Last night I ran 10.2 miles in just under two hours in preparation for the 13.1 mile Half Marathon that is now just 28 days away, which I'm running on behalf of Cancer Research.
It is now 231 days since my last cigarette (I had to work it out!). I quit on June 24th 2012, went out for my first run on August 29th, which was a mile and a half, the vast majority of it walked. I registered for the Half Marathon on October 30th following the death my Aunt from cancer at 53. At that time the furthest I'd run was 3 miles.
The link to my sponsorship page if anyone wants it, is below in the signature. To those who have already sponsored me (and there have been a lot!), many many thanks, it's kept me going out in this weather.
The main purpose of this post is threefold. First, an update for those in the past who've asked for it.
Secondly, to all who post on this forum, another round of thanks; without you all I would not still be quit, and this run would not be going on. This is the only quit aid I've used.
Thirdly, to any newcomers, I smoked 40-60 a day for 22 years. I don't do that now and can run ten miles. It can be done, quitting that is, and it's not as hard as you think it's going to be.
This forum works, it has for me anyway. I can't put it any simpler than that.
Written by
AngryBear
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As my one-year milestone approaches, I've been getting ready for my own next big challenge - fitness and weight control. I'm probably a lot older than you, and clearly quite less fit, so I don't think I'll be running ten miles any time soon. Plus I have really bad knees.
Nonetheless, I live a mile from a cool trailhead that has a 6.75 loop from the parking lot to the summit of Iron Mountain. I've started walking that trail, with the aim of going a little further each day. I hope to apply some of the same principles that worked for smoking cessation to the achievement of better fitness. You know, one day at a time, keep your eye on the prize, that sort of thing.
Perhaps one day soon I'll post a picture from the summit.
Meantime, Bear, enjoy your runs and keep us posted!
Gemma, Nifty & Max, thanks for your support (the missus comes out with me on her bike sometimes!)....DGee, that sounds like a great course, but don't be fooled, you're not going be less fit than me, the last mile of my ten was a crawl :eek:
Oh my god! How well have you done! I am so impressed Steve. That is just brilliant! I know you are going to have a great day when you do the half marathon and I bet it wont be the last one you do either!
Well done angry bear I have been running since November try to get out twice a week started off two miles then three and this week four miles (continuously) wat would your advice be to us to try and speed up abit of to continue adding distance I am more inclined to add distance but a couple of people we run with think speed is more important I want to start getting a few medals in a few runs
That's amazing bear, there's hope for me yet, how old are you Bear, if you don't mind me asking. I m about to start running, and can't even begin to imagine running one mile, how often did you go out running at the start, you have done tremendously in 6 months. Good Luck in your run next month.
That's amazing bear, there's hope for me yet, how old are you Bear, if you don't mind me asking. I m about to start running, and can't even begin to imagine running one mile, how often did you go out running at the start, you have done tremendously in 6 months. Good Luck in your run next month.
I'm 41, I went out about twice a week, walk / run about 1.5 miles each time. The gaps between walking and running got longer, I ran more, walked less.
I found a local 5k (3.1 miles) fun run in October that offered a medal to all finishers; I aimed to get round that then did so and only walked about ten seconds halfway round, the rest was continuous running / jogging / plodding, which was a surprise.
When I realised I could get round that I figured I could do 13 miles even if some of it was walked. The three hour cut-off was my target, I am on 2.5 hour pace now, but I will be one of the last in!
I'm still very slow, almost a plod at times but I get round
My advice, find a local fun run that offers a medal to all finishers; it's a great motivator to have an event to aim for!
Well done angry bear I have been running since November try to get out twice a week started off two miles then three and this week four miles (continuously) wat would your advice be to us to try and speed up abit of to continue adding distance I am more inclined to add distance but a couple of people we run with think speed is more important I want to start getting a few medals in a few runs
Boo
I don't think you need my advice Boo, sounds like you're doing great already! I personally concentrate on distance. My only aim next month is just to get round in the three hour cut-off time; I'm on about 2.5 hour pace now, which I am really pleased with.
It depends on what your target "event" is I guess. When I did my first 5k in October I just wanted to get round, now I would try to go faster (I did my first in 35 mins, my second a month later in 33 mins, slow I know but a miracle for me). If I do the short route I use, 1.5 miles (my original route that I used to struggle to get round!!), I push harder. Last night was just a plod as I was going for a minimum of six miles!
I would check out online running diaries and find a local run that has a medal to all finishers, it's a great motivator :cool:
Haze & Josivi, thanks for your support, and I'm tentatively earmarking the Great Eastern Run Half Marathon in Peterborough in October for the next one, on behalf of Diabetes UK (my wife is type 1 diabetic), but one slog at a time
I m about to start running, and can't even begin to imagine running one mile
Know what you mean!! Was patting myself on the back for running a half mile (could have done more but I got a stitch) but flipping heck, 10 miles? That's amazing!!
Know what you mean!! Was patting myself on the back for running a half mile (could have done more but I got a stitch) but flipping heck, 10 miles? That's amazing!!
I started off doing about 50 yards, just keep at it, before you know it the distance soon racks up.
As long as no-one thinks I'm Mo Farah; I'm so slow it's painful to watch I pulled a hamstring back in December that still hasn't cleared up completely but with the run just around the corner now, I have to nurse it along :rolleyes:
I don't think you need my advice Boo, sounds like you're doing great already! I personally concentrate on distance. My only aim next month is just to get round in the three hour cut-off time; I'm on about 2.5 hour pace now, which I am really pleased with.
It depends on what your target "event" is I guess. When I did my first 5k in October I just wanted to get round, now I would try to go faster (I did my first in 35 mins, my second a month later in 33 mins, slow I know but a miracle for me). If I do the short route I use, 1.5 miles (my original route that I used to struggle to get round!!), I push harder. Last night was just a plod as I was going for a minimum of six miles!
I would check out online running diaries and find a local run that has a medal to all finishers, it's a great motivator :cool:
we are doing 5k between 43-47 mins so still abit behind you there, we do have five of us that run together as its usually dark when we run so the pace tends to be a little slower as we are all mixed abilities [we didnt all start at the same time] i too have run my first circuit i used to do when i started out and it was soooo easy yet when we started it was very hard to run that original circuit so that proved how far i have come i think i just want to much to soon and should look at the bigger picture i have quit smoking, i have gained wieght , i have lost weight [2 and half stone], i have started running and can now run 4 miles without stopping all in two years so all in all not so bad
we are doing 5k between 43-47 mins so still abit behind you there, we do have five of us that run together as its usually dark when we run so the pace tends to be a little slower as we are all mixed abilities [we didnt all start at the same time]
boo
You've done so well, I would have to have a few 30 second walk breaks over four miles, I'm carrying too much weight!! The lad that won the first 5k I did, was timed at 16 minutes, skinny sod he was
Well done ur doing amazing..you out run me. Iv not ran for about 3 months now. First because of my heart. But iv had the all clear (iv got extra heartbeats). And now iv just got no time with my new job. I work silly hours. No time in the morning to go and by the time I get in its past 8 I just wanna eat and chill.
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month 4/5 board!!! yay!!
10 Months
