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 ready! I look the part at least 😂😂😂

SlowStarters you can do a 10k I am sure of it. You can run 5k and I’m sure you can walk 5k so that makes the distance 🙂 as long as you don’t worry about times you can do absolutely anything you want. Which is how I have done 2 half marathons 😁 very very slowly but I’ve done them!

SingingSands
".............This is the side of Mumsnet that I love- women supporting a stranger on the Internet and lifting her up to do great things !"

I absolutely agree. Take a bow Justine and Carolyn and all who helped set up Mumsnet.

OP I've ran all my life and was a competitive, county runner in my youth and I'm telling you that you are doing bloody amazing. Running 5k non stop is a massive achievement which many can never do.
Your friend was jealous I suspect. Some friends just can't bear to see someone going forward and getting healthy and happy.

OP so glad you are still on the running high today! tigga good luck!

Honestly running is like a huge family, parkrun, any race (you will end up doing one I'm sure and no 10k isn't a pipedream it's perfectly achievable) you will be surrounded by wonderfully supportive runners and marshalls - your heart will sing many times ❤️

@swampytiggaa eeee good luck! What time do you start? You look really fantastic, in awe that you're a Proper Athlete

Good luck @swampytiggaa

Just posting to say how I've been loving this thread - as others have said, women supporting women in on the internet and lifting each other up. Go OP! You're amazing, I'm so glad you've gained so much confidence and are really enjoying the park run, and this thread is giving me so much motivation to keep up my own attempts to lose weight and get fit again. Happy Sunday everyone

Good luck @swampytiggaa let us know how you get on.

Although I'm up to my 70th park run it's over 10 years since I've done a 10k. I'm going to aim to do one off the back of this thread so thank you all for your inspiration!

Good luck Swampytigga!

I’ve just finished my first 5k in two years and I did it in 34m and 45s. I did it with a friend and we just hugged each other!

I’m done 😁 1:21 lots of walking because my friends leg packed up at 2k .

Glad to be finished although I’m sure slowstarters friend would have walked it quicker 😂😂😂

@swampytiggaa massive well done!! That's amazing, honestly, I'm so inspired. Hope you have a fab time celebrating at the pub

@Pinkarsedfly congratulations! That must have been the best sweaty hug ever.

well earned tonight!

I've been to the gym today and restarted c25k. Just week 4 on the app, I'm not brave enough to jog outside yet. But it's a (re)start and a park run is an eventual goal. All thanks to you OP and all the other supportive people on this lovely thread.

Just on my second double g&t following a massive burger 🙂 it’s always a fantastic feeling after a race!

170 from my club took part in today’s event so over 10% of the entrants were the purple army 🙂

Sometime I will bore you all about how our running club came into being... it was mostly due to attitudes similar to your friends tbh.

Amazing what negativity can spur you onto!

Back to the gin now 😁

Your friend is a bitch, keep it up op, time is not important, more important that you enjoy it and feel good at the end.
Love to see her try and walk it in that time I do believe she is talking utter bollocks!

Ok...thinking ahead...how about when slowstarters does her 50th parkrun everyone that has been inspired by this thread goes to be a tourist

And invite her friend for cake after of course !

Or to run with her like an entourage!

Doubt we will be able to keep up with her by then . We could stick to a symbolic 39 mins pace

Parkrun starts to make this sort of thing sounds entirely sensible..

...and before you know it you are travelling halfway across the county to met people whose actual real life names are hard to remember as you know them as their names here ..or do a mud run...or be in some random theme of fancy dress..or because the location starts with a W...

You are all here somewhere....

Action shot from today 😂😂😂 towards the end so very hot and tired!

Great pic, swampy!

Fantastic.

She's not your friend - she is jealous. Distance yourself from her and enjoy your new found life. Well done on the weight loss and keeping it off.

Loving the support on here and wish I had a group to go to like yours Swamp. Well done you

You’ve ditched one ‘friend’ and gained about 100 new ones. Pretty good swap if you ask me! 😊🌷

I hope you keep this thread going. You’ve inspired SO many people to get off their bums and get running again.

You’d have inspired me to try C25 again if it wasn’t for the fact that I can barely bloody walk right now
(knee X-ray tomorrow).

I’m sorry you were suffering so badly before, but I really hope this is the thing that changes your life x

🍻🍾 to ex/friend! We wouldn’t have found you otherwise 😊