Running with Angels: The Inspiring Journey of a Woman Who Turned Personal Tragedy Into Triumph Over Obesity

The inspiring journey of a woman who turned personal tragedy into triumph over obesity

On a beautiful April morning in 2001, Pamela Hansen decided to do something she hadn’t done for a very long time. She decided to walk. Fearful that she would not be able to take more than a few steps with her morbidly obese body, she was desperate to focus her attention on something other than the tragedies of her life – the death of an infant daughter, the cruel and debilitating autoimmune diseases that had attacked two other children, and finally the stillbirth of a son just a few weeks earlier. The first walk, which lasted just 10 minutes, was the beginning of an amazing journey that ultimately led to a 100-pound weight loss (without surgery or pills) and the fulfillment of her dream to run a marathon.

In Running with Angels, Pam shares both her struggles and her success, using the marathon race as a metaphor for facing life’s challenges. She candidly discusses the pain of living with obesity and the hopelessness that accompanies it. More important, she offers practical suggestions for anyone trying to reach a goal, particularly a goal of weight loss, and shows how small steps over time can help you realize your dreams.

Pamela H. Hansen grew up in Salt Lake City. She graduated from Brigham Young University in elementary education. Although the majority of her life as a mother has been spent at home, she has taught first and second grades, as well as adult ESL (English as a Second Language) classes. She lives with her husband, Mark, in Orem, Utah, where they are raising five children. She has completed two marathons.