from being winded after 100 yards to 9 miles last night

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buffcleb
buffcleb Posts: 150 Member
in Success Stories
how the heck did that happen... I started running last year to help with my stamina in Fire Fighting... I never planned anything... just wanted to be able to perform my fire fighting tasks without being so winded...

When I started I ran / walked one mile and it took a good 6 or so weeks to get to the point where I could run one mile... hated every minute of it...

I started back at it this spring and added more and more distance... I was to the point where doing 3-5 miles was no big deal... helped me lose the weight I was looking to do... I hit my weight target a month or so ago... dropped a little less then 100 pounds and have been doing maintenance since then...

I still added distance and had a couple of runs around 6 miles...

For fathers day my wife bought me some actual running shoes... I had been using my two year old sneakers that are pretty worn out... I went in to a local running store and got fitted for shoes... they put me in a size smaller then I normally pick out for myself and a shoe that provides extra support... I evidently have a moderate pronation (did not even know what that meant until they told me)

I broke them in with a 4 mile run fathers day and they felt good... Last night I had some time because my kids Karate class was canceled so I headed to the park and planned to try running 10k ( four laps where I run )... when I got to that amount I was still fine so I figured WTF... might as well push it and added two more laps...

At the 9 mile mark I was still fine but I really needed to head home... finished in 1 hour and 16 minutes... holy cow... never ran for that long before...

I will head out one more night this week with a smaller run... maybe five miles or so and hopefully the weather is nice on Saturday and I will see if I can add another lap or to...

Still can't believe I am even thinking about running those distances... I know for a lot of runners this is no big deal but I was never a runner... as a kid in football running was alway my least favorite activity... sucking wind at the end... I can honestly say I am in the best shape of my life... Took me less then a year to get here...

I had no plans to run any races but now I am thinking a half marathon is in my not to distant future.. beyond that who knows...

How the heck did this happen... never would have thunk it...
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Replies

  • coopers11
    coopers11 Posts: 30 Member
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    This is amazing! I have also taken up running and went from not being able to run a mile to a marathon last year.

    It's so amazing and I want to talk to everyone about how much running has changed my life!

    I'm glad you're enjoying it too !!! :)
  • NHoughton13
    NHoughton13 Posts: 303
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    Great work and good luck on any races your decide to tackle!!!
  • lisaabenjamin
    lisaabenjamin Posts: 665 Member
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    Amazing what a new pair of running shoes can do eh?! I'm training for my first half marathon too - good luck, you can do it!
  • abnerner
    abnerner Posts: 452 Member
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    Awesome story! :) I run but HATE it, I don't know if I could EVER like it!
  • giantruss
    giantruss Posts: 100
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    awsome work!! running changed my life too

    i looove it
  • nlehmann
    nlehmann Posts: 164 Member
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    Great story...I too went from hating every step to looking forward to when I can get out next.
  • betsij
    betsij Posts: 299 Member
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    Great read! I am at the beginning, started C25k. I am on week 2. Its hard to imagine I could ever run and kind of distance. But gonna keep at it. Smiles for you!!
  • DanOhh
    DanOhh Posts: 1,806 Member
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    WTG! That's awesome! You're an inspiration.
  • Samanthahahaha
    Samanthahahaha Posts: 75
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    Wow, awesome story, congrats!
  • acstansell
    acstansell Posts: 567 Member
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    Great Work - I'm having trouble building my stamina and endurance, but I'm still digging into Couch to 5k. This is very inspiring because I was the same way... winded doing 100 yards and now I can fast walk a 5k under an hour (it's pretty good considering...)
  • Bing30
    Bing30 Posts: 32 Member
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    Fantastic. Makes me want to try it myself!!
  • vtgirl77
    vtgirl77 Posts: 69
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    Great post! I too, started running just last year and am now doing 35-40 miles a week. I lift heavy too, so it took me a while to adjust my lifting routine, and my legs, to accommodate distance, not sure how many times I've said "I'm not built for running" Haha

    This weekend I am doing the New England Relay with my running team and then I am thinking about a little baby triathlon, I have Tough Mudder in August and then a half marathon in September.

    Never thought I'd be able to run more than 5 miles at a time, and now my long one is 11. I'll get the half under my belt and I'm good with that. I have no desire to run a marathon....lol
  • Mexicanbigfoot
    Mexicanbigfoot Posts: 520 Member
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    Wow. Thanks for sharing your story! Gives me lots of motivation!! Congrats on all your success so far and good luck in future runs!
  • lousoulbody
    lousoulbody Posts: 663 Member
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    Great story thank for sharing, what an inspiration you are to all us non runners!

    Cheers
  • sawjan
    sawjan Posts: 161 Member
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    Thanks for sharing, awesome job!
  • scrmom74
    scrmom74 Posts: 22 Member
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    That's awesome. The past 3 months I have been running and signed up for a half marathon in September. I bet your body is thanking you for losing the weight and running. Good Job!
  • lisaanne1369
    lisaanne1369 Posts: 377 Member
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    Last spring I won first place in my age division on my first 5-K. I too need to throw down and get me some new sneekers !
  • frugalafterfifty
    frugalafterfifty Posts: 240 Member
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    I can walk all day but hate to run. I've walked several half marathons and started training for another one this summer. Just 3 days ago I decided to run half a block and walk half a block. I did it! Maybe I'll try a walk/run when I do the marathon. Great story and interesting about the running shoes.....I normally buy up half a size. There's a professional running store near me, maybe I'll stop in. Thanks for the incentive.
  • Alwayssohungry
    Alwayssohungry Posts: 369 Member
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    I am so looking forward to having a similar problem :)
  • capnrus789
    capnrus789 Posts: 2,736 Member
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    LOVE THIS! Sounds familiar, too. I look forward to being able to go 9 "just because."

    And thanks for being a fire fighter. Truly honorable profession.

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