How old were you when you started running? What was it that made you start?

Well I ran as a kid, running in fun runs while my Dad raced, I also cross country's and track running, I was OK but never outstanding. I did FLM in 1997 but really just got round as I wasn't keen on putting the miles in (better things to do as an 18-19 year old!) and preferred to play football.

Since then I've broken a few bones playing football. The last time made me decide not to play again. I work in an office and started getting fat and unfit, I thought I'd better do something about it but wasn't sure what. One week I noticed that there was a local 10k, I entered it (it was only a few days away) and ran it with no training, I struggled but really enjoyed it and have run ever since.

Next week my life story.........

I never really ran much at school apart from a few cross county races. When I was about 20 I started jogging in order to keep fit for my karate class. After a couple of years plodding round on my own I decided to join a running club. Now I do a bit of karate to help my running . It was joining a club that really got me into racing and training correctly.

i had done a couple of half's in my 30's, then the London. Gave up football aged 40 as i was fed up of the injuries and joined my running club. 13 year's later i'm still enjoying it as much if not more than ever before.

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it's not how fast, it's how often

I did a bit of x country at school but that was it until I was nearly 50. I'd played cricket until late forties and then felt the need for something active.

I also did a bit of XC at school but then had a period of about 10 years where barely ran t all and got fat and lazy Now I'm back into the running and feeling much healthier for it.

I did run a bit at school - we were forced to!

But I started on my own in my early 20s - cos I really wanted to do the London marathon...

Did the usual forced running at school.

Hit my mid 20's having done next to no exercise since school and decided it was time to do something, started running on the treadmill at the gym and gradually built it up. Entered a race for life and decided it was time to hits the roads....that was 2 years ago and I have been running on and off since (more off than on but I'm working on it!!)

Started nearly a year ago in order to get in shape. Never thought I would enjoy it and aimed to do only 3 runs a week of 5km.
Things turned out different. I've just entered a marathon.

Well done Rene! Which marathon have you entered?

I started when I was about 18, ran the 2nd ever London marathon, got totally obsessed with running and ran all times of the day and night. It was not unusual for me to go out at 10pm for a 20 mile run!

Consequently I burnt out and gave it all up in 1987ish, having run 12 marathons and numerous shorter distances.


I hit a mid life crisis at 38, pulled my trainers back on and started all over again. Now almost 43 I'm running about 5 marathons and 3 ultras a year.

Once a runner, always a runner I guess

My wife made me

I started running 2 years ago - aged 54 as a way of keeping fit and got hooked !

I've since completed 6 - 10k's, 5 - Half Marathons and am currently training for the Neolithic Marathon in April as I got rejected from FLM. My one regret is that I didn't start when I was younger. Catching up is hard work

I can't even think what it would be like not to run at least 2 or 3 times a week.

RD

We used to be sent on cross-country runs for punishment. Can you think of a better way to get out of classes? That's when education got you places!

It will be 10 years next month.
When I was 17 I played basketball and our coach took me to run a half-marathon. It was great but I didn't think about running anymore until the folowing year.

I trained for two weeks before it and in the last day before the race I met that coach (hadn't seen him for almost a year).
He asked me if I wanted to start training a bit more seriously... I was very unsure but said yes.

Almost 10 years ago...