When did you decide to run?

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  • Cheiftan - well done you - now that is something to be proud of.
    Diana - well done you too..and £7000 is amazing
  • 16th September, 2001 - sitting enjoying a coffee with a friend and watching helicopters hovering in the distance. 'Wonder what they're up to'
    We then realised they were filming the Great North Run.

    'Used to have silly ideas about doing that once' said I
    'I was going to be doing it this year with my sisters-in-law' said she,'but it didn't happen. I'm going to do it next year though.'

    A couple of months later she had started training on a treadmill and I asked if she would mind a training partner.

    Feb 10th 2002, our first 'proper' (i.e. outdoor) run of about 3 miles.

    October 2002, managed a half marathon in 2:13 and forgot that it was meant to be a 'once only' thing.

    Can't imagine not running now, and aiming for PBs in Carlisle and Amsterdam this autumn.
  • At school I hated games especially team games like cricket and football. the I discovered a great rouse. I told my sports teacher I liked running (it's true I was pretty quick). He let me and a pal do laps of the school field whilst the other boys slogged a red ball with a silly shaped bat. A couple of laps then we were changed and off home before the others. This early interest was then re-ignited when I was at university, then again with the feed the world thing came to my town. I ran my first half marathon in 1987 (GNR) and have run hundreds of races since.I don't know if I discovered running or it discovered me, but at 44 and after 20 years of serious running it's hard to imaging life without it.
  • April 1995 just found out my ex partner had an affair with my best friend. I ran to ease the pain and replace mental hurt with physical. I think I only managed a few hundred metres before I ran out of breath but I loved the way it felt. Next night bunged on my gym cross trainers and went out again. Ran a lamp-post, jogged a lamp post and walked a lamp post until I could run 3-4 miles 4-5 times a week. Discovered runners world in WH smiths the rest as they say is history (same as my ex).
  • I did cross-country as a kid, but I'm not going to count that because I hated it.

    I'd say it was 2004, when I was at university in the States - went out and ran down this big pedestrian street called DOG st at about 11pm at night, then back again. Reckon it must've been 2-3 miles there and back. Not dangerous because the police would drive up and down it (they knew lots of students would go running late at night to de-stress). I've always been relatively fit so I managed not to walk, but running there and back was my limit.

    There was a brief hiatus when I moved to London and I took it up more seriously after watching FLM 06, started turning my sporadic runs into 3-4 times a week, trained for a half marathon. Now have done 4 half maras, 2 10ks, a 20 miler and FLM :)
  • Tom.Tom. ✭✭✭
    I think I've always run. I remember running children's sprint races at the age of 6 or 7, back in 1955. Even though I ran a lot then, my real love was football - thing was, the football pitches were a mile or so from home, all my mates had bikes but I didn't so I used to run along side of them.

    Ran at school, ran at University and ran up to 1976, aged 28, then gave up for 25 years until I returned to it in 2002, aged 54. Reckon I'll carry on until I'm 65, then I'll find something else to occupy myself.

    Compared to my contempories I've always been reasonably good, though I've always regretted that I've never been quite good enough to get real satisfaction from my efforts - but it's always like that isn't it.
  • Why stop at 65 Swan Song?
  • Petedaddy - go you!! well done.
    Swan song - the lady that finished the FLM with my hubby was 71 and it was her 1st marathon...keep on running:O)
  • Did a little bit on the treadmill when I joined a gym in 2001, then saw a leaflet for Blackheath Race for Life 5k. Trained for and ran it on my own, ran a bit over the next few months, then overdid it and started problems with my ITB. For the next couple of years I ran a bit when I could, but ITB always hurt. Did another couple of RfLs during this time, but had to run/walk them. In May 2006 came across a beginners course organised by Dulwich Park Runners, did my first very slow mile with them one Saturday morning, and haven't looked back since. Since then have completed another Race for Life, 2 10ks, lots and lots of long social runs, and have my first half marathon this weekend.
  • Started in August 2001 - Applied to run FLM for my sins so thought I'd better get some training in seeing as the last time I'd run was at school - many eons ago!

    Went onto a local playing field and ran for literally 2 mins and was shattered - persevered though and managed to complete London all in 1 piece.
  • I was inspired by a works colleague who was training for the marathon.

    I went out in cheap kids trainers - to run around a 4 mile lake in the rain.

    I got completely lost and ended up running 10 miles back round again until I found my way out - doh!

    Despite having to hobble around on my night out that evening - with a dodgy knee it has not put me off, I am slowly becoming an addict!
  • I was motivated by Coe and Ovett back in 1980, plus my PE teachers told me I'd some potential at running after being 3 seconds off the 1st year Cross Country record.

    My first ever 'official' training run was in Sept 1980. It was a 3 miler. 1.5 miles out and 1.5 miles back and I ran with one of my teachers who'd just started running.

    I've been hooked basically ever since.
  • GobiGobi ✭✭✭
    1971, I had just started walking and as I fell I broke into a running stagger and WELL, I fell. I have been running ever since.
  • Bout 5 years ago, around February I think. I'd had a few goes on the treadmill, then ventured outside in the dark about 8am whilst away with work at Haywards Heath. Couldn't believe the difference! Got about 100 yards and was knackered!

    Left it a couple of months before I had another go, deciding to ramp it up on the treadmill instead. I remember thinking no way was I gonna pass the fitness test to get into the Police, I just couldn't do it.

    Yes, I did pass it, it was held in August and went on to do goodness knows how manay half marathons and 3 marathons. Who'd have thought?!
  • Just over two years ago now.

    After having chucked the fags and gained more than a few pounds decided it was time to do something about it.

    Dug a shoogly old treadmill - that my dad had bought and never used - out the cupboard and started short run/walk sessions. I gradually increased my training until I could run non stop for 20mins on the treadmill, then I hit the streets and caught the bug.

    Lost 3.5 stone, competing in my first half later this year and still loving it.
  • SeelaSeela ✭✭✭
    19 years ago I decided to enter a fun run to improve my fitness at playing squash. Turned up in a sludge green velor tracksuit and started the race.

    And (this is totally PC-incorrect, but I make no apologies) there was a lady with a super bum in tight lycra, so I followed here for the most of race until exhaustion overcame lust.

    I've been a runner ever since.
  • 2001 aged 47. My eldest daughter was on TV running in the London Mini Marathon for the Scottish select team and I entered the GNR after seeing her finish. Shortly afterwards I discovered the RW forum and I have been doomed since!!
  • It was May 2002 when the Commonwealth Games came to Manchester. From then on I managed to lose and keep off two stone and I now train with a personal trainer every Saturday at the gym. Still not a fast runner - 47 minutes for 5k and 1 hour 48 for 10k. I can do a mile in 15 minutes and 20 seconds.
  • Thirty-three years ago, aged 21, I had a bl**dy horrible boyfriend who later became a very similar husband (I had rotten taste in those days, but I was young and foolish). He was a homophobic ex-public schoolboy and we had a blazing row about my gay best friend moving into the flat downstairs.

    In a blind rage, I put on some really unsuitable kit and footware, and ran as hard as I could round the local park, past all the drunks and the perverts and the druggies. My lungs felt as though they were on fire, and about to leave my body in protest, but I felt a lot better in myself.
  • Lynne - did he become your husband?
  • Yes - but you can guess that the marriage didn't last. However, my gay best friend and I have just celebrated 37 years of friendship by booking an gastronomic tour of Spain together this autumn. I'll have to run 5 miles before breakfast each day to work off the Rioja and tapas.
  • Wow!! that's great - good for you and enjoy the holiday
  • Had joined the Gym Aug 06 ( did zero physical exercise prior to that and have a desk job ) did some treadmill work ( once a week between 3-7 km's at a pace of 13kmph and the rest weights/abs etc and then on March 16th say an advert for the GB 10k running for Kidscape , went to Sweatshop on the 17th bought some running gear and did my ' first outdoor run ' in the pouring rain ...not looked back yet and am determined to raise my target for charity and run the race giving it everything Ive got ! aiming for between 45-46 mins ( current PB 47.57 )
  • boyfriend of 6.5 years phoned from Spain to say it was over. cried in the hairdressers. she suggested a life coaching book, which told me to do something i've always wanted to do. took boxing lessons. have really good right hook :-) ran out of money for training, trainer joked "run a marathon instead" so I ran 400 yards and had chest pain....did marathon last year....doing my first ultra in 3 months....hee hee....
  • remember the day? you have to be kidding - it was sometime in the early evening, as it was twilight-ish and Dad was ready to go for his run. So either late in 1960 or spring of 1961, because it was after my 11th birthday and well before my 12th 'cos that's when I joined my first athletic club. That's the best I can do.
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