By Jaime Miller

Tidewater Performance Center Fitness Training Client

The beginning of the movie “The Breakfast Club” breaks down all the cliques into their requisite members: the nerds, the jocks, the preps, and the misfits.

Growing up, my brother and I were polar opposites. He was the jock, fearless on his bike and Rollerblades, and on the football field and wrestling mat. I was the quintessential nerd.

By the end of high school, I weighed more than 200 pounds. During my first year at the College of William and Mary, I gained more than my freshman fifteen. I knew something had to change one Christmas when I could no longer button the the pair of men’s jeans I wore. Yes. Men’s clothes. I was too embarrassed to know my size in women’s clothes, so I wore men’s clothes.

That’s when I made my first attempt at living stronger. I lost more than 100 pounds and vowed to some day run a half-marathon.

I never did. Instead, my weight rebounded when I began work on my doctorate.

My jock brother began training for triathlons as I hit the books to pass exams. He completed a Half Iron-Man (that’s a 2.1 mile swim, 56 mile bike ride and half-marathon run. I passed my comprehensive exams.

I was so proud of him, and, admittedly, a tad envious.

I remarked to my sister-in-law that I had never run the half-marathon I vowed to complete. Then, much to my surprise and chagrin, my brother surprised us both with entrance registrations to the Rock-and-Roll Half-Marathon for Christmas.

The day after Christmas, I hit the gym. I barely made it a mile on the treadmill. I had been doing hot yoga and the elliptical, so I thought I was in good shape, but I was apparently much mistaken. I continued training, running a 5k and an 8k.

Then I started training at the Tidewater Performance Center. Tidewater Performance has been the key to overcoming my fears and trepidation.

The fitness test (assessment) was horrible in that I learned I had a lot of work to do.

But after just two weeks of training, I doubled my treadmill time and ran for a full hour. No matter what my time is in September, I know that I will have finally accomplished what I set out to do. I know I have a long way to go to live life stronger, but like the Little Engine that Could, I think I can.

Along the way, I have personal and sports performance trainer Cody Morris to thank for the training and encouragement.