Obese & Sedentary to Marathon Runner
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aarar
Posts: 684 Member
I started MFP at 234lbs 11 months ago and lost 35 lbs between September through December. I lost it strictly by eating at a calorie deficit with no exercise or physical activity as I've done previously. Having lost and gained weight this way many (many) times in the past, I knew that if I wanted this time to be different, I obviously needed to do something different.
So I decided to become a runner.
Back in January before I ran my first steps, my goal was to run a 5k in August. I made a promise to myself that no matter what, I would commit to 3 days a week and do 5km each time until I could run the whole distance. The first week was awful. I would walk 5-10 minutes at a time and then run about 30 seconds. I hated it. I remember my legs and lungs burning from running that short distance and I also remember thinking "how the hell am I supposed to be able to do this for 30+ minutes straight?"
But then something happened. It was about my 3rd or 4th 'run' when I realized I was hitting 30 seconds pretty easily and making it closer to a minute. Then I realized I didn't need such long walking breaks. I also realized that my legs weren't actually going to fall out beneath me and my lungs weren't ACTUALLY going to burst. Everything then changed. I was soon able to run half a km and then a full km. By the end of January I was able to run a full 5km without stopping. I just accomplished something that seemed so impossible a month ago.
So I kept going. By March 1st I could run 10km and it was around that point I decided to see just how far I could go if I slowly kept increasing my distance every week. As it turns out, I was able to go pretty far! I had hopes for a half marathon at the back of my mind throughout this whole process, but once I hit that distance in April I decided to give it all I had and aim for a full marathon in August. It seemed SO ridiculous that I didn't really tell too many people until very recently. I was afraid they'd say I was going to injure myself, I should start with shorter races etc. But for some reason I really needed to prove something to myself.
I started marathon training in the spring and still only ran 3 days a week. Some days I deviated from my training and if something didn't feel right I wasn't afraid to take a few days off to recover. I did everything in my power to remain injury free. I don't know when exactly it happened, but somewhere in that time I fell in love with running.
On August 25th, just over 7 months after I started I ran and finished my very first full 42.2km marathon. The last 10km were very tough but I did it and it was worth every grueling step. My goal was to finish and run the whole thing and I finished in 5:11:49 which put me in 459th place out of 504 finishers and a total of over 600 runners. I never thought being in 459th place for anything would feel so good!
Oh I should also add that I've lost a grand total of 88lbs. I can honestly say I wouldn't have gotten to this point without running. It's helped realize I'm so much more than whatever the number is on the scale that day and it gave me a new appreciation for myself and what I'm capable of (something I've never had). My little boys suddenly want to run in races 'like mommy'. It's amazing.
If you got this far, thanks for reading my story! Here are a few before and after pics:
Before:
After:
So I decided to become a runner.
Back in January before I ran my first steps, my goal was to run a 5k in August. I made a promise to myself that no matter what, I would commit to 3 days a week and do 5km each time until I could run the whole distance. The first week was awful. I would walk 5-10 minutes at a time and then run about 30 seconds. I hated it. I remember my legs and lungs burning from running that short distance and I also remember thinking "how the hell am I supposed to be able to do this for 30+ minutes straight?"
But then something happened. It was about my 3rd or 4th 'run' when I realized I was hitting 30 seconds pretty easily and making it closer to a minute. Then I realized I didn't need such long walking breaks. I also realized that my legs weren't actually going to fall out beneath me and my lungs weren't ACTUALLY going to burst. Everything then changed. I was soon able to run half a km and then a full km. By the end of January I was able to run a full 5km without stopping. I just accomplished something that seemed so impossible a month ago.
So I kept going. By March 1st I could run 10km and it was around that point I decided to see just how far I could go if I slowly kept increasing my distance every week. As it turns out, I was able to go pretty far! I had hopes for a half marathon at the back of my mind throughout this whole process, but once I hit that distance in April I decided to give it all I had and aim for a full marathon in August. It seemed SO ridiculous that I didn't really tell too many people until very recently. I was afraid they'd say I was going to injure myself, I should start with shorter races etc. But for some reason I really needed to prove something to myself.
I started marathon training in the spring and still only ran 3 days a week. Some days I deviated from my training and if something didn't feel right I wasn't afraid to take a few days off to recover. I did everything in my power to remain injury free. I don't know when exactly it happened, but somewhere in that time I fell in love with running.
On August 25th, just over 7 months after I started I ran and finished my very first full 42.2km marathon. The last 10km were very tough but I did it and it was worth every grueling step. My goal was to finish and run the whole thing and I finished in 5:11:49 which put me in 459th place out of 504 finishers and a total of over 600 runners. I never thought being in 459th place for anything would feel so good!
Oh I should also add that I've lost a grand total of 88lbs. I can honestly say I wouldn't have gotten to this point without running. It's helped realize I'm so much more than whatever the number is on the scale that day and it gave me a new appreciation for myself and what I'm capable of (something I've never had). My little boys suddenly want to run in races 'like mommy'. It's amazing.
If you got this far, thanks for reading my story! Here are a few before and after pics:
Before:
After:
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Replies
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your kids are the spitting image of their dad0
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You're AMAZING! :flowerforyou:0
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You are a serious, serious inspiration. What an incredible transformation! You look incredible.
I'm not overweight, but I've been learning to run this summer and I loathe it still, so you've given me so much hope that I might enjoy it eventually! I run 5-7 km right now and it's not physically that hard, but I do find it mentally tough.0 -
Wonderful job0
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Wow!!!!!!! I'm just 4mths into being addicted to running and can't imagine doing a full marathon (completed a 10k though) and you look phenomenal. Congrats to you mama...my hats off to you.0
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That's amazing! Great job!
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Totally incredible :drinker:0
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your kids are the spitting image of their dad
:laugh:
ok. but seriously? you are amazing. what a transformation! and to take to running that quickly and advance your mileage like you have! wow, just...wow. awesome. :drinker:0 -
what an amazing transformation, and an inspiring story as well. the joy of running is all about the mental challenge and overcoming the physical obstacles. awesome that you worked your way up to a full marathon so quickly! for some it takes years to build up to a 1/2!0
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That's freaking awesome!! I started running in March and have also fallen in love with it. It has been such an amazing way to get in shape and lose weight like I've never been able to before. It has totally reshaped my body and I love it. Congrats on your weightloss, and also on that amazing accomplishment of finishing your first full marathon!! Truly so amazing and so inspirational!0
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That's amazing, congratulations! I'm doing the same, did a half last year and my first full is in october. I was up at 240 when I started running, and now I'm down to 193 and hoping to add to the deficit. Great motivation 0
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Wow, that's such an inspiring story! Congratulations for keeping it up! I've just dared to do a half marathon... wow, really, wow. You're so awesome!0
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Wow. Amazing transformation. Amazing progress with your running. Thanks for posting!0
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Thanks for sharing your story! This really gives me hope as I just started trying to "run" a few weeks ago. I started exactly the way you did, huffing and puffing after very short periods of jogging and walking the rest of the time. I have already noticed improvement, but I still don't feel like a runner. I'm hoping to be able to finish a 5k in October without walking. You have proven that it can be done!0
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What an accomplishment!! Being able to run a marathon is very empowering, isn't it? I wish I could still run them. You are SMART to do everything you can to keep from being injured. I wish I had been that smart. Now I just walk, but I love it too.
Oh! I just wanted to add, that my former track coach called run/walk 'wogging' and always said it was the only way to go when you first start training.0 -
That's an amazing story and you look fabulous running. Congratulations on your success. 0
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Wow! What an amazing accomplishment!0
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Freaking awesome! Congrats!
The weight loss is impressive by itself, but the progress you made with your running is even more impressive.
Def inspiring!0 -
That was awesome. You have reinforced my new-found inspiration for running again!
I just last week resolved to start running again after about 5 years of not being able to. I'm about 10lbs more than you were at your starting weight, but when I was 100lbs thinner I LOVED to run. I've missed it so very much. All these years I've been telling myself I can't, that I'm too big, maybe when I'm smaller. I've started small, and after a week I'm at about a 16 minute mile (pathetic, but it's a start!).
Turns out the best way to run a mile....is to just run the mile.0 -
Get the eff out of here... add me to the list with your son, cause you are officially my new hero!
Congratulations, this is soo inspiring, my ultimate fitness goal is to run a Marathon in my life time.0
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