Got there!

[Beads]

At 09.39 on 8.8.12 I googled ‘lardy couch potato to 5k’. I’d been perusing the MoneySavingExpert site for free/cheap things to do with the kids and C25K came up, I didn’t know what it was.

At 12.51 I found the podcasts and downloaded them to my iPod and by 12.52 had found this forum.

Running is something I’d never really contemplated seriously, I’d always been ‘chubby’, even at school and found the running part of sports hard. I’d looked at people running in the streets and thought ‘rather you than me’ or words of that ilk. However I was just over halfway through my weight loss journey and feeling the strain and needed extra exercise to keep me going.

In Tesco that afternoon I bought a pair of trainers, just cheap tesco branded ones. I did do exercise before this, just not with trainers on (trampolining, gym, swimming, cycling, I either wore socks or normal shoes). Came home, put the shopping away and went out for W1R1.

So where have I got to in the last year? Just looking at MapMyRun 'lifetime stats', since I started logging my runs (end of August last year) I've run over a thousand kilometres (199.44k on the treadmill (if I'd known it was so close to a round number I would have done the extra 0.56k this morning) and a whopping 812.32k outside along the streets and footpaths, mainly near home but occasionally elsewhere)!!!! That's from here (South London) to Scotland and back again, or for the 'locals' just over 5 times round the M25!

What have I got out of it? I'm fitter than I was before, slimmer and weigh less than I ever have in my adult life and I've been outside in all weathers exploring the local area. We've lived here for 12 years now and I'm still finding new paths and saying 'so that's where this goes'. On yesterday's struggle (it wasn't a good run) I spotted cows up the other end of a footpath between 2 houses, I'm going to have to go and explore that soon!

Where am I going? Where ever my feet and legs can take me!

[Beads Graduate]

p.s. I've analysed it and would still find the running part of sports hard, that's because it's equivalent to the 'first 5 minutes' which is still a hard part of every run, even the stupendous ones!

[sarahb_20]

what an inspirational story! thanks for sharing and well done with your achievement!

[greenlegs Graduate]

Great blog, Beads! Over a thousand km! Wow!

I love the way that you know the exact time and even what you googled to get started! Runners and stats... though surprising that you didn't notice that 200 km coming up with the treadmill - how annoying!

[Beads Graduate in reply to greenlegs]

I had to go into my browser history to look it up, it wasn't off the top of my head!

[Oldgirl Graduate]

What a smashing post Beads and a heck of a lot of running you have done too. Its wonderful just how it has changed many of our lives, long may we all be able to run.

[ancientrunner Graduate]

Brilliant - who knows where you will have been in another year.

[ju-ju- Graduate]

Totally inspirational blog... Well done you!! That's quite some miles you've put in.. I agree, I have never explored the area we live until now, and it's amazing what you can discover on a run!!!

[OldNed Graduate]

Excellent. That's quite some history and I agree that running takes you all over the place. I've lived in Sheffield since 1968 and through running I'm constantly discovering new bits. Keep on keeping on!

[DeliaItaly Graduate]

Fantastic story Beads and Happy anniversary too!

[Hidden]

Fab blog Beads, happy anniversary!

I'm guessing the Tesco trainers didn't last the 1000 kms!

[Beads Graduate in reply to Hidden]

No, no where near! They were replaced with proper running shoes at the end of week 3 in the plan!!! And those ones were replaced about a month ago!

[Beads Graduate]

Thanks for all the replies! It's this encouragement which helps us all!