Am I alone re this?

[robertf]

Well I guess I am suffering from the traditional post-Xmas downturn in running and upturn in general blobbiness. After fighting my weight down some more before Xmas I have now ballooned up. Gained 5 pounds. And overall 13 pounds up on my weight last July! I've kept up runing over Xmas 1-2 times a week but no more than that and the runs have not been as good/long as before. Not least becuase I feel so much heavier.

I need to rapidly kickstart some serious training but this time of the year is so too (for me) to stay motivated. I feel tired too oftern, its dark morning and afternoon, raining etc. With the bext will in the world I just can;t get up at 5.30am and run before work. In the summer I am sure I can.

Should I diet and then start running again after shifting a few pounds in a couple of weeks or soldier on with 1-2 runs, or maybe try a revolutionary step of at least trying a run each day?!

Cheers
Robert

[robertf]

Update on my own message! Well posting that message did the trick...Earlier today I went for a nice 4mile run, lashing down with rain but I loved it! Against the odds I felt great and I felt very strong. Feeling inspired again!

[El Gordo]

Hi Robert

We seem to be in tandem again here. I've had a bad cold since Christmas, and have had an inactive 3 or 4 weeks. About 5 pounds heavier too. Then today I finally felt well enough to get out there and do about 3.5 miles. It's not far, and it wasn't fast, but I feel great about having done it. Onwards and upwards...

Now then, are you still planning on running Reading? You've got 3 months, and I reckon you could do it. Why not work out a rough weekly plan to help you build up to it? I love having a marathon schedule here on my wall. My 18 week training begins in 2 days time, and it's the best possible incentive for getting out there, even when the hail is crashing down, as it was this afternoon (just after I got back home, fortunately).

I'd like to do Reading again myself, but I'm doing something else that day unfortunately.

I know it can be tough when it's raining and cold, but I just think it's a state of mind. I actually enjoy going out in bad conditions now. I've somehow learned to laugh at the eccentricity of what I'm doing.

As for whether you should lose some weight first, you've already found the answer to that one. NO! Just get out there and run while you're losing a few pounds again. Each will help the other.

Let us know what you have planned, and keep us informed how the training's going.

Cheers

Andy

[Antonio247]

I´m glad you´re on again, Robertf. Once you get started, you´ll find it difficult not to go for a run once every other day at least. If you find difficult to go out at weekdays, you could try go to a gym two or three days a week and run on a treadmill, which is a bit boring but it is good when it is very cold, rainy or windy. Besides, you can do some stretching and strength workouts. Another possibility is going to a swimming pool and do pool running, which is swimming with your legs as if you were running and using a "spaghetti", a thing which people who are learning how to swim use in order not get drowned. Another possibility is using a static bicycle. I don´t know if that´s the right name in English. It´s a bicycle you can use at home without moving. You can watch TV or listen to music at the same time. It helps you not to lose your shape while you can´t go out for a run due to the weather or an injury.

As far as the weight is concerned, I lost nine kilos in three months just eating a lot of fruit in the morning, more vegetables at lunch and dinner, not having drinks only water or juice and avoiding cakes and similar things. Of course, doing also aerobic activities such as running four days a week, walking a little every day and riding on bicycle once a week.

Well, Robertf, good luck.

Antonio

[robertf]

Thanks for the words guys. Andy, I actually agree with you that there is some kind of crazy appeal in going out when the weather is bad. Also, I have recently acquired a liking for running at dark, in the evening.

Re: the reading event. To be honest my feeling right now is that this will be unlikely I can be ready in time. I feel my current goal is simply to run more often for 40mins to 1 hour. Making it to a half marathon in March seems too soon/tough. I thought instead I might look for a 10k around that time.

thanks
Robert

[El Gordo]

Fair enough, Robert, there's no point in overstretching or putting yourself under too much pressure. But it's worth identifying a particular 10K soon, or it could become a self-perpetuating excuse: "I can't enter a 10K because I'm too unfit, and there's no need to get out on the road much because I don't have any race target at the moment..."

Sorry if that sounds like a nag. I'm in a sanctimonious mood this week.

Andy