Happy Runniversary to meeeee......: Yes, exactly... - Couch to 5K

Couch to 5K

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Happy Runniversary to meeeee......

AlbertRoss profile image
AlbertRossGraduate
9 Replies

Yes, exactly one year ago I was thinking that I would give this Couch to 5K thing a bit of a go. I'd downloaded them because they were near the top of the Podcast Charts in iTunes several months earlier, but other than one half-hearted attempt that was somewhat pointless as I'd forgotten that I tend to listen to podcasts at 1.5x speed (meaning 40 second runs!) that I'd never done again, I hadn't thought I would seriously do it.

Being on the large side (I was just under 20 stone at the time) and feeling self-conscious, I decided against going outside. I had no treadmill. What I did instead was open the doors downstairs, and there was a sort of circuit - going through the lounge, hallway, kitchen, dining room and back, with the option of doing a figure of 8. Nervously I loaded up Week 1, and off I set....

The dog was intrigued. He set off in pursuit of me; was this some sort of new game? Discovering that I wasn't actually holding one of his toys, instead he settled down to watch in bewilderment as I circled round and round, occasionally changing direction as I discovered that after a while I was getting seriously dizzy! It felt like a long time before I reached the end of the running, I was blowing a bit, but also realising that I would have to find an alternative - I'd lost count of the number of laps of the house I'd made, and having to avoid dog, doorhandles and the slipperiness of the kitchen floor made it a real challenge.... Next time, I'd decided, I'd risk the canal.

A year later.... I now weigh just over 17 stone - mainly through better eating habits; I can run 5K in about 33 minutes, and am working on bridging to 10K; I enjoy the running for the sake of it, rather than finding it a trial; and I've gradually acquired various paraphernalia - proper Running Shoes, another identical pair for when they wear out, running tops, tights, trail running shoes, running jacket, a subscription to a Running App....

Twelve months ago this would have seemed like fantasy. Now it's reality. And I wouldn't change it for anything.....

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AlbertRoss profile image
AlbertRoss
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9 Replies
Millsie-J profile image
Millsie-JGraduate

Happy Runiversary Albert! You have come such a long way!

Brilliant! 🏃🏻💪🏻⭐️

Bonkersbrit profile image
BonkersbritGraduate

Well done. That's an amazing story, I'm only three weeks in to my journey and it's great to hear how far you have come. Good luck with 10k. Does the dog go out with you, now you have stopped lapping the fridge?

Oldfloss profile image
OldflossAdministratorGraduate in reply toBonkersbrit

Love that.. lapping the fridge..ha ha!

roseabi profile image
roseabi

Brilliant!! Congratulations, and jolly well done!!!

Oldfloss profile image
OldflossAdministratorGraduate

Happy Runniversary Albert... what an inspiration :) Huge congratulations... !

I bought identical running shoes too ..in case the others wore out :) !!

Love the description of you running around a house route... bit like me making up time now by running up and down the same bit of field :)

Many. many more happy runs!

Floss x

Diane57 profile image
Diane57Graduate

Well done. Bet the dog is fit too.x

useitorloseit profile image
useitorloseitGraduate

Happy runniversary! That is a great story, and you are fast too. Keep it up.

TJEL profile image
TJELGraduate

Well done. You are an inspiration 🎉😃

Joy57 profile image
Joy57Graduate

Well done Albert! Thinking of you running round the house because you were too self-conscious to go outside made me feel sad. Glad you've come a long way, keep it up!

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