Hi there,
I have always had the desire to run a marathon and by the time i am 50 i will check that off my bucket list. That gives me 5 1/2 years. I am starting walking/jogging training to do a half marathon in October. i watched a friend cross the finish line last year after she ran the full marathon, and told her that I wanted to do the half marathon next year. So i need to either put up or shut up and I am tired of backing off and doing nothing. Time to get real,and take charge of my life and get rid of this extra weight. I think once I get going with this and get into a routine I will be okay, I just can not seem to get going, and just when i made the desicion to do it, I got this stupid cold and have been sick all weekend and off work today. Hopefully will be able to start by tomorrow or the next day even if a little walk.
Just curious if there are others who have been very overweight and trained and ran a half or full marathon. Would love to hear from you and get the support i need to get going!!

I haven't trained for a marathon/half marathon, but "WAY TO GO" to you for deciding that you want to accomplish that. Sounds like a grand goal and one that gives more purpose to our journeys to get healthier - being able to have more stamina and cut down time and recuperation time will be great motivators.

Hope you can shake your cold and get out for your first week's action. Good luck - check in often to let us know how it's going and how we can support you!

Yes you can!
** Meet with your doctor before you start.
** Get very good quality walking shoes. You'll go through a couple pairs in the next 6 months.
** Ditto for a good sport bra when you start jogging. Or save money and wear two bras!
** Ain't nobody doing this but you. You gotta get it in your head that you're doing a half marathon in October. Mm hmm, yes, ma'am.
** Start by walking when you can amble and breathe at the same time. Get yourself in the habit - pick a time of day, put a sticky note on the wall, set an alarm, have a friend call you, whatever it takes. When the clock hits that time... YOU WALK. period. Doesn't have to be long or energetic or graceful, but it does have to get done. To the end of the block, maybe the next driveway beyond, maybe around the block. Whatever your body can handle.
** Hydrate and stretch during and after every walk. Pop the ibuprofin if you need to. You're asking your body to make a big change over the next 6 months, so treat it well. Mmmm, foot rubs! Take a day of rest - real no exercise rest - one day every week. Let your body reset itself to the new "normal."
** You're re-setting your brain with a new habit, one that says yes you can stick with it. Add a tiny bit more each day, just to the next break in the pavement if you have to. At little further, a little longer, a little faster. Take an MP3 player. Your body will try to walk to the beat without you telling it to!
** Take stock of your progress in 30 days around the end of April. How long are you out walking? Have you made it to 30 minutes at least 3 or 4 of the days you're in the great outdoors? If you've established this baseline of fitness, challenge yourself by taking the following 12 weeks to train for walking a half marathon. Here's a link: http://www.halhigdon.com/halfmarathon/walk.htm. That takes you up to the end of July. Who knows, maybe you're bored and you've started adding some brief shuffle-jog intervals in there.
** Still going? Great! You've got August and September to work in some jogging for the October marathon if you want to kick it up a notch. If you don't - who cares? Who's watching? Look how far you've come since April. Make yourself a great mix list, alternate slower songs with more powerful songs, and sashay-zoom, sashay-zoom bop your way to the finish line, grinning like a fool.
Strut that walk, sister! It's your day.

Okay, Losing80 - you've got ME wanting to join in!

NP - now get over to the pushup challenge! LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL!

Good Luck!!! last year at 36 I started walking and slowly running..
and i did my first 5k! which i didnt think i would ever do.. and it was hard. but when i was done! i felt GREAT! I didnt win... But I didnt lose.. actualy i came in right in the midde of everyone!.
My body will never be a runner.. but speedwalking and jogging.. I am good for it! Good Luck... you can do it!

Hi Ginny
I am 47 and I ran my first half marathon on March 27th, this year. It took me 2 hours/19 minutes. I ran the whole way. 10 months ago, I weighed 235 lbs. and could only ride my recumbent bike for about 15 minutes without feeling like I was going to die. I am now training for a full marathon at the end of the year.
Don't let anyone tell you it can't be done. A marathon is on my bucket list too and one way or the other I will cross the finish line! Best of luck to you. Never give up. Keep going. Do a little every single day and keep a positive attitude. I look forward to hearing about your training.

OMG, thank you all for the encouragement. Sorry I have not been online in a while, but for once, this was not a bad thing. I am busy working towards my goal. Last week I logged 19.8 kms and this week so far I have logged 21.5 kms, so I am doing it. I am so pumped towards finding the athelete in me. Love feeling this way and just hope I do not lose this feeling. Thank you once again!

Final tally for this weeks kilometers is, 26.7, last week 19.9 for a total of 46.6 km in the last two weeks.

I agree with everyone on here. I would love to one day run a half marathon. For this year i have just decided to train to run a 5k in september and then a 10k in march of next year so the obvious progression would be to shoot for a half marathon sometime next year! i am using the Couch to 5k to train to run a 5k. The program is supposed to get you prepared to run a 5k in 2 months but im going to give myself 4 just to be sure that i dont over do it! Basically just work at your pace and see the weight come off in the process as long as you're eating healthy to maintain the energy you need to train as a runner!

Great job Ginny! I liked hearing about your progress. Just keep going and keep doing a little bit more at a time and before you know it, you'll be here telling us about your races and times. Can't wait!

Ginny: I am a marathon runner. Anyone who does a full or a half marathon is an Athlete - regardless of size - age - walk or run! I ran my first 1/2 Marathon in Ottawa May 2008 and it changed my life. I ran my first full Marathon Niagara Falls October 2010 and unfortunately I have been struggling with injuries since then.

Training can be incredible - incredibly wonderful and incredibly difficult. If you're doing the weight loss thing - then you know exactly what this feeling is.

I posted my successes - all my runs (which by the way were walks / walk runs and runs) on FB and the support I got from friends and family was incredible. It honestly motivated me to run more.....

I like all the advise you've already received - in my opinion - the most important piece of advice (aside from the shoes - VERY important) is walk or run - don't worry - just set your KM goal and get it done. if that means you have to walk then walk a bit - but finish it. and make sure you praise yourself!

Reward yourself with cool things. Be careful - running can be addicting!

Best of Luck and Happy running!

PS - Listen to your body and stop when you have to stop -- walking is important too!!!