At 18 stone and piling on the pounds, David Porter knew it was time to take charge of his weight for the sake of his family. The London Marathon gave him the inspiration to get up, get out and start training. Now, having lost an incredible 5st 4lbs, there’s nothing that can stop David running…
Was there a point where you noticed yourself gaining weight, or had you always been big?
I was reasonably active as a youngster, although always a bit chubby. I really put on the pounds when I moved out of home. Food is my vice – sweets, crisps and takeaways. This got worse when, at the age of 24, I moved into an industry where daily visits to the local greasy spoon are the norm.
When did you decide to take control of your weight?
Having previously run the London Marathon in 2001 and 2007, I knew I’d lose a bit of weight if I started running again. After talking with a colleague about the London Marathon, we both entered the ballot for London 2011. He didn’t get in, but I did.
How did you get into your training regime?
At first, I ran late at night so nobody would see me waddling around the streets where I live. My first route was less than a mile long. After the first few minutes, I was ready to quit. I felt like I needed an ambulance to provide me with oxygen to get me home. I followed the same schedule as I had done on my previous marathon. The biggest difference was the technology that was now available. I used the Adidas MiCoach App as I liked listening to music and getting regular feedback on my run.
Why did you choose the London Marathon to get back into running?
The London Marathon has always been very special to me. My love affair with it started as a child, when my dad would sit in his armchair trying to wind up my brother and I by saying that he’d woken up late and should be out there running. My dad died of a heart attack shortly after his 49th birthday. I wanted to be fit and healthy for my daughter, and didn’t want to go the way of my dad. When I started running, I was 18 stone; when I stood on the London Marathon start line in 2011, I was 12st 6lbs.
How often are you running now?
If there’s a race on these days, I turn up! I discovered parkrun and, through that, I was introduced to my local running club, Epsom Oddballs. Soon I discovered training nights, smaller races, running leagues. The first time I ran in my club vest, I felt 10 feet tall. In my second year with my club, I started picking up awards for my age category in 10K, 10 miles, and half marathon.
What’s the best part about running for you?
Through running, and in particular parkrun and the Epsom Oddballs, I’ve made so many new friends. The encouragement and friendly banter between us is awesome. I’m a running convert, a born again runner and probably a running bore. But I hope I can inspire others to lace-up their trainers. I can’t imagine not running.
