Rosemarie Hernandez Jeanpierre, LPN, knows timing can mean everything. And when she's up late at night watching the 2008 Olympics, she sees a lot of herself in the athletes, even though she's lost more than 100 pounds over the last few years.

The 44-year-old wound-care nurse at Western Convalescent Hospital in Los Angeles, Jeanpierre, had been forced to lose an excessive amount of weight after a not-so-routine health screening in 2003 revealed she was living with prediabetes.

"It had been about a year since my father had died from a massive heart attack when I went for my checkup," said the Philippine native, who has admittedly struggled with obesity her entire life and has weighed in as high as 220 pounds. "He was still in his 60s, and I was concerned about my health. I can't say I was surprised to learn of my condition because I was an overeater for so many years. But that was a wake-up call for me; that was a turning point in my life where I knew I had to do something about my health."

Now an avid competitive runner, today Jeanpierre is a healthy nurse who not only helps patients manage their healthcare through nursing practice, she serves as a role model for those who are trying to lose weight and regain control of their lives.

Over the past year, she's ran in more than 50 competitive races, winning the Fontana Day Run, reportedly the world's fastest half-marathon, for her age range (40-44-year-olds), completing the event in 1 hour, 47 minutes. Most recently, she competed in the San Francisco Marathon, completing the race with her best career time for a marathon - 4 hours, 25 minutes.

Though a healthy athlete now, the effort and dedication it took to get to where she is was like running a marathon in and of itself.

"It's been so hard . I developed such low self-esteem as early as the fourth grade, when I was the heaviest student in my class," Jeanpierre relates. "But I never gave up. I knew God would bless me abundantly for being able to show my compassion for others who were dealing with the same problems."

The Race To Good Health
Jeanpierre's commitment to adopt a healthier lifestyle officially began a day after her screening, when she went to her local library to research nutrition and fitness.

"I immediately began monitoring my calorie intake," she said. "I had been consuming around 5,000-6,000 calories a day, and I cut that down to about 1,800 right away. Eventually, I was down to 1,500. I also started exercising - walking - every day, incorporating the lighter food intake with my exercise. Soon, I was walking two miles a day."

Sticking to a diet (comprised mostly of fruits and vegetables) that she paired with her exercise routine, Jeanpierre had lost literally half her weight within a year, shedding 110 pounds from her petite, 5-foot, 2-inch frame.

Hitting Her Stride
By then, Jeanpierre had decided to turn her exercising hobby into much more when, after receiving encouragement from her nephew, an experienced marathon runner, she entered her first race, the Los Angeles Marathon, in 2005.

By then she was running five miles each day. She said she completed her first competitive race (26.2 miles) in fewer than 7 hours without any difficulties or cramping, which she contributes to proper training.

"I made it, and that was the most fulfilling reward that I have ever accomplished in my life," Jeanpierre said, fighting back tears.

Today, she participates in five full marathons per year and has set new, lofty goals.

"I want to qualify for the Boston Marathon, but it's going to be so hard," she said. "I have to [finish a marathon] within 3 hours, 55 minutes for my age division [to qualify]. I know it's going to be tough though, because, after losing so much weight, I have a lot of extra skin. Every stride I feel it; I feel the skin flapping . I have so much excess weight on my lower body, which really disturbs me while I'm running, so I have to wear compression shorts, which can be incredibly hot."

Still, Jeanpierre said she remains determined to overcome this challenge as well.

Her Patients, Her Fans
A spiritual individual, Jeanpierre said she believes her success is not due to just her own determination, but the result of God's will, her family's love, and the friendship and support she has received from her "lovely patients she has cared for the last16 years.

"The stories I share encourage my patients to do more for their rehab, and to stay active," she said. "Sometimes, I do participate in exercising with my patients when I'm not too busy with nursing."

She said their tremendous support at the facility is like having them on the sidelines.

"I've learned so much from my residents through their own stories," she continued. "They have just been so supportive and encouraging. They are just so happy for me every time I share some good news. I feel their support every step of the way."

Conversely, her success has motivated patients and co-workers to improve personal exercise routines and run races.

"I was able to motivate one of my co-workers, who is a diabetic, into running a marathon," Jeanpierre said. "I'm just so happy for her because she's setting a good example as well. Even people from therapy tell me they ran three miles her or six miles there. It's just such a rewarding experience."

"I have a habit of telling people not to give up hope," she said. "'Stay hopeful and always believe in yourself,' I like to say. I've always had compassion for others. I've just always felt that nursing was my calling. I'm so glad I'm in this field because I am able to express my compassion for others. I just love the feeling of helping others, especially those living in a nursing home."

Lauren Jennings is an editorial intern at ADVANCE.