Well, I write this awaiting a pair of trainers and ready to face the thing that has daunted me for an awfully long time... Running!
I am an almost 40 year old woman who is several stones overweight and has dodgy knees. I was a member of a gym but it became too expensive and the equipment wasn't being maintained properly etc so I am going to bite the bullet and try to run instead.
I am nervous about it all to be honest because I know from watching the biggest loser etc that you are never too fat to run but even when I was a skinny child iwas never a great runner. It's obviously imprinted in my mind that I can't do it and that's probably why I think it's not going to work. I am sure once I start it will be fine but my knees are the only thing worrying me. I was in a head on collision two years ago and the knees took the brunt. I can't kneel on them without pain and I did go to physio and lunges were given to me as a or of strengthening. The crunching noise in one of them was something that will go with time I was assured..! Another thing I had was peritonitis and an appendectomy at the start of the year and I'm on my 6th week of no exercise so this week ahead I should be able to do something vigorous..!
Anyway I am probably after reassurance from all the others who were in the exact same situation I was in before they started so any words of advice or encouragement would be appreciated!
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misshooz
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Sounds like you've been through a lot recently! Unfortnately I'm not in the exact same situation so I couldn't even begin to offer advice about how to approach this with respect to your knees. Perhaps trying some brisk walks first before adding a run might ease your knees more gently into the routine?
I too am starting running for the first time this week - I made the decision last night and i'm off shopping today to get myself a decent pair of trainers and a good sport bra. I too have never ran in my life before and I'm terrified i'll do it wrong and end up injuring myself. But I read all the information available on the couch to 5K website so I'll give it a go and see what happens.
I too am a few stone overweight and desperate to shift some of it because it's been holding me back for long enough. Last summer I did the Inca Trail in Peru, and it was SO tough. I was always the last one in our group to finish every section, and every step I took reminded me how unfit I was. It was so embarrassing having total strangers shout back encouragement and clap when I finished each day (even though I know they had the best of intentions). It took me four long, tiring, exhausting days, but I did it. So even though it almost killed me, it also made me realise that nothing is impossible, and that perseverance and working at your own pace will eventually reap rewards. Which is why I've decided to give this a shot.
Like I said, I can't offer much advice as I wouldn't know where to begin, but since we're starting at the same time, I'm more than hapy to offer some encouragement and swap updates!
Hiya Misshooz and welcome to the most supportive forum you will ever find, keep blogging and keep coming back for inspiration and advice.
I'm 52 and have never, ever done any exercise my whole adult life, truth be told I never did much as a child either, I hated PE and had a raft of excuses to try and get out of it. I'd always been lucky and stayed slim with a normal blood pressure but recently my middle has started to thicken and my blood pressure started creeping to upper limits of normal and I knew I had to do something and I found C25K and this lovely forum. I'm now about to start week 9, I've lost 16lbs (healthy eating as well) and my blood pressure is at the lower end of normal. All for 3 half hour plus sessions a week and a pair of trainers and the podcast. It really does work, just stick with it. Good luck!
I'm 48, about 12 kgs overweight, asthmatic, epileptic and have chronic anaemia.
I was incredibly nervous before starting this. I haven't run since childhood. I cycle to work in the summer, but was very unfit. I ran the first time in a park with a friend. Since then, all my runs have been out in the streets, alone. After pulling my calf muscle 4 times, I'm now on week 7, running 25 minutes with no walking.
I'm running barely faster than I can walk, but I'm doing it, and so can you. Good luck x
I have always hated running. I was a sprinter at school and couldn't run long distance for anything. I used to look at people out running in all weathers and wonder what on earth was wrong with them, and then I decided that I had to do something to get fit and like you running just fitted into my lifestyle. I have to say that this is one of the best things I have ever done. The boost in my confidence to know that six weeks ago I couldn't run one minute and now I've run 20 is amazing. This community is great too. When you have a bad run, they urge you on and when you are feeling great they cheer with you.
My one bit of advice is to get a good pair of trainers. I ran on old trainers lat year and got a bad ankle injury. New trainers and fingers crossed I'm doing well second time around.
Nice one! All very encouraging indeed! Just waiting on my trainers and I shall give it a whirl! I have a couch to 5k app on my iPhone but I dunno if it's the nhs one?
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