Being overweight is a strange situation to find yourself in. Initially, you don’t seem to notice yourself putting on the pounds. One day, however, a photo will turn up on Facebook, or the like, which makes you realise that something has gone horribly wrong somewhere along the line.
For me, it was my graduation photos in 2011. After three years of binge drinking, snacking and generally doing nothing at university, my body had definitely paid the price. But even then, I didn’t do anything about it. For the three years after uni I lived and worked in Germany, where I lost three stone, gained a couple again, lost it. Blah, blah, blah. It was only after this certain degree of weight loss/ weight gain that I looked back upon my graduation photos with horror.
Upon my return to the UK in July 2014, I decided to do something about it and immediately joined a gym. After spending five minutes huffing and puffing away on the treadmill (I think I managed to run about 650 metres), I gave up and spent the next few months slaving away on the rowing machine. Coupled with a change in diet and huge reduction in alcohol intake, I saw my body shape gradually starting to change.
In December 2014, I decided to put my new physique to the test on the treadmill. I was shocked to discover that I could now run for around 2.5K without stopping. This was the motivation I needed. Over the next few weeks, I ran on that treadmill three to four times per week, gradually increasing my distance each week. On the 1 February 2015, I ran the Cancer Research UK London Winter Run (10K) and finished in a time of 53 minutes. Riding on this wave of running enthusiasm, I continued on the treadmill for a couple of months before finally switching to – and overcoming my fear of – outdoor running in June 2015.
My running is coming on in leaps and bounds now: I completed the Wimbledon Common Half Marathon on the 26 July with a finishing time of 1hrs 50mins 6secs, and also competed in the Bournemouth Half Marathon with a finishing time of 1hr 48mins 43secs. I have plans to enter more half-marathons, 16-mile races, 10Ks and Tough Mudders over the next few months, and have applied for a charity place in the Virgin Money London Marathon next year.
I am officially six stone lighter than I was at my graduation – three stone of which has been lost in the past 10 months. I am leaner, fitter, healthier and happier than I have ever been. Running has well and truly changed my life. Onwards and upwards!