smoker to runner?

ImustBeMad

Hi to all,
Well I have started my training for DCM 2010. Here’s some background...

I am a 31 year old male. 6ft and still skinny. I eat well, but I smoked up until 17th August.
Up until about 25 I was fit – I mean really fit, played football 4 to 5 nights per week and swam every night. I broke my ankle quite badly playing football in college and after months off I started to let training slip. Quit the team and stopped swimming.
Having survived college and never smoked, I started the same time the smoking ban came in. How dumb was that eh?!
So, up until Monday August 17th I was a smoker. I hated hearing about people training for Marathons or mentioning how fit they were getting. It annoyed me hearing it because I was secretly jealous.
I wanted to get to that level. I felt I had it in me. So on Monday 17th I made the decision. I quit smoking at 11am and that evening I went for my first run.
It was terrible.
After 7 minutes my legs were cramped and heavy, my stride was erratic and I felt like I was going to fall over. I had to stop and walk home feeling like a complete loser. I came back that evening depressed and feeling down. I don’t know how I didn’t smoke, but I didn’t.
On Tuesday suffering with cravings I decided to do some research. This is where I found all you guys.
Right first thing Wednesday – into Elvery’s and get some proper runners. “Up on the treadmill Sir – hmmm I’ll have to get the physio sir.... Ah do you have a pin in your left ankle? “ One pronated foot – one not! 115 euro and 4 video analysis later of ole wonky legs; I had my Asics. Ugly as hell, but man they are comfy. Adidas running shorts and Nike running top and I am out of the shop with a significantly lighter wallet. Ok – mustn’t grumble, saving 8:50 a day on cigarettes.
Next – took more advice from a friend who has ran a few marathons. Off to myasics and look at setting up a personal training program. Ok what the hell is a reasonable time to run a marathon?
Back to Boards – I’m going to go for under 4 hours. Let’s see what the schedule if like.
4 days a week running terrified me when I looked at it first – Those long runs seem a lifetime away.
Ok, stay committed – first 15 minute run Saturday 22nd.

Still off the smokes and avoiding alcohol until I am sure I can handle the cravings, Saturday arrived. I felt excited putting my new gear on and getting back to stretching, heck I felt like an athlete for a moment – before I set off!.
7 minutes into the run, I am hurting, my knee hurt and my chest is sore, I can feel cramps coming on.. what the hell is going on?
Got through a 15 minute 3.3k run, logged it in my journal and back onto boards to scour for advice.
Hydration – I didn’t drink enough fluids before I started – maybe that was it?

So Sunday I had my second Run, drank a lot of water all day in preparation for it and off I go again. It felt a hell of a lot better. I got through the 15 minutes much more comfortably and was looking forward to my rest day with glee. No cramps, no pains and felt like a new Man.
Monday – one week off the ciggies and my first “long” run. Only a 25 minute run, but to me adding an extra 10 minutes felt like an age. I planned my route and thought about it all day as I got hydrated again. I was sitting at work thinking about it all day – actually nervous or was it excitement – not sure.
The day dragged and finally at 6pm I got my gear on and went for it. It was fantastic! I got through it, after 20 minutes I was struggling, but just kept going. I didn’t stop until I touched my apartment door – that included running up my stairs and down a corridor! No doubt it sounds sad to lots of people, but it was my little rocky moment.

So here it is on Wednesday lunchtime and something strange has happened. Cigarette cravings are gone, rest night last night and a short run scheduled for later tonight. I feel great, but here’s the strange thing – I can’t bloody wait to get out and run tonight. Seriously, really looking forward to it again.
Maybe I am a naive learner, but I think I am going to stick this out and give it a shot.

If anyone is interested in this little journey I will post regular updates, I know reading your stories really really helped to get me going.

Ger the man

Well done for quitting the ciggies and keep it up! Dont be too concerned about marathon finish times, just enjoy it.

Gringo78

Quit the ciggies myself a few years ago and the cravings always remained....even a year after quitting. However, once I started running, the cravings went completely so its a great way to quit I think and if I had started running the day I quit it would have been a lot easier. Best of luck with the marathon training

christeb

Best of luck, I like your log already!

misty floyd

That's inspirational stuff for everyone to read. Keep it up mate, we'll be watching. Best of luck.

rainbow kirby

Welcome to the logs, and good luck with it!

(incidentally, I have the same issue where one foot pronates a lot more than the other, makes me very injury-prone on my left side)

donothoponpop

Best of luck, you seem to be making the right moves, and you'll find lots of good advice here.

I quit smoking over three years ago, and took up running- first few weeks were hard, breathing problems, chest pains- but if you stick out the first month you'll notice all that stuff getting better, as your lungs rebuild themselves, and get rid of the accumulated tar and crap years of smoking have left behind. The best cure for the cravings, is a short quick run in the evening. There's no better felling than knowing you've replaced smoking with running. I've ran a few marathons now, anyone can do it with the right training, keep it up!

RJM22

Best of luck with this. I had a similar experience (not because of cigs but because of college work) where I missed 4 months of training and really laid into the junk food. I know what that first run feels like, mine was 10 weeks ago! You'll be flying in no time!