Hullo,
My name is Spencer, I'm 25 years old and I'm learning to run.
I should point out that I can already run. I'm not literally teaching myself to place one foot in front of the other in quick succession, instead I'm learning to run as a hobby and as a means of improving my fitness.
However, there are two issues that make this feat more than just a little unlikely to happen.
1. At 6ft 2" and 18 stone in weight, I am technically classified as obese and exercise isn't exactly my forte.
2. I hate running.
And it's not so much that I hate running, its that I hate rushing. Whilst they may technically be two completely different things, they are in my mind intrinsically linked. That is why, outside of a sports hall, you'll hardly ever see me running (jogging) along. I'd rather miss a train then find myself puffing and panting in a desperate attempt to make it to the platform on time.
I feel incredibly self conscious knowing that dozens of eyes are judging me as beads of sweat form on my forehead and my breathing resembles that of an 80 year old Darth Vader suffering from emphysema, and all because I've quickened my pace over 100 yards.
That's not to say I never run. I occasionally play a bit of badminton and earlier this year I played a bit of 5 a side. But these instances usually only require a quick burst of energy here and there, certainly nothing sustained for a period of time. Anyway, I don't feel quite as bad knowing that several other people are just as sweaty, wheezy and self loathing as I am.
Pathetic I know.
That being said, I have taken small steps to improve my fitness. Walking to and from work and cutting down on the amount of bread I eat have resulted in me losing a stone in weight in just over a year. I'm hardly going to find my face plastered over Slimming World Monthly, but it's a start and I'm determined to kick on from here.
And now the tricky part, how do I learn to run? Well after searching the internet I came across this: The Couch to 5k Running Plan. Having given it a quick read through and having read various other blogs of other exercise shy mortals I believe that it's something that I can realistically achieve. A gradual exercise regime, requiring only 20-30 minutes of my time 3 times a week. It's recommended by my (semi-professional runner and part of the upcoming GB mountain running team) house mate so it must be half decent.
I am more than aware however that without support I'm likely to get up off the sofa, take one look out of the window and think "sod it". Which is why I'm delighted that a friend of mine, John, has agreed to do the plan with me. From a distance (because she lives in London, not because I smell) my girlfriend is also doing the couch to 5k plan, so there's plenty of support.
So there we have it. An overweight (technically obese), exercise shy and stubborn man who hates running, is going to learn to run. 5k to be precise.
Bollocks.
