Introduce Yourself

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Replies

  • queenjane1023
    queenjane1023 Posts: 24 Member
    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
    EatingAndKnitting Posts: 531 Member
    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
    Kadi82 Posts: 361 Member
    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
    RUNNING_AMOK_1958 Posts: 268 Member
    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
    Dianemarie65 Posts: 20 Member
    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
    BlueButterfly94 Posts: 303 Member
    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
    CupcakeCrusoe Posts: 1,355 Member
    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
    alexadevyn Posts: 26
    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
    TMLS Posts: 125 Member
    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/
  • 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
    alyssareyans Posts: 88 Member
    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
    CodeMonkey78 Posts: 320 Member
    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
    otter090812 Posts: 380 Member
    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
    RunsOnEspresso Posts: 3,218 Member
    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
    lisahm777 Posts: 12
    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
    newmom_2012 Posts: 96 Member
    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.
  • 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
    nlstarch Posts: 9 Member
    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
    ltlemermaid Posts: 637 Member
    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
    grapefruitannie Posts: 122 Member
    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