This is me on the right 8 years ago a size 20, 3 months after having my first child and this is me today on the left. Running has changed my life in lots of different ways, from losing weight to getting through depression.
This is my journey so far………..
I was very happy with my life, I had a beautiful son and an amazing husband who loved me for who I was, but I wasn’t happy with the way I looked I needed to get healthy and lose weight!
At the time the gym wasn’t appealing to me and so my husband mentioned to his friend who was then a personal trainer that I wanted to lose weight and would he help. He suggested running and that’s when I made the best decision I had ever made and agreed to start running.
At first we would run for around 20 minutes, running for a couple of minutes then walking for a couple. I felt great after every session, this went on for about 4 weeks and I could already see the difference I had started to lose weight and my eating habits were slowly changing.
When my son was 9 months old I found out I was pregnant again, so the running went on hold.
After my daughter was born I suffered with post natal depression and didn’t want to do much, let alone run, but my husband pushed me in to getting back in to it and again it was the best decision I could have made. It made such a difference to my mood when I had been out and cleared my head. I suffered with depression for quite a while and luckily even though the doctors advised me to take tablets, getting out there and running and getting my confidence up helped me get through some dark times.
I used to get up at 6am and go running on my own, while my husband helped with the children. At first I used to run to my local park and back about 10 minutes away, again I would run for 2 minutes and walk for 2 minutes.
There was such a great feeling of achievement every time I came back!!
I purchased a treadmill for the house as it was easier to run on the treadmill while the children were still so young, I was soon running continuously for 5 minutes and walking for only 1 minute.
I decided to set myself a challenge and train for a 10k run!!
I was so determined to do this 10k, but also very scared that I would be out of place, to fat and come last!
My husband decided to do the 10k with me and it stopped some of my fears knowing he was going to be right beside me.
I had trained mostly on the treadmill at home for this 10k, actually getting up one morning and only stopping for drinks and small breaks until I had done the 10k distance, it was tough but I was very proud of myself after.
The day came for the 10k and I didn’t feel ready, but was so determined to do it. I managed to do it in 1 hour 16 minutes, I was so pleased and proud that I had achieved it.
A few months later my husband had a spare place for the Birmingham half Marathon and suggested I go for it, how hard could it be it was only 2 x 10k’s!!!
How wrong I was!! After 4 months after having my second child I did the Birmingham Half Marathon in 3 hours and 14 minutes, I have never felt so exhausted from anything before and even said at one point I would rather give birth again!! I bonked as they say in the running world and hit a brick wall and needed sugar ASAP, my husband managed to get a chocolate bar off a kind passer by who had finished the race and that soon helped but I really struggled to finish and felt horrendous for days after.
That feeling soon disappeared and I was then looking for my next running challenge!
After the half marathon I struggled to get back in to running, not sure why and I had also started to put on weight again. After Christmas 2010 I decided I needed to join a running club to get me motivated, I had heard about a local running club and decided to contact them, nervous that I wouldn’t be fast enough to join the club.
To my surprise they offered lots of different groups from beginners running to the fast runners with leaders to help you, so I decided to go for a taster session, I loved it and decided to sign up.
I started to go once a week at first and once I got my confidence and my speed up a little I went up to 2 runs per week.
Joining the club opened me up to getting information about local runs and I started to enter lots of 10k’s, which I really enjoyed doing, looking to do a better run each time getting my best time ever for a 10k last year (2016) 52 minutes and 47 seconds!!
I also decided to do the Birmingham Half Marathon again, so in 2011 the running club I was with did the training for the half marathon. That year I did it in 2 hours and 34 minutes and felt a lot better this time round because of training properly and getting the nutrition right.
I started to make lots of friends at the running club, some of whom have now become really good friends and we have entered lots of half marathons across the country enjoying different cities and the atmosphere of each race. So far my best half marathon time is 2 hours and 3 minutes, I have being fighting for my sub 2 but have come to realise you don’t enjoy the run as much when you have a time in your head it’s just to much pressure!
About 18 months ago I decided to start going to the gym with a running friend and doing lots of core work and weights, which has really helped my running and also to tone up.
Time flies when your having fun and it has been 6 great years since I started with the running club and 4 stone lighter and still enjoying it to this day! But I couldn’t have done any of this without the support of my amazing husband and family.
Last year I did 5 half marathons and one of my close running friends asked how I felt about doing a marathon, it was a definite no at first but then having a good think about it I realised I have to do the big one at least once in my life and it’s a special birthday for my friend this year, so we decided to go for it and I have officially signed up or the Birmingham marathon in October arghhhhh!!!
I am really nervous and excited about it, but with lost of support around me and a fantastic running friend I’m sure I’ll be fine!
I am in training at the moment for the Liverpool half and it’s going well, I am up to 12 miles at the moment and touch wood I feel great.
I have another 4 half marathons before the end of July, to get my body and legs used to the miles.
I have decided to do this blog so I can share my story and hope that it inspires others and to also share my experience of training, I really hope you enjoy my blogs!
The Running Bug 