I did my 5K run directly after the school run this morning joined by another of our running group. It was a beautiful morning although a bit cold. As we were on our cool down walk we met with another mother just finishing a walk too. Although I had seen her at the school, I had never spoken to her but my friend knew her and asked how she was. As she started to explain, I realised who she was.
In September another group of mums started the C25K program, however one had to give up before the end of the brisk walk as she felt ill. This was that lady.
She explained that she was getting better but still had a long way to go.
Basically she had been overweight and constantly dieting with no success. She lives a distance from the school and any amenities so drives everywhere and was told that she needed some exercise to help with weight loss. When the C25K was suggested she thought it would be a good way to go.
She admitted that not only could she not ever remember running, she cant even remember when she last walked for 5 minutes solid but hadn't realised how hard that would be. Nearly collapsing on the 5 minute warmup walk scared her (and her friends) and she went to the doctors to get checked out.
Several weeks of tests concluded that there was nothing medically wrong, (yet!!) but she was just in a really unhealthy state. They told her that her body fat percentage was extremely high mainly due to such poor muscle tone.
Her diet had consisted of mainly fruit and salad which she had thought healthy, but it contained practically no protein. She now has her diet planned by a nutritionist and has to drink protein shakes (the same stuff body builders drink) as part of a balanced diet. She has a set of weigh exercises she has to do too but has been assured that she will not end up like Arnold Schwartznegger any time soon.
She is building up on the lengths of her walk and her plan is to be able to do the C25K one day. At the moment she has to take everything gently and slowly build up muscle and stamina.
She is such a lovely lady but simply made the wrong diet decisions that if she continued could have caused serious harm or worse.
I must admit that my diet was not very good before I started the C25K but I had not given it much thought. I have vastly improved what my family eats but it is frightening how easy someone could be to end up in that situation.
The importance of wind.
The importance of showers
So important to warm-up 
Race for Life 10K A good mornings work.
It's True - A Bad Run is Followed by a Good One!
