Zappa

Have you tried using a foam roller? Could help.

I did DDP Yoga for a few months. A lot less now as I run regularly and don't find the time but it was definitely a very worth while workout. You can get a free trial of it as you might find it's a more intense form than you're used to and is really convenient.

I was somewhat scared of losing weight, but more from the point of view that if all the things I hated about myself then didn't change when I lost weight - what then? It was a bad mindset altogether but so many things have changed for the better either as a direct result from the weight loss or due to the change in habits and outlook as a result of it.

I have a microsoft band, which syncs with my phone and then all my data is stored and I can view it through my browser. I mainly use it for running but it will record each run, as well as weekly or monthly totals. So I can see how my total mileage/average pace etc is changing WoW or MoM. It also has the option to export all the data to excel if you want to be extra nerdy about it

You'll feel a good deal of accomplishment when you've done it I'm sure! I've got the opposite problem, 1) I'm annoyed that I'm going to have to start tapering before my race soon 2) I'm almost definitely going to sign up for a full marathon after I've done this half O.o

Ooh that's close! Mine is 4th September. Feeling ready?

I have the same stiffness when I go for an early morning run but I find that the run helps loosen everything up. Are you sure you're stretching/warming up properly? If yes then I'd maybe just go slow for the first km or so.

Well, I'm not out of the country that weekend and I do like Edinburgh. Any runners going?

Shorten your stride. Try to land on the middle of your foot. You'll find that you definitely feel as though you're running lighter. i.e You're putting less of your weight down on the ground and so there's less to pick up again, it's a more energy efficient way of running and easier on your joints. I started running at about 245lbs this March, down to about 210lbs now so that will have had an effect but running form does make a difference. As do better running shoes! I just splashed out on some fancy new ones after running in £15 for the last few months which definitely made me appreciate the upgrade. Proper cushioning will help.

That's a pretty spot on analysis. You start of with pretty low ideas of self worth, you get treated like shit which plays on that and simultaneously exacerbates it. Your expectations get lowered, basic acts of common decency begin to look more and more like the most noble of chivalrous act. Repeat the cycle ad infinitum. In conclusion, to quote my less wonderfully wise mother 'Try not to be a dickhead all your life'.

Ha, have I been there! I've been in similar relationships, where people blow hot and cold and just as your about to say 'fuck it', they re-appear. They're apologetic about it, and because I'm spineless (although I'd tell myself I was just being 'empathetic') I'd just say 'No, it's fine! Honestly!'. It doesn't matter how much somebody has pissed me off, as soon as somebody apologises to me it's just an automatic response. I have no idea why. The problem is when you get into a relationship like that you can forget what a 'normal' or healthy relationship is *supposed* to be like. You start to think that these shitty relationships are just the way things are, and it's either be in a shitty relationship or don't be in one at all. It almost feels like manipulation on an almost subconscious level. You're right on the last point, there's nothing worse than self-proclaimed 'nice guys'. 'Nice' is how you describe someone who has no discernible personality traits. If you're ever describing yourself as a 'nice guy' then you really need to aim higher. 'Nice' is essentially the minimum requirement for a functioning human being, nobody owes you shit for nice.

I think I've decided I'm happy doing a race so long as I get a medal. I can't believe everyone gets one! Just for finishing! It's like sports day for adults!

Good to know. With my first one it's very much a case of just finishing it and not being that bothered about the time but I do want to 'push myself' to some extent. Cheers for the advice.

Thanks! Doing the timed 5km park runs really helps me cut my 5km time. Really pushes me to finish strongly and running in a big group makes you go faster. I seem to have been really with injuries with running *TOUCH WOOD*, I've rolled a couple of ankles but they've both been fine the next day. I do need to stretch more, and warm down better especially though.

5km in 27 minutes is what I meant. The marathon isn't until April next year, and when I sign up I can also do a bundle which includes two half marathons, one in October and I think another in February which would help with my marathon training and are nicely spread out. I think it's far enough away that I can properly train for it and keeps me focused on my running through winter.

Good to know! I'm doing my first half marathon on the 4th September but I'm already tempted to sign up to another one in early October. I imagine that should be fine. I did an 18km run last Friday, and then set a new PB at my 5km park run on the Saturday morning so it can't have taken that much out of me.

I don't know where you are but I've now been running since about early March, so about 5 months. My 5km time has gone from around 42 minutes to 27 minutes. I'm not sure if there's anything I've specifically done that's led to that other than lots of running. I've been training for a half marathon and so go running around 4 times a week, usually with at least one long run (now up to 18km) and on Saturday mornings I do a 5km park run which is a free timed event to which around 300 people turn up to. I've found doing that has really motivated me to shave time of my 5km runs. I've done it three times now and my times have been 30:09, 28:08 and 27:01. I'd echo what someone above said about running hills as well, the 5km run I do on Saturdays includes 3 quite steep climbs which I think is really benefiting my fitness. I think, at least with me, it's partly a mental thing. If you get used to running at a certain pace it's quite easy to get stuck in that rhythm, and you don't think you can run any faster. Maybe try bursts of speed between lampposts, it'll help cut down your times as well as improve your fitness.

If I go running when it's hot, I put on some reggae and just take it slowly. Can be hard to jog on the off beat though.

Glad to hear your training (and seemingly everything else) is going well! Feel like I haven't been on here in a while. The best run I've managed so far is 18km in 1hr 51m and I've been doing the weekly 5k park run race to work on my speed which I've now got down to 27m. I'm in Berlin this weekend so I've decided I'm going to get a train to Potsdam and do a long run around there. Only a few weeks until my half marathon now but I'm already looking at signing up to a full marathon O.o

'going out and doing it again tomorrow' is the perfect mentality. I'd tried running a couple of times before and it just never stuck. I figured I was just genetically predisposed to suck at running. I mean I used to play a lot of team sports that involved running but it was in bursts rather than over a sustained period. The idea of running for the sake of running seemed bizarre and masochistic. Now I get excited by the idea of other people starting running YES! DO IT! ITS AMAZING!

Thanks! I think I'll frame them around an overall goal of finishing my half marathon within a certain time.

Congrats! I didn't do the C25k so I don't really know about that but I started running around three months now and honestly if you keep at it, it will get soooo much better! When I started I could only run around 2k. My advice is run slowly, if you get out of breath run even slower. Keep at it and eventually you find you can just keep going. Then you find that you can run faster, then further, then faster. It's honestly addictive. You'll find that you don't have to convince yourself to go running but that you have to tell yourself to have a day off! On Monday I broke my PB for 10k by over four minutes and SMASHED the one hour barrier with a time of 59m 59s so I'm still getting those same endorphins/adrenaline/SUPERPOWERS!!!! and I can't imagine they'll stop for a good while!

Yeah, that's a good point. I imagine even if water is better for you than diet soda, even marginally the gap is much smaller than between full sugar soda and diet soda. You're right that by itself it's not enough of a change but I've seen in a few people's weight loss stories that it was the first step for them. Yeah, that's part of it too. I'm drinking more diet soda because when I go to a bar or restaurant with friends I'm less likely to order a beer.

Hi Guys, Pretty new to the site and was just wondering about how the challenges work? I've been running for about the past three months and now pretty consistently run at least 4x per week. I'm vaguely training for a half marathon in September but I'm already confident I can do the distance (though would still be happy with just finishing it considering I couldn't run 2km when I started). So do I pick my own goals? Should they be things like as I was considering: - Complete a long run of 19km (previous best is 16km) - Run 10km in less than 55 minutes (previous best as of last night is 59m 59s :D) - Run a total of 120 miles for the month. Or should I include less running specific things? I'm still looking to lose weight so should I include that sort of goal? Thanks.

Yeah but maybe that 12-15kgs is a lot more of your overall body weight? Either way, of course you really deserve it! For me, I know that I've been here before. I was down to this weight about three years ago (and probably a similar weight a couple of years before that) but then piled on the pounds I'd lost with added interest. Something feels different this time though, it feels more permanent. The good diet and exercise feels like less of a challenge but I still feel terrified at times that I'll fall of the wagon and binge eat and start another terrible cycle that'll see me putting on the weight again. That's probably partly why I'm exercising so much, it almost feels like a replaced one anxiety with another but at the moment it's working in my favour.