For those of you who do not know me, I started C25K at the end of August 2017, and have been running regularly since graduating in November 2017. I now mostly manage three times a week, with runs ranging from 4k to 6k. I did have a stint on the IC in the new year, with a torn hamstring (ouch!), but that is a long forgotten memory now and I have been really enjoying (I say enjoy, but running in sub-zero temps and snow a few times this year have been slightly less pleasurable I must say!) my regular runs, not least as they help me with some low-level depression I have been battling for a few years.
I started the programme to get fit. Before this, I was just doing a bit of yoga here and there, and no cardio to speak of, other than walking. I did not need to lose any weight (thankfully), but my waist measurement was less than ideal, taking me into a high-risk zone. (It is dangerous to carry weight around your waist, but as any woman in her 40s will tell you, it is an easy area to put weight on!) Although slim, I knew that as I headed into my mid-late forties, I needed to think about my heart.
So, to cut a long story long, I had some pretty amazing results at my annual health check on Friday, and I am so happy to see some hard results of what running three times a week can do for you, and I just wanted to share.
– My waist measurement has gone down from 88cm to 79cm (into the ideal range!)
– My VO2 max / fitness level has gone up from 31 ml/kg/min to 38 ml/kg/min – a massive improvement! I am Miss Fitty Macfit of Fitsville now!
I do not post this to brag, not at all. I post this to show you what a huge difference you can make to your health if you just run three times a week. And I have only been running for 7 months! My doctor high-fived me as I left the room. I was in shock. Happy shock.
So, to all you lovelies just starting out – stick with it. Be patient, go slowly, listen to your body and complete the programme. The rewards are endless and you will see results.
In other news, I really recommend the podcast called Human Race. Wonderful, inspirational running stories.
Yours,
Fitty MacFit of Fitsville x
Written by
Sadie-runs
Graduate
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
Dr Michael Mosley, he of Trust me a Doctor , explains what he refers to as inside and outside round the middle/waist fat.🤔👍👏👏. Inside stuff is the dangerous stuff.🙈🤔🙈
Us men have the same problem.🤔😂😂
Tough to move it.🤔😂😂
I am an old codger, still with a vanity dream of having a six pack.🙈🤔😂😂
Fabulous post Sadie, and as I write I am virtually high-fiving you too! I've just returned from a coffee with my husband, who turned fifty last month. He put a stent in a 47 year-old this morning, and so we were talking precisely about this issue - the ways in which our health changes as we are now getting older and how we ought to face that.
This is such an inspirational post for those who are just starting out, but also for those who have been running for a while and are trying to keep up the good work. It's easy to quantify our progress in terms of performance, or changes on the scales or in the mirror, and that's great, but it's what you are describing that really counts. It is surprising how much we can do to improve our health at any age and at any level - but our options do change as we age so clearly there's no time like the present to get started (and to keep going).
Running is a beautiful gift to yourself, and your results show that. Nice work, Miss Fitty!
Oh my. I turn 47 this August – the very idea of having a problem with my heart fills me with terror. That poor person. (But thank heavens for people like your husband). I do not worry at all about the ageing on the outside, but as you say, it is the insides and how you take care of them that counts. It has given me a real boost to keep this up.
Hope that all is well with you, my running lovely.
I'm really enjoying running at the moment. It is the stress antidote I have needed for a long time.
I have to keep an eye on myself and make sure I don't push too far as my knees are always a bit of an issue, but under control. I think strength training is helping but I need to address the other key factor - flexibility. I was always flexible when young so I never really gave it any thought, but I realise that I am losing this as the years pass. So I think that taking up yoga (whatever I can fit in) might be the next step! Many people tell me that yoga and running are a perfect pair so that sounds good to me. And I know you are something of an expert...
The idea that issues such as heart health are starting to appear on the horizon is frightening, but the best we can do is to be consistent in exercise, attentive to diet (ahem...) and to make sure we receive all the right medical care and periodical checks. xx
Wonderful news, Sadie! And a reminder for all of us, newbies or not, that getting out there and run 3 times a week can really make a difference. Happy running!
Thankyou for a lovely inspiring post... and... thankyou for the recommendation for the human race podcast from 2/3 weeks back? (I’m guessing now that it was you, and I couldn’t remember at the time) but the episode you recommended really was fab- and, has now got me hooked on podcasts which are suiting me much better for my running pace. 🏃♀️🏃♀️🏃♀️
Aw, thank you Lillybeth! And yes, I did mention HUMAN RACE a couple of weeks back! The stories are all so different, and quite inspirational! I like to listen to a running related podcast now and again, instead of music. I get very absorbed! xxx
Thanks my love. I was just an ordinary woman with no previous history of being sporty or fit! Just shows you can turn things around if you employ just a wee bit of stick-with-it-ness. 🏃♀️😀
Oh Sadie, that’s such an encouraging post to read. Words are not coming easily this evening, but suffice to say that you are truly awesome, and a shining example to the rest of us! Well done
Now listen you! Don’t put yourself down, ok? Yes C25K and this forum are awesome, but you are a part of that, and you helped me though the low times during C25K, and you still do. So I think I’ll stick with you being awesome
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
C25k anniversary!
[Long post warning] 1 year on from starting C25K
Is it Ok to repeat runs. 
Starting C25k?
