Just starting C25K??

[Bazza1234]

You might be interested to hear from this recent beginner brisbanetimes.com.au/queens...

[AnneDroid Graduate]

Wow. Very inspiring!

[JaySeeSkinny Graduate]

Amazing, he must be a real natural. On the other hand he also looks a lot older - only 4 years between the two pictures?

[nhs2015 Graduate]

Amazing and well done to that man. Obviously gifted and dedicated. The only thing that would worry me is how much older he looked. More like 20 years in between instead of 4 years. It is like father and son and not the same man 4 years older. Worrying. Does this mean I will look a hundred if I can run a marathon?

[Hidden]

That's brilliant ! Phew ! I was wondering myself about when I was going to slow down ? That's a shame I now have to live up to improving my time and distance for another 7 YEARS ! So no slowing down for us !!

Find me a couch somebody !!!

You all commented on how he seemed to look older. I have a couple of theories. I posted a photo of a before and after of myself. Admittedly the before was 10 years ago compared to recent. I have had friends and family say that I look younger in some ways but older in others ? Also that my skin was shinier as if I had been on holiday. On the other hand I looked a bit more wrinkly but overall looked better. Perhaps they were being a bit polite ?

My daughter was a bit more blunt. She said some positive things but also said I looked a bit more lean but also a bit 'hagard'. Who needs enemies when you can Father them !!!

I am no expert and can only speculate. Here is my off top of my head theory.

Think the flab hides a multitude of sins. My fuller face when I was 3 stones heavier looked more stretched and smoother (perhaps has same visual effect as botox). Also suddenly running outdoors the atmosphere and sunshine would age you faster. Especially in Australia. But even here on what might be relatively dull days any exposure to some sort of light has an effect. Suppose also the bonus is we are getting more vitamin D.

Perhaps we will have to suffer visually looking older but on the inside were younger.

I think there is definitely an 18 year old desperately struggling to get out of my body !!

[Irish-John Graduate]

I admire his passion and commitment but he would not have inspired me at all.

Personal trainers, those kind of Records, pursuit of those kinds of distances etc - definitely not in my world view.

The beauty of the 5K programme was that it seemed a "reasonable" goal. And while I honestly did not believe I would ever be able to achieve it, the intermediate stages seemed possible to aim for.

I had always looked at runners as either possessing some genetic component I missed out on , or as fanatically dedicated people who ignored pain. This Forum got me through because you were all very up front about the "ordinary" struggles of "normal" runners.

I learned I was not "unique" and that my physical handicaps could be overcome.

I also learned I would not morph into some fanatical automaton running without a care if my shoes filled with blood etc....

Frankly, I don't want to look like this guy if this is what running does to you nor do I want to make running the total center of my day to day life.

Running helps me enjoy the other aspects and is definitely giving me a more pleasing shape. The sense of fun and shared experience here and that I found in the charity run I went on is a gift from God - I don't want to compete against anyone but my Gremlins

So, fair play to him and the enjoyment he gets but I think he is in that tiny percentage of people who climb near or to the top of their chosen mountain and who are very difficult for the rest of us who are content to linger in the tree line to relate to.

My inspirations firmly remain you all!