Erin McDonald started a life-changing journey by simply walking out her door one January day earlier this year.

Little did she know it would be the first step down a path to a healthier and happier life.

Forty five minutes later, McDonald returned to her Waterford home determined and motivated to become a better version of herself.

She committed to her new routine and new mindset, and traded in bad habits for good ones. Not an easy thing for a busy 41-year old mother of three.

As of last weekend, she had lost 141 pounds.

On Saturday, McDonald will be running in her 10th 5-kilometer race since March, participating in the Charity 5K at the Eversource Hartford Marathon event. She’s honored to be selected by the Hartford Marathon Foundation as one of 11 people to represent the 2023 Inspiration Team.

And it’s all because she decided to take a walk.

“I needed to make a change,” McDonald said. “It was an epiphany moment. … It was a rough day. One night, I just went on a walk and I walked for a good 45 minutes. It was a very slow moving walk, but I did it.

“When I came back, I felt better. I just like the way when I came back my head was clear and I was able to do things and calmed down. In the past, I would have chosen to maybe sit down and just watch TV and have a snack or something. And that day I didn’t. … Then I went on another walk and it just continued from there.”

McDonald is still on her inspirational journey.

Quite an accomplishment for someone who was active growing up but didn’t play sports.

McDonald never took part in a road race until March.

On a whim, McDonald signed up for a local 5K and enjoyed the experience. She took her time, finishing in about an hour.

“I felt very accomplished after doing it and just proud of myself, which is not something that I ever really felt so I enjoyed that,” McDonald said. “After that, I decided to do at least one 5K a month.”

McDonald, a preschool teacher, has topped that goal.

This weekend, she’ll run on two 5Ks, with the second one Addy’s Run in Waterford on Sunday.

“Knowing how great I feel after a run keeps me going,” McDonald said.

Her new exercise routine wasn’t the only change that McDonald made in her life. Her eating habits improved.

She’s undergone a remarkable transformation in a relatively short period of time.

“I was morbidly obese and I had Type 2 Diabetes and I was on high blood pressure medicine,” McDonald said. “My blood pressure when I went to the doctor’s at my highest weight was at stroke level. Now I am no longer on high blood pressure medication. My blood pressure is right where it is supposed to be and I’m no longer considered a diabetic.

“It is a huge transformation and I feel amazing.”

McDonald has more energy to tackle her day and keep up with her children – ages 14, 11 and 4.

And she no longer avoids being in photos.

“I didn’t ever have many pictures of my children and I together just because I never wanted to be in them,” McDonald said. “Now I jump in them. It has helped my girls – at 14 and 11 you get those body image issues – be more open to be in the pictures and be more active.”

Every day is still a challenge for McDonald to stick to her healthy lifestyle.

Her family, including husband Michael who also runs, are her biggest cheerleaders and help her keep on track.

“My kids and my husband are wonderful,” McDonald said. “If I say I’m going (for a run) and I don’t want to go, they will help me get out the door.”

She encourages others to take that first step of going for a walk.

It could be life-changing.

Just ask McDonald.

“My hope is to motivate people,” McDonald said. “If I can get one person to put their health in order, I’ve done what I’ve wanted to do. It’s taking time for yourself. Everybody needs to know that it is okay to take time for yourself.

“Mental health plays a big part, too. These walks and runs help with that. And just know you can do it. It doesn’t matter how long it takes. Slow is still finishing, slow is still doing. And I went very slow on the first ones.”

g.keefe@theday.com