Tomorrow is March the 9th and a big day in the RFC household. It is our Kidney Transplant Birthday. 2 years today. 😀
I thought today would be a great day to update my Bio on here, as the one I have had up is a bit outdated
RFc’s Bio
I lost my lovely Mum in 2009 in April, just before we lost her I was sat beside at her hospital bed watching the London Marathon on the telly. We had done this for years together and every year she used to say I wish I had done that, even to the point that we tried to devise a way of her doing it on her electric buggy but that battery wouldn’t of lasted.
After she went I was a bit lost, I was close to going back to my drinking and smoking ways. I found myself walking round our local park ad there was their annual triathlon on. I thought that is my marathon, I had always wanted to do a triathlon but there were two big stumbling blocks, I hated running and refused to run and I had never ridden a bike in my life. I walked back to our local pub and there were a group of friends there I told then I was going to do a triathlon and they all laughed, Well that was that, come rain or shine I was going to do it,
Training didn’t go according to plan. I was struggling so much I went to talk to my Gp. The upshot was I had a nodule on my thyroid that was making me hyperthyroid. So I had radiation treatment to get rid of that. It took me a while to get back on my feet as I went under-active thyroid after that. One day in 2013 I was out for a walk and the thought about doing the triathlon came back.
I put in for my sprint triathlon for August 2014 and bought a bike and started this program. A sprint Tri is only a 5km run at the end so I thought great, just a 30 min run at the end. Hehe I didn’t know then I was a very slow runner. Actually the only sport I have a bit of speed in is swimming.
My first run I came home beetroot faced, week 5 run three floored me, it took me weeks to complete that run.
I graduated and started a quest on the forum, a little while later Healthunlocked asked me to run the forum and I accepted, best choice ever😀,
My triathlon went well, but I got the event bug. I love the roar of the crowds, the medals and the training. I went on to do 5km, 10km and half marathon events. With a couple of swimming ones. I train for my endurance events between November and May and in the Summer I work on speed and Strength.
Just before my first HM in 2015 we found out that MrRfc’s kidneys were failing, it was a difficult time and while sat in an appointment one day our consultant had to have “that” talk with us. She asked us if we knew anyone who would donate a kidney because it was time to look around and go on the transplant list. I was the fittest I had ever been in my life, I said what about me? MrRfc shot me a look to say, You what! Our consultant said we will start the work up. There was only a 57% chance of being accepted.
So the tests started. Because of my training and the way I had changed my life with running I passed all the tests with flying colours and got accepted as a donor and was even lucky enough to be a match for my husband.
So 9th March 2017, my left kidney moved to its new home. 10 weeks after surgery I did a virtual medal for a 10km Walk. We are now two years post transplant and it is doing so well. In 2018, I did two HM’s and got back into my training. This year I have a 2.5 km swim in March and my HM is in May and I am aiming to conquer a sub 3 hour half marathon. I might be a back of the pack runner but training to beat my own time means a lot to me and it motivates me.
C25K has changed mine and my husbands life. It always amazes me all the positives this one little program can bring to so many.
Happy running to you all
Rfc x
Written by
Realfoodieclub
Graduate
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Thank you. Realfoodieclub (RFC) was a name I came up with years ago when I started a website to help people to learn to cook, it has sort of stuck with me even though I don’t really do recipes online much anymore. 😀. Still love cooking though.
Wow Rfc that is the most wonderful and inspiring story! All the what ifs...So amazing that you were fit and healthy enough to be the donor, and such a recovery. An incredible story that really illustrates the incredible journey that C25K is. Thank you for sharing that.
Thank you for sharing Realfoodieclub . A wonderful testament to how running and fitness in general can change not only your life, but postively affect those around you. Good luck with you swim and your next HM.
Wow that is all amazing! You are the perfect person to run a forum like this! Reading about how much people have overcome and what they've achieved is really uplifting and useful for keeping everything in perspective! I hope you have many more happy times ahead!
Thank you for sharing your story. What a gift to have given yourself and your husband by working through your own health issues and maintaining your fitness. Congratulations to you both on this special anniversary! My crazy week at work which has left me feeling low & exhausted has had an inspiration wake up call from you - I will get out for a run this weekend no matter what! 🙏😊 X
Wow, that is an amazing post, thanks for sharing your story 😊 hats off to you 👒, individually each of those things are fantastic, collectively it's beyond words. Happy 2 year anniversary to you both, hope you have a nice day tomorrow 😊🎉💐
Enjoy your special day tomorrow Rfc..two years on from donating your kidney to Mr Rfc! I hope you had a lovely walk together.
Such a brave and wonderful thing to have done...a real inspiration. You give so much time and thought into keeping these forums a nice place to be too..so thank you for that!
What an amazing person you are! You’ve always been an inspiration to me and I followed your kidney donation with awe at the time. You also remind me that it’s not about speed - just getting out there regularly is more than enough. Thanks for reminding me again😎
Thank you. It is amazing how time flies isn’t it! You are right about speed but I am little speed hound at my own pace 😀. You should see me jump around when I get a Pb. 😀.
Thank you so much for sharing RFC! It means a lot to hear your story and see how much this programme impacted you and your family. Kudos to you for all you have been through and accomplished.
Thank you for sharing your and your family's story, it is incredibly moving.
I feel a wimp for finding runs hard when I've had nothing to contend with like your incredible story or some of others I read on this forum. Still, this running is going to make me a better me and maybe one day I'll be able to help others too.
You are already helping others. 😀. Running is my time to sort my head out, My me time, I think we all benefit in lots of little ways from our time while out running . Rfc x
Such a lovely happy story and so inspirational. Thank you for sharing. Wishing you both a happy birthday and many more happy healthy years together and running too of course 😊
There are a few beginners ones and they are great fun. I love the training and still stick to some of the principles now. After learning to run the world is your oyster. I do find that movement helps my thyroid especially on the mental side of things, if I don’t feel up to a run I go for a gentle walk but as time has gone on I do feel the need to have more walk days less. Good luck with your journey. Rfc x
Wow! That’s a very inspiring story, well done for sticking with your triathlon goal n what a fantastic gift for your husband. Good luck with the sub-3 hour HM!
What an incredible story. I made the mistake of reading this just before having to go into work; had to quickly dab my eyes and blow my nose. What a lot you have been through and how brilliantly well you have dealt with it.
Thank you for taking on the forum and further spreading your message of hope and determination.
Thank you. I love these forums so much, I see the power of what they can give to people just by learning to run or make that first move out the door for a walk.
That is such an inspirational story Rfc. So many health issues overcome and then you could donate a kidney to help prolong Mr Rfc’s life too. To add to all the training you do, you give so much time to the forum to help everyone else along their journey. That is a bio to be proud of. Thank you for sharing it with us.
Thank you. I do know non of it would if happened if I hadn't had the support in week 5 run 3 when I came home in tears after my first attempt. I really wanted to tell myself running is not for me but everyone on here told me a different story 😀. I remember that day so clearly.
Wow! Rfc what an inspiring story and here was me feeling grumpy (overseas visitor staying and less time for runs) Sheesh!
What a fantastic gift you gave Mr Rfc. You are incredible! Happy transplant bithday. C25k has transformed so many lives forever, including mine, but your story is one of the most amazing. X
Thank you. Made me laugh, I am so grumpy when we have guests, i do like a bit of routine 😀. It is an amazing little program, the ripples from everyone achieving so much on here reach far and wide.
At least there was something good that came out of the grumps as I had to clear out several drawers to accommodate our guest and shock horror! my running drawer as well 😲 so now that she has gone I did a little de-clutter and I now have TWO running drawers 👍
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