the canal and do my rides. I would offer up every stone I rode over for the sick and dying and I got to literally praying myself from one place to another.

It's funny because I started each ride praying for others and ended by begging God to get me home!!! For once I felt like I was taking care of my soul AND body at the same time. Riding the Erie Canal is riding history so I prayed for those long gone souls that dug it by hand. They worked so hard and died too young.

As I rode, and prayed, I prayed for all my table mates in the Pray It Off group. I love them. They would ask me how it was going and I shared my crazy idea of riding the whole canal - all 400 miles. Instead of discouraging me they would say things like, “You can do it."

I turned 65 in 2009 and I celebrating with the Erie Canal bike ride. I have friends that went to lovely places, resorts, trips etc. I went to Buffalo NY for the start of my trip. On the way there, we were about one hour into the car trip. and cold hard fear gripped me and I asked myself "am I crazy? I can't possibly bike all this way!" Then I thought of Ellen and my table mates and I knew I had to at least try.

In Buffalo there were more than 550 riders from all over the United States and even some from England and Germany. We started out July 12, 2009 in front of a school we all camped at. (Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you this also involved camping out for 8 nights.) As we all stood outside, near our bikes, they played our national anthem. We all looked up at our flag, some of us with our hands over our hearts and me with tears in my eyes and I thought what a great and beautiful country we live in.

I offered up this big bike ride for my PIO family and I knew I would give it my all to complete it. I thought of Ellen saying that we put the weight on one pound at a time and I would now bike it off one pound at a time.

We did approximately 50 miles a day and when I came into the Sims store Museum and saw my friends and fellow volunteers there I just cried and there were hugs all around. On July 19th after 8 days of biking and camping, we all rode into Albany NY and under a balloon arch with people cheering I just cried and thanked our dear Lord Jesus for completing this journey. I also thank my wonderful PIO family and especially Ellen.

I did lose the 50 pounds. My cholesterol is perfect. My doctor says I'm his star patient. God is sooooo good. Praise His wonderful name!! I will maintain my weight loss by continuing on, each week, at PIO.

You can do it too. I believe in the power of prayer and I will pray for, and encourage anyone, to also do the “big bike ride.”

I may even do it again.

PHOTOS: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jclarkson/3741437178/in/pool-ptny
http://www.flickr.com/photos/40719665@N03/3746669677/in/pool-ptny