Father is not happy about my 5K.

Is your father an experienced runner?

Is he paying your entrance fee and providing your childcare, transportation and meals for the day of the 5K?

Is he a medical doctor with knowledge of a prior medical condition that could prove harmful to you?

No?

Then nod your head, tell him that you appreciate his concern, and go run/walk your 5K.

I have a more dysfunctional family of origin than many, so I will say that I don't always understand the "close family ties" that bind many loving family members together. In this situation, he's not really being much of a "loving family member," so I would advocate that you separate yourself from his toxic attitude (not try to change it, but just separate yourself emotionally from caring what he thinks). What he thinks about your walking/running has no impact whatsoever on your actual walking/running. You don't need to change his opinion, and I'd advise you to not expect or rely upon his support and encouragement in your future fitness endeavors.

Let him pout and or fume.

First off - YOU CAN DO IT. And YES I've run into issues with me working out and and wanting to lose weight...and kick back from my familly (more specifically my mom). She just doesn't share the same fitness minded attitude I have. And it's okay - I just nod my head and go off and do what I want anyway.

Kind of one of the perk of being an adult!

My dad is honestly just like your dad in the way of thinking. The best thing that I've learned to do is just do it and tell him afterward! He'll be concerned when he finds out you're doing it, but it'll be a proud papa moment (as my dad always calls them) when he finds out that you've done it!

That's what my husband said to me. I kept telling him that Couch to 5K was one of the best running programs I'd ever seen, and that if everyone started with it, they would avoid cramps, stiches, and all the other YUCK that is associated with running. If you'd not done that, I recommend it. You'll knock his socks off. If you are like me, daring the naysayers generally motivates me even more rather than discouraging me, stubborn person that I am. (Er...he was running with me by the end of the summer...my whole family started running with me here and there. My ENTIRE family ran with me at the end of summer for a Susan G Komen Race for the Cure...in a downpour two hours from home. We had to get a hotel room to make it work. Sometimes, your passion rubs off on others, too!) I had a handicapper person, a speed walker, several children and elderly people pass me! But, I still finished like in the top five for my gender and age group out of thousands. You just never know by what you see. Don't go by what might discourage you. Just give your best.

To walk for an hour is not unheard of...most people CAN do that. A 5K is touted as a race that EVERYONE with some level of health or wellness CAN do at some level. They may not always run, but the runners start in front, then the joggers, then the run/walkers, then the walkers follow behind. It's truly something worth duing, and worth building at. Just having your first race under your belt will be great experience for you.

This is where the term "SELF CONFIDENCE" becomes important, to value the opinions of others, consider them, and then do what you feel led to do in your heart...to at least try. And...find some running friends, join the running group on here, and find some "kindred spirits" and keep smiling!

You'll be fine. It sounds like your dad is seriously over-reacting.

You know your own body much better than he does.

I spent over half my life trying to please parents. I finally woke up and realized its my life to live.

Do the 5K !!! Set a reasonable goal. My reasonable goal was to get to the finish line. I moved it up a notch, and then set the goal to get to the finish line in under an hour.

Have someone take a picture of you crossing the finish line!

Tell him to wise up, a 5k is only 3miles, that's just a good stretch of the legs here!

Anyone else ever run into family issue with your fitness?

My family knows me well enough to keep their mouths shut. Basically - telling me I can't do something, is a sure fire way to make me do it.


You know what - 5K's - you will be surprised the variety of folks who are there. You won't be the biggest or smallest, you won't be the fastest or the slowest. You've been exercising since January - you've got this.

Interesting! I had a very similar situation with my family. I've never been the athletic type. When I told my mom and sister that I was going to start going to the gym to walk (WALK!) on the treadmill for half an hour a day, they told me OHMYGOSHBECAREFUL, you're going to hurt your knees, you'll twist an ankle, you'll have a heart attack, don't do it, etc. I understand they were concerned for my safety, but I was walking for Pete's sake in an air-conditioned gym on a treadmill. It was insulting for them to treat me like a delicate obese flower. So, I told them to leave me alone, I was 30 years old and could make my own decisions and it wasn't like I had decided to shoot heroin or something. It really taught me something about why I became obese in the first place if basic exercise can be potentially deadly. They also used to tell me not to eat too many fruits and vegetables or I'd get a stomachache. WTF, Mom??

ETA I'm the baby of the family and considerably younger than my siblings, so I've had an abundance of "parenting" my whole life because I was really cute. It was hard to get my independence, but I have it now as well as some self-confidence.