smoking

hi folks.

 im training for my first marathon (belfast may 4th) some of the long runs are kicking my ass others are fine. Its a bit more of an emotional rollercoaster than i thought it would be.

but to the point. i smoke generally 5-8 a day and im trying to quit. its obviously better health wise to quit regardless if you run or not. im just wondering if anyone here has quit whilst training and how much of a difference it makes?

 ta

hi

I havent personaly but know several who have. Is hard for first week or so as the cr@p comes back up but after they felt much better. If you were a 40 a day person I would suggest see a doc for advice but I recon you can do it.

Good for you and good luckx

hi

I had stopped for 3 months some time ago  and as ph0enix says felt better after about a week-ran increasingly better too. Mind I was on 30 a day. Yes you are on 8 a day now but the nature of smoking means you will slowly increase intake. As a runner it will hinder you more and more. I have early stages of COPD and coz I relapsed I  am really feeling it. I am going to finally quit on Friday when I go to an Allen Carr clinic.

please quit. enjoy it and good luck on training.. Dont get like me FFS

take care

My dad has end stage COPD. You have my sympathies Hoose.

It's pretty awful watching. And I'm very glad I never started. I was a child of the seventies and I think we should bring back this guy.....

"One puff and you're hooked" he said. Scared the living crap out of me!

Gavonio. I wish you every success. My grandmother smoked when I was a kid and gave up 30 years ago. She's now 85 and as fit as a butcher's dog. It can be done and your lungs (and your running) will thank you for it.

 Hi

 I  quit on 17th aug 2003 , specifically to train as a goal of mine was to do a flm , i was 41 and had smoked for 18 years and got to the point where i realised it was just a horrible bad habit .    so with the help of a friend who had just quit as well (15 years my junior )  we started going to the gym  and there the bug bit , we loved it . It really was a struggle but with bloody mindedness and  time we both succeded , and went on to do a succession of 10ks - h/ms and finally the flm in 07 - oh man its as exhilerating as it is tough but  our goal was achieved and we knew that quitting the evil weed was key in that  , so i believe 100% that it makes all the difference in the world .  ( sorry for the long saga ) 

GOOD LUCK  

I am sorry to hear your dad has end stage COPD ((LB)). Not a nice thing to witness.

Smopking is a swine once you are hooked. I know that i can slow the COPD down to almost a standstill if I stop. I have known for 2 years. I will do it this time.

Mr Guy -youare right it does make a difference.to runnin. If you would have carried on the difference would get worse and worse.

well done all who have quit  - i will join you next week.

x

Please someone help me encourage my other half to give up the dreaded stuff. He smikes and takes no exercise apart from the enforced outings for his cigarettes. He is not allowed to smoke in the home. I hate listening to him wheeze as he breathes. I wish he enjoyed exercise but he tries to keep pace with me even at the gym and hates it.

Yeah.. I had to watch my mother near kill herself from smoking when I was a kid. Can't say smoking held any charm for me.

Anyone that is trying to kick the habit and take up exercise is doing well. Congrats to MT for doing so well. In the long term it will make measurable difference to your running and general health.

bikermouse-get him to read Allen Carr's "Easyway to Stop Smoking" book..  He wont like being a smoker after that and it actually stops many for good. It stopped me longer than doing anything else .

good luck but it is ultimatel;y down to him..

Hi I smoked 40/50 a day for over twenty years - finally gave up three christmas' ago aged 42 after many attempts- started swimming every week, slowly moved to running - then got a place in the FLM 2008 - did it in 3:57 - and am now running 50 miles a week - have also lost around 3 1/2 stone on the way!

 Giving up was the best thing to happen to me (apart from meeting my other hal who doesnt smoke and hates it!!!)  - my mum died of a huge heart attack at 66 caused by smoking all her life and my dad can hardly breathe. Please give up now every one who smokes - you can do it!!!

cool. thanks for your words guys. may as well quit right now. im also fundraising for cancer research so i'll feel very stupid (possibly) crossing the finish line if i still smoked!

 i'll let ya know how i get on!

good luck Gav.

well done on your quit narr

I think you're all pretty amazing. Those of us who've never had an addiction of this level will never know what you're going through, but I admire your determination to do it. All I know is that the desire to quit has to be yours and yours alone.

And when you do quit - you can all change into those ex smoking snobby types who are worse than us non smokers!

well done to all who are giving up / have given up

I have a funny relationship with tobacco: I only smoke when I drink, which is often only at the weekends.

But on those occasions I do enjoy it - or the combination - and smoke quite a lot. I suppose I smoke the equivalent of about 30-40 a week (roll-ups).

If I don't drink for a week or two I don't smoke at all and don't miss it in the slightest. But as soon as I get a pint in my hand, there's something pavlovian going on that means I always end up going and buying some baccy. Weird ...

so i managed to get a virus on saturday which reduced my smoking down making a couple of feeble attempts to smoke on sat/sun/mon. the virus has since turned into a throat infection and completely stopped me smoking. so havent smoked at all since monday and im very happy despite having a killer sore throat

happy days.

yes i know i havent smoked due to illness rather than willpower but im through the cravings and cant help but think im through the worst of it. only down side is i havent ran since last friday night and thats not good when training for a marathon!

great stuff -just do not have another eh or you could end up at square one.

got a stop smoking clinic tomorrow and there will be no going back.  Dont let yourself get to my stage -killing you-you know it but still keep doing it. It aint fun

good luck

Well done Gav, illness or not you have still gone without a ciggie since Monday.  I gave up a few years ago with the help of the Allen Carr book.  I miss it but the only thing that keeps me off them is the thought of having to go through giving up again. 

I was like Adrian, only smoking when drinking and could take it or leave it, but believe me it escalates.  I used to think I was lucky and was in control of  it but it soon changes.

You have done the hard bit so keep going.  Good LUck