Who has gone from never running to 5k? Need success stories to motivate me!

[BananaGio]

Did my first run/walk today and am horrified by how unfit I am! I have never been a big one for exercise and have never ever been a runner but am pushing 40 and decided enough is enough. Can anyone give me hope by telling me how they too were once like me and now they are proper runners??

Well BananaGio, by posting on this thread I remembered all the things I liked about running so this morning after dropping all the children off, rather than switching on the pc and having coffee, I went for a run. 40 minutes!

So thank you!

Banana, aren't ALL Italian women perfectly turned out, 8 stone models of elegance?

Yes - I don't blend! Ohforfoxsake glad to be of service
Went again today, had ipod this time and took advice from this thread to take it at a slow pace which I did and found it marginally easier!
Wanted to say thanks again to everyone for posting their experiences, I have found it so encouraging to hear how so many of you started from nothing as well. All the runners I know in RL have either been doing it for years, or used to run and got back into it easily again. Need to know people like me can do it!

well done banana, before you know it you'll be ENJOYING it!

Also don't worry about all those perfect joggers. If they aren't red and sweaty, they aren't doing it properly

Well, I must be a proper runner then, as I am always red and sweaty and look as if I am about to die.....