They say a picture is worth a thousand words. For Aultman College’s Jen Penso, it was worth a lot more – better health, lots of happiness – and 30 pounds!

“My mother-in-law had given me her memory card so I could save some pictures of my daughter,” Jen explained. “I started looking through them and found a very unflattering photo of me. That picture was my motivation to get serious.”

Jen wasn’t just concerned about the number on the scale, though. Knowing that obesity and high blood pressure were family issues, she was more concerned about her health.

“Before I had my daughter, I never really had to worry about my weight,” she recalled. “And, after I had her, I was too busy to eat right and exercise – and I just wasn’t focused on taking care of myself.”

Ready to make her health a priority, Jen started doing the Couch to 5K running plan in April of 2016. “I had always been interested in running and had tried to start several times,” she explained. “But I always started out too fast and then never kept up with it.”

Using her lunch breaks to run, Jen found it was easy to keep up with the running program. She also started eating right - watching her portion sizes and eating plenty of protein to fuel her new habit. And, to make sure she stayed motivated, she signed up for her very first 5K run in May.

After finishing that first race, she was hooked – and signed up for 10 more 5Ks and a 10K race. In addition, she participated on a relay team with fellow Aultman College employees at the Akron Marathon. Jen has made running part of her routine, getting up before the sun four days each week to get her mileage in.

“I have found that I really enjoy running,” Jen explained. “I look forward to it and I just love that high that you get after finishing a run.”

Jen also loves the 30-pound weight loss that has resulted from her new hobby – in less than one year! “So many people have asked me what I am doing,” she said. “And, a few old friends who hadn’t seen me for a while said that they didn’t even recognize me!”

It’s not just about her slimmed-down figure, however. Losing weight and getting healthier have allowed Jen to gain so much more. “I have more energy and I just feel so much better now,” she explained. “I love knowing that I am taking care of my health - for me and for my family. And, I’m proud that I can set a good example for my daughter.”

Jen’s 3-year-old daughter, Aubrey - and her husband, Mike – have been Jen’s biggest supporters over the past year. “Aubrey loves to cheer me on at my races – she gets so excited and always wants to wear my medals afterward!” she said. Jen credits her success to the amount of support she continues to receive from her family and friends. 

“Mike has been so supportive of my new lifestyle,” she explained. “My parents share my Facebook posts and say how proud they are of me. And my mother-in-law has been great, helping out with Aubrey when I have a race or need time to train.”

Jen’s friends and co-workers at Aultman College have been super supportive, too. In fact, a former co-worker encouraged Jen to sign up for her first half-marathon this past month. “I was ready for the next step and wanted something to keep me motivated,” Jen recalled.

So, on April 2, she hit the pavement at the Union Hospital Run for Home, finishing her very first 13.1-mile race in 2 hours and 13 minutes. “I was really nervous before the race, but I ended up having a blast and I was very happy with my time!”

In fact, Jen had so much fun that she is doing another half-marathon this coming weekend! She will lace up her shoes again this Sunday, April 30 at the Pro Football HOF Marathon. And that’s not all. “To keep me motivated, I signed up for two more 5Ks in May,” Jen continued. “And I am also doing the Akron Marathon Series, so I’ll be doing an 8K race in June, a 10K in August and the Akron half in September.”

And, what about that photo that motivated her to start running just about a year ago?! “I still keep it around for extra motivation,” Jen said. “But, I never want to go back to that!”