So here I go!

As some of you may know, this fat 46 year old, who couldn't even walk up a hill without losing breath, took up the C25K course after Easter last year. Since then I have lost 14kg, become significantly healthier, graduated and been knocking off the KMs in longer and longer distances. All a source a great amazement for me!

Anyway, since about September last year I have been training for my first HM - the inaugural Weymouth Half Marathon taking place this coming Sunday. (Anyone else doing that btw?) The last two months I have felt like I have been training in a freezer. In fact it was only last weekend when I did not have to run over, or through, snow and ice. (I live in southern Germany).

In celebration of the sun coming out, and because I was feeling incredibly nervous about what was coming, I decided to actually run the distance last Sunday and, together with the wife (on a bike), I knocked off 22.3km in 2hrs 33mins. I am now in recovery but the legs don't feel too bad. I am still nervous, but now just much more excited.

To all those on the C25k course I just want to say that I never ever ever expected to get this far. It has been an incredible journey and if I can do it, so can you. Stick with it my friends...

Wish me luck. I promise to post a nice picture at the end!

Mark

[Vixchile Graduate]

Good luck with your Hm, it's incredible where we end up after c25k can't wait to read race report

[Madge50 Graduate]

Well if the atmosphere at cambridge HM is anything to go by, you'll have a ball, well done you (and no I didn't run!, but clapped and cheered the participants) what an achievement , look forward to seeing the bling! Your time is great by the way.

Mx

[Fitfor60 Graduate]

Look forward to seeing photo Mark Good luck

[Zev1963 Graduate]

Well done Mark. C25K is wonderful isnt it

Good luck for your HM. That distance is a long way off for me, but it's good to have long and short term goals

Happy running

[Wristy Graduate]

more like couch to 25k! Best of luck, you'll smash it!

[Hidden in reply to Wristy]

Well that's just made me laugh. Thanks Wristy

[Wristy Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Ich bin auch grün vor Neid, daß sie in DE wohnen!

[Hidden in reply to Wristy]

Das gibt ein interressante Leben aber im Winter das Wetter so kalt ist, das Laufen ist ein bischen gefährlich!

[no-excuse Graduate]

You have done so well Mark. Good luck with the HM on Sunday, I hope the weather is in your favour. Let us all know how you get on x

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

That is brilliant news and thanks for sharing it with us all. I am sure it will inspire many new runners and some of us older ones too. Good luck and please give us a run report.

[Ullyrunner Graduate]

Well done Mark. What a long way (literally) you have come since those first runs last year!

[Northernspirit Graduate]

As an under-graduate (week 8) I find these stories incredibly inspiring and amazing...! Really well done and tell us how it goes. I could not imagine running 20 minutes and now am mad keen to finish 30 minutes....but the idea of doing that 5 times is beyond believable, thanks for sharing

[Hidden in reply to Northernspirit]

I know what you mean! I would never have believed it possible! I can still remember being amazed that I could run AND hold a conversation for example!

[Dunder2004 Graduate]

Amazing stuff. Best of luck for Sunday.

[Bazza1234 Graduate]

Mark

My son lives and works in ULM

[c4ts Graduate]

Great achievement KIng9fisher, hope all goes really well on Sunday.

[rmnsuk Graduate]

Good luck with your HM. You seem to have taken to running like a duck to water (more like a greyhound to a racetrack). And congrats on losing 14kg, that's no mean feat either. Looking forward to the pics.

[Coddfish Graduate]

Good luck with your HM, sounds like it's been a rewarding journey for you

[LisaGuy-Cowes Graduate]

Brilliant inspiration!

[misswobble Graduate]

You know you can do it so that's a major worry sorted, leaving you more relaxed so you can enjoy the whole thing. Enjoy yourself!

Good luck

[poppypug Graduate]

Aw thats amazing Mark ! Well done on your amazing achievements so far, and theres so much more to come , absolutely brilliant !

Well done to you , and I wish you all the very best of luck with your HM

You will nail it !

Good to hear from you again xxx

[Melly2 Graduate]

Such a great achievement! Well done, you now know you certainly can do this and in a good time too, have a great time

[ancientrunner Graduate]

Well done!! Good luck for sunday.

[carole01 Graduate]

Wonderful post! Wishing you all the best you know you can do it now - just don't set off too quick! I used to live in Weymouth so I believe it will be quite flat and scenic too - which helps! Don't forget the happy piccy! Good luck!

[aliboo70]

HI Mark............. GOOD LUCK! sounds like you'll be fine with all that great training, should be lovely in Weymouth Can't wait to hear the race report and see the photo, you'll do great !

[Toonlou24 Graduate]

That's fantastic. Well done you. Look forward to hearing all about it. Best of luck.

[Potty Graduate]

Fantastic story, Mark, thanks for sharing I'm week 8 and stories like yours have the same sparkle of wistful possibility that being able to run for 30 mins did before I started you're tempting us all to new and bigger goals very best of luck for your HM and look forward to reading your post race post

[Hidden in reply to Potty]

Thanks Potty. That is what is so amazing about this running lark. Last year same time the idea that I would be running at all was just so ridiculous! I absolutely hated it at school.

[Rob_and_his_westie Graduate]

Good luck with HM. As someone with his own first HM coming up in May, any advice will be gratefully received!

[Hidden in reply to Rob_and_his_westie]

Well the first thing I noticed last Sunday was that the last 5km was really quite hard. 14 - 17km worked ok for me given the training plan I was on, but I kind of hit a wall after that with pace dropping from 6m45s down to over 7m30s per km. I think I may have got my 'refuelling' wrong! So it is important to practice that.

[Rob_and_his_westie Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Like you, I have covered the distance in training and my time - and interestingly enough - my experience with pace was similar to yours. I was so conscious of it that when I ran an 11 mile route a couple of weeks back, I took one of those caffeine gel pack things before the start and again at about half way. It seemed to be beneficial, but maybe theyre just a big over-marketed placebo and I was just in better shape anyway!

Can't hurt to try it, but some people hate them so if you felt inclined to do so, don't leave it to the big day.

[Runon Graduate]

Very good luck with it Mark. You have done so amazingly well - what a wonderful journey - I hope the sun comes out for you

[agedsnailspace Graduate]

Good luck for Sunday - having already done the distance, you will find it a breeze! Watch out for your pace at the start, it is really easy to get pulled into setting off too fast with all the other runners and the atmosphere of a hm. The last 5k was definitely hard when I did my first (but the weather did not help with it being unseasonably hot!). Remember to take a bit of time to enjoy the run on the way round - and don't forget to smile at the photographers!

[AndyD Graduate]

Great stuff... hope all goes well with the run on Sunday, you've certainly put in the preparation.

[LordOberon Graduate]

Excellent story giving us all great encouragement. Keep it up!

[PrincessStef Graduate]

Good Luck. Such an inspiration. I did Week 8 run 2 last night and am starting to get worried about what to do next. Not sure a HM is for me though

[Hidden in reply to PrincessStef]

Thanks PrincessStef - I look forward to seeing you graduate. If I was you i would not worry too much about what to do after Laura. Take a few days to recognise what you have achieved and then enrol yourself in a suitable 5 or 6 km run. Keep running every 2 to 3 days and make one longer run every week. Keep extending it by 10% every fortnight and soon you'll be covering the distance. That's what I did....