When COVID-19 restrictions forced most people to spend more time cooped up at home last spring, Kyle White found himself spending more time than ever eating junk food in front of the TV.
It wasn’t long before White, 28, was the heaviest he’d ever been. As the scale tipped to 430 pounds, the six-foot-five Saskatoon man realized his weight was affecting his joints, blood pressure and mental health. He became determined to make some lifestyle changes.
In consultation with his family doctor, White started eating healthier, bought a new pair of shoes from Brainsport and started walking every day.
Because of his weight, walking was hard on White’s knees and ankles at first. But the more he walked, the more weight he dropped and the easier it became. Soon, he was doing short runs as part of his daily walks.
“I would walk for two blocks, run for one block, walk for two blocks again,” he said. “Eventually, probably by October, I was able to run for four-and-a-half kilometers. It was a pretty slow jog, but it was a pretty big accomplishment.”
When winter arrived suddenly in Saskatoon in November, White went back to Brainsport for winter running gear, including shoe grips, and kept running.
“I’m still a little slower than most people, but that’s OK, because it’s a lot of fun,” he says.
It’s also been improving his health. Since the spring, White has dropped 120 pounds and feels great.
“Goodness the energy I have,” he says. “Most days I’m ready to go for a run. If I don’t go for a run I’m just bouncing around.”
For years, White had admired his runner friends, but felt he was never able to join them because of his weight. Now, he’s excited to train for and run a race with two of them. The trio have signed up for the 10-kilometre at the virtual Saskatchewan Marathon this spring and White is looking forward to running further than he ever has before.
As part of his preparations, he’s joined Brainsport’s free virtual running clinic and says he appreciates how eager everyone in the running community has been to share advice with him.
“It’s really helpful to be running safely and also being motivated to keep getting out there,” he says. “I’m still super new to running and learning lots. But I’m really excited about it and I just love talking about it and also love the learning that comes with it.”
Do you know someone in Saskatchewan with an inspiring running story? Email Brainsport Times editor Andrea Hill at andrea@brainsport.ca.
