A weighty issue

It's no secret that I am overweight. Going to the doctor is a ritual hell - whether I'm going for an asthma check up or travel vaccinations, they always trot out the medical wisdom that just losing weight would be good for me. Now I'm not going to complain about how hard 'just' losing weight is. I think people should accept responsibility for themselves - no matter how I got here or how easy others may find it to keep the weight down - it is my problem and only mine to change.

Weight loss was never my goal with this running thing; I've always had it in my mind that if I have to run that distance and still be this fat, so be it. But, but. I have not lost a single pound in weight since I started running; not one. Everyone has said that I must be replacing fat with muscle and I'm happy to believe that. I am still wondering if my weighing scales are stuck, though.

Not really finishing C25K

Weeks 7 and 8 were where it became difficult. I got another cold and bad cough, so on the programme week 7, I hardly ran at all. I did 15 minutes on one occasion, coughing and spluttering the whole way. Kirsty seemed to lose her way too, and suddenly we weren't on programme anymore. I knew this wasn't going to be easy, but I really would have hoped for fewer problems than I've had. Nonetheless, I have kept the sense that I must continue, and I need to keep running regularly if I am to complete that thirteen miles.

This period emphasised to both Kirsty and I that running alone is much harder. Having that other person, or persons, there alongside you changes all sorts of psychology. For me it makes me 'man up' a bit, focus less on my various complaints, and removes the temptation to stop early. When my cough cleared up, we ran 28 minutes together and it really didn't feel hard.

Week 6 was a couple of split run/walks and a 25 minute run on the weekend. Everything felt ok after breaking the 20 minute milestone. The long run was interesting as I began to notice a pattern. The first couple of minutes felt easy, then I began to get out of breath. From about 5 minutes on, everything was hard, but after about 12-15 minutes it started to get a little easier. But, no sign of that 'runner's high' yet!

Happily, there was no sign of that headache. Dr Google's other ideas on it were dehydration, caffeine and hangover. So I make sure I drink enough water, limit my guzzling of coffee before runs, and run late in the day if I am hungover.

20 MINUTES

Yes, Week 5, Run 3, 20 minutes - I did it! Even as I stopped running, I could barely believe it.

But, this is me - it wasn't easy. The first 8 minutes were ok. 8 - 15 really dragged; my nose was running uncontrollably (glam), my breathing was quite ragged and my quadraceps felt pretty tight. Then around 15 it got easier; the breathing was clearer and I felt like I could make it. Then I got a headache which lasted until about 10 minutes after I stopped.

I mean, a headache! My body is protesting this thing in any old way it can. Dr Google suggests that some people get headaches from strenuous exercise and there's not too much one can do about it. It wasn't pleasant so I hope to hell it was just a one-off.

Week 5 Run 2

2 sets of 8 minutes with 5 min walk in between. The breathing wasn't so good today; I'm thinking it was a combination of hayfever and humidity. London air is pretty intolerable when it's humid , and I hope it's not going to be that sort of summer.

Personally I'm up for a bit of bank holiday weekend rain to clear all the mugginess away, leaving a nice fresh day for our 20-minute odyssey on Monday. I'm looking forward to it but a little scared. 8 minutes felt fairly easy today but it doesn't take a statistician to know that 20 is a lot more than 8. I hope I can do it, I want to do it and if I do, it will be fuelled by willpower and rewarded with cake.

Week 5 Run 1

Sunday runs are often alone, as Kirsty, Mark and I live nowhere near each other. But Kirsty came to Battersea today, which was a good thing as it was our next step up into week 5. Actually, it's a whole week of steps up. Not to question the wisdom of the god of Couch to 5k, but doing a 20 minute continuous run at the end of this week is massive. We've decided to subvert it a bit as we are both away for the weekend and want to do that together. We'll have a go at the 20 minutes on Bank Holiday Monday, then head to a suitable pub or something as a reward for what feels like a huge milestone.

Anyway the run today was good - 3 sets of 5 minutes. Still really enjoying not fighting for breath, and I was even able to talk a little as I ran. My legs felt heavy and achey, but my body should know by now that trifling things like that are not going to stop me. We're repeating this run on Tuesday as we aim for the 20 minuter on May 3rd.

Week 4, run 3

Finally got to the GP yesterday and picked up a shiny new blue Salamol inhaler (that's Ventolin to commoners like me.) Took 2 puffs before running, as directed, and oh-my-god. What a difference! No wheezing at all. I am struggling to describe how good it felt not to wheeze and fight for breath. That just leaves the hayfever symptoms to sort out, and I'll be all set. The hayfever is a minor problem though; now I'm not wheezing I feel unbeatable!

The run went well. Legs were achey, but that is to be expected - after all, I am making them do things they've never done before, and don't really want to do now. The run pattern is still 3-5-3-5. That first 3 is by far the hardest. The second 3 feels easy after the 5, and I was surprised when Kirsty said to walk. With that and the breathing, it feels like turning a bit of a corner. I know there is lots of hard work ahead though.

We've been running along the Embankment which has fewer tourists milling about, and lots of runners. I couldn't help smiling at the sight of the London Eye, the Houses of Parliament, and all the other stuff which makes me feel lucky to live in London.