Runner's World Fat Burn feature: what's that all about then?!

If you subscribe to Runner's World UK, by now you will have had your June issue through the post (if you don't, it should be in the shops by end of this week). The regular Fat Burn feature (page 25) is about me this month! How did that happen?!

This is a bit weird 

Back in mid November I spotted a tweet from @runnersworlduk asking for people to get in touch if they'd lost a lot of weight through running and to send before and after photos. I saw it just as I was heading out of the door to collect my children from school. I assumed they would have had loads of replies by the time I saw their tweet, so I wasn't holding my breath about getting a reply and I didn't want to waste too much time finding photos. I fired off a short email saying that yes I had lost weight through running and directed them to a blog post I'd written a month earlier (Why I Started Running...) that included some before and after photos.

The next morning, just as I was stepping out of the door to take my children to school (it doesn't get any more interesting folks), I received a reply: "Would I like to be featured?"; attached was an example of the type of feature they meant. After a quick email discussion with my husband, I agreed. I sent off some high-resolution "before" photos for them to choose from.

The next week I received a list of questions by email to answer. Being the sort of person who likes to chat, I returned an essay (all quality though) to the section editor, my thoughts being that she'd have plenty of quotes to choose from. I was told I'd been penciled into the June issue, but I work in publishing so know how things can change; I wasn't holding my breath on that date or even on eventual publication. I was informed the photographer would be in touch in the New Year to arrange a date to take my photo, but otherwise that was all I had to do. 2 weeks after sending the initial email, it was all over with. I'd managed to tell only a handful of close friends too (out of fear of it all falling through I didn't dare tell more people; I didn't even tell my cousin or my in-law family).

I tried really hard to eat sensibly over Christmas, in case I was contacted by the photographer in January. By February I was at my lowest weight for over a year! By March I was beginning to think they'd forgotten about me. I have some idea about publishing timelines because of where I work. I knew that if I was going to be in the June issue it would be out at the end of April, and they'd need to pass the issue at least 2 weeks before then. I had a holiday booked the first 2 weeks of April (when I guessed they would try to take the photo). So I emailed the section editor again to find out what was going on and to let her know when I was away, in case she had to arrange a photo sooner. Yes, I was right! Fortunately I managed to arrange for the photographer Tom (@photosmudger) to come the afternoon before I went on holiday. Talk about last minute!

My friend Claire (Barberella) offered to put my hair up for me in the morning, she did a fabulous job!

I cannot keep a straight face when asked to pose for a photo

A couple of hours later, Tom arrived. He set up a studio in my conservatory, white paper background and covering the floor, lights either side, it was such a fun half hour really (it honestly didn't take that long!). He snapped away for about 10 minutes, making me try different poses, putting me at ease until I'd lost the urge to burst out laughing.

Setting up the "photography studio" in my conservatory

All in all, a rather pleasant experience. It's really nice to be able to tell my story to a wider audience, hopefully it will inspire a few more people to start running. And I'm so happy that Stotfold Runners got such a large mention. Pete and the other club members are a big influence in my life, they got me started and now I can pass on what I've learnt to our beginners. And my husband, who has just taken up running (he's faster than I am over 5K already, typical!).  

Why I started running: a series of challenges

I've been helping at Stotfold Runners for over a year now. I enjoy the club, it's good to meet new people who want to run. Everyone has a different background, they come along for so many different reasons: to run with other people; to have fun; to lose weight; to run 5K, 10K, a marathon. This post is for the new beginners at Stotfold Runners, who have just met me and aren't aware of my running history.

I started running with Stotfold Runners in January 2011; I gave in and joined the club after about 3 months of gentle persuasion by friends to give running a go. My reasons for running were to lose weight (I weighed more than 14 stone) and improve my fitness. The last time I'd run before 2011 was cross-country at school, back in 1994 I think. 15 years of inactivity. Terrible... but I'm sure a lot of us are guilty of that, finishing school and just stopping all exercise.

January 1st, 2011

For my first session I was run-walking at 5 minute intervals, and I covered about 2.5 miles. There was no Stotfold Runners beginners group in 2011. The beginners now who are allowed to run for 1 minute then walk for a minute are LUCKY! I ran with the club every Tuesday and then again on my own at the weekend. After a month I was running three times a week, for a couple of miles each time; after 2 months I could run 4 miles. I'd also lost about 2 stone in weight, through cutting alcohol and bread, not snacking, eating smaller portions, and I'd changed my hair colour several times! I decided to set myself a challenge, to run in a 10K race, the Flitwick 10K in April 2011.

April 2011, before Flitwick 10K

On race day I was so excited; the atmosphere was amazing, the buzz beforehand and the noise from spectators and other runners at the start gave me such a good feeling; I just loved the whole event. I was completely hooked on racing! I finished that race and immediately wanted to run another one! I began to train again, this time for a half marathon.

I ended 2011 having raced in three 10Ks and two half marathons. I was also at my lowest weight ever (a never-to-be-seen-again 8 stone 12; I lost 50 lb in weight in 2011). I didn't want to stop running ever!

In 2012, I ran two other half marathons (I set my current half PB of 1:46:30 during the Greenway Challenge) and Flitwick 10K again (setting my current 10K PB of 48:16), and I ran an amazing 22:42 5K at Marston Forest in June (I don't think I'll ever run that fast again!). I also attended Run England's Leadership in Running Fitness course, and became qualified to lead sessions at Stotfold Runners. Around this time the Stotfold Runners beginners group started.

My next challenge began soon after; I started to train for my first marathon in October 2012, the Preston Guild marathon, which is every 20 years (very special indeed!).

After Preston Guild marathon

Don't ever think that running a marathon is easy "because so many people do it". The training is long and hard and tiring and painful. I'm not sure I ever want to go through it again. I picked up a bad knee injury that forced me to physiotherapy, made me miss running Standalone 10K, and has resulted in me doing Pilates once a week ever since and leg and core strength work most days. But it did teach me how to become a "better" runner, about foot striking (toe vs heel), cadence (number of steps per minute, 180 is best), posture (upright and tall, not slouched!), and to concentrate.

After the marathon was over I didn't run for several weeks, apart from a few beginner club nights. I just didn't really feel like I wanted to run anymore, because of my knee problems mainly, but I'd also lost a lot of speed (perceived at the time as loss of "fitness", I was disenchanted). But some long, hilly, slow runs around Lancashire with my sister over the Christmas period got my mojo back and in 2013 I was ready to start over again.

This year I've been focusing mainly on getting faster again. I'm still plagued by leg and knee problems; I've had two periods of non-running from knee and shin problems, and a sore heel that comes and goes. But in a way that's been good; because I wasn't running I started to swim more and to cycle. I took part in an aquathlon in August, and I loved the challenge of a dual discipline event. I've also started to refocus my training, concentrating on heart rate, making sure my training plans incorporate speedwork and long slow runs, ensuring every run is a quality run.

It's been really good to help out at Stotfold Runners these past 2 years, to coach "non-runners" to become runners. I don't want to push advice at people, but I am happy to chat if asked. And I'm always ready to explain why it's important we do speedwork! It makes me incredibly proud to see friends now running 5K and 10K and training to run their first half marathon. 2014 is going to be amazing!

Now to think of my next challenge.

Running history: aiming for another PB

Hello, I'm Sarah, one of the running coaches at Stotfold Runners. This blog will be my daily training diary, and will prevent my personal blog becoming full of dull running posts (now I can fill it up with dull family stuff and posts about what we've eaten).

After 6 months of gentle persuasion, I finally started running in January, 2011. My aim was to run to lose weight (I was about 14 stone at my heaviest, now I'm about 10 stone). However, my competitive nature soon took over, and before long I was running to race and to get faster.

First year

My first race was in April, 2011, the Flitwick 10K, which I finished in less than an hour. I was hooked on racing! I spent summer 2011 training for my first half marathon, which was in Fleetwood. (It was in August and hailstoned, not the best weather!) I ended the year with my second half marathon, which I finished in just under 1 hour 50.

Personal bests

10K:  48:54 (Autumn Breaker [Blackpool], October 2011)
Half: 1:49:54 (Stevenage Half Marathon, November 2011)

Injuries

During a run after Stevenage my left knee seized up and I couldn't walk let alone run. Sadness indeed. But a couple of weeks of rest and I was back moving again, tentatively.

Trainers

Two pairs of Asics 1180.

Second year

Year 2 of running; I finally ran some 5K races and trained for two other half marathons (my favourite distance). A second shot at Flitwick 10K meant I knew what to expect (hills), and I ran one local half with a friend (which I have to say is a lovely way to endure something quite painful). After watching several friends take part in the London Marathon, I decided my next challenge would be to run a marathon. I signed up to Preston Guild Marathon, which is held once every 20 years. My time was not quite what I hoped for, but I can at least say I have run a marathon.


Personal bests

5K:    22:44 (Marston Forest 5K, June 2012)
10K:  48:16 (Flitwick 10K, April 2012)
Half: 1:46:31 (Greenway Challenge, May 2012)
Full: 4:58:46 (Preston Guild Marathon, October 2012)

Injuries

Oh yes, this year I got injured "properly". The other knee decided to give up during an 18 mile training run, and with a marathon looming I finally conceded that I needed to see a physio. I was recommended a great guy in Stevenage, who got me back on my feet.

Trainers

Asics Gel Cumulus 13, Saucony Ride 4.

Third year

Currently in year 3, what plans? Mainly to remain uninjured... I've run a half marathon as a knee-tester (leg pain after 10 miles saw me slow down but finish with a course record), a 10K (run the week after the half, I nearly collapsed through fatigue), and several 5Ks (enjoying these immensely!). No PBs so far, I'm still building up leg strength after my injury last year. I have a half to come in May, then a summer of speedwork, hill reps, and short runs with the aim to PB at Standalone 10K in October and either Ashwell half or Stevenage half in November. Possible local 10K in the summer. Who knows what will crop up? And I'm looking forward to coaching at the club a bit more and helping our beginners group gain confidence to perhaps run Standalone 10K (our local race) at the end of the year.