Penny Rodrique will be the first one to tell you that she has gained and lost hundreds of pounds during her lifetime—all in 10 pound increments. She refers to herself as the former Queen of Yo-Yo dieting. "I have struggled with a weight problem my entire life. I was always on a diet, or feeling guilty about cheating on my diet." Finally after trying every quick fix out there Penny became serious and spent some time at Duke University’s Diet and Fitness Center in Durham, North Carolina.

There she learned about eating in moderation paired with a good exercise program.  She also learned to identify why she was eating when hunger had nothing to do with it. “Rarely did I eat because I was hungry. I ate because I was happy, sad, bored, lonely, stressed, etc. Needless to say Duke changed my relationship with food."

Because of Penny’s personal struggle with weight, she understands why we are the most obese state in the nation. “I want to help others see that there is something we can do to get healthier and have fun doing it. It is all about little choices each day that add up to big changes in your health and appearance.”

So combine this with her love for education and TA-DA—the Mind, Body and Spirit Foundation was created. “I started running half-marathons and marathons and noticed quite a few of the runners were raising money for different charities. I wanted to raise money for teacher education but there were not any group focusing on promoting education as a profession. So that is when it struck me. We could address the two biggest problems facing the state of Mississippi and have fun doing it. So I met with a few close friends who share my concerns for Mississippi’s, future and we formed the Mind, Body and Spirit Foundation.”

Their first race together was the Mardi Gras Marathon on February 1, 2009. “We raised a decent amount of money and had a blast doing it! Now everyone is hooked on running.” At work they started a district-wide walking/running club to involve the teachers and students and they are recruiting other community members to join them in training for upcoming races.

In January 2009, Penny ran the Disney World Marathon with her daughter, and she has challenged the founders of the Mind, Body and Spirit to be ready for their first marathon by the end of 2010. She has no doubt this group will be ready and willing!

"2009 was a great year for me.  I started the year off running a 5K Race that began at the stroke of midnight and finished the year with a great group of family and friends at the Rock and Roll Marathon in San Antonio, TX.  But 2010 is going to be even better!  Once again I rang in the new year with a midnight run, then I celebrated Martin Luther King Holiday with good friends at the Half Marathon in Phoenix, AZ." 

February will see the Mind, Body & Spirit group back in New Orleans at the Mardi Gras Marathon and they plan to wrap-up the year in December with their first group marathon in Las Vegas.