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When Mary Everett set out to participate in the Ki Chi Saga 15K this year, she had grand plans in mind.

And after five months of physical work and mental prep, Everett was able to breathe a sign of relief.

Back in April, Everett proposed an idea to her friends and family: She was going to participate in the 15K at Ki Chi Saga Days, but she wanted to get in better shape to do it. So, she asked friends and family to pledge money to Family Pathways per pound  that she lost in her five months from April to August.

Her thought process was that she'd be raising money for a good cause, and she'd also have a large support system behind her in her quest to shed a few pounds.

Everett's weight loss goal was 50 pounds, and she said this in her initial plea to her friends and family, "I believe this combination of mission, pride, guilt, love and hope will be enough to get me off the sofa, past the kitchen, and into my walking shoes. Even 50 pounds won't get me back to the shape I used to be in, but it will be a very strong start."

In the last few months, 52 folks answered the call and pledged amounts ranging from 25¢ to $100 per pound.

As of the race day weigh in, Everett will have lost 46 pounds in the 20 weeks, a "marvelous result", she said.

"I never would have done it without my support team challenge," she said before the race. "Knowing that every pound I lost meant more funding for Family Pathways' youth programming, food shelves, and senior services made it easy to resist temptation."

Although Everett didn't get an official time because she left the start at 6:30 a.m., well before the rest of the field as to not make the volunteers stick around for hours, she did finish the course with her two dear friends and said she was hoping to be able to run it with the field next year.

"I have to admit that I'm looking forward to having a pancake after the race to celebrate though!" Everett said right before race time. "Only one though -- I'm learning!"

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