Hello all,
Some of you who have been around a long time may remember me - I was around 2 years ago quite actively when I first tried the C25K programme. I fell off the band wagon twice since then, once around W6R1, and once in W3. Two months ago I re-started the programme and I'm really only here in the hope that I can give those of you struggling the hope and inspiration to continue.
To summarise it - I started again with C25K when I weighed 114kg (18 stone). The very first run was harder than anything I've ever done before - I couldn't finish the last running interval of 60 (!) seconds (mostly because I was trying to combine the start of a very low calorie diet with the start of this programme - ha! what an idiot). However, I got myself a running buddy, who is a lot lighter but very unfit as well, and since that very first run I have been able to complete all, however difficult. Now my running buddy is on holiday for 2,5 weeks and I started W8 without her - terrified, because when she wasn't there would I be able to motivate myself?
But I did it. Proving to myself that I could make it on my own in week 8, 28 full minutes of running, topped even the euphoria I felt of doing my first full 20 mins in W5R2. I'm about to wrap up W8 on my own now, and I've even started running a little faster than usual. I weigh 103kg (just over 16 stone) now. My end goal is to weigh less than 12 stone (75kg) by the end of next year and I've finally started to believe that I can actually achieve this. When (not IF) I finish C25K, I will continue with the C25K+ podcasts and I have my first real 5k run scheduled for 20 January in Finsbury Park, London (anybody else there?).
In short, all you struggling runners:
- GET A RUNNING BUDDY! Agree with each other the days on which you will run, and that if one of you has no motivation the other will drag them outside and make them run, no matter what. Create a shared "if I run, you run" mentality. Motivate each other. And hey, if you live in Friern Barnet or close to it, you're welcome to join me and my running buddy.
- DRINK LOTS OF WATER! Especially if you're trying to lose weight. My body was (and still sometimes is) in a permanent state of dehydration because I don't drink enough, and as a result the scale pointer will move a lot less slowly.
- THIS WILL BE THE HARDEST THING YOU EVER DO. Believe me, I know. Start of W7 I was literally fighting back tears because I was so tired of it having to be so difficult every single time, a battle every single run. But it gets easier, it really does. C25K has challenged me more than I have ever challenged myself, but when you finish it you can level out, stick to the 30 mins permanently if you want, and your body will get used to the exercise. Don't forget this - put your mind in the future.
GOOD LUCK TO YOU ALL! My warmest regards and deepest respects to all of you doing a super hard thing to have a better life. I salute you!
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Need to get back on track!
