2014 is going to be a challenging year!

[Legion]

Not sure if I blogged my New Year's Day run as I can't find it now, so this could be my first c25k blog of 2014. To recap, I did a PB 5K on Christmas Day, had a lovely family walk on Boxing Day, and was taken very ill the day after. I now know that the symptoms I've been suffering with intermittently since August 2011 are due to diverticular disease and that I've just had (and am still recovering from) diverticulitis. After the initial excruciating pain died down, I spent several days feeling exhausted, mostly sleeping in between trips to the loo, and didn't manage to run again until New Year's Day. I went out then, despite the wind and rain, desperate for a run, taking it very gently and having no plan other than to get out. I was delighted that I managed a 5K run and had a lot of laughs running through deceptively deep puddles.

I have a number of health and fitness goals for 2014, although I may have to be flexible with them now I also have to live with DD.

Goals

Run 500 miles (10 miles per week, on average)

Lose 1lb per week (on average) to reach my target weight by the end of the year

Take part in Jantastic, 5x50, my first Parkrun and other events, to keep me motivated

Work my way from running 5K to 10K

Run a sub-11 minute/mile 5K, or at least for one mile if that's over-ambitious

Start cycling again (if my knees don't protest) and other healthy activities

Previously

In 2013, I covered around 200 miles, although I didn't run much throughout a large part of the year

Since I started c25k in July 2012, I have lost 26lbs

I've also lost 2" off my waist, 2.5" off my hips and 2" off my bust

I did my second run of 2014 today, and my first run for Jantastic, running 5K (in 2x 1 mile runs and 1x 1.1 miles). I also did lots of walking, making the most of a day off work with a break in the weather and a chance to run in daylight. I got the unexpected bonus of Garmin telling me I had covered 10K in total, and therefore now have a PB target (albeit half walking at this point) to aim for.

I'm feeling very positive about losing the rest of this excess weight this year, and reasonably positive about running it off, although the latter may be dictated at points by my intestines. Diverticular disease seems to be best managed by a healthy diet, eating in moderation, and keeping hydrated, all of which go hand in hand with my weight loss goals. I just need this current epsiode to settle down so that I can eat a more regular diet and then try to avoid future episodes of diverticulitis. I'm certainly incentivised not to aggravate it again, if a bit worried about it at present.

As always, I want to end with thanks to the amazing HU community for giving me the motivation, encouragement and support that you always do. I know that I wouldn't have got this far without you. Thank you, and may your own journeys in 2014 provide fulfillment and the positive outcomes your efforts deserve.

[lemondoodle]

It sounds like you've a really positive attitude to your diagnosis, picking out the positives that align with the health and weight loss goals you already had. Good luck with all your amazing goals for this year.

[Hidden]

The very best of luck reaching your goals, you are really doing the best you can to secure a healthy 2014

[lizziebeth57 Graduate]

Well Legion you have set yourself some fantastic goals for 2014 and made a good start already

It's understandable that you are a bit worried but hopefully your diverticulitis will settle down soon and your healthy diet and lifestyle will mean few or no reoccurrences. You have done really well this last year, starting (and keeping on )running and losing almost 2 stones... Wow!