Who, or what, inspired you to start running?

[Redbadger]

For me it was ill health. Running was something that I could do easily and at convenient times in my day/week without having to buy a load of gear or needing to spend hours doing it (like cycling) or go to a special place to do it (like swimming). Trainers on and head out of the door and do as little or much as I felt like.

How about you? How did your running journey start?

 

[Garry A]

Sitting in a pub on my 42nd birthday and realising that i was not having fun at all, I just didn't want to be that person anymore. I realised that I had never run since I was much younger and decided that I just wanted to run. Bought a treadmill and did C25K with my final run being the local parkrun. Soon sold the treadmill and stuck to the outdoors. That was in early 2015. Did my first marathon last year.

 

[Bucky]

Watching the 2014 Great Manchester Run on the BBC in a Glasgow hotel.
Realised if they can do it why can't I?

Started training and did the 2015 GMR in 1hr 12m, then without a goal to work towards my running fizzled out and I stopped.

Got back into it in Aug 2016 and haven't looked back since, really enjoying it this time round.

 

[WiltshireWonder]

I got dumped by this boy. He was totally wrong for me and I knew it and was secretly glad, but the timing was rubbish for various reasons and I found it really hard. My company was sponsoring Race for Life when it was new and shiny, so I signed up and started traiining. It was either that or eat chocolate. It was exactly what I needed - I lost some bonus pounds, gained so much confidence and happiness and ended up crushing my first 5k in a new outfit feeling literally like the hottest girl in the race!

I look back on that dumping sometimes and am so incredibly grateful for it. I lost someone totally wrong for me, a year later met the guy I'd end up marrying and having a family with, I became a runner...it was literally the day when my current life, which I love so much, began! He did me such a favour.

Still a swine though.

 

[carlp]

My wife, who’s been running for about 6 years ( 10 Marathons, umpteen halves, one Race to the Stones) organised a works team event for the Cancer Research Winter 10k run three years ago. She suggested that a I join, not a chance says I . Later that Christmas Day as a surprise I signed up, thinking worst case I could walk it. She was having none of that, saying if I was going to do it I’d have to train properly, so she did me a training plan, and three years ago yesterday I did my first ever 10k event.

Since then I have done 8 halves, 1 full marathon, and several 10ks.

So it’s all her fault.

 

[Flatflr]

Used to run cross country in my teens, not competitively, but just for fun, and did run a half marathon when I was 18 or 19. Kind of dropped out of it for quite a few years until I started working from home about 10 years ago and would pop out for a few miles to get out of the house at lunch. Kept at it when I changed jobs and started working in London and made a point of running as soon as I got home from work. Got myself a bike and switched between the two until a friend signed us both up for a triathlon, hated the swim but loved the run and ride. Carried on, upping the distances until I saw the company that organised the tri did an event in Snowdon, signed up for the half, the year later my mate and I both signed up for the marathon, did the same the next year. Now training for my first ultra.....

 

[amasidlover]

My son; I'd put 'a bit' of weight on in my 20's and I stopped being able to keep up with my eldest son when he got to about 2 (!) - so I started tracking what I was eating and took up triathlon - that was almost 7 years ago now...

 

[Fresh Start]

A feeling that I need to change my lifestyle and get a bit fitter.

 

[Running Cat]

I want to avoid anti depressants. I want to avoid bone loss in later life.

It was a change from walking and cycling. Now I'm addicted! It's fun.
Now I'm hoping it will help me lose weight.

 

[part time runner]

when i was thirty my dad was diagnosed with bladder cancer, he had his bladder out and started chemo, so i wanted to do something to raise a bit of money for cancer research, as without the great work carried out by those guys my dad wouldn't be here now.... the following year mum was diagnosed with cervical cancer......
so i got my fat lazy bum off the sofa and started running. and when it got tough i would think that this is nothing compared to the stuff cancer battlers are going through........ 20 years both Mum and dad are still here cancer survivors........ my Heros....