Introduce Yourself

queenjane1023

Hello all. I'm Laura, down here outside of Houston, TX. Been on and off running for the past couple of years while doing a bootcamp as well. Just had to quit the class due to expense so now I'm giving running another go. I run first thing in the mornings aroun 530am as it's my only free time with a 4 year old kiddo and full time job. Also it's really dang hot anytime after 8:00 Currently I do between 3.5 to 4 miles about 3 or 4 times a week.

Thinking about doing a 5k in the fall, but I really enjoy running as my alone time, so not sure the wholer ace mentality is for me. We'll see!

EatingAndKnitting

I'm Marlene, new to running and MFP. I'm training to be able to run a 5K by the end of the year. I'm starting out slow, just a mile a day for right now, until I can walk one mile at 3-4 MPH, then I'll increase my goal to two miles, etc...

I'm pretty obese, and recently recovered from major knee surgery, so I'm taking it slow. I don't want to reinjure myself!

I'm in Cleburne, Texas, married with four cats, and a freelance writer (fancy way of saying I don't have a job, but I'm looking!). It's nice to meet you all.

Kadi82

Hello! I'm Kadi from Australia. I'm a mum to 2 kiddies 6 and 4. I used to run at school which changed to netball/gym after finishing and then home based exercise after the kids came along. I'm basically starting from the beginning again. I ran/walked our 12km event here with no training last year in 82 mins. I couldn't walk properly for a week! But now I have time to go out running I'm getting back into it. I've been doing 8km on a Sunday and just started shorter runs during the week. Our 12km event is in sept so I should be prepared before then

RUNNING_AMOK_1958

Hi. I'm Joni. I'm 55 and retired three days ago on July 2. Yay! I live in Washington state, but spend a lot of time in Montana too.

I started running in the spring of 2012 when I was 53. I had always hated running but one day while I was waiting for spin class to begin I hopped on a treadmill and the rest is history. I ran my first 5K race a couple of months later, and my first 10K race at the end of that summer. Overtraining, poor form, and a new pair of shoes which weren't right for me led to a devastating injury in October 2012. I went through many months of rehab, gained weight, and wasn't able to begin running again until spring of 2013.

I've recovered from my injury and I rejoined MFP at the first of 2014 weighing 145 pounds. I've been at my goal weight of 125 for a little over a month now. I'm currently training for a half marathon, but eventually want to run a full marathon. Now that I'm retired I have time to devote to training.

I also lift to keep in top running form, and I also enjoy kayaking.

Dianemarie65

Hi all. My name is Diane. I have been running off and on for the last 5 years. If I am not injured than I am running. I just completed week 1 of a 12 week training program for a half marathon. It's been two years since I ran my last 1/2 marathon. Hopefully, I will keep myself in check and follow the training plan and modify if needed. For me running is a challenge and a stress reliever. Good luck to everyone who is new to running or have been running a long time!

BlueButterfly94

Hey, I'm Lizzie. I've loved running since I was very little. My mom once told me that I ran around a half mile track without stopping when I was a toddler, and she had trouble chasing after me haha. (And my mom was pretty athletic back then; she used to run marathons etc) I'm asthmatic so it makes it a bit difficult, but I'm going to run as often as possible. I'm going to set my goal to 50 miles for this month!

CupcakeCrusoe

I'm Christina. I'm training for a half marathon in the first half of next year.

Running was never something I wanted to do (unless it was after the ice cream truck, lol), until I realized it was the best way to burn calories, and once I started, I actually found I enjoy it a lot.

My goal is to run 4 times a week, that's what my training plan says. I'm excited to participate in this group fresh next month! Feel free to add me on endomondo if you use it, my name on there is also CupcakeCrusoe.

alexadevyn

Hello everyone. My name is Kriya and I live in MO with my amazing husband and two teenage girls. I was an avid runner about 10 years ago. (several 5Ks, some 10Ks, a 1/2 and 3 marathons) I went back to school as a non-traditional student and...that about says it all. I'm starting up again and am finding it very difficult to not be really ugly to myself because I have gone so far backward. I have to remind myself that it is okay and just be happy I'm off the couch. My goal is to comfortably run about 40 mpw with a long run of 10-13 that doesn't actually "kill" me. lol.

The July challenge has been excellent for me in the accountability department. Thank you SO much!

TMLS

Sorry I've not been posting so much, but if anyone's interested in my story I've been featured in the Runkeeper blog

http://blog.runkeeper.com/2177/daniel-a-marathon-journey/

jenniferpittman05

Hello Everyone! My name is Jennifer and I have run off and on for the last 20/25 years. I am in my mid thirties and now run some for fun but mostly for the health benefits and stress relief. I am in my early 30's and took just over a year off recently. I used the C25K app to get back into it starting in March of this year and am now running 3 miles at a time 3 days a week at a 9 1/2 min/mile. I am a social runner and have issues pushing myself past this 3 mile mark due to boredom but would like to run a 1/2 marathon in the near future. I am hoping this blog and running challenges will help. I am new to the Atlanta, GA area so if anyone lives in my neck of the woods and wants to run at some of the Chattahoochee parks I would LOVE a running partner.

alyssareyans

Hello. My name is Alyssa. I'm in my late 30s and have been overweight pretty much my entire life. After making it through a pretty extreme life altering event, I decided I wanted to live healthy. Mentally, physically, and emotionally. Last October I began walking 5 mins at a time. By May I was walking 5K and had lost almost 50 lbs. But I had hit a plateau and didn't really lose anything in April or May. A friend of mine is a runner and with her help I slowly began running in June of this year. I've been using MFP for a little over two months but haven't participated in the forums. I'm an extremely shy person so just posting and joining the group is way out of my comfort zone. If I'm quiet, I'm not trying to be rude, just shy. Looking forward to meeting everyone here.

CodeMonkey78

First, thank you Stan for setting up this group! Awesome idea!

Hello everyone! My name is Randall -- I live in Huntsville, Alabama.

A little about me:

I am an engineer by day, a family man by night, and a FORMER chain-smoker. I am also a running, soccer, and tattoo addict. I have an awesome wife who's tolerated me through 16 years of marriage and a beautiful 7 year old daughter.

I am legally disabled, but I refuse to accept it. I have a lower back that has been surgically rebuilt three times, Psoriatic Arthritis, and bad knees. Last September, I weighed in at 295 pounds. After a brief stint where I was able to avoid steroid injections, I was able to start cutting my weight down (180 pounds now). Out of pure stubbornness, I started running again this past February after a 10 year layoff (from my back injury) and was able to run a half marathon in training (2:02:05) 2 weeks after my 3rd back surgery this past March. I currently run about 60'ish miles per week (increasing again this week) unless my back or arthritis is flared up.

My goal is primarily to run Ultra events and I will probably run my first this September (a 6 hour endurance race). I want to find my physical and mental limitations, give them the finger, and keep pushing -- because I am stubborn, quitting is never an option, and to prove every one of my doctors wrong when they told me that I'd never run again.

As for my end of year goals, I'm targeting a 21' 5k, 45' 10k, 1:45:00 HM, and a 3:45:00 marathon.

I look forward to meeting and chatting with all of you. If anyone needs some encouragement, feel free to add me as a friend. Have a wonderful day!

otter090812

Hi, I'm Karen, age 38, from the UK. I manage a wholesale plant nursery, which is lovely at this time of year and hellish in the winter! I like hiking, scuba diving, horseback riding, cats and, as it turns out, running. Aside from a couple of years around my wedding date, I have been overweight or obese for my entire adult life.

Despite having a fairly active job, I was slap bang in the middle of the 'obese' range nine months ago. I had good strength, and a relatively decent level of fitness all things considered, but was obese nonetheless, and I was very, very unhappy with how I looked.

I started on MFP for weight loss, which has been going pretty well! I started exercising a couple of months later, using the Leslie Sansone walking videos on YouTube. Once I lost some weight and got more confident about my appearance and ability to exercise without doing myself a mischief I joined a few classes - Zumba, Yoga, Bokwa (try it!) etc. I also started strength training (New Rules - about to start Stage 3).

One day on the way home from Zumba, I decided to see if I could run, and it turned out I could. I guess the classes had brought my fitness level up a fair bit without me realising. I probably ran and walked (but mostly ran) 5K that day.

I signed up for a Race for Life 5K and really knuckled down and trained. I ran a PB on the race day, despite the heat and the hills. I did not run a sensible race :ohwell: I've signed up for quite a lot of other events now, including some 10Ks, and I'm really enjoying running.

I have a few niggling issues with knees, heels etc. so I have to be careful not to overdo it. And in terms of racing I really need to think a bit more, set myself some rules, and abide by them, rather than shoot off like there's a bear chasing me, and run the whole race at a stupid-high heart rate. Anyhow, I'm learning, and I'm researching, and I'm just trying to do my best and enjoy it!

I'm just coming to the end of a challenge here on MFP (Hunger Games), and I wanted to make sure I had something in place to keep me focussed. So, here I am. Good luck for August everyone!

ETA: and by the way, this bloke is my new hero http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/28418596

RunsOnEspresso

Good morning! My name is Jenna and I live on the surface of the sun, aka Phoenix, AZ. The excessive heat this summer has made my running motivation dwindle since I run only outside. I am hoping this group and challenge will help me out.

When I was younger I loathed running. I have exercise induced asthma and it was not well controlled, even on medicine. When I quit dancing in my early 20's I picked up running sporadically until about 2-3 years ago. I started running consistently and entered my first 5k, a turkey trot in my hometown. Since then I've run several races, including two half marathons last winter.

I am planning a marathon for 2015-2016 because I want to say I did 26.2 miles at age 35. LOL I originally wanted to do Rock n Roll Las Vegas but it is in November and would require a lot of summer miles. I am leaning toward the Rock n Roll Marathon in Phoenix. I won't have to train as much during the hottest months. I won't have to travel and I have read that it is a good course for first timers.

lisahm777

Thanks for starting this group, Stan!!

I'm Lisa. I'm currently on my third attempt of c25k. First attempt was 2012 . . . I had a lot of knee pain and got bogged down in week 3. I ran/walked my first 5 k on September 30, 2012. Did another 5k that December, one in April 2013 and Color Me Rad in June 2013. I ran/walked all of them. In July 2013 I decided to try c25k again. Still had quite a bit of knee pain, but didn't get bogged down until week 4 this time. I ran 1 day a week with a group and in September, I ran an entire mile. (I know it sounds lame, but I was so proud!!). One of the guys I was running with really knew how to push me and really encouraged me. Ran another 5k in September 2013 and didn't run again until June of this year. In June I started c25k again. Yesterday I ran 2 miles without walking and tomorrow will be on week 6; day 1. Oh, I forgot to mention that I've had NO knee pain this time. I'm determined to finish and will be running a 5 k on September 28 and then a 6.6k on October 5. I also joined a gym so I won't be able to use winter/cold/icy weather as an excuse not to run.

newmom_2012

My name is Jessica, and I'm from Canada. I just finished C25K last week, but I'm still really slow and need to work on my speed. I've never been a runner, and always used my asthma as a reason why I shouldn't run even though my asthma has bothered me in years. I'm not really sure why I started running, but now that I've started I love it.

FitHappyMe

Hi all! I'm Debbie, fulltime working mom of two kids ages 6 and 8.I took up running after I had my second child and ran for about a year. Since then, I've done other forms of exercise (sometimes consistently and other times not so consistently!) but miss the way running made me feel and look! It's been hard to find balance working full time and having kids, but I'd like to get back into running. I'd love to join in on the challenge to help keep me motivated and would be nice to have a group to check in with.

nlstarch

I'm Nicole. 36 yo living in Houston, TX. I'm not a runner by a long shot, but need something to change up my workout routines so I keep my body "confused." Who knows? Maybe I'll learn to love it! I'm a masters student at UHD and a musician on the side with a couple of albums under my belt, but my belt has been getting too tight, so I've been working at shrinking that. It's crazy hot here in Houston, so so I've spent as much time outside as possible this summer to acclimate and it seems to be working. A bike ride at noon in 90 degree heat no longer feels like death.

ltlemermaid

Happy to have found this group. I'm Anna from Illinois. I'd say I'm an on and off again runner. I used to run track and cross country in HS then stopped in college. Picked up running a few years ago doing C25K and have several 5Ks under my belt. This is my first time trying a longer distance and have just started training for a half marathon. I'm hoping to do a 10K in November.

grapefruitannie

Hi im Annie I live in England in the New Forest I feel very lucky to be living in such a beautiful place, I have always appreciated my surroundings but for the past year I have realized how lucky we are to be able to step outside your door and have such amazing sights to see. I do not really call myself a runner but I do try 1 have completed 3 5K runs now and have decreased my time each time but I am not very fast. My first was 49 mins my second 46 mins and my 3rd was 38 mins so it is going the right way but slowly lol. I enjoy running but get very frustrated that I cannot not increase my time, my problem is I am not very consistent when I start, I run a little then stop for a couple of seconds then run again after a while I just keep going and I can do 10k but it takes me ages to get into the swing of it per say. I had decided to re arrange my schedule this month and include more running so hopefully I can increase my time and stamina. I have found a few training slight hills that I intend to try and get up and down a few times. We will see. Im rambling on now so will shut up. Nice to meet you all xxx

AlwaysWanderer

Hi, Im Haylie, I'm 27 and I live in Cambridgeshire, England.
I've been running on/off for years, but go really serious about 3 months ago. I'm traing for a half marathon in October, but really working on speed rather than distance, as I run an average of 30 miles a week, and I run 12 miles already.
I've always been a slow runner, but have started to get quicker recently. I run a 5k yesterday and finished it in 26mins, so not bad! I used to be happy if I got under 10min/mile
I still consider myself a novice when it comes to running, so I'd appreciate any tips. Especially on avoiding injuries, as I get sore knees a lot.
My target time for hm is under 2 hours, but 1:50 would be amazing.
My target for August is 100 miles, I did 115 in July so hopefully achievable!

nadamandar

Hey! I'm Amanda. I live in Toronto. I'm getting married in Costa Rica in November. Currently, I run 2-3 times/week. Right now I'm at at least 10km per run. I do a bit of walking in there too. I like the challenge! It'll keep me on point....though I'll probably log in km and I can't deal with all of that ticker business!


Happy running!

slvq

Hi! I'm Sandra; I'm originally from the midwest and live in NC now. I've never been very athletic, and only started running about six years ago. Stopped running almost completely before my first daughter was born 4 years ago and am only now getting back into it. I'm pretty slow and don't run very far, but I do enjoy it. I'm looking forward to participating in the August challenge!

Thanks!

annathelu

Hello, I'm Anna. I think I joined a similar running challenge over the spring, but I petered out posting miles. I'll endeavor to improve Tia go 'round. I run 3-4 times a week, anywhere from 1 to 4 miles. Just started being consistent in the past couple of months. Since May I've trained for my first Triathlon ( a sprint), and I'm hooked. Race is Sunday. Barring unforeseen I plan to complete a second next month, then set my sights on an uphill 10k. Most I can run at a time is 4 miles , though. Looking forward to the motivation. Good luck to everyone!

BWrecky

Hi, I'm Rebecca. I'm 35, married 13 years, and have a 4 year old. I have never really been a runner, but have played soccer my whole life. I was playing indoor when I tore my ACL 1.5 years ago. It took me 3 months just to get my knee to a place where they could perform the reconstruction, and then another year to even be able to go up and down stairs without significant pain/assistance (the muscle atrophied fairly quickly after surgery). Now I do HIIT training a few times a week, and started the c25k recently. I've repeated a few weeks, so I just completed week 5 day 2. I try to run a few times a week, but I work a lot, so I definitely need motivation to get my butt out of bed early enough to run first thing in the morning. I'm hoping to log 35 miles this month. I'm so glad there is a group for support!

scubakat67

Hi everyone! I'm Kathy from Atlanta. I've only recently started running (still a run/walk combo). I started "wogging" on my lunch hour in May in an effort to kick my weight loss into gear, but when it got hot here in the South, I couldn't keep it up during lunch, so had to reignite my former morning person and drag myself out of bed before the birds even wake up.

I've been consistently logging 3-4 miles each weekday morning since the beginning of June, with longer distances on the weekends or if I'm out of town with more time (I have a pretty slow pace at about 13-14 min/mile). I'm definitely enjoying the results and the "me" time - need to work on my play list, though. I haven't done any races, but my best highlight was seeing a moose while on a morning run in southeastern Idaho! Awesome.

Thanks for starting this group - I'm hoping to hit my goal for August ... Now I'm on to figure out that nifty ticker! Good luck everyone!

kymsfitness

Howdy All, I'm Kym I have been a walker and a causal bike rider for a few years, but this summer has been rough to get myself back out there. I have stared back up again this week and I am hoping that this group will help motivate me. I have 2 GSD that love to go with me and keep me company. Normally once a routine has been started with them they dont like to take no for an answer. LOL They are a good motivation. LOL But not so much this summer I have been a slacker.

I am new this this part of the site if I miss something I dont mean to.

I am starting to get excited again.

Have a Most Excellent Day Everone

jwats8

Hi I am Jessica, divorced with 3 teenage daughters. I am trying to get back into running, but am having some trouble staying motivated. I am hoping joining challenges and clubs and starting friendships with other people who want to run will help my motivation.

DebraYvonne

Just starting running after a shoulder injury prevented me from doing my normal work-outs. I started in April, quit for a bit, then have in the last month been trying to be consistently running 4 days a week about 30 minutes or 2 miles or so -- I am still pretty slow. I am going to do a No Boundaries run group starting next week so I am excited about that and hope to pick up my pace and consistency. I am sort of old to be starting this (51) but I do enjoy it. I love the feeling after you finish and you are just so sweaty and feel good! That and I'd like to lose a few pounds keep me running. :flowerforyou:

redzgal

Hi! I was actually looking to see if someone had started a September run challenge and stumbled on to this group. I was in the USMC for 10 years so did lots of running. Ruined my knees and once I got out I decided I was done with running.

I decided to get back into it about a year ago because I remembered how easy it was to drop weight doing it. From years of running on concrete in combat boots my knees are shot but I found that running on a treadmill is easier so I invested in one. I've been off now for about 8 weeks and decided that September 1st I will get back to it. I sort of have a love/hate relationship with running. I hate the thought of it, but once I've started and I'm done, I love it!

So, here's to starting again!