Support, Advice and Inspiration .. Come join us ...

Ooh, forgot to add that my husband has now been ISPIREd and is now doing gentle stints of running whilst walking the dogs.

Hi all,

Looked like this was a great thread to join. I'm 36 and a mother of 3 children. Have always been reasonably fit - played netball for local team for last 12 years but gave up in May as so BORED with same old routine! Have always harboured secret dream of completing a marathon but life just seemed to have got in the way! Anyway entered Race for Life 5K in June and did the run/walk program with my 13yr old daughter. Did the Race - walked most of it as it was a very HOT day! Felt as though I didn't want all that training to go to waste so kept going and as I am definitely a goal orientated person decided to enter Chicks Chase Ladies Series in MK. Its a series of 3 5K races in June, July and August over the same course so you can try and improve your time. Definitely inspired me to keep on with my training. Kept with the run/walk program until I reached 20mins total running. Did first race on June 29th, ran the whole way YIPPEE in 29m 30secs. Felt so good to see my hubbie and 3 kids cheering me over the finish line. Best comment from my 11 yr old son - "you were faster than I thought you'd be Mum - you even beat some of the proper runners!!" Anyway now training for the July race (27th) and feeling good. I agree with the comment above - running is definitely my ME time! Hate it while I'm doing it sometimes but when I finish I LOVE THAT FEELING!! Bum and legs toning up too!!

Hello all! I started running about 8 years ago as a happy side effect of kickboxing. I became so fit through the KB that suddenly I found that I could run too!! This was a huge achievement for me, a life-time overweighter. I lost a lot of weight and gained a lot of self confidence. At the same time, I made a HUGE move from Chicago to Belfast and ended up suffering from situational depression which I managed through some horrid anti-depressants and running.

Then...I got married and my husband and I fell into a state of happy marital bliss that involved the enjoyment of very good food and wine and very little exercise. I struggled with my weight again and tried to manage it through walking. I was semi-successful with that.

In January 2006, we came back to the UK after spending Christmas in the USA and I suffered a melt-down fuelled by homesickness and other unresolved issues. This time, I decided to forego the drugs, found a good counsellor and started running again.

At first the running was in the dark and the local track. But in April, I emerged on the street and haven't looked back.

Running is not easy for me (although I always feel MUCH better after a run!) and many times I struggle to get out the door. Finding this forum and actively participating has made the biggest difference to my motivation. I've said this before- I feel like I take the INSPIRE runners with me when I go out and they keep me going when Lazy Head tries to replace Running Head.

I'm happy to report that psychologically, I feel much better and I've lost a bit of weight too- though I don't weigh myself (clothes are looser). I'm doing my first 10K in September.

Any lurkers out there- come on in. This is a friendly place with a lot of different people who all share a common interest in motivating each other with words of advice and shared experiences.

Welcome!

Hello

I am a 45 year old mother of two and grandmother to one. I have been married for 25 years this year to a wonderful supportive man. I love life and my world revolves around my family. We now live in the south, having spent years moving every 18 months and living in Cyprus, Germany, N Ireland and England. I grew up in a sporty family with three brothers and one sister. My middle brother and I used to train with Alan Wells in Scotland.

I used to run for miles, competing in organised runs including 18 miles down a mountain carrying a back pack. I was very fit – regularly competed in hockey, rounders, cross country, badminton and athletics.

In 1989 whilst was out on a training run, I felt pains in my chest and had difficulty breathing. The doctor sent me for an x-ray which showed a very large black mass on my left lung. It turned out to be scarring from pneumonia that I had had a few times in the recent years. I was advised to give up smoking – of which I told them I had never smoked in my life or been in smoky atmospheres. There was nothing they could do to aid recovery and I was told just to get on with life.

Since then I have started and stopped running so many times I have lost count. Whenever I felt I was getting somewhere another chest infection would appear. Still kept it going but often felt despondent as it always hurt so much getting going again. Sometimes I was out of running for up to three months at a time.

Over the years we have taken part in many 10k runs in the local area. On occasion I have had to drop out and stand on the side line watching everyone and wishing I was there.

Now since joining the thread my running is the best it has been for a very long time. I can run for five miles non-stop – unless there is a hill – but even hills are no longer a nightmare. I have taken part in two 10k runs and one 5k since joining the thread and by the time you read this will have done another 10k. I have also booked into the GSR (10m) in October.

Although many might say that I am not a beginner to running, I feel that the help and encouragement that my new friends have given me has helped me to achieve the fitness I currently enjoy. Reading how someone is overjoyed to have walked for 1 minute and run for 1 minute makes me smile and their efforts gives me the encouragement to keep going with my own training.

I run to keep fit and healthy, to keep the medical conditions of ageing at bay, but also enjoy the challenges of entering organised runs and the time spent with my running partner, my husband. Not only am I at my fittest for a long time, but I enjoy the comments when I meet new people who don’t believe how old I am or that I am a grandmother. Running keeps you young.

The people you meet here are truly inspirational and should all be proud of their individual achievements.

Hi, I'm Jo, age 34, single, and have been lurking for some months now. In March 2004 I decided to join weightwatchers, and weighed in at a hefty 16 stone 5 lbs. I started off doing a half hour walk during my lunch hour to complement my new healthy eating plan. By June 2005 I decided to take up running, after a fellow weightwatcher class member persuaded me to join her (and who conveniently lives around the corner from me).

We started off doing a 2.8 mile circular run in the morning before work. I ran it all first time. Couldn't believe I did it - was expecting to walk some of it. That was it...I got the bug. I now run 4 times a week....I still do the 2.8 mile morning runs twice a week. Do a 5.5 mile run on a monday night to my weightwatchers class (every little helps!). And try to do a longer run at the weekend (or do interval running on the treadmill at the gym).

I did my first half marathon in June this year (2 hrs 29 mins in about 30 degrees heat), and planning on doing another in October.

I now weigh 11 stone 5 lbs. Want to reach my 6 stone total weight loss by getting to 10 stone 5 lbs.

Not only has running helped my diet, it has completely changed my shape. I can't recommend it enough.

Hello all :-

18st - get fit to run not the other way around!!

I've joined these threads hopefully to inspire others with what my wife is trying to achieve. 18 yrs ago I was training for the parachute regiment but broke my femur(thighbone) and that was the end of my training. All these years later my wife and I getting no younger decided to join a local Fitness First gym - recommended to us as the place to go that wasn't full of fit young posers, we joined and were made very welcome, we decided to get all the family bokes so we could cycle together on our weekends away in our caravanette. Soon I was fit enough to try my hand at running and I was delighted to find I could do it and I went on from there and completed many 10K races , I run on average twice a week.

Now my wife - MrsH - has always supported me and has made much improvement in the gym but she has had a stubborn weight problem - 18st that she gained whilst having our two children as many ladies do , she was 10 .5 st before that. She doesn't smoke or drink or eat lots of fatty fryups or sweets - its just a gradual gaining of weight . She has dieted before but without structured excercise it came back. Since going to the gym and cycling she has been fitter and having for the last 18months supported me at races she decided at a large charity race "The Midlands Lung Run 10k" to take the challenge and do this race next April. She saw many larger runners and many coming in long after elite runners had finished so she decided she could do it.

The battle already half won in the mind we went right out and bought her proper running shoes from a running shop where they were fitted after consultation. It would have been pointless to straight out and run - we must "GET FIT TO RUN" - so we decided to walk as quickly round the block as she could and measure the time to get some idea. It took 19 minutes and she had lowback pain (weak core from the weight) and painful shins (again the weight). We concentrated on core excercises and warming up the shins beforehand. By the end of May having walked up to 5 times a week plus going to the gym she could walk 30 minutes without pain at all , without stopping. She felt better , looked better and the weight or more accurately the SIZE was dropping off her with clothes failing to fit. She joined Weight watchers at the beginning and to now she has lost over a stone with a steady 1 - 2 lb weight loss. The most suprising is the size loss - she looks different and more toned , she says she feels better too. The gym workouts she can attack with new vigour and we regularly cycle long distances - we went 10+ miles on Saturday .

Now nearly half way though July we walk for 60 - 70 minutes (over 4 miles) 3 -4 times a week over tricky hill ground very briskly. Her fitness improves by the day and she hopes to start a run/walk programme by November. This will mean she has toned and hardened muscles and joints ready for the pounding that running gives as well as building all important stamina in the heart and lungs - especially in this heat.

So in nearly 2 months she has gotten fit to run (nearly) and by and large enjoyed it without pain - a slow gradual process that builds to a base fitness level she can build from there. She hopes to do other races too and use running as a way of keeping weight under control and staying very fit. A realistic Goal - 10K - a realistic timeplan will all coincide to bring her the rewards she wants . For me it has aided my post run recovery with all the walking and brought us even closer with a challenging goal to achieve!!

Im 41
3 srone overweight, and still the same after 4 years of running
I have always wanted to do a marathon
In 2002, I achieved that, on 4 months non training, and a longest run of 8 miles
I can still rememeber when I couldnt run 30 seconds without walking


Im no speed merchant though-my marathon times range from 5.15-7 hours, and I still run walk for longer distances
You dont have to be a skinny minnie or speedy to get the benefits of running
27 marathons/ultras later, i am loving evey minute-despite still not looking like a runner!
But I am, and so can you be
Plod on!

whoops , didnt mean to press submit

Just to add
Doesnt matter how heavy you are,or what has happened in the past.
Dont put it off
Seize the chance to take control back over your life
I never, EVER feel worse after a run

Hi I'm Jules, 31 and the inspiration for me was seeing these women running past my lounge window once a week! I really admired them.

I was a nurse but got a back injury which at one point I thought I would never walk normally again let alone anything else! But the thing that I have always wanted to do was ski (bear with me on this!). I have put off skiing for several years now due to being worried how my back would take it....then I thought of running....I want to get fit, want to have a cardio exercise that will also improve my core strength ready for skiing.


OK so I have discovered an old knee injury which as reared it's ugly head, but nothing is going to knock me down, I've been through worse pain than that! I am officially addicted already!

Anyhoo I'm waffling...but would just like to say that finding these forums has really kept my eye on the ball and I am determined to keep this up!

Oh and we're going skiing at the new year...and thinking of doing a 10K later this year and then a half next year...

That's me!

Jules

… and so the fun begins …

WELCOME to the INSPIRE runners club thread

Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to post a bit about themselves on the front of the thread. There are some very moving stories and a hell of a lot of inspiration in every post.

Welcome especially to Morgs, IceQueen, Happychap, Kwilter, Beaker, Jo and Jules …. I hope you have liked what you have seen so far to want to come and join the ‘club’.

For all newcomers I will just add a few comments here that might help you make sense of what goes on ;-)

Bring Forward List

Fairly frequently, but not with any particular regularity (if that makes sense) I post a ‘bring forward list’ onto the thread. I keep this list in a word file, update it as required then post it when I have time and it seems appropriate. The list contains the following:

1. A list of the ‘races’ that people on the thread are due to run (or walk/run as the case may be). It is in date order and in the format … who is running, where, how far, and when. In this way we are able to support, motivate and encourage the individuals as race day approaches etc. I’ll be posting the list tonight so you’ll see what I mean. Anyone who has entered a race (or races) and wants to be on the list just needs to include the details in a post to the thread. I will pick this up and add to the list.

2. Photo Links. Some of us have uploaded photos to the web for all to see … of family and/or race days or anything else that we think is worth a view. We have used the Yahoo ‘My Photos’ website for this. If anyone else fancies doing the same, just set up your photos and give me the link and I’ll add it to the list. If you don’t know how to set up My Photos then ask on the thread … there are a few of us that can help with this.

3. A ‘Best pages to check if you are new to this thread’ section. This is just a list of pages that are worth going back and taking a look at. Obviously at present it will be very small (ie. One entry), but as time goes on and the thread gets longer, this will increase. It is there to save folks having to trawl through endless pages to find ones that contain some very memorable posts worth checking out - because they inspire, or they show a great achievement, or have some invaluable advice etc etc.

4. A link to the old thread. As this thread was born out of the ashes of another great thread, there will be a link back to the old thread. Hopefully, the last posting on the old thread will always be a ‘Best pages on this thread to check’ and a link forward to this thread (for people who have gone to the old thread directly).

So that’s it folks … I now declare the new thread well and truly OPEN !!!!!

INSPIRE Running Club - Race Details

Mike – Trentham 10mile – 23rd July
Daniel - Plymouth Aquathon, 500m sea swim, 5k run – 19th Aug
Dingus, Peterhead - Peterhead 10k - 27th Aug.
LE & Hubby – Overton – 5 mile – 2nd Sept
Allien - Jelly Tea Run - 10 miles - 10th Sept
Mike H - Lichfield 10K - 10th Sept
Em, Forest Of Dean - Badminton 10k - 17th Sept
Siân & Mykey – Neath Port Talbot Cancer Challenge – 5k – 17th Sept
Uk Yankee Singleton, Kent - Faversham 10k -17th Sept
Dingus, Peterhead - GNR 13.1 miles - 1st Oct
LE - GSR 10miles - 22nd Oct
INSPIRE Ladies – Dingus’ 5K Kilt run, TBA


Best Pages to Check if you’re new to this thread

A ‘must’ for all newbies to the thread – lots of inspiration – Pages 1 to 3


Take a look at our old thread for more inspiration ….

Old Thread


Photos:
Dingus … OTH … Emandbelle … Mykey … Plodfather… UK Yankee… {url=http://photos.yahoo.com/daniel_lugg]Daniel’s Photos … LE’s Photos … Allien’s Photos

Just had to do it … be the first normal post on the new thread that is!

Just a very quickie to say I was very good and did my run/walk on the treadie tonight even though it still felt like it was 100 degrees in the conservatory where I keep it. Managed to do 1 mile in 16.57 secs – not as good as Saturday (unless I mis-timed Saturday … which wouldn’t surprise me given the chatting going on!) – but still good for me. Kept going for another 30mins fast walking only. Hoping to put a bit more effort into it all this week … by NOT run/walking on consecutive days and by RESTING properly. I would really like to be able to give a good report by the end of the week.

Allien – how was the Jesmond Dene Womens Race yesterday? Hope you enjoyed it.

Hi OTH, fancy seeing you here!

Welcome everyone, new and old! I really hope you like our new home and that you make it your own.

Well, race report coming up...

Boy, was it hard. 5.4k in temperatures of 28 degrees (even though it didn't kick off until 7:30). I wasn't in the right frame of mind at first, and I was a bit sore from Saturday; the heat didn't help.

I met a nice lady at the start - Christine - who cheered me up as I was looking at the other runners and feeling quite insecure about my ability - most of the ladies were wearing club vests.

We started last, and I'm ashamed to say I left her and tried to follow the pack. I don't think I went off too fast, but there were some nasty uphill climbs that I struggled with since I haven't done much hill training.

I thought about walking just before the half way point, but the fact that I've run further than this on a few occasions now made me keep going and I didn't think about stopping again - even after I finished I just kept going - one of the marshals turned round and said, "It's ok, you can stop now!".

I don't know my time because I didn't set my watch properly (too busy talking) but it will be on Heaton Harriers website in the next couple of days, and it was probably about 37 mins.

At the end I got a commemmorative mug (too many m's?) and drinks. I even got chatting to some of the Tynedale Harriers who run at Hexham and they've invited me to their sessions (5 weeks free to see how I get on). I'm thinking about it. Sorry INSPIRE but I may be joining a second club!

Anyway, I feel really bad, because the girl I was talking to at the start came in last. We gave her a big cheer and she burst into tears; she was gutted. She'd hoped to run the whole course in 13 min miles, but had found the weather and the hills too hard and had to walk some. I went to speak to her (she is doing the Jelly Tea run as well) and I tried to remember all the support and advice I've read on here but I'm worried that it may have come over a bit patronising - (I'm not a very good verbal communicator). She is, after all, far more accomplished than I, having done the GNR last year.

I didn't get to tell her about our group, but I will if I see her in September (and hopefully I'll be able to redeem myself).

Allie
x

Whoops .. first mistake already ... sorry Dan messed you phot link up ... here it is again ..

Daniel’s Photos

Just put the last post on the old thread at the 5th attempt (I hope) ... it was really weird ...

I tried 4 times and each time the system crashed ... do you think the thread had a life of it's own and didn't want us to go??

Maybe... I could have been upsetting things - kept trying to get the last word in. I don't know why but, paradoxically I'm always so energetic after a run.

Glad I didn't get the last word (that wouldn've been awkward). Nice last post OTH.

So,

we're open for buisness then....

Bloomin 'eck...what a day to be stranded away from my pc for the day??? Bad timing Em!

Gonna get some serious reading in tomorrow methinks.

:-)

Try and get mine and OTH's mile photos up too...just gotta digitally enhance 'em first...

Em
x

Hi Em. Hope you had a good day.

Missed you, but we still managed the 4500 mark.

OTH, by the way - good treadie session tonight :)

To echo LE (or maybe UKY)- When is your next event? Perhaps another milestone on the list is in order?

Hi Em ... we sure did miss you. And now the old thread is missing us .... strange eerie silince over there ... already the tumbleweed is starting to roll through the pages ....