1 Year on :-)

Time for an annual appraisal as it is now 1 year since i stopped smoking

IT took some doing but i finally stopped on the 1st of february last year. I then started to walk everyother day to try and get fitter and healthier , then i was walking everyday 3-4miles each day , I already knew about C25K from a colleague at work but always thought I can't run ,blimey i had been a couch potato and some for the last 20-30 years , eating unhealthly drinking to much coffee etc etc etc etc

It started off with thinking to myself well ok lets see if you can jog a little, so i did and felt all of that extra waistline wiggling about , not a pleasant site i can imagine , but i did manage to jog for a very short distance then walked abit more and jogged a bit more . So i then thought F**k it i will give it go and start C25K ,what had i got to lose??? Nothing is the answer .

So in september 2014 i started off on week1 run 1 ,this was after an abortive try with the app which was somehow lagging and almost doubling the run times , no wonder i was so kanckered lol, i then got the podcasts and of course the lovely laura and found this forum and off i went .

9 weeks later WOW to my amazement and astonishment i had only gone and graduated and was fast becoming addicted to running , I posted here after each run ,which now seems a bit much lol but everyone and i do mean everyone here was so supportive and encouraging, I as never really alone even though i ran on my own

From there it has spiralled and spiralled to not just running 5k, i am now looking at 10K and who knows what beyond , my times for 5k have come down and down from 37mins to a Runkeeper recorded 30:58 .I now run at parkrun pretty much every saturday, my 1st was on Christmas day and havent looked back since , and my PB there is now 31:20

I love running and how it has changed me as a person not just physiclaly aut mentally as well ,i am alot stronger minded than i ever thought I now eat better I sleep better and feel so much better in myself and about myself .

This is all down to running !!! or should i say taking those 1st steps of C25K when peoeple say it is live changing you dont realise how right there are

So a really big thank you to all here you take the time to reply to my posts and continue to be encouraging and supportive and offer advise from their experiences . Heres to the next wonderful year of being a non smoker and everything that running will bring to me

I'll shut up now ..

[Folliegirl Graduate]

Congratulations ... Keep up the good work and more importantly, Happy Running!!

[Hidden in reply to Folliegirl]

Thanks Folliegirl same to you

[Ullyrunner Graduate]

Congratulations on giving up smoking for a year NotsoslowRob! It is fantastic what a difference this running makes to us in all sorts of unexpected ways. Here's to another great year ahead!

[Hidden in reply to Ullyrunner]

Thank you Ully

[pot58 Graduate]

It's always great to read how others have succeeded through c25k and your post even more so!!! Giving up smoking is hard..although not a smoker myself I know enough people who have tried...and failed..so a double whammy!!! Here's to a great second year for you!!!

[Hidden in reply to pot58]

Thank you Pot I am certainly making up for lost time now

[Melly2 Graduate]

Congratulations on your smoking free year: it must have been a serious challenge for you but will surely only make you see so many more benefits in years to come! And of course your not so slow times keep getting better!

[Hidden in reply to Melly2]

Thanks Melly

[poppypug Graduate]

Aww Rob, A massive Congratulations to you, A BIG FAT ONE YEAR OF BEING SMOKE FREE Yay !

It has been a absolute pleasure reading of your progress on here. You are such a supportive , lovely guy and you deserve good things to happen to you.

Keep going Rob, I wish you all the very best in all your future running adventures xxx

[Hidden in reply to poppypug]

Thank you so much poppy always a real pleasure to see your replies xxx

[Atalaya Graduate]

What a lovely post and an inspiration to all. Well done slowrob.

[Hidden in reply to Atalaya]

thank you Atalaya

[Hidden]

Yep, that's inspiring. Really well done. I hope that I'll be writing a similar thing in a year's time. One year smoke free is wonderful, and what I'm hoping is with the running it doesn't feel like you're missing something but rather that you've gained so much more

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Thank you Gludwig you are so right about gaining something and gaining so much more

I am sure you will write something similar in a year you will amaze yourself at what you can do !!

[useitorloseit Graduate]

Aww Rob - what a lovely post! I felt a bit like a mum watching her child blossom and grow up, having watched all your posts from day one. I'm lagging behind you a bit now, but still out there doing my thing and now YOU are inspiring ME.

[Hidden in reply to useitorloseit]

aaw thanks useit i am a very late starter but have found that something in life that has opened up a whole new world and a new direction for me and couldn't have done it with out everyone here !!

I am touched that you say i inspire you now .thank you so much

[Toonlou24 Graduate]

What a lovely post. Don't shut up. We love hearing!!! You've done so well. You are inspiring me to keep going and working on my speed. Well done. You're a star!! X

[Hidden in reply to Toonlou24]

Thank you Toon You will do it one day soon should have brought my new shoes sooner haha

[S_J_B Graduate]

Amazing - well done you

[Hidden in reply to S_J_B]

thank you S_J_B

[no-excuse Graduate]

A wonderful post Rob and very inspirational for new runners to see what you have achieved. Well done on giving up smoking. You are so right when you say how life changing the C25k programme is, its fantastic, but at the end of the day it's you who has done it. x

[Hidden in reply to no-excuse]

Thank you no-excuse I may have done it but it has been with the support of all on here and that is something you cannot put a value on

I hope others who are starting out do read it and start to believe in themselves and the program and go on to acheive as much and more than me x

[Slookie Graduate]

Oh dear, something in my eye. Just going off to give it a wipe. I love a good success story me.

[Hidden in reply to Slookie]

i have plenty of tissues

[AndyD Graduate]

Great stuff Rob... what a difference a year makes. Tough enough giving up the fags let alone throwing running into the mix. It will be really interesting to see where we all are in another 12 months

I think stories like yours is what makes this site different to others as we all have our own journeys and we represent a wide range of ages and abilities.

Happy running

[Hidden in reply to AndyD]

Thanks Andy It is a wonderful site and so many great and inspiring people Happy running for you to Andy

[Zev1963 Graduate]

That's a really great post Rob. We started roughly the same time on C25K and I've really enjoyed hearing about your progress. You really have achieved a lot, loosing weight, stopping smoking and starting running. You are so right about it being a life changing experience. I'm so pleased that you are still enjoying your running, enjoying it is what it's all about

The PArkRuns are great, I try to fit one in whenever I visit the UK. I like to run on my own generally, but a ParkRun really does make a very nice change. I think I prefer ParkRun to running with just a few people (although I've not done that). I think that I would not like to be tied to the pace of a small group. At ParkRun you can always find someone going at the pace that suits you and just run along with them. And if you get tired then you can drop back to a slower group, or if you feel a burst of energy you can run on to a group in front. It's running with people but you are in control

Your progress has been impressive since September, I really do hope you continue to post your experiences as I find them very motivating.

Well done Rob, and happy running

[Hidden]

I am really touched Zev,thank you for the very kind words I kept putting off parkrun as i thought i wasn't good enough etc etc but finally did my 1st on christmas day have only missed 1 since. You are right about us being in control like you i run on my own so it is really nice to have so many others around you, just doing what we all enjoy and no pressure to run at anyone else pace ,just do your own thing but with others, such a simple but effective and wonderful idea, I love parkrun

At first i said yup 5k is more than enough but now its 10K , i have now done the sub30 5k so who knows what is possible .

That is really the crux of all of this ,it has shown me that yes really anything is possible no matter what if we put our minds and bodies to it , the rewards are a bonus ,long may it continue

I will keep posting for as long as everyone likes to read them and take the time to reply

Good luck with all your running Zev

[GoogleMe Graduate]

Well done! The two goals have worked so well together - you weren't just giving up something that wasn't right for you, you replaced it with doing something that was very positive for you.

I love to read graduation posts but "Look at me, I'm still running" posts months and years down the line are even more of a pleasure, whatever form that running takes.

[Hidden in reply to GoogleMe]

Thank you googleme

[Hidden]

Fabarooni Rob, what a year! Great time for your 5k too xxx

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Thanks Curly the year has flown by