Running success stories!!!

sammielealea

After I had my first child I was trying to get rid of my baby weight, and my sister in law asked me if I wanted to do a 5k with her, so I thought, "sure, that could help the lbs move". I followed a training schedule (not very religiously), and found out I was pregnant with my second. I thought of backing out, but changed my mind, thinking "you've been training anyhow, just finish what you've started", and now, I am soo glad I did. When I did my first 5k, I was 12 weeks pregnant, and it was great! The sense of accomplishment was undescribable, and after I crossed the finish line, I knew I wanted to do it again. I did my second 5k when I was 19 weeks (and very noticabley!) pregnant, and at about 4km's, someone said something to me that changed my life. I had slowed for a walk, and a lady came up behind me and started walking with me and said, "I've been trying to keep up with you this entire race; I keep telling myself, if that pregnant lady can do it, so can you. You are my inspiration"! I couldn't believe it! Having someone call me their inspiration totally inspired me. We finished the race together, and I finished that race as "a runner". After I had my baby and got the ok from my doctor, I started training again, and I did 2 5k races, and when my daughter was 10 months old, I ran my first half marathon and finished in 2 hours, 9 mins. I'm training for another half, and have another one scheduled for this summer. I love running and setting new goals for myself; it's changed my life.

jturnerx

Did everyone who started run on flat or hills? I do much better if it's fairly flat. I feel like I'm whimping out though.

Don't feel like a wimp, almost everybody does better on the flats. lol I certainly started on the flats since running was hard enough already. But since I'm primarily training for trail races and the ones I prefer to do have a lot of elevation gain and loss that means hills and lots of them.

funkycamper

After I had my first child I was trying to get rid of my baby weight, and my sister in law asked me if I wanted to do a 5k with her, so I thought, "sure, that could help the lbs move". I followed a training schedule (not very religiously), and found out I was pregnant with my second. I thought of backing out, but changed my mind, thinking "you've been training anyhow, just finish what you've started", and now, I am soo glad I did. When I did my first 5k, I was 12 weeks pregnant, and it was great! The sense of accomplishment was undescribable, and after I crossed the finish line, I knew I wanted to do it again. I did my second 5k when I was 19 weeks (and very noticabley!) pregnant, and at about 4km's, someone said something to me that changed my life. I had slowed for a walk, and a lady came up behind me and started walking with me and said, "I've been trying to keep up with you this entire race; I keep telling myself, if that pregnant lady can do it, so can you. You are my inspiration"! I couldn't believe it! Having someone call me their inspiration totally inspired me. We finished the race together, and I finished that race as "a runner". After I had my baby and got the ok from my doctor, I started training again, and I did 2 5k races, and when my daughter was 10 months old, I ran my first half marathon and finished in 2 hours, 9 mins. I'm training for another half, and have another one scheduled for this summer. I love running and setting new goals for myself; it's changed my life.

That is so cool. You must have been beaming for days! :flowerforyou:

sammielealea

I was . . . and I still am! Having someone say those words were such a pivital moment of my life. I'm not sure how much of an influence I had on that other person, but their influence on me was life changing. When I first started running, I was just doing it because I didn't want to let my sister-in-law down . . . making her go to the race by herself. Talking to this woman, I realized that if, when I am setting and achieving new goals for myself, I can help someone else realize that they can do this too, it's all worth it.

determinedbutlazy

Started around 218lb on the 24th of January this year, running on the treadmill with C25K.
It HURT, a LOT.
Now I'm about to start week 7, I am down 8lb, and lots of inches.
It really hurt so much at first. I have been strength training in my legs and core especially to help that, and about week 4 or 5 everything just "clicked" and it became much MUCH easier. My breathing is happening naturally, my legs are behaving.
I love what I can do now. 20 minutes run with only a 3 minute walk?! 7 weeks ago I would have laughed you out of town.

After I finish the C25K I'm going to do it over, outside. I want to run a 5k in under 30 minutes, so lots and lots more training to go!

blindcode

I've started on flat because my ankles and tendons were not used to the pressure. Now I can incline without all the pain - I guess it depends on the person.

Lyerin

I started C25K weighing in the 190s (I think I was around 195 ish at the time, possibly a bit more) sometime in March of this year. I finished the program in mid-July and ran a 5K on July 28. I currently weigh 173 and am doing the C210K program (started in week 9 as a continuation of C25K). At first, I could barely run for one minute. This morning, I ran 3 15 minute segments of running separated by 1 minute of walking. I am slow, but I can do it.

davemunger

I've always been a runner but over the years I gradually gained weight. I was running about 3 miles a day most days but my BMI was approaching "obese" levels. I was 6' 1" and weighed 230 pounds. That was about 3 years ago. I was 43. I decided I wanted to run a marathon and starting to run with a local running group. Their "easy" runs were 6 miles and they kicked my butt every time I ran with them. But gradually, I started to improve, and the pounds started to come off.

I was down to around 205 when I completed my first half-marathon, with 6 months to train for my first marathon, Big Sur, scheduled for May of 2011. I was getting faster and faster. I weighed 195 when I ran Big Sur, finishing in 3 hours and 37 minutes.

Then I realized I was only 7 minutes away from qualifying for the Boston Marathon! I ran another marathon a month later but crashed and burned, finishing in over 4 hours.

I rededicated myself to training and losing weight. I was 185 when I ran the Richmond Marathon in the fall of 2011, and I finished in 3:23, qualifying for Boston!

I ran Boston this past April, and although the events that day were tragic, I couldn't help but be uplifted by the spirit of the people of Boston. I've now run 9 marathons and looking forward to continuing to run them. I weigh about 180 and I'm looking to lose 5 more pounds. Now I'm one of the fastest runners in my running group, and I love mentoring new runners as they begin their own journeys!

bauhausfrau

I started running again a month ago. I thought since I did it so much when I was younger I'd pick it up again easily. NO! I was wheezing and out of breath in under 5 minutes at a jogging pace. Ouch! My ego! Well, I decided to keep at it & not miss a day, no matter what (heck if I can't find 5 minutes in a day, right? lol) Well, 4 weeks later I can go an hour without stopping. I'm still only jogging at 5mph, but it's definitely improvement & I'm not giving up.