[Steve]

Have you ever smoked? :embarrassed: If so has running helped you quit/reduce your intake?:d
Is anyone brave enough to post a thread in the same vein as Steepler re the booze?

 

[Boab]

Think I have mentioned in another post, that I am an ex smoker.

Smoked for 17 years with a few failed attempts at stopping. I said I would stop when I was 30, which was in 2002, and from then till last year I had an on/off (mostly on) relationship with the evil weed.

I started going to the local gym near the end of 2004 to loose a bit of weight and get fitter and in March '05 I decided to train for the Glasgow half marathon (september that year). If I was going to run it properly I was going to have to stop smoking.

I stopped at the end of March '05, but it was tough. I always had problems when I was out for a drink. Stag weekends were a nightmare. My last lapse was in July this year, so this is the longest I have gone without smoking for 17 years. Since July I have PB'ed at 5K, 10K and half marathon. My 10 mile split times in both the half maras I have done this year were two minutes quicker than my current 10 mile PB.

Running has changed my focus on life I suppose. Before running, I enjoyed a night out, probably too much, I had a pretty unhealthy and lazy lifestyle. I still enjoy a night out, I just don't drink as much, my diet has improved and I no longer smoke. Running, I believe, has saved me from an early grave.

 

[Dave]

At the risk of repeating myself ,I gave up smoking in March 05 when I was 44 after smoking quite heavily for 27 years.

I was put on a three month course of nicotine patches and I started running at the same time.

After a month I stopped using the patches because I felt that the enjoyment I was getting from the improved running was all the motivation I needed.

Nearly 2 years on the same still stands and I cannot ever imagine being a smoker again.

But I never say never.

 

[paulryan06]

i was a 25 a day smoker for 17 years always wanted to give up but just didnt have the willpower then a bloke i was working with told me about alan carrs book easyway ,i read it about 15 months a go and havent smoked sense ,and i feel brilliant the best the book ever i would advise any smoker that cant give up read alan carrs book it will definitely help i will never smoke again thanks to him and i have got a new life i would never have had because of him

 

[twinkle toes]

I was a definite binge smoker, if I went out for a drink I would tear through them like there was no tomorrow, when I started running it became a battle of wills I wanted to still smoke and run but knew that if I had had a binge on the ciggies I would be easier on my self when I next went for a run, which would inturn annoy me because I knew I would never improve, so finally september last year I stopped and have not looked back... well had a peep maybe but never touched it.

 

[Boab]

paulryan06, I read Allen Carrs book as well. Great book.

 

[EmmaC]

Hey Steve,

I did smoke and yes running has definatly helped......I had always had a healthy lifestyle, ate well kept fit by swimming but still smoked. Anyway even though I had given up for a number of years when I started running I never really lost the cravings and strangly didn't find it had a huge effect on my swimming. Now recently you will know that I have taken up running and the thought of smoking now is just horrid........even when I get moments at work where I would have previously thought all that stood in the way of me telling my boss to stuff it was a ***, I just don't get them any more.

It could just be that I have happened to finally get to that point or it could be the running, personally I think it's the running!

To be honest...my lungs are finding it tough enough!!!

 

[Steve]

Good to see so many have given up the weed...never smoked myself and now visit pubs rarely because of smoke...roll on 1/7/07 I say!