r/C25K • u/Xkv8 • 4d ago

Here's a post for the New Year's folks.

Here's my story from 5K to 50K.

I've wanted to come back for some time and tell you all about my journey. I'm lurker by nature, but I've managed some big changes and I've brought receipts, so while my life is still a dumpster fire, I'm making gains.

My life up until now has been pretty terrible. I've grew up and married into abuse. I deal with depression, anxiety, ptsd, all the usual things. Mountains of other work has gone into the changes I've made, but running is the catalyst that makes it possible.

Despite all the things wrong with my life today, I never would have believed I could ever be where I am today. And it's only getting better. The only advice I can give you is to find your why. If you don't know and just think it will improve your life, it will. Just get started. You'll encounter plentiful ups and downs, but those aren't important. Focus on the long game. It's ok to miss a day here or there, but if you don't have your why, getting back on track is much more difficult.

I'm still a shitty runner. Stuff hurts and running sucks, but I'll never give it up. My first 5K was in June of 2023, my last official race was a 50K in August this year. It was abysmal and I was unprepared and it was dumb, but I did it.

There will never be a time in your life where you're going to wish you hadn't started. I wish you the best year yet. You can do it.

29 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

6 comments sorted by

6

u/InfiniteCulture3475 4d ago

This is so inspiring. I've not had the best year, and I too want to move forward with my running and with my life. I wish you a good year too.

2

u/Xkv8 3d ago edited 3d ago

I'm sorry you haven't had the best year. I can't do anything about that, but I sure hope I can give you a little now. You can do it! I wish you the best of new years!

3

u/martinirun 3d ago

No such thing as a shitty runner- you’re a runner!! I’m not fast and I’m running a fraction of the distances I used to but I’m a runner too and I love designating myself as one. Have a happy new year!

3

u/Xkv8 3d ago

Alright, since you announced it, I'm a runner! I still haven't thought of myself that way, but that's something I can work on in the new year. I'm only being self-deprecating in terms of finding my running groove - getting all the parts in my legs doing what they're supposed to be doing without my attention. I hope this next year kicks ass.

1

u/StatisticianJolly388 1d ago

Thanks man, I needed that. Week 2 has been kicking my butt as I drag my sorry behind through it. But I notice that every day when I run my attitude and energy is better, I feel more awake and alive. I don't know if I'll ever be totally fit, but I know this is helping my heart, I know it's making my quality of life better.

2

u/Xkv8 10h ago

Happy to help! One of the best pieces of advice I can give you is to figure out your heart rate zones and stay in zone 2. It may even be a frustratingly slow pace, but it's one where you're doing the most improvements in your cardio system, and it's much more physically tolerable. If you stick with it, your speed will gradually increase keeping your heart rate in the same zone - you become more efficient.