Went out for another 60 minute run last night. Looks like Monday wasn't a fluke -- I really CAN do this! Apparently, I really have joined the ranks of 10K runners.
Over the course of last night's run, I averaged 5:41 per kilometer, which is a slight improvement over the 5:43 from Week 6 Run 1 on Monday. Correspondingly, my total distance was slightly longer -- 10.6 km (up from 10.5 km on Monday). I'm not going to do a timed 10K run until I properly finish the Bridge-to-10K plan (one run left!!), but from these numbers, I can expect to finish in 57 minutes +/- 10 seconds. Not super-speedy... but not bad, either!
It's also worth noting that I have dropped below the 11 stone mark. When I started Couch-to-5K last year, I was a 15.5 stone. Thanks to the running, the swimming (2000 - 2500 meters on the "rest days" from running), and calorie-count dieting, I've dropped 4.5 stone in just over a year. Not too shabby! BMI has dropped ten points (34.7 -> 24.7) and I am no longer considered overweight. Just eleven more pounds to go to reach my target weight of 10 stone 3 pounds.
[Translation, for those who prefer kilograms: I peaked at 98 kg and have dropped to 70 kg, with just 5 kg left to reach my target of 65 kg.]
Still hard to believe how far I've come. Last year, running for 60 _seconds_ was a major challenge; now running for 60 _minutes_ is less strenuous than that once was. Thank you, Couch-to-5K!
Written by
IronMatt
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That's amazing! Congratulations on making those massive changes to your life!
My goal is a 60 minute run too- still seems very far away though! I've also got another 20lbs to lose (dropped 15lb already) so it's really good to hear from someone who's come out on the other side. Well done!
It's been a lot of hard work, and it's taken time -- about a year now! My goal has been to lose a pound a week, and I've kept just slightly ahead of that. But definitely keep at it, because tis well worth it in the end!
The funny thing is that, having lost about 30% of my body weight, people keep asking me what the "secret" is. With all the different fad diets and weight loss around, they seem genuinely shocked when I explain that I've done nothing beyond the very simple, very traditional formula of "eat less, exercise more."
I'm particularly impressed by your weight loss stats. 24 kg in nine months is fantastic! I've been keeping to my target loss rate of a pound a week, so it has taken me a bit longer. Even so, tis hard work! So, yes, I definitely appreciate your own level of discipline!
Thanks! It hasn't been easy, but it has been worth it!
Can't wait until the last 11 pounds are gone and I can move from "weight loss" mode into "weight maintenance" mode. I worked out my basal metabolic rate, and used that to estimate my daily calorie burn, assuming a sedentary lifestyle. Then, since I'm not being sedentary, I factor in each day's exercise on an individual basis -- yesterday's run burned 853 calories, today's lunchtime swim burned 658 calories, and so on. They say that 3500 calories equals a pound. I don't know how true this is, but I've been aiming to consume 500 less calories each day than I burn, adding up to my target weight loss rate of a pound each week. It's hard work, but seems to be working pretty well.
Of course, what this means is that, once I achieve my target weight, I can eat 500 calories more each day! Since I'm currently eating about 2000 calories per day in weight loss mode, this means about 25% more food when I switch to weight maintenance! Hooray!
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Week 8? Or 6? Run 1? Or 2? 
Week 6 Run 2 
Week 6 Run 2 Completed, and ready to quit :-(
5.5k run for Bridge to 10k
