To be upset after comment from friend?

[SlowStarters]

For context, I used to be very overweight and unfit, mostly due to MH issues. I lost 38 kilos, and I've kept it off for 6 years now. I discovered I loved hiking and enjoy 10-15k hikes around the Brecon Beacons, for example.

I'm not a 'natural' sportsperson in any way. I'm very short, big bust, mild asthma, but I'm proud of my achievement and want to improve my fitness more so I recently started running. My legs are strong from the hikes but I am slow.

And I say running. Well. More sweaty, breathy jogging, really.

I ran jogged my first full non-stop 5k distance yesterday. I felt elated! I met a friend for coffee this afternoon and told her I'd managed my first 5k in 39 minutes and I was hoping next time I'd knock a minute or two off the time.

She actually scoffed and said she could walk 5k quicker than that. Then she changed the subject.

I can't believe I felt, and still feel, utterly deflated. I know it's really slow and an average time is 25-30 mins but is 39 mins embarrassingly awful?

I feel like throwing my running trainers away.

I’m with you in spirit.

The rest of me is on the couch with ☕️ I’m really missing my daily walk around the woods/lake/park, but need to see the Dr about my ankle/knee/hip mess first. First thing Tue I’ll book an apt.

I LOVE your reply to ‘CattyCow’ (she’s no friend) and her not even bothering to reply...I hope you keep moving away from her.

You said you wish any of us were your friend. Unfortunately, because I’d love to be one of your ‘in person’ friends, as I said before I’m down south so not much use in the ‘real life’ friends dept, but you really should consider a local MN meet up. It can be a casual cup of coffee or a walk or whatever, it doesn’t have to be a big event.

Also, I meant to say before (and I’m sure I speak for at least almost everyone, if not everyone) we are looking forward to your report from Park Run next week because we are impressed with your first 5km, impressed with you keeping the weight off and being so fit (& hot!) but mostly because we like you 😊. None of us want to put any pressure on you at all. Jog it, walk it, crawl it...take an hour, we don’t care, we just want you to enjoy it and be happy that you did it 💕🌷

My 2 half marathons to date have been very slow affairs with lots of walking but hey I have the medals for them! I’m doing another in September for a breast cancer charity where I will be running with a giant boob on my back. That’ll be fun 😂😂😂

I love the idea of asking your friend to join you for your next 5k, invite her to do Parkrun with you! I bet you’ll find she can’t make it!

Oh, OP, I can relate. I was always the only overweight child in my family and constantly reproached for it. In my case it was my older sister who reacted just as your friend did when I mentioned running a 10K race. That sister was always like that. We have NC now. Your nasty friend doesn't deserve your friendship. Well done on the run and the weight control!

Ahhh! Look what my slow self just managed! 6k! I was spurred on by every one of you.

I honestly couldn't run for 10 seconds when I started - I just can't believe it.

very sweaty - off for the best shower of my life

Bloody well done OP! I had a similar experience in my office. Lots of scoffing at my 10k time and asking if I walked it. I have since done 3 half marathons and a full one. So they can scoff all they like. You are awesome!

Wow! Well done! I’m looking forward to hearing how your first parkrun goes

OP that’s a fantastic distance and time, well done you. And as for your before and after photo earlier, amazing transformation but I truly believe the real transformation has just begun. You are going to feel so incredibly proud of yourself and gain so much confidence and strength from your running, mentally as well as physically, I can vouch for that and can already see it in your posts! x

@SlowStarters well done! Brilliant.
Don't push too hard to fast but that is fantastic. 6k is a massive achievement. My C25k teachers say only increase by 10% per week to avoid injury. I would guess that during your original post your mood & will-power were low. Look at you now!!!
Surround yourself by people like these here & life will be great. I've done a similar thing & feel so much better mentally & physically.
Perhaps we should have a MN parkrun secret code - orange sox or something - a high 5 along the way!

Nice work!

Oh well done @SlowStarters that's brilliant! I'm glad you feel supported you this thread, we're all behind you.

Honestly, you're going to love park run. It's brilliant!

Well done OP! You realize you've achieved that rare phenomenon of EVERYBODY agreeing in an AIBU thread? Not one person has come on here and said "Yeah, you may as well give up. Your friend is right." Hope you're listening to all the wisdom here!

Anyway, WARNING: 5k is the gateway drug to 10k... and then it's dangerously easy to think "Well I could just try a half, just once..." And then before you know it, you're looking at your diary figuring out how many marathons you can squeeze in this year. IT'S A SLIPPERY SLOPE TO ADDICTION AND THERE'S NO KNOWN CURE! And I'm writing this as someone who was the laughing-stock in PE at school, but who now runs marathons.

It's quite obvious that you're someone with determination and tenacity (e.g. re the sustained weight-loss). You can achieve anything you put your mind to. Don't let anyone hold you back.

Agree with everyone else - she's jealous. If you used to be the "fat friend" and she was the hot one, she's struggling with the swap.

You look bloody great and 39mins is an impressive first time!

I've lost weight myself recently and this thread has me looking at my running shoes again...

Your friend is a bitch and you deserve to be congratulated on your achievement. The fastest 5k I’ve ever managed was 1 hour. Good for you, that’s a great time for your first 5k continuous run.

My friend has text to ask if I want to meet next Saturday morning for coffee. I'vehappilytext back saying really sorry but I'm busy doing my first 5k Parkrun

Omg the satisfaction must have been immense sending that text!

I bet your friend starts whinging to people about how you've "chaaaaangggged". When actually it's that you've evolved, and she hasn't.

Am another one inspired to go for a run today. I'm only on week 2 of C25k and have been on week 2 for 2 weeks and I was on Week 1 for a month. There are times I feel I'm going up the levels so slow I must be really useless. But I think half of it is being scared to move up the levels in case I fail. So I'm going to get out there later and maybe even try Week 3!

@ElspethFlashman see if you can find others to do it with you. I've just graduated C25k and could never have managed it alone. Very lucky here that someone set up a group & a few people qualified as run leaders now taking groups of 15 or so through it (just for love). I started 5th Jan in the cold & wet. Motivation from others & a few laughs helped me get out every week.

I wish I could but I'm pretty rural. One of the reasons I reluctantly took up jogging, there's fuck all else you can do here! 😂 But I have "Laura" for company in my headphones! "Now don't overdo it, you don't want to get disheartened" I loooooove her, lol.

She's definitely not a friend. Someone I know runs ultras (stupid things like 100 miles) and I posted a video of me running after cauda equina and spinal surgery for the first time. I say running, more of a slow shuffle on a treadmill for 30 seconds and she was the biggest cheerleader

Benefits of rural @ElspethFlashman is that the air is clean & the scenery is nice! Rural here too. Softer underfoot.

Yes jogging past all the new lambs is lovely.

Wow slowstarter I'm so happy for you this morning! You have inspired and motivated a lot of people on this thread. You should be very proud of yourself. Well done! And as for your friend, she can hold your towel and water bottles for when you complete the London Marathon 🏃

Not read all the thread, but seen a couple of mentions for parkrun. Keep last week's results to show her. 39 mins is fantastic - you are amazing!

A fellow runner started a year or so ago weighing 3st more than now + walk/jogging her 5Ks in 49 mins. She nows runs 30min parkruns + is my inspiration - even though my PB is just over 26mins. I have been lucky to be fit + healthy most of my life so my 'progress is less' iyswim.

Your achievements are yours alone + your challenges will be different from mine or your friend's, but we all have our own challenges.

You go girl!

Firstly...absolutely bloody well done! I have a weight issue and am very unfit so I admire your achievement.!!
Secondly.. Decide now to have one less toxic person in your life, how dare anyone put another down like that!! How rude!! Get rid of her and good luck with your next challenge! X

Some people just cannot celebrate other people’s successes. They just have to be ‘best’ or even just ‘better’.
Ignore that crap! It says much more about them than you.
You KNOW that what you are achieving is bloody marvellous! Well done you! For all those that scoff, there will be those that find you inspirational!
Remember, a flower doesn’t compete with its neighbor, it just blooms....and that is beautiful.