I wanted to share a bit of a story around why I’m so passionate about running...

[RyanSnellLean6]

Back in school I always remember getting changed and a kid shouting out to everyone that I had big nipples.

And I can remember feeling really shocked and embarrassed. This wasn’t something I’d thought about before until this one guy had said it…

And now everyone in the PE changing room is stood there laughing at me, it was horrible!

Almost overnight I became so body-conscious…

I didn’t want to take my top off anymore…

I didn’t want to go on holiday with my family in fear of having to take my shirt off on the beach…

And I become obsessed with going to the gym and dieting to change the way I looked.

My logic was if I was to lift weights and build muscle I could change the shape of my chest and by dieting aggressively all year round I could be super lean and have nipples like everyone else…

The gym, the strict diets, the obsessive nature of changing my body completely distorted the way I thought I was supposed to look.

I became so obsessed with being in shape that if my diet waivered slightly off track I’d feel like sh**, and punish myself by making myself eat more and more until I reached a point of wanting to be sick.

I had no respect for my own body anymore.

This continued for a few years and I tried loads of different diets and training routines to stay in shape without getting the body that I wished for.

Then as I moved cities and went to university, I decided to take up running, which was originally for no other reason than to help me lose a bit of weight, keep it off, and feel comfortable in my own skin.

When I started I really enjoyed it and committed to it 3 times a week.

One thing surprised me tho and was something I wasn’t expecting…

Was the huge mindset shift quite early on into running.

Running had completely changed the way I was eating, training, and viewing my body.

All of a sudden my focus was –

“How could I be a better runner”

As opposed to…

“What should I eat and do in the gym to look better in a t-shirt”

I feel like running gave me something else to focus on. It took away my obsessive focus on my body and weight...

It’s the reason I’m now comfortable in my own skin…

And why I no longer have to worry about losing weight or that the weight will all of a sudden pile back on.

As well as the health benefits to running… YOU FEEL AMAZING DOING IT!

This is why I’m so passionate about running!

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Becoming a runner is a life-changing experience for many, but however many times you tell people that they will feel better and look better, with huge mental benefits alongside the physical ones, until they actually experience it they are likely to write it off as cheesy propaganda.

After all, many, many people have said to me, " Oh no, I always hated running. It wouldn't work for me."

There is something very wrong in physical education in so many schools that such large numbers are turned off physical exercise for life. On this forum we see so many who are absolutely staggered by the change in their own attitude that occurs after just a few sessions of C25K.

Mindsets can change.

[Wawacito Graduate in reply to IannodaTruffe]

"After all, many, many people have said to me, " Oh no, I always hated running. It wouldn't work for me." & "There is something very wrong in physical education in so many schools that such large numbers are turned off physical exercise for life."

That's me!!

PE put me off excercise completely. The changing rooms, groups showers, warm up runs, changing body during puberty, choosing team members for games etc. etc. - horrible!

What I hated most was running. Warm-up runs, runs in the gym, runs in the park. It couldn't get any worse.

At 53, this February, I started C25K after seeing that a Scottish friend of nearly the same age as me and a few kilos overweight had run 8k. Soooo, if HE can do it, maybe I can do it to.

C25K was surprisingly easy. Consolidation has been torpedoed by a baker cyst, my husband getting really ill and needing my attention in hospital & rehab as well as a quick stop at the hospital for myself getting another cyst removed from my abdomen.

Does that put me off running? No way!!! It is the mindset that has changed completely! I cannot wait to get into my newly bought cold weather gear and get going this weekend when the 3 weeks convalescence are over.

[IannodaTruffe Mentor in reply to Wawacito]

Keep running, keep smiling.

[Wawacito Graduate in reply to IannodaTruffe]

It is more than a smile. It is a biiiig happy grin.

[Roxdog Graduate]

Your post almost made my cry! So life affirming!I remember as a girl at school in the early 70s being made to wear ridiculous gym skirts and do sports I hated. I was a little overweight and not 'sporty'. Took me until the age of 59 to get over my fear of running and it's life changing.

[nowster Graduate]

How long have you been running now?

At school nobody wanted me on their team. My usual position in any sport was "left behind".

[Folkylass Administrator Graduate in reply to nowster]

Me too! Always the last to be picked!

[Rennur Graduate]

Don't get me started on PE teachers. They were only interested on turning out the best school team. Has anything changed? What about getting all kids to embrace exercise - ie doing their job. If Maths or English teachers worked on the same principles.....

[Rennur Graduate in reply to Rennur]

Worst of all I was never that bad but not good enough for the school teams (except for rugby, but we were awful). He was not impressed when I opted to drop out to protect my fingers for piano and violin. I didn't tell him that JPR Williams was an accomplished pianist. I re-discovered cricket in my late 20s playing recreational cricket. I gave that up as my eyes were going. I did some swimming then I discovered running last year and haven't looked back.