Finish line that once seemed unreachable now in sight for inspired teen

You can lead a 16-year-old kid to a 5k race, but you can’t make him run it.

When Calvary Chapel Spring Valley church held its first 5k last year, James Vyvyan never crossed the finish line. Or the start line. He volunteered to hand out water instead. Because that’s what chubby kids do.

One year later, the timed race is back and so is James, 50 pounds lighter. All it took to make a runner out of the teenager was a 5k he didn’t run.

“I wanted to know what it would be like to be healthy for my senior year,” he says, “and the rest of my life.”

So he did like Forrest and started running. But first, he had to beg his mom for a gym membership.

Before I get to what came next, absorb that for a moment. Of all the things he could beg for, this kid chose fitness. I hope all the parents out there aren’t just envying James’ mom, but applauding her, too. No? Watch an episode of “Teen Mom” and then tell me how you feel. It’s not a reality show about moms of teens, rather teens who are moms. There you go, put your hands together for James’ mom.

Back to the gym membership. The way he tells it, when you’re overweight, a building full of cardio machines is thought of more as a place fit people go, not a place people go to get fit. Translation: It’s highly intimidating.

“I always wanted to lose weight but hadn’t yet,” he says. “I let healthy people scare me away from the gym.”

But this time around would be different. Once his mom agreed to the membership fee, he had to use it. In his first gym visit, the now-17-year-old didn’t know what to do, so he hopped on a treadmill. One hour and five miles later, he’d surpassed the distance of the 5k he never thought he could finish.

It was a physical, mental and spiritual awakening. His body proved his mind wrong. Each new day became an opportunity for the new James to shed the old James. He wanted to see how far and fast he could run. He lost 30 pounds in three months.

The last 20 weren’t so cooperative. That’s when the Calvary Chapel Christian School student called on his faith.

In particular, James found inspiration through Hebrews verse 12:1-2. “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”

“I would want to give up and the Lord would totally strengthen me,” James says. “Now my life motto is to finish the race strong.”

Before his turnaround, James was part of the 18 percent of adolescents age 12 to 19 who were obese in this country. He was just one more story that inspired first lady Michelle Obama to launch the “Let’s Move” initiative aimed at raising a healthier generation of kids.

Remember when first ladies urged kids to say no to drugs, not diabetes? That was some 30 years ago. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, childhood obesity has more than doubled since then.

James lived, like so many kids today, a sedentary lifestyle. He spent hours on the couch, watching “The Amazing Race” and “X Factor.” When he moved from the couch, he sat in front of a computer, clicking around on blogs, Facebook and Instagram. After that, he might mosey on over to In-N-Out and order a Double-Double with cheese fries.

It just took one event to change his life. Passing out water to healthy people at a 5k he could have run, but didn’t.

Now, James and his friends hang out at the gym. He’s training for a half-marathon in Virginia City this summer. When he hits an In-N-Out, he orders his burger protein style, no fries.

And, last but not least, he has a very important race to run April 20: the Second Annual Running with the Lions Community 5k.

He’s ready to drink the water, not serve it, and run the 5k, not watch it. He’s ready to finish the race strong.

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For more information on the Second Annual Running with the Lions 5k, visit ccspringvalley.org/rl5k/.

Contact Xazmin Garza at xgarza@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0477. Follow her on Twitter @startswithanx.