Hi all, I’ve been trying to start this c25k for months now. Being ever the greatest of procrastinator’s, I finally pushed myself to start today!
I nearly finished the first session, having to walk the last half of the last 60sec run, but I’m proud that I even walked through it (little choice as I was still half a mile from home lol).
Why am I doing it? This is a tricky one. Growing up I was the skinny short kid in school, being bullied for the same. I was always conscious of my weight and was even refused entry into the army because I was 2st under weight for my height.
Fast forward to I was 31 and met my wife. I was 10 1/2st then, and looked rather sickly being 5ft 11in. In the last ten years I’ve gone up to what I hope was my peak of 16st. That plus lack of energy and being barely able to climb stairs, combined with getting puffed out playing with my four kids has urged me to do something about my fitness and weight.
Now I’m not looking to go down to what I was, but if I got down from my current weight of 15st to 13st, I’d be happy.
Trying to find the time was always my excuse. I’m a stay at home dad and a full time carer for my disabled wife, but I’ve realised that in order to give my best to them, I need to make some time for me!
This won’t be an exciting journey, nor a terribly inspirational one, but it’s mine and I guess I want to keep a track of myself in various ways through this.
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BlackieNo1
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It will be an inspirational journey , your journey , and believe me it can be exciting as you progress through c25k . Like you I was over weight by about 4st but with sensible eating and c25k and all the amazing people on this forum anything is possible . So I hope you can find the time to do this good luck 😊
Welcome BlackieNo1. Your post is inspirational already and you haven’t realised it.
You are doing C25K for a wonderful reason that will benefit both yourself and your family. As you make your way through this program you will feel a great sense of achievement for yourself, your kids will see what you are doing and will think their dad is awesome, your wife will see you taking some much needed me time and be proud of you.
C25K brings so many unexpected positive experiences with it. Firstly the support of virtual run buddies on this forum is fantastic. There’s always someone here to cheer you on or offer advice if you need it. You will also feel stronger both mentally and physically and prepared to face your day with renewed energy and focus. It should also carry a health warning, as it does become addictive!
Finding the time can be tricky sometimes but the rewards are great. I am sure your journey will be a good one. Keep posting about your progress and let us all know how you get on. 😊
My husband is 6'2" and has weighed 10 3/4 stone since I met him over 30 years ago. Try as he might he simply can't get any heavier so what a shame your life was dictated by something so insignificant. Well done you for grabbing some me time!
Well done for getting started - I think quite a few of us on here took a while thinking about it before actually getting out there and giving it a go! So that's the hardest part done. The programme is amazing - bit by bit you will build up your stamina and your confidence and start to believe that you can actually make it to the end. Take the advice about rest days seriously and give your leg muscles chance to recover. And the best piece of advice I can give is to go slow and steady - it's fine if your running pace is slower than your brisk walk, you can worry about speed later on. Good luck and keep us posted, we'll all be cheering you on!
Ah I never thought about that! I think that maybe on Friday when I go again that I’ll go at a slower pace. I wasn’t consciously thinking of pace though, until the end when I felt like
I was gonna collapse! Lol
Oh yea I will absolutely be taking my rest days! I spent an hour in the bath afterwards earlier, soaking in Epsom salts. Doing anything I can to aid recovery.
I know that at my age it takes longer to recover and I certainly won’t intentionally do anything to hinder that.
Some people on here do the Japanese Slow Jogging technique and love it - if you search for it on YouTube, there's a video you can watch that explains it all. I'm trying to up my pace a bit at the moment because I want to get faster but I stuck to slow and steady all through the programme and managed to complete with no injuries and not having to repeat any runs - much to my amazement! I'm 5 years older than you and obese according to the bmi charts and if I can do it, I reckon anyone can. 😅
Yea I’m technically obese according to the BMI charts. I’m supposed to be between 10 1/2st and 12 1/2 stone for my height! But as I mentioned before I looked ill when I was 10 1/2st lol
I think, to be a "healthy" bmi for my very short height, I am supposed to weigh between 7 and 9 stone, which is quite a wide range. I think I would just look gaunt and haggard at 7 stone! For now, I will be happy to get out of the obese category and be merely overweight, then take it from there. I don't want to get too hung up on losing weight as I know I can get a bit too obsessed with it all. Trying to loosely follow Dr Michael Mosley's blood sugar diet and focus on getting fitter with the running rather than worrying too much about the scales.
Wrong Blackie, I think you’ll find this will be inspirational! You’re doing it for your family but as well as that, you’re doing it for you. You might not lose much weight but you will be fitter and those runs will become your ‘you’ time. So enjoy your journey, each run prepares you for the next one; take as long as you need to over the plan. Take your rest days and stay hydrated- and let us know how you get on! You’ll find loads of help here on the forum; there’s no such thing as a silly question!
Thank you. Yea that link that IannodaTruffle has put up has explained to me that I won’t lose much weight, but may lose a few inches. That plus being fitter would make me happy enough.
I’ve heard from a few other folks that it’s great for mental health too, which is something I do struggle with, having both depression and anxiety. So hopefully it’ll have benefits there as well.
I think you are inspirational. Keep going with the programme & you will see results. You will be fitter & more able to run around with your children. 😀
You’re doing such a good thing for your body and mind....plus for your loved ones as you’ll be a healthy and happy runner 😁 keep posting, this forum is full of positive support and everyone’s story is respected (and I’d say honoured in fact) here 💐
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