Before: 15st
After: 10st 6lbs
In December 2012, I went for a routine medical expecting to be told I needed to lose a few pounds and do something about my sedentary lifestyle. What I was actually told was that I had Type 2 Diabetes and was skidding towards a very early grave due to chronic cholesterol issues.
As a 36-year-old father of two young boys, I knew I had to take the opportunity to turn my life around – for me and for them. At this stage, I weighed just over 15 stone.
I have never been an athletic or sporty type so the thought of exercising regularly was as daunting as the drastic changes I had to make to my diet; out went junk food, alcohol and sitting on my backside and in came healthier food, smaller portions and initially as much walking as I could manage.
Before embarking on the change in lifestyle, just the thought of running was enough for me to break out into a cold sweat. I genuinely couldn’t have run the 20-odd yards to the end of the street. Once I had quashed the irrational fear of what I might look like, I ran for 10 minutes consecutively and gradually built up my endurance. The signs of improvement didn’t take long; I could complete a 5K run in 30 minutes and achieved this within two months of training.
I thought it would be good to set a goal and also use the opportunity to raise money for a charity close to my family – the National Autistic Society. I signed up for the London British 10K in May 2013, and by March the longest I had run was 6K. But the donations from family and friends were a great motivator to train hard for what would be the longest distance I had ever done.
I completed my first 10K in 47:08 and despite swearing several times during the race that I would NEVER do it again, the feeling of elation crossing the finish line was amazing. In the time it took me to get a bottle of water, I was already planning my next race. I really enjoy trying to outdo my previous PB for each 10K that I do – currently it’s 43:11 – but I aim to be sub-42 within the next six months.
The impact of running on my health situation has greatly benefitted me; I’ve lost 4st 9lbs to weigh in at 10st 6lbs. Most significant of all, I have been able to ditch the medication for my diabetes, controlling it through a balanced diet that has left me feeling positive and more energetic.
I have completed one half marathon in 1hrs 37mins 33secs and am planning to add longer races to my running calendar in the coming months and years. Running has had such a positive impact on me, it’s just a shame that I didn’t start years ago!
