Run Fat Boy Run - 'Running'.

[Greebosan]

Similar situation to you Jam, wrong side of 40 and a few years ago was comfortably 15 stone. I found an old picture of me away at Exeter the other day and it was not a pretty sight. I've never been fit, although do walk long distances at a ridiculous speed, but this is down to my height rather than any athleticism on my part. Anyway, lost about 2.5 stone over the last year through basically not eating very much, and feel better for it. Can't shift the last annoying bit of spare tyre though and am getting pressured to join the running club here at work. I seriously doubt I'd be able to do it though and wouldn't know where to start - glad to hear others in the same boat, I may have to give it a go in some secluded corner somewhere.

 

[MK Shrimper]

Similar situation to you Jam, wrong side of 40 and a few years ago was comfortably 15 stone. I found an old picture of me away at Exeter the other day and it was not a pretty sight. I've never been fit, although do walk long distances at a ridiculous speed, but this is down to my height rather than any athleticism on my part. Anyway, lost about 2.5 stone over the last year through basically not eating very much, and feel better for it. Can't shift the last annoying bit of spare tyre though and am getting pressured to join the running club here at work. I seriously doubt I'd be able to do it though and wouldn't know where to start - glad to hear others in the same boat, I may have to give it a go in some secluded corner somewhere.

Nonsense. Start small - 1 min gentle jog, 1 min walk then build it up until you're not walking anymore.

 

[Jam_Man]

Similar situation to you Jam, wrong side of 40 and a few years ago was comfortably 15 stone. I found an old picture of me away at Exeter the other day and it was not a pretty sight. I've never been fit, although do walk long distances at a ridiculous speed, but this is down to my height rather than any athleticism on my part. Anyway, lost about 2.5 stone over the last year through basically not eating very much, and feel better for it. Can't shift the last annoying bit of spare tyre though and am getting pressured to join the running club here at work. I seriously doubt I'd be able to do it though and wouldn't know where to start - glad to hear others in the same boat, I may have to give it a go in some secluded corner somewhere.

What Id suggest is going solo, or with someone equally out of shape. You dont want to be getting involved with people who are miles ahead of you.

Give the couch to 5k a go, the first time I did it the 60 second spells seemed like I was going to die every time, but after two weeks I can now run those easily. IF you are doing a lot of walking you are probably fitter than I was anyway.

I recommend Priory Park early or later, lots of secluded paths where you can look terrible with no one to see!

Nonsense. Start small - 1 min gentle jog, 1 min walk then build it up until you're not walking anymore.

Yep thats the way. C25k is actually 60 seconds running then 90 seconds walking to recover for the first week. Do that half a dozen times and it gets easier very quickly (meant to do 8 on the actual program)

 

[Greebosan]

Good advice, thanks. The others in the running club already do half marathons so I wont be going anywhere near them any time soon! I will find somewhere as far from human eyes as possible and try to toil round.

 

[Jam_Man]

First one will be horrible. It took me a few sessions to actually start feeling comfortable. Even now I wouldnt get more than a couple of minutes, but still early days.

 

[Greebosan]

Quick update on this - I downloaded an app for my phone which tells me how far and how fast I'm going, which may have been a mistake because now I'm competitive with myself, and obsessed with going faster and faster. Anyway, I did a measured 5k this Saturday, running when I could and walking as fast as I could in between - the only rule I set was I had to keep going forward no matter what. Anyway, I did it in 31.29 and looking back at the app, I can see that I ran 7 times, for very short periods. Anyway, that's now the benchmark, and I'm being shown the local park run course tomorrow by a work mate, so I will have a definite course to practice on and obsessively work on improving. I certainly need to work on my technique - on Saturday I just went hell for leather with no thought involved just to see how fast I could do it.

Afterwards I felt absolutely sensational, who knew that a ton of free, legal, brain altering chemicals would get dumped into my head? If only I'd discovered this years ago....

In other news, my legs hurt. A lot.

 

[Jam_Man]

31.29 is a decent time for a 5k, especially with walky bits.

 

[Greebosan]

The vast majority was walky, I reckon I only ran for about 5-6 minutes max in total, but according to the all powerful app, my top speed maxed out at 10.4mph, which I need to calm down on and just run slower for longer. Ah well, we'll see how I go, but my work mate is sympathetic, and a seasoned runner so she will help me get better I hope.

 

[londonblue]

Quick update on this - I downloaded an app for my phone which tells me how far and how fast I'm going, which may have been a mistake because now I'm competitive with myself, and obsessed with going faster and faster. Anyway, I did a measured 5k this Saturday, running when I could and walking as fast as I could in between - the only rule I set was I had to keep going forward no matter what. Anyway, I did it in 31.29 and looking back at the app, I can see that I ran 7 times, for very short periods. Anyway, that's now the benchmark, and I'm being shown the local park run course tomorrow by a work mate, so I will have a definite course to practice on and obsessively work on improving. I certainly need to work on my technique - on Saturday I just went hell for leather with no thought involved just to see how fast I could do it.

Afterwards I felt absolutely sensational, who knew that a ton of free, legal, brain altering chemicals would get dumped into my head? If only I'd discovered this years ago....

In other news, my legs hurt. A lot.

Running really is good for you in more ways than one.

One word of warning on those run mapping apps. Most (in fact I think all) don't take gradient into account so if you run up hill it will just show you the "flat" distance. If your route is fairly flat that doesn't matter, but if it's a hilly course it could be a significant difference, i.e. you could have gone further than the app tells you.

 

[Blueronron]

Sorry not read all the posts, but I use Map my run, gives you split times, Gradients, course you have took, calories
Free to download and will let you know each time after 1 km

 

[Greebosan]

Yeah, the one I'm using is map my walk, which also claims to give gradients, split times etc - from the route I took, it seems to be fairly accurate so far.

 

[Firestorm]

Try the Park run, 9.30 (I think) Gunners park every Saturday (there is one in Hockley woods too)
Free, timed, measured 5k and a big group to motivate you too. check the website out http://www.parkrun.org.uk/

I used to be really fit competing for Southend AC for a number of years until I was 41, then I stopped due to domestic issues.

Kept trying to start again several times over the next 10 years or sobut never really got into it, then I ripped my Achilles / calf and was told my running days were over , Little exercise for a few years and my weight ballooned to close to 16 stone , Managed to get over 3 stone off in the past year, and I am cycling a lot, but the running itch has started...
Had a jog a month or so ago, managed about two miles really slowly and it hurt, a lot, and from the moment I stopped, so that went on the backburner until I worked out what was happening.
It was the jogging, short strides meant I was landing flat and transferring my weight straight up my legs. Started doing intervals now, up to 5min walk, with 5x30 seconds at a fast ish pace walk recovery. On the treadmill , up to 3 minutes at 13.5kmh, sure I am getting knackered , but the legs are not hurting .
Steady progress so that the Achilles doesn't flare up with the aim to do 5k in March .

 

[Greebosan]

Good effort - good luck with the recovery.

I'm going to be moving to Chelmsford soon, so that's the park run I will try, aiming to compete properly in the new year. All my work mates do it, so hoping for some motivation there. Dry run tomorrow, actually looking forward to it. Bring on the chemical dump!:thumbsup:

 

[Firestorm]

Good effort - good luck with the recovery.

I'm going to be moving to Chelmsford soon, so that's the park run I will try, aiming to compete properly in the new year. All my work mates do it, so hoping for some motivation there. Dry run tomorrow, actually looking forward to it. Bring on the chemical dump!:thumbsup:

I reckon they are a great idea, competitive enough to be interesting without being demoralised by being at the very back.

 

[Massimo Giovanni]

Park Runs are 9 am start, at Shoebury (flat,fast), Hockley (woods and undulating) and now also at Hadleigh Bike park (hilly).
And all are free to enter.

 

[Greebosan]

Another quick update and then I'll stop. Just got back from running the local Park Run course with my friend - reckon I managed to run probably just more than half, with a time of 30.34. It kind of helped to go with someone sympathetic, although the difference in our heights made it difficult to keep pace with each other. She was telling me the early splits, which were slower than I wanted, so I was just saying "nope, that's not good enough" and taking off - good inspiration. I had a lower top speed than before, but a higher average speed, which is something I want to keep working on.

Thanks to Jam_Man, and all others in this thread for giving me a bit of inspiration and belief.

 

[londonblue]

Another quick update and then I'll stop. Just got back from running the local Park Run course with my friend - reckon I managed to run probably just more than half, with a time of 30.34. It kind of helped to go with someone sympathetic, although the difference in our heights made it difficult to keep pace with each other. She was telling me the early splits, which were slower than I wanted, so I was just saying "nope, that's not good enough" and taking off - good inspiration. I had a lower top speed than before, but a higher average speed, which is something I want to keep working on.

Thanks to Jam_Man, and all others in this thread for giving me a bit of inspiration and belief.

Please don't. I genuinely enjoy reading about people improving themselves. To go from nothing to where you are is great. Just think of the elation you'll feel when you finally run the whole 5k? I'm sure I'm not the only one that wants to read all about it.

 

[Greebosan]

Another minor update with funny/embarrassing story attached.

Last night I went out for a run, progress had been halted for a while by the onset of crippling migraines whenever I started to run, but anyway I decided to ignore them and press on (by the way kids – don’t do this – see a doctor), and they seem to have stopped. I did 3km in 16.44 without stopping which to be honest surprised me a bit. Park Run here I come hopefully.

Anyway, I just moved into a new flat on the third floor, and on getting home, my key wouldn’t work in the door. It is a bit temperamental to be honest but in my post-exercise fog of sweat and exhaustion I started panicking a bit realising I had somehow managed to lock myself out with no wallet, nothing warm to wear and virtually no phone charge left. I tried the key multiple times, rattled the handle, engaged and unengaged the deadbolt wondering what on earth had happened – had I inadvertently engaged the latch on my way out? Had someone from the management company had to go in to deal with a leak or something while I was out and locked the door after them? All was made clear when the door suddenly opened to surprisingly reveal a small boy looking up at me nervously – a quick double-take later and the horrible truth dawned - I had stumbled off at the wrong floor and had apparently spent the last 5 minutes trying to break into my neighbours flat. Fortunately his grandmother came to the door so that I could explain myself, which seemed fine, although she did look me up and down and say “looks like you’ve been overdoing it”. Wise words indeed, I neglected to mention the small distance I had actually covered which had put me in such a state.

 

[MK Shrimper]

Haha, superb Greebo. :hilarious:

Least you're getting fitter, if not a bit mentaller. :winking:

 

[Greebosan]

Ok likely the last update from me on this subject, unless I end up doing something really crazy like a 10k.

The last time I attempted to do a run was the time of the disastrous attempted break in to the neighbours flat, but it appears that sometime over Christmas I promised my friend at work that I would run the local park run with her early in the new year, such promise probably made whilst I was under the influence and snowy February days seemed very, very far away.

Anyway, it seems that last Saturday was the fateful day, and I duly turned up, in the snow, wearing shorts and my Southend shirt clutching a barcode I had been told to bring. I am very fortunate that over Christmas I started seeing a young lady who runs it all the time, who also does half marathons, and she promised to go round with me which was a godsend. She chatted merrily to me all the way round despite the fact that I couldn’t say a single word in reply, and offered me suitable encouragement.

Long and the short of it, for reasons I don’t really understand, I managed to run the entire thing from start to finish, and even speeded up a bit when the end was in sight, prompting an indignant squeak from besideme and a cry of “are you freaking kidding me? We’ve been plodding all the way round and now you suddenly go fast!”. Needless to say that final burst almost killed me.

So, that’s it, there are a couple of reasons I tried this running madness, first among them being the said young lady, but also this thread, and getting a bit of confidence from others that it could be done.

I’m confident that I have learned virtually nothing from the experience, save for the fact that I think that one of the biggest barriers (for me at least) was psychological. Once you can run a sustained distance, even a short one, then carrying it on into the unknown territory of not stopping is largely a mental test (within reason of course – I’m only talking a very gentle 5k, obviously).

My time was not a world beater, but I got round in 31.36, and will be doing it again, so hopefully the time will improve. I also chatted to a fellow Southend fan, and saw someone else in an SUFC hat, so I wasn't alone.

Anyway, I promise that you can do more than you thought - just take it slow, and when you think you can’t possibly go another step, just try it and see what happens.