Welcome (or welcome back!) to my Friday FITspiration blog series! Several Fridays during each month, I share inspiring stories of ordinary people doing extraordinary things to be better tomorrow than they were yesterday. These are people just like you and me who believe in redefining what’s possible. They’re making choices every day to be as fit and healthy as they can be … in both huge ways and through simple, small victories. And they’re sure to help inspire all of us to do the same.

“Just get out there and start doing it. Set small goals. Don’t let your mind play games with you. Always use the 2 positive words that start with ‘C’ and ‘W.’ CAN and WILL not Can’t and Won’t.” ~Ryan Dixon

Today, I’d like you to meet Ryan Dixon from Dixion Running. After being told by doctors he would never be able to run again, he is currently on a quest to complete 3 marathons in 4 weeks. Ryan’s story reminds us that we have the determination deep inside ourselves to overcome the greatest challenges. Check out my interview with this inspiring and determined runner.

How long have you been running, and what inspired you to start?
I’ve been running since 1988 when I was talked into trying out for my high school cross country team.  At the time, I was completely focused on basketball and thought I could use cross country as a conditioning tool to get ready for the season. I ended up falling in love with everything about running, which caused basketball to take a back seat.

Finish this sentence: I run because _____________.
I run because I love getting out on that open road or trail with just myself and my thoughts.

What is your favorite race distance? Why?
My favorite distance is 13.1 miles. The half-marathon is the perfect distance that can push you to exhaustion, yet with the correct training, you can challenge the course and defeat it using your own will and discipline.

What running/racing accomplishment are you most proud of?
That is a tough one to answer. Before 2010, my proudest running/racing moment was being crowned the 1991 Nebraska State Grand Champion in the 400 meters. But still trumping that would be what happened on October 17, 2010, when I completed my first marathon.

What is the hardest challenge you have had to overcome? How did you do it?
My hardest challenge is the reason I’m running my races this year. In the winter of 2001, I fell victim to a life-changing event that almost cost me my life. An unfortunate accident caused me to be trapped for hours outside in below freezing temperatures. If the temperature had been just 5 degrees different, I would not be here sharing this story.

So waking up in the hospital, I was very lucky and blessed. But what was the cost? Frostbite on both of my hands and my left foot. The seriousness of the frostbite required skin grafts to both hands and the front pad of my foot. I lost my big toe and half of the toe next to it. The next 31 days while I lay in a hospital bed, I endured the most humbling experiences I’ve ever gone through. To prevent my hands from losing their flexibility while waiting on surgery, they were both placed in braces and bandaged down to my elbows. I wasn’t able to do anything. My nurses fed me all of my meals, bathed me, etc. My first surgery was to complete the skin grafts on my hands and to test the grafts for my foot. The surgery was a success and the next step was physical therapy. Who would have thought that something like rolling clay out on a tray and touching my fingertips together would take so much out of me? That alone felt like I just completed a marathon when I was done to the point that I would literally sleep for hours afterward. I stuck with it and listened to everything my therapist had me do. My second surgery was the most heart-wrenching. The amputation of my toes. Another fortunate outcome though. For a week there was talk of taking my entire foot if the first surgery wasn’t successful. I was told by doctors that I would most likely walk with a cane due to the big toe being monumental in maintaining balance. The odds weren’t in my favor. I will always remember my doctor telling me: “You came through and everything looks great! Do exactly what your physical therapist tells you and you’ll recover just fine. If you do not use a cane, you’ll probably walk with a limp and there definitively won’t be any marathons or anything like that in your future, but that’s better than the alternative that we almost went through.”

A few more weeks passed as I continued to heal. Learning how to walk again was another task that would leave me exhausted just going from the bed to the door of my room. But, within a day, I was walking down the hallway. By the morning I left the hospital, I could walk a lap around the entire floor. I was determined.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to start running or who thinks they can’t do it?
My advice would be to just get out there and start doing it. Set small goals and continue to increase with each challenge that you successfully complete. Join a running group, and don’t let your mind play games with you. Always use the 2 positive words that start with ‘C’ and ‘W.’ CAN and WILL vs. Can’t and Won’t.

What is your running mantra(s)?
No one is going to tell me what I can or cannot do with my physical ability. I’ll let my body determine that on its own.

What running gear do you never run without?
I have to have my Sauconys and cannot survive without my music!

What keeps you hydrated and fueled the best (us runners are always looking for the best tips and secrets on nutrition!)?
During my day, I will make sure to take in at least 100 oz of water daily. For my eating, I will eat 5 to 6 meals per day with a carb and protein at every meal, adding veggies for my last 3 meals of the day.

When training, I use a handheld hydration bottle. For my long runs, I park my car in a central location for where I’m running. I keep Gatorade in a lunch bag with ice to keep it cool. I will stop at my car every 5 miles to fuel up.

What’s on your iPod right now?
The question is what isn’t on my iPod right now? Jay-Z & Kanye West, Daft Punk, Rage Against the Machine, Selah Sue, Kaskade , The Roots.

What are you most passionate about? What inspires you the most in life?
I’m most passionate about giving everything that I do 100 percent. I almost lost my life and was given a second chance to live. I will live this life to the fullest. My inspiration comes from my survival and from my family. Every morning when I open my eyes, I am inspired knowing I have the support system in place that’s standing behind me every step of the way.

What is one thing most people would be surprised to know about you?
My blog was originally created to act as a journal for myself. I wanted to keep a full log of all of my activities so I can re-visit them to remember the hard work that was put in place for this feat.

What are your 3 favorite running blogs or Web sites?

• Molly On The Run
• Running 4TheMasses
• rUnladylike (Isn’t Ryan sweet???)

What else should we know about you?
I plan on hanging up my running shoes in about 5 years after I complete the Keys 100 ultra-marathon in Florida.

How can people connect with you?

• Facebook: www.facebook.com\dixonrunning
• Twitter: www.twitter.com\dixonrunning
• Blog: www.dixonrunning.wordpress.com

Thank you Ryan for sharing your story with us! I can’t wait to watch you continue to defy the odds with your running. We’ll be following your running journey!

If you or someone you know would be a great candidate for Friday FITspiration, email me at info@runladylike.com.

What inspires you most about Ryan’s story? How do you stay positive and determined in the face of challenge?