Runners Who Never Thought They'd Run

mwyvr

Way to go Furious, way to go!

All the stories here are incredibly inspiring. Who could not want to follow in your footsteps?!!!

flabassmcgee

mwyvr wrote: »

Way to go Furious, way to go!

All the stories here are incredibly inspiring. Who could not want to follow in your footsteps?!!!

Thank you!!

Elise4270

Wow, do you have the inspiration to keep at it now? So many touching stories.

I suppose its easy to think that all these people that run were just genetically blessed and one day decided to show off that awesomeness. Maybe a few fall into that catgorie. But so many of us don't.

You've got the fight in you. The fight to be a runner. Yes, every step is a victory. Say dialed in, you'll get there. For me, I just kept trying. I hate being told "no", by my body, by my docs. After months, years of trying- it just became easier, my breathing seemed to be catching up with my desire to run. I use to hate running. Pains let up, I gained some ground and the pay off actually being able to run (sort of), being able to build.

Consistency is key. Stay at it as often as you can 3+ days a week. I quit watching distance and focused on time. Soon I was making it farther faster and could increase time.

I'm a gadget person. I can look back when I'm discouraged, feeling set back and quantify my gain. I can't argue with the data. That helps me focus, as did a running challenge here on mfp. Join us if you'd like.

Runners world features individuals that have lost substantial weight through running. I love their stories.

Hello fellow runner!

gabbo34

Ohhim wrote: »

It all started back in November 2012. I weighed 260 at the time (at a height of 5 foot 9.5"), mostly due to 9 years of a crazy 60 hour/week job with too much travel that I was working towards transitioning away from. It took about 2.5 years to finally get to a normal BMI, but I took it one step/training plan/race at a time.




Challenge #1: 5k in February 2013 (Gasparilla). Starting weight: 260 (Nov 2012), Race Weight: 250, Plan: Fitness Magazine's 6 weeks to a 5k (spread over 8). Completion time: 39 minutes (12:40/mile pace)

Challenge #2: 10 mile race (Broad Street Run), May 2013. Starting weight: 250, Race Weight: 235, Plan: Hal Higdon's 15k Novice plan. Completion time: 1:59 (11:50/mile pace)

Challenge #3: Half Marathon (Gasparilla) - February 2014. Starting weight: 230, Race Weight: 220, Plan: Hal Higdon's Novice 1 Half Marathon Plan. Completion Time: 2:28 (11:20/mile pace)

Challenge #4: Full Marathon (Pittsburgh) - May 2014. Starting Weight 220, Race Weight: 208. Plan: Hal Higdon's Novice 1 Marathon Plan. Completion Time: 4:47 (10:50/mile pace)

Challenge #5: Half Marathon (Chicago Rock 'n Roll) - July 2014. Starting Weight: 208, Race Weight: 199. Plan: Hal Higdon's Intermediate 1 Half Marathon Plan. Completion Time: 2:09 (9:54/mile pace)

Challenge #6A: Olympic Triathlon (Trirock Clearwater) - November 2014. Starting weight: 199, Race Weight: 180. Plan: Garmin HR Olympic Plan 1. Completion Time: 2:41 - (20mph bike, 8:30/mile pace for 10km, 31min 1500m open water swim)

Challenge #6B: Half Marathon (Las Vegas Rock 'n Roll) - November 2014. Starting weight: 199, Race Weight: 178. Plan: Hal Higdon's Intermediate 1 Marathon Plan. Completion Time: 1:46 (8:08/mile pace)

Challenge #7: Marathon (Clearwater) - January 2015. Starting Weight: 180, Race Weight: 177. Plan: Hal Higdon's Intermediate 1 Marathon Plan. Completion Time: 3:52 (8:48/mile pace)

Challenge #8: Marathon (Pittsburgh) - May 2015. Starting Weight: 177. Race Weight: 168. Plan: Hal Higdon's Intermediate 1 Marathon Plan. Completion Time: 3:44 (8:33/mile pace)

Long term goals: Disney Marathon January 2016 (hoping for a 3:30 at 158lb). Ironman Florida November 2016. Boston Qualifying Time by Late 2017 or early 2018 (3:13 at my age at 145lb).

In short, to get there, just find a race (you can adequately prepare for), snag a plan (both diet & training), make them a priority, log everything you eat & run, and as you work through it, you'll get lighter, faster, and closer to your goal (literally) step by step.

That's some amazing progress and speed gains. I just finished my first HM after I started running last fall. (Hal Higdon) I'm looking to cut down my time going into the fall. Everyone says the key is really logging lots of miles. Is that what you found?

mwyvr

Time, not speed, is the key. Bonus, if you stop worrying about speed you get injured less or not at all, and over time your speed will in fact increase seemingly all of its own accord!

Ohhim

gabbo34 wrote: »

That's some amazing progress and speed gains. I just finished my first HM after I started running last fall. (Hal Higdon) I'm looking to cut down my time going into the fall. Everyone says the key is really logging lots of miles. Is that what you found?

Over the past 12 months, I lost 40lb, increased my weekly mileage (maybe 20% between my first marathon and my latest to a peak of 50 miles), did a bit of speed work last fall, and started running more of my training runs 2-3 minutes slower than my race pace (vs. 1-2 minutes last year). I kept my level of effort/heart rates similar within races (165 for full, 170 for Half), but I can't really differentiate the causes of the improvement.

Still, if I was forced go guess, I'd attribute more of the improvement to losing about 40# between races (went from a 4:47 last year at 208lb to a 3:52 at 178# and 3:44 at 168# for my most recent 2). Just hoping the trend continues as I'd love to get down under 1:38 for my next HM in November, and a 3:30 for Disney next January, and have about 35# of extra weight I could shed before I'm in the "underweight" BMI range. Suspect making it to Boston will require the 35#, and a bit of a step up in mileage, but I'll see how things progress over the next year.

Adding a bit more to the picture-story:

arussell134

krissyreminisce wrote: »

I never thought I'd be a runner, either. Not even last year when I was working out and only jogging around a mile or so once or twice a week. But now I've run five races, came in first in my age group for my first 5k, WON my first 10k, and this past weekend ran a 5k and 10k on Saturday, and then Sunday completed a half marathon. I have two more halfs this month.

This is incredibly impressive and inspiring. Way to go!

mwyvr

krissyreminisce wrote: »

I never thought I'd be a runner, either. Not even last year when I was working out and only jogging around a mile or so once or twice a week. But now I've run five races, came in first in my age group for my first 5k, WON my first 10k, and this past weekend ran a 5k and 10k on Saturday, and then Sunday completed a half marathon. I have two more halfs this month.

Like so many stories here, yours is an amazing transformation! So incredibly inspiring!

I'm already more than halfway done dropping my 100 pounds and already feel like a runner again but still from time to time find it hard to believe I'll get to my goal even though I'm progressing very steadily. Stories like those in this thread help me set the expectation that my hard work will pay off and I will get to that goal weight and fitness level.

Thanks again everyone for sharing.