Ladies Without Limits: Something to Prove
Jessica Becker-Matthews might not look like the average athlete, but don't be too quick to judge.
"People assume that because you are a big girl, you don't move and you sit on the sofa and eat Bon Bons all day," she said.
Becker-Matthews said she's ready to prove those people wrong. Since she signed up for the Danskin Triathlon, she's put her best foot forward and worked hard to train for the 5K run, half-a-mile open-water swim and 12 mile bike ride.
"I have little girls, and I need to be with them, and I need to be a
good role model for them," she said.
Her sister Carol, who recently died of breast cancer, also serves as a fountain of inspiration. Moreover, Becker-Matthews wants to make a point on behalf of other women like herself.
"I know there's a lot of big women who have been teased and picked on," she said. "They are overwhelmed and discouraged from getting out there. Yeah, it's for them too."
She admits all the motivation in the world doesn't make the workouts easy. Biking and running up hills always present a challenge.
"I might be walking the three-and-a-half miles, and I'm okay with that," she said.
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Becker-Matthews said she knows the road ahead has its ups and downs, and twists and turns, but as far as she's concerned, she's already a winner.
"I've lost like a gazillion inches and I've dropped about four
sizes which is really cool," she said. "I am getting stronger on the inside."
Even more encouraging, she said she knows she's won in the eyes of all those watching, including her sister.
"I know she's watching," she said. "I think she would be very proud of me."