From Couch To 50K - Can It Be Done? Oh Yes, It Can!

[mrrun]

A week after my 50km run I can think clearer, at last. In around four years I made a transition from a fully inactive middle aged 'drinking smoker' to a very active ultra-marathon runner. I would never think of it as possible, I would never think of it at all in my pre-running days, to be honest. But running, like many other things in life can lead from one thing to another, from basic to more elaborate, from complex to sometimes unfathomable.

Looking back, the process had its logical course and all of it was down to ideas, hard work and stubborn persistence. I was absolutely determined to get to another stage and denied any factors that could play against me. When I got injured I healed, got back and tried not to repeat the same error. When a new obstacle appeared, I worked around it.

The point is, it can be done.

Remember, at times when facing a barrier that feels insurmountable think of those who have done it. I can’t see why you couldn’t achieve your own goals the same way.

If you want to read the full account of my journey from Big Zero to 50km via important stopovers like 5K, 10K, 16K, half and full marathons, please see my latest blog on my website:

runmrrun.com/running-from-5...

Enjoy!

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Just look where running can take you.......

Kudos, fellow runner.

[mrrun Graduate in reply to IannodaTruffe]

Many thanks! As you know, forums such as this one will offer invaluable support and I’ve benefited greatly from many great advice that I picked up here, yours included. Quite bluntly, things can be done if we apply ourselves. And then we can push it a bit. And then with some work and a bit of luck things start happening.

[Speedy60 Graduate]

Bloomin' good for you! That's amazing!

I can't find an emoji to adequately express my admiration. As an ex English teacher, I really must stop using exclamation marks, but I think in this case, you deserve them!!!!!

[mrrun Graduate in reply to Speedy60]

Lol, thank you! It’s been an inspiring journey and I’ve already got further ideas. We all can surprise ourselves sometimes, that’s one of the points of what we do here. There are so many benefits, the key is to get to as many as possible.

[Dmc33 Graduate]

This is incredible. Well done! Just read the blog post and that is quite the journey

[mrrun Graduate in reply to Dmc33]

Ha, thank you! It's only when I look back at my training logs and when I remember some serious mileage that I can think, ok, that was a bit of a trek. But the important thing is how our bodies transform from one stage to another, regardless of ages and lifestyles. As if they are grateful to be given the opportunity to go through a grinder, haha. I can honestly tell you that it all looks far harder than it can really be. Large % of perceived difficulties is in our heads.

[Petem56 Graduate]

good on ya, don't give up and keep on pushing seems to be the way to go.

[mrrun Graduate]

Many thanks, Pete!

[Dtay1978 Graduate]

Wow, that’s incredible, well done you 🥳

[mrrun Graduate in reply to Dtay1978]

Thank you! Incredible and yet very doable! 😉

[RunGirl1989 Graduate]

50k????? 😳

Blimey 😶

Does it feel like a superhuman to have the ability to run that far? 🥰

I cannot even comprehend the distance like this one.

Well I am starting Week 5 tomorrow and now, that I think about it - it seems silly easy comparing to what you have done !

Is it possible to run so far? That is beyond my wildest dreams, however...I love running 😁😍

[mrrun Graduate in reply to RunGirl1989]

Many thanks! Superhuman? Haha, no. I was inspired by the guys who run 100k, 160k and those who run over 250km. Have I mentioned 24hr races where people go non-stop without sleep? That's a different league, and they call 50km ‘Baby Ultra’, of all names….lol…

If you train long and hard those distances become a norm, strange or not. My first runs were 90 seconds long and I was falling apart, just like everyone else. And I was a 52 year old former champion cigarette smoker. That’s all irrelevant if you really commit to something and have enough luck to avoid bad injuries although you can work around that stuff too. I write about running here, elsewhere and on my blog, runmrrun.com where you can, hopefully, get an answer to many of your early questions!

[RunGirl1989 Graduate in reply to mrrun]

That is just incredible - 100k, 160k, 250k, 24hrs with no sleep.... it just does not fit in my mind - how? How on earth can anyone do that?

That is....AWESOME 😃

I will definetely read your blog now.

What you are talking about here is just so crazy, that is 100% worth checking 😀🤩

[mrrun Graduate in reply to RunGirl1989]

I don’t think I would ever be able to find time to train for anything longer than 50km. That’s full time commitment, those guys are mega fit athletes and most of them are being sponsored. How do they do it? No idea. 50K took huge involvement in terms of training, diet, lifestyle and focus. Even then, a single injury can stop it all. Now I’m going back to my 4 weekly short/medium runs with some nice music. Then we’ll see what happens next.

[RunGirl1989 Graduate in reply to mrrun]

Yes, it sounds like a great effort and surely it involves a lot of time training and planning on nutrition and proper rest after that.

What you have done is amazing - being over 50 and ex-smoker and you managed to achieve this hell of a distance 😀

You are an inspiration to many - definetely to me x

[Chokka Graduate]

I thought your ‘50k’ was a typo ... !!!

Am seriously impressed. Well done you.

I’ve got two runs left of the C25k ... I’m hoping the ‘love of running’ will kick in soon ... tell me it does?!?!?!

[mrrun Graduate in reply to Chokka]

😀, not a typo - and many thanks! It's not just running that I like, it's the whole process. I started with benefits, that was my motivation. Then I was discovering other things like different routes, different times of day when l ran (including pre dawns), running in other countries, gear, communication with other runners.....constant mixes and reinventions. During my first running months I struggled and questioned it all like many others. My repeated early injury struggles were well documented here. I got into long distance running some 3 years later and figured out that's what suited me best. Just keep going!