Welcome to the Group

Welcome! We would love get to know you, so please tell us a little bit about yourself. You can choose any format you'd like, but most of us here share some or all of the following details:

1. History with weight loss:
2. History with Calorie Count:
3. Reason for joining this group:
4. Some interesting details about yourself, such as your job, your family, your pets and your interests:

And now just go ahead and make that first post!

Hello! 

My name is Jen and I'm brand new to running - just started last week.  I'm 15 pounds into a 120 pound weight loss.  To ease into running, I started a program I found on about.com.  I walk 5 minutes, run 1, walk 4, run 1, walk 4 etcetc for an hour.  Next week I'll add a minute to my run time and deduct it from my walk time.  So far, I love it!  The program actually suggests 30 minutes but at 30 minutes, I feel like I'm just getting started.  My goal is to be strong and healthy and able to run a (short) race next summer. 

I'm 34 years old, married, a full time sales assistant and a student.    I live in Huntington, WV with my husband and our assortment of animals.  I love thrift and second hand shopping, crafty gifty things, running (ha!), hiking with my dogs and working in my flower gardens.

I'm excited to be here!

I'd love to join this group.  I started with CC in mid-march of this year and have lost 52 lbs. so far.  I joined the YMCA because they have a child watch program and will watch my 3 kids while I exercise so now I'm able to exercise on a very regular basis - usually 6 days a week, though, not always at the gym.  On weekends, I've begun running more outside and riding my bike as well.

I used to run a bit in the past but then got away from it after having my children.  When I started at the gym, I'd just walk on the treadmill but then gradually started jogging for short spurts of about 3 minutes - I thought I'd die - but I stuck with it.  This past weekend I entered my first road race - 5K on a flat course - not only did I finish but I managed to do under 30 minutes.  My goal was to finish in 35 minutes or less so I was very psyched to have done as well as I did.  I finished 280th overall out of about 440 runners and 25th out of 46 women in my age group (30-39 - I'm 39).  The race was really hard but I was really proud of myself for running it. 

Now, I'm gearing up for another race.  I haven't registered for it or anything but I'm hoping I'll be ready.  It's not until October and it's 4 miles long and somewhat hilly, I believe.  I figure I'll be ready for it if I start training now and lose another 8 or 10 lbs. by then.   I'm also excited because this next race also has a kids fun run before my race that my 4 1/2 year old son and maybe even my 2 1/2 year old daughter can participate in.  My son ran in the kids fun run this past weekend and loved it.

I'd love to hear about other cc'ers experiences with running and/or racing - either casual fitness, short races like mine or even marathons.  How many days a week do you run?  How often do you run races or do you do it just for fun and fitness?

Have a great week everyone!

Hi!  Just wanted to introduce myself and welcome you to the group!  I founded this group because I am a runner and couldn't find any groups on CC geared to runners.  I have been running on and off for about 20 years.  Congrats on your first 5KM race!  I did my first official 10KM race a few years ago and I remember what an accomplishment it was for me!  I have entered myself into a race in Oct. so I am training for that now.  Right now I run about 4 times a week sometimes more if I have time.  I also have three children so I have to juggle everyone's schedule to make room for my runs.  I am training  for a 10KM so I'm running about 25 minutes straight right now and then as the weeks go by I willl add minutes.  I find that registering for a race really keeps me motivated and helps me to see a "reason" for my madness!!!   

I just hung up the sign for the 4 mile race in my kitchen to help keep me motivated.  I have to start paying a little more attention to my running now if I want to finish this next race with a decent time (for me).  So far, I usually run 3 times a week, though sometimes, it's only been twice a week, and then I do the elliptical, bike, or aerobics class on the other days, with one rest day a week.  I think I should build up to running at least 3 times/week consistently and sometimes 4-5 days/week.  We'll see how it goes.  I don't want to injure myself and I definitely want to keep running as something "fun" I do to stay fit.

Thanks so much for your encouragement.  Good luck on your 10K!

Someone gave me a book from The Running Room which has been very helpful with scheduling runs and working slowly at increasing my run times.  They say if you can run for 25 minutes comfortably for 4 weeks straight then its time to move up and push yourself abit more.  That way too you don't risk hurting yourself.  I sometimes get excited and want to keep running even though I know I should take it easy to avoid injury.  It's really good to have a rest day as you already know and I think you burn more calories more efficiently if you alternate your exercise program and not do the same thing all the time.  Like you I have found an exercise class that I do once a week and then I ride my bike once a week and run about four times a week.  My long term goal is to run a half marathon (maybe a marathon) before I turn 40!

Good luck and nice chatting with you!

That's exactly how I started into running!  Walking with running is also a great calorie burner!  I'm always so thrilled to find someone who loves running!  Most of my friends do not get the natural high I get from running!  They think I'm torturing myself for no reason!!!  Keep up the great work and you'll soon be running for that hour!!

Reba - that's good advice about the training book.  Hope to get to the library this week, maybe I can find it there?  I think reading it will also help keep me motivated and on the right track.  Many thanks!

HI! My name is Shancy and I have been running on and off for about 2 years now. A friend and I have just started back and break up a 45 min rountine with half running and half walking. I was running with a group of great women but they were WAY more advanced than I am and I was concerned I would get injured. I would like to gradually prepare for a 5k and maybe a half marathon but mostly to just be healthy.

I just started back with CC as well...I need to lose about 30 lbs and feel great about the support available here.

I live in Western NC and own a shop in our little mountain town (Waynesville) - Persnickety's - a home decor and furniture consignment shop.

I am married to the best guy in the world (6 years in) and we have 3 mutts and 2 cats. Life is never boring with those guys!

I am excited about meeting some new people here and supporting everyone in their goals.

Welcome Shancy!  I am glad you have joined our group.  I have been a runner on and off for a long time but just recently got back into it.  I have lost 21 lbs since joining CC and I'm hoping to lose 9 more.  I have been training for a 10KM run in October and I also always run the CIBC Run For The Cure every fall here in Canada since my mom is a breast cancer survivor.  It's just a 5KM run but it's for a good cause and good practise for my long term goal of running a marathon.

Are you training now for a marathon?  I'm thinking about getting in touch with a personal trainer since I want to make sure I am eating properly while training.  There are some really good websites and programs out there for maraton training.

Is your town small?  It sounds very quaint and interesting.  Love the name of your store!  I live in Colborne, ON very small town in Canada.  What kind of dogs do you have?  I ask because dogs are my life!  I groom dogs for a living and also have a small consultation business for owners who are having problems with their dogs.  I also love cats!!

Welcome again and hope to talk again soon.

Reba

Hi Guys! I am brand new to CC, but have been working on losing weight slowly over the course of the last nine months. I have lost 22 pounds to date and want to lose 20 more pounds. I started running last November and ran my first half marathon in May. I have really caught the running bug and am starting to work on droppping my time (not just finishing). I joined this group because I am looking for fellow runners/weight-losers to chat with... I think it's tough to balance training with losing weight... looking forward to talking with you all!

Welcome to the group Lizzie.  I'm so impressed that you've run a half marathon.  I'm overwhelmed just thinking about the 4 mile race I have next month.  I can't imagine running 13.1 miles.  My longest run so far has been 6.7 miles and that was really tough, though, it was 100% humidity and raining so I blame that on some of the difficulty I was having.  I'm going to attempt the run again this weekend and see if it's any easier.

Best of luck with all your goals!

Welcome to the group Lizzie.  I'm glad to hear from someone who is trying to lose weight at the same time as training for a marathon!  I am planning on doing a half marathon in the spring next year and then maybe a full marathon next fall.  I have two 10KM races coming up in Oct. and Nov. so I've been training hard and I love it!  I too have lost 22 pounds and I am hoping to lose another 10-15 as I continue running.  Any advice or concerns on training and weightloss?  How many calories do you consume on your run days?  That's what I've been struggling with...I keep my daily intake at or around 1700 which is what CC recommends but when I run 5-10 KM on any given day I know I need more but how much?  Any advice?

Reba

Hello, My name is April and I had been using a paid calorie counter previousley but thought that I would give this one a try. Im really excited that there are groups and it seems like a great place to go for support.

I love to dance and kareoke! Im a very fun, bright person who loves hanging out with friends and just playing wii or sing star or just a good old bord game. My husband says my smile lights up a room!

I have been riding the weight rollercoaster for years and I am finally 20 pounds from my goal (I have lost 80 pounds so far!!). I have been running casually for the last 2 years, I try to run twice a week for about 3 miles. Just two weeks ago I took a pretty hard fall and really messed up my knees so im just now getting to the point where I want to get running again. Before all the nice weather is gone!

So, I think i would just love to meet some people who are in my same situation and myabe we could help eachother out.

 

Hey Reba, I don't really have any great words of wisdom about that I do on my distance days. Generally I do my long run in the afternoon, so I wake up and eat about 600 calories for breakfast (eggs, toast, etc)... drink lots of water... workout and then I make sure to have a good dinner. My long run days are the one day of the week I don't really keep track of what I am eating... although it tends to total out around 2000 calories. Most other days I try to stay under 1500 calories... I have found that what I eat matters more than how many calories... for training I usually eat a banana or a handful of pistachios about an hour before I run... that seems to give me lots of energy.

Hi Rasmom, it took a LONG time to get up to the point where I could run 13 miles... my goal at the time was to finish the race, and I did... :-) Increasing my mileage was really tough because I tried to run those longer distances at the same speed as I did my mid-length and shorter runs.... all that did was make me feel discouraged... so, I slowed myself down and would walk 5 minutes, then finish two miles, walk 5 minutes, and finish two miles... going slower and allowing myself those few minutes of recovery really made it easier to increase my distance. If you do that and do speed workouts then you will be able to increase your speed and endurance without feeling like you have to do it all at once...

So, guys, what about you all? Any ideas on training and eating right? Anyone signed up to run any races any time soon? I am training for a half marathon in Memphis in December...

Hi Lizzie, how long did you train before you ran your first marathon?  I have problems with my hips also and I read your reply to Maureen with the hip exercises.  I do the fire hydrant one quite often but I will definitely try the other one too.  I find as long as I do them regularly my hips are ok for most of my 10KM runs.  I'm thinking though that maybe they won't last for a marathon...did you find the longer you trained the better your hips got?

Keep running!  Good luck with the half marathon in Memphis!  I am competing in a 10KM race on Saturday and then another one on the 18th of Oct.  I dream about the day I can run a half marathon!

Reba

Hi Reba,

Well, I did my training the wrong way, so I wouldn't do what I did the first time around. I started running in January and ran my first half marathon 4 months later... aerobically I was okay, but I ended up getting shin splints and had knee problems because I upped my mileage too fast... so, after my race in May I took an entire month off... I hated to do it, but my body needed it... I am now increasing mileage at a slower pace and I am doing okay. Also, make sure you take glucosamine. I swear it makes a difference! If you find yourself in pain, I found this great stuff called "Repair" at the Whole Foods market (I can look up the manufacturer if you want)... that helped me recover at a faster rate. If you aren't lifting weights, that makes a difference too. I worked with a trainer at the Y and he gave me specific weight machines to do that work on your hips specifically. (in addition to the stretches) The first looks like the old cheesy 80's Suzanne Somers thigh master exercise where you sit on a chair and squeeze yor legs together. The other machine does the exact opposite... you have to push your legs out... I LOVE this one! It hurt while I did it, but after two weeks my hips had stopped hurting and were getting stronger. Last thing- if you can run a 10K, you can run a half... once you can run 5, it's alot easier to train the distances. I highly recommend Hal Higdon's half marathon training plan... just google it and you will see how non-overwhelming it can be... good luck this weekend!!!

Hi Everyone,

My name is Penny. I am going on 38, a wife, mother, step-mother, full time employee, and a runner. My weight was up to 199 back in the beginning of 2007 (when I joined CC) and I have been gradually loosing weight.

Recently I have been working on it seriously again. And currently I am down to 171, hoping to get to 169 soon, which would bump me out of the 'overweight' category. My long term goal is to get back down to 160 to 165 and into size 10 pants.

I have been running for 5 years now. I have completed 1 marathon (took me forever to finish) and seven 1/2 marathons. Running is a means for me to get away from it all.

I joined this group in order to be around people that face the same struggles that I do and to be supportive of those that could use a "you go girl/guy!". I think that Give and Take is so important to make us better people.

When I am not running, working or beating playing with the kids, I enjoy riding my quad, chasing the dog around the yard, or playing on the computer.

 

Hello.

My name is Janene.  I am 40, married and a mother of a boy, 13.  I manage an office of an industrial supplies warehouse.  I have been mountain biking for about 10 years, but only just started running sporadically this spring, on a tread in the gym.  I started running outside late this summer, and found that I really enjoy it.

I've already competed in one race since then, the Royal Victoria Marathon, 8K, and would like to do many more.

I am counting calories not so much to lose weight, as to learn how to eat again.  I fell into an eating disorder a year ago, while being very depressed, and was basically starving myself.  I lost 25 pounds in a couple months.  Then I continued to eat very little to try to stay thinner.  I started binging on the weekends, and starving during the week.  I realized mid September that I had a problem when I could no longer come close to my bike riding skills that I had a year ago.  My body was feeding on itself, and I didn't have enough for the activities I enjoy.

So now I count everything, to make sure that I am getting enough to eat during the week, and not gorging myself on the weekend.  It is a hard lesson to learn, but it is slowly coming around.

I've been skulking in your group for 3 weeks now.  I guess it's time to come forward. 

 

Hi Janene!  Welcome to the group.  I struggled with an eating disorder for most of my life...but have been healthy now for about 9 years.  My daughter is 9 yrs old and when I got pregnant with her I knew I had to do better for myself healthwise.  Got lots of therapy and now I feel very strong but still struggle with self image at times.  I joined CC to lose weight because after three kids I really needed to lose about 25 lbs.  I'm 22lbs down and eating very healthy!  I'm happy with my diet and I eat basically what I want but I make sure 85% of the time its HEALTHY!!  The other 15% of the time I eat chocolate, chips, cake etc.!   I love running and always have!  I've run 3 10KM races in my lifetime and I'm trying to get up the nerve to try a half marathon.  I have one 10KM race coming up in November and then I think I'll just train until spring before I sign up for any more races.  I find running is a great way to keep fit and healthy.  So welcome to the group.  I hope you enjoy our conversation threads.  We have quite a few topics on the go.

Reba

Hello Janene. Congratulations on finishing your first race. I bet that was exciting!

I have been running for 5 years now and enjoy it very much. Sometimes I am not sure if I do it for the benefit of exercise or the fact that is gets me some 'me' time. :o)

In the future I'll have to pick your brain in regards to mountain biking! :) It is always some I have wanted to try.