Your Running History

pabigwood

I used to run 2-4 miles occasionally in high school...

Now 27 years later, I just want to get my weight down to a point where I'm not going to injure myself when I start to run...
I've "played around" a little with c25k, but I'm just not ready for it yet.

I do need to get my *kitten* in gear. I don't want to be the slow one when the zombie apocalypse hits...

dsjohndrow

I ran from the police once while a group of us were TPing houses. That was in the 80's

Ah yes! I too had a brief running spurt in the 80s. Except it wasn't while TPing houses ... it was escaping after a kegger got busted. I also climbed a chain link fence, so it was more of an obstacle course.

My kind of 70s and 80s friends!

RunnerElizabeth

I started a program similar to c25k in 2011. About 3 weeks in I ended up with strep throat and had to take a week off. I got better and went back to it, ended up with strep throat again, had to take a week off. Then I got better and it happened again. By this time it was late October so I decided not to try again until spring.

I started back at the beginning of the program in April of the next year. On my first run I realized I could run much more than 4 minutes at a time so I revised my plan and was up to running a full 5k pushing the jogging stroller in 38 minutes by the end of May. I started training to run a faster 5k at that time with the thought of running a 10k in October. Somehow, in July the 10k I had planned turned into a half marathon. So I started training for the half. Ran a 5k with the stroller in August in 29:52 which I was pretty happy with. Ran the first half in Oct. that year in 2:22:38.

Got a little bit lax with my running until January. Then I signed up for another half in May which I ran in 2:11:46. Got another planned for Oct and I'm hoping for sub 2 hours at that time.

bettepower

As a beginner (C25K w5d1) I find your stories very inspirational, thank you.
I'm 38 and have never been a runner. I too am amazed at what the body can do. A few weeks ago I couldn't run for three minutes, now I can rule a mile (yes, I realize how pathetic that sounds).
I hope in a years time to have a motivational story to share.

__Di__

It took me a year to complete C25K. I was 53-years-old. Since then, I have run about a dozen 5Ks, 4 10Ks and a 1/2 marathon. I have had some good advice from a couple of runners on here. I was never a runner before - doubt I ever did more than a mile at any one time. I have no idea what I can achieve given my age and history. I do know that I have knocked 4 minutes off my 5K in a year's time, and 6 minutes off my 10K time.

So, I am curious, what's your running history? How long have you been at it, where did you start? How long do you think it takes to achieve your potential? Have your times gotten better?

I know it's not about time, or even distance; I just like to make realistic goals. My current goal is to finish a marathon and beat Oprah's time of 4:29:15.

I've been involved in running and track and field athletics for 39 years now but it is only during the last five years that I have concentrated more on longer distances and only within the last year that I have started to race longer distances (5k and 10k) on the roads outside - before that it was always indoors on the treadmill, mainly due to poxy shinsplints which I have now resolved.

My first ever 5k time was 28:35, my PB is now 25:34. My first ever 10k rime was 56:33, I intend to run another one within a few months.

I have to admit, I am not interested in running a Marathon, I think a half marathon will be my limit.

manhn1

I would say my running history is about 3 years.

During my weight loss journey (almost 20 years long), my exercises of choice tended to be classes (step and kickbox) and the elliptical. Then I bought my first place, which was a condo. The building had a gym. The elliptical machines sucked, so I started using the treadmill. Despite my supposed fitness, I couldn't run more than 15 minutes. I run 30 minutes on the treadmill 4 days per week, which started at 11 min per mile and now at best at 9 min per mile. I hope to get to 8 min per mile over the next few months.

I did 2 10Ks and a Terry Fox run, but I didn't really enjoy any of them. Not in good enough shape.

I generally avoid exercising outdoors. I like the gym. Then I entered a half marathon last September, so I had to start getting in some "long runs". I have to run in what I consider scenic routes, as I will use any excuse to stop the run. I cannot just get out of my home and start running. I did the half (1 hour, 52 min) and loved it. Did a 10K last month to honour Boston. Just finished my second half last week in Portland, a minute slower but I think the course was hillier because I felt I ran it better than my first race. My third half is coming in September. Before that, I have a 10K on the 4th of July during a trip to NYC.

I have no real desire to do a full. Doing a half hasn't really altered my eating habits. I'm kinda hesitant about the extra "fueling" I have to do if I do the full. Ultimately, my weight loss and maintenance comes before any other health-related issues. I view the half as a great opportunity to explore neighbourhoods of new cities without the run wrecking the rest of the day for me.

GiddyupTim

I think it is great you started running. I started when I was 20 years old, and, in about a year and a half, I ran a sub-40 10K.
I think it is a good idea that you keep running races if you want to get faster. It pushes you in a way that you don't push yourself otherwise.
Also, that comment someone made about running through fatigue and breathlessness, but not pain, is right on. At our age, it takes forever to heal if you hurt yourself and don't care for it right away.

13suzie

I was always a decent athlete when I was a kiddo. When I was about 19, I got great advice from someone who was a bit older and in better shape than me. He said, SLOW DOWN! He basically insisted that I slow to a jog that could allow me to carry on a casual conversation as I ran. That advice changed everything. I went from being a non-runner to a runner with that advice.

I then went out and bought an slew of books on running. The book that rose to the top was Richard Benyo's Making the Marathon Your Event. I read every page - didn't skip a word. I picked up tons of knowledge from that book - from runners lube to fartleks to track workouts - importance of negative split training - mindsets etc. I then identified the 16 week training program as the one to get me ready for my first marathon and signed up for Honolulu in 1994. I finished top 5% in my age group with a time of 4:09. For years I continued with that program and have enjoyed running ever since.

As a more grown-up runner, I have enjoyed the perks of aging as a runner. My weight has been under control for the most part - I have only ever gained 15 pounds over the course of my adult life and that was when I had to take a running break due to a non-running injury. My pulse is always low and I feel that running manages feelings of well-being.

My favorite aspect to my running story regards how running has gifted me with a supportive community. I lost my brother to leukemia and have found a happy outlet doing the Team in Training program offered by the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. It's open to anyone who wants to help cure cancer! I have raised money as I trained for the San Diego Marathon (Full), Disney (half), Madrid (Full), and DC (half). To date I have raisied about $30K and have enjoyed the many perks of participation including that someone is always watching out for for me during events. (I also do non-tnt events, like Miami half, jacksonville Donna Race (half), and other events.) My favorite experiences are the TNT ones!

Now that I am in my 40s, my full marathon times aren't as fast as when I was 23 but in my 1/2 marathon times are faster! I hover around or under 2 hours for the half. I love Benyo's book and always recommend it for runners who want to embrace the marathon. It's kinda spiritual for me to run marathons - there's an aspect of connecting with something larger than yourself when you run in a huge field of runners. It feels remarkable to finish a marathon. I always feel kinda teary in the finish area. Benyo has some quote that i like...the gist is that no other event allows you to discover parts of yourself that you never knew existed...

Anyhow, I run about 6 miles each day M-F and go long on the weekend. I enjoy listening to NPR when I run and get swept away listening. Today I ran about 14...nice and slow. Gearing up for a big marathon this year -- either NYC or Dublin, Ireland or PGH. Thanks for the thread...kinda fun to think back (and forward)...

Happy running!

missdaisy79

I started running last year, as I wanted to get fit and lose weight. i'd been slowly putting the pounds on over time, and it was only when my guy proposed to me that I decided it was time to do something about it. I was struggling with serious back pain too, so running had to wait until I'd lost a little weight, got married, and finally wanted to do it. My husband started doing parkrun, and so I came along to volunteer. Every week I thought " I want to do this". I was fortunate enough to have some money come my way, so I went to a sports shop in town, got fitted for some running shoes, and started jogging around the university campus where I worked.

After a few months doing this I could go around the 1 mile circuit without stopping to walk. I started going to parkrun. Soon I was able to do 5k without stopping to walk. I'm not complacent, I'm still pleased when I can completed a parkrun - a PB is a bonus, not an expectation. I did my first 10k last year on rememberence day, in the chilly midwinter on an icy park in Coventry. This year, I did the Wolf Run 10k obstacle race. This weekend, I just completed the Manchester 10k with a PB of 1:09:55, and in two weeks' time I'm doing the Two Castles 10k. Later this year I'll be doing a half marathon.

Prior to this, the only running I'd ever done was for a bus, or for last orders at the bar.