What got you into running?

BornToRun88

What got you into running?

For myself, I never knew anything about the sport before I became involved. Wouldn't have been able to name an athlete or know what the distances and disciplines were. I was good at running in primary school and people always thought I was fast but it never came to my mind to join athletics. I was always a football person and played football. Football tho was never an successful sport for me, on the bench or just not bothered. My dad was at me for years to try running. I first went down to a training group in 2002, wasn't use to anything and stop training within a few sessions. Went back to football, same thing as before. After going for training for Bohemian FC under 18s and realising I was the worst footballer there, it was time to look elsewhere. I finally listened to my dad's pleas and went down to the local running club in 2005 and I haven't looked back since, I regret not giving it a proper go in 2002 and only coming back 3 years later.

rainbow kirby

Started running at 24 with Couch to 5k, I had quite a lot of weight to lose and not a lot of money (so a gym membership was out of the question) - and running seemed like a good way to do it. Discovered somewhere along the way that I absolutely loved it.

Ruu_Old

My family are huge GAA heads (my Dad then younger brother could have went on to county level football if they wanted) so played that throughout my childhood so was always fairly active. I was never that good though but went ahead with it all the same.

Fast forward to last year, I saw a 5k to support my local library and decided to do it with a friend. I finished in 36 minutes and wanted more. I got obsessed with nutrition and fitness from them on but have a good handle on it now. There is so much information out there and I love soaking it all up. There is a local running club but I prefer to hold myself responsible for my training and discipline. The above friend never got into it as much as myself and I felt like it was me doing the asking so went ahead and do things on my own.

I have competed 11 races to date, mostly 5ks and run about 25-30 miles a week. I have a workout routine for an hour and a half each morning as well and feel super. Most of my races are planned and registered for already next year including a 5k and half marathon back to back (6:30pm Friday for the 5k, 7:30am Saturday for the half). I must love it to be getting up at 4:30 every other day to get a nice brekky, workout and the hitting the road just before sunrise in these mad sub zero temperatures!

Oryx

I started running after I had my second child. Bought a treadmill and got going on it to get the shape back, as you do. Did something nasty to my foot just as I was getting into it, and couldnt walk, let alone run, for six weeks.

So I kept going with some mild training but not much running. Until August 2008, I remember the exact date. I had a bit of a row with someone, and was quite annoyed. I had been going out walking in the evenings, and that evening I decided to try and run a bit. It was pure hell, I got about 100 yards. But being angry at the time made me determined and I kept at it, and in October that year I ran a 10k charity race. I was hooked, I had finally found something I liked that I was actually good at. 12 months later I ran a marathon.

I've since got into triathlon because I wanted another challenge, but there's still nothing better than when a run goes well.

rascalini

about a year and a half ago i was so sedentary....so decided to get off my ass and do some exercise...started doing some pole fitness, then did a set of core ball classes....


more recently I have started with the couch to 5K programme...i have my first 25 minute run to do tomorrow.....big step for me...

I have also started swimming lessons, mainly to overcome my fear of water...

And to top all this off..im moving to New Zealand so hope to maybe do a triathlon over there in a year or so....

earnyourturns

End of a ski-season, needed something to do with all my excess energy. Aquatic centre in the town was on its annual 6 week shut-down, so bought a pair of runners and hit the trails! Then a 5 mile race followed, then a 10km, then a half-marathon, then a marathon. Then another marathon...You know how it goes.

MisterDrak

I saw a posted adversising for the Raheny 5 in 2006, and decided to give it a go on a whim. Totally loved the experence.

Kicking my self that i did not start much earlier in my life, as I love running.

donothoponpop

Initially my father coerced me into athletics, and I joined Dundrum AC, run by Eddie and Liz McDonagh. Minor success in juvenile field events, some good memories of track events, but I was well down the pecking order in races. Drifted away to become an angry chain-smoking goth, as you do. Kept up jogging intermittently until my mid thirties, when a move to Wicklow opened up the glory of trail and hill runs. Race times, splits, training logs, became more important, and the imra races I've done are among my favoured memories. Started training kids for Community Games athletics, to give back some of that good kharma Eddie and Liz gave out all those years ago, and hope to be receiving sideward "Are ya mad?" glances from my locality as I run by them in snow and rain, long into my dotage.

RoyMcC

MisterDrak wrote: »

I saw a posted adversising for the Raheny 5 in 2006, and decided to give it a go on a whim. Totally loved the experence.

Kicking my self that i did not start much earlier in my life, as I love running.

And just about to knock off 1,000 miles I see.

I dunno - if you and I had started running earlier in life we might be sick of it at this stage.

ecoli

Parents brought me to Community Games Trials which were being held in my estate and managed to come fourth. From her the competitive nature came through (aged 6) when the coach asked my parents to bring me down i jumped at the chance. Year later i went to Mosney.
From here i made the natural progression from the once a week with the community Games club to the local AAI club and been there the last eight years having some success at juvenile level

Nothing like coming 4th to spur you on:D

RayCun

In my late 30s, driving more, walking less, putting on weight, I switched jobs to a place with practically free gym membership (the crappy UCD gym). Started going along 3 times a week before work, but it was boring.
OH did the couch25k programme, told me to do it too.
Around the time I ran my first race, my car finally fell apart. Getting to the gym before work wasn't a realistic option any more, and this running thing was more fun anyway... nicer to be outside than in the gym, I can run instead of getting the bus, so it's not taking up any time, progress is easy to see, goals easy to set, and races are great crack...

flying_scotsman

Was a decent enough middle distance runner at school, told that I should join an athletics club but sadly I didn't heed the advice (was more into golf and football at the time). Despite this I got to represent my district at juvenile level. After an absolute woeful showing (they were starting to take down the finish chute and the one guy left in the race beat me in a sprint finish!) I lost interest. After dabbling with running over the next decade or so I decided to join my wife at our local running club. I've seen steady progress over the last 2 years, maybe not quite enough to make me regret giving it up (or maybe that should read not taking it up properly?!?) when I was younger, but I enjoy it immensely. Looking forward to tackling some of the 'big 8' in 2011...bring it on!

opus

Changed job last year to one that was a lot less stressful & time consuming so made use of the cheap gym membership that came with the new one to try and regain a bit of fitness & shave off some of the extra kg's I'd gained from doing not much else but work.

After six months of that, a friend of mine (ex-runner due to injury) said to me that I should really try running a marathon so started training for the Cork marathon in Nov '09. Discovered I quite enjoyed it & think I posted on here sometime in June wondering would I be mad to try another marathon in the same year.

Two more later (Berlin & Dublin) here I am

myflipflops

2 people got me into athletics - Eddie McDonagh and Alan Cox.

Alan (a teacher in Columbas College back then) ran the East Leinster League cross country series that I competed in to get time off class in 5th year. Eddie was the one who spotted the kid in football boots & shorts and grabbed me to join DSD and try to be 4th scorer on their under 16 team. From there, he was my coach for my short, turbulent career. Went on to represent Ireland and have some success as a junior before drifting away from the sport as a competitor. It remains probably of my biggest regrets. In 2 of the last 3 years, my former training partners (and friends) have been intercounties champions.

Eddie and Alan are two great athletics men who have been responsible for lots of people being in the sport.

tang1

Was very fit when i was younger, played county football up to minor level and could have went further with it, but as a stupid teenager started smoking and kind of ruined my football career. Did nothing of a physical nature from 2001 to March 2009, was smoking 40 cigarettes a day at this stage and was so fed up smoking. Gave them up with a lot of suferring, and with giving up cigarettes comes putting on weight. Got a bit chunky around the edges and was convinced by my Dad to start a bit of running. My father was a decent runner when he was younger, 2 hrs 40mins pb for marathon so he helped me. Can honestly say i love running, injured atm and weather where i live prevents running at present, but come January i'll be back in action pls god. Not of any kind of standard, just love running for the freedom it gives you and the high you feel after a good long, hard run.

ThePiedPiper

Was always able to knock out 6 miles or so when I ws playing minor football, and even at my most unfit and overweight could knock out 5 or 6 miles. However, was prob 2 or 2.5 stone overweight after college and first couple of years working and partying too much. Started proper regular running when studying for exams and getting over a break up in June 2005, ran Dublin marathon that year in under 3.40. I've ran 10 marathons now, a few halfs, 10ks, and joined the local club this summer.

G-Money

I guess for me, the initial seeds of interest were sown back in 2004 when I first joined a gym. I was at my heaviest then, about 254 lbs so just over the 18 stone mark. My gym programme consisted of cardio and weights, with the initial cardio being about 15 minutes brisk walking on a treadmill, at a 3 incline. They also had me using the ski machine/cross trainer thing.

It was during this time that I realised I didn't like weights that much but I loved the buzz I would get from cardio. However it did take a while before I found myself starting to enjoy it.

Cut to May 2010 and I'm still struggling to shift the weight. I had cancelled my gym membership and decided to take up running outside. I'd been doing quite a lot of walking in the preeceding 5-6 weeks so I think that helped a little when I nervously and tentitively began the Couch to 5K programme. The first week with the 60 second jogs were manageable, but I found it getting harder from week two and I ended up having to repeat week 4 I think as I could barely finish the five minute jogs without nearly being in tears of frustration and wondering how I would ever be able to jog for 20 minutes and how or why would anyone else do this.

I'm now quite pleased to say that I've dipped under 40 minutes for a 5K distance and my longest distance so far is 7K non-stop. I'm not the fastest and I won't profess to love running as much as some others on this forum. However I do enjoy it most of the time and I hope as I lose weight and get faster, I will get to love it.

I've recently developed an interest in athletics and have bought several books. I missed the start of the European Championships in Barcelona which is a shame but I've been keeping an eye out for any other televised events. I'm also considering going to watch the athletics at the Olympics.

I'm currently entered in the re-scheduled Jingle Bells 5K although it remains to be seen what happens there. I'm thinking about possibly entering a few more 5K races and then gradually move up distance wise. I'm probably going to join Rathfarnham Athletics Club soon and even though I doubt I will ever set super fast times, I think I'm more built for endurance. Once I get going at a comfortable pace I seem to be able to keep at it without too much bother. Perhaps that's why I can't seem to shake the thought of doing a marathon at some point.

walm

May 2009 I weighed 18.5st and was heading for my 40th birthday in August so I decided to lose a bit of weight before then. I started walking in the mornings before work and by December '09 had lost 3.5st. I went into Limerick Sport Store in Dec for new runners and in conversation with the lady there she asked why not start a little running. I thought it over during X-mas and found an e-mail schedule on about.com: http://running.about.com/c/ec/10.htm
I found this great, get an e-mail today with tomorrow morning's session. after 3 weeks I was ready to start training for a 10k in Limerick in May. I haven't looked back since.

smmoore79

It all started April 2008 at the Dublin docklands fun run (5 miles). A work collegue convinced me to do it. Him and his cousin would be fairly fit from club hurling and I was never really into sport participation(just watching on tv!). Another girl from work decided to take part. She went routinely to the gym so I was really worried about being beaten by the 2 lads and herself. Would be embarrasing in the office the next day if that happened!! Had 2 mars bars and a lucozade before the start. My strategy was to try to keep up with the 2 boys for as long as possible. So the race started and we set off. 1 mile gone and i was keeping pace with the 2 lads, the girl had dropped off quick enough. Mile 2 and 3 went past. My mates cousin whispered to the mate "God yer man is still keeping up with us, fair play to him and him not bein fit atall!". Mile 4 came and at this stage I was still full of energy so i upped the pace and left the 2 lads behind. I thought they'd catch me and put manners on me but that never happened. Finished 2 minutes ahead of them and had a big smile on my face. They were really surprised and were questioning me about how I could beat 2 fir enough hurlers with no fitness or training! Next day at work I was labelled at Moses Kip!

poconnor16

I'd been involved in martial arts since I was 11, picked up a hip injury that started to hold me back a lot in the last few years so had to quit. I found it hard to get to a healthy weight as I had created a lot of muscle over the years and this was now not being maintained.
A friend asked me to do the Cork mini marathon for charity (she's a marathon runner) and suggested couch to 5k.
I ran the mini marathon in September and was hooked! Now running my first 10k saturday......who knows after that
So many benefits to running - its free, its fun to do alone or group, weight loss, stress reduction....I'm hooked!

dtf

Had been pretending to run for a few years until I saw an ad for the Dublin Port Tunnel run. I signed up for the race thinking, how interesting, to be able to get an early look at the tunnel and run underground all the way to Santry.

Turned out the tunnel was fairly boring, but the challenge of trying to be better than the other runners was just great. The competition was just what my running needed. Haven't stopped entering races since.

dna_leri

Started at community games, long time ago. Could not win races at local level, but got through in long jump to county level. My father build a sand-pit in the back garden and I practiced until I won at county level. When competing at national level, team manager said I must be good at sprints, which I then did for the next few years at a reasonable standard without ever reaching my full potential (in hindsight).
Gave up when I went to college until about 3 years ago when I had a mid-life crisis and took running up again to lose the excess 2 stone.

TheRoadRunner

myflipflops wrote: »

Eddie and Alan are two great athletics men who have been responsible for lots of people being in the sport.

Eddie Mc is a great man for spotting talent. He really does go out to all sorts of meets and tries to talk the kids into giving running a bash. I've known loads of really good runners who probably would have never taken up the sport if it wasn't for his persistent search for potential runners for DSD.

Any chance you might make a comeback myflipflops? I remember you kicking my arse all around skerries to win the Dublin novice a few years back. It's never too late

As for me, got into running through the national (primary) school races. I was always one of the faster kids in school and you got a day off to compete and an icepop so I was sold. Loved other sports as well, especially football but dropped these as I got older. It's great to do a sport where you don't have to depend on others.

kennyb3

Hamstring injuries and fatness got be into it - if it wasnt for the bad hamstring i wouldnt of given up soccer as i use to be quite good at it. I gave up for 4 years as i just couldnt take any more disappointment when i came back after months of re hab.

So in those 4 years i drank loads, made a general show of myself out dancing, kissed a few rodents and got generally heavier.

2 years this new years eve i made a new years resolution to get healthier and i started running not really knowing what i was doing. Mad thing is that neither hamstring has ever bothered me running.

AntiVirus

After running to catch a bus a couple of years ago, I realised how unfit I had become so I decided to join a gym. I always did my warm ups on the treadmill then on one lovely hot summer's day I seen a group of runners out running and I thought "It's nice and sunny out, I should be doing that". Got home, went out and ran 5kms and hated the sun after the first km! :pac:

Cabaal

During Feb/March 2009 I attempted to start running for the first time and I got a chest infection and that was the end of that.

In Feb/March 2010 I tried it again this time with couch to 5k, after a few weeks I gave up couch to 5k and just ran 5km non-stop, I got a chest infection again but I kept at it anyway.

I've not looked back since

What got me running?, well I guess just wanting to improve my fitness...that and I used to walk a few times a week and it was a 5km route, it took me about an hour or so and I figured after awhile that there must be a faster way

menoscemo

February 2009, I just came back from a 3 week holiday which involved smoking about 40 cigarettes per day. I decided to finally give up smoking for good after about 12 years on them. It was about my 7th attempt and I knew I needed something to motivate me to stay off the fags properly this time, so I decided right there and then that i'd do the Dublin City Marathon that year. I started off doing 2k runs and built it up from there.

It took me about 6 months to really enjoy running though I pretty much loved the buzz of races after my first one in May 2009 (sportsworld 5 mile). After DCM 2009 I said never again for the long distances, but after DCM 2010 I am already signed up for a few more marathons and an Ultra next year :pac:. I'm totally hooked on running now and I don't know what I'd do if I had to stop.

Brianderunner

Started running (and gambling lol) when i was 9 at the community games and haven't looked back since. Never gone more than 9 days without some form of running. Its a huge part of my life.

Hooked

Hit my all time low (well high really!) about 4 years ago, tipping the scales at 17 and a half stone. Over the next year or two, I managed to lose 3 stone with a mix of gym work, diet and regular footy with the lads! Then, after a very bad groin tear and being impatient, I kept at the footy, struggling through each night until last January!

I decided the groin needed a rest, but running wasn't the problem - all the stopping and sharp turning and tackling was. Hit the roads one night for a 3k run with one stop around half way and thought... This will do for a few weeks!

Almost a year later, I own 3 pairs of kayanos, skins, running socks, shorts, aldi-licious tops and bits, gloves, reflective gear and proper ear 'wrap' headphones and an iPod! And I've even made my own 'foam roller', which is just genius! I get out 3 times a week - love the cold and rain and seem to just stay at 13 and a half stone! I don't regret not starting earlier - I'm in my early thirties and I'm at that point in my life where running just 'fits' in with my life.

I've run a few 10ks and aim to do a half in may, cork full in the summer and (hopefully) new York in November!

I happen to work with Neil Cusack, who is the only irishman to win Boston, back in 74 in 2.13 something! It's great to chat with him about his experiences and it keeps me motivated on those weeks I feel like skipping a run.

The nights in between, I play footy with the lads to keep me from getting bored with the roads! Roll on 2011 and some new goals!

InTheTrees

I started running two years ago. I was 46 and I thought I was in pretty good shape; good weight and I was working out with weights since my mid twenties. If you'd looked at me you wouldnt have said I was unhealthy.

But I had a medical and my my cholesterol put me at High Risk. My glucose levels were "pre-diabetic", BP was high etc etc.

SO two years later with the help of my doctor plus diet and vitamins (and NO prescription meds!), my levels are all excellent. I started with a c210k program and I'm now running around twenty miles a week. I had an EKG two weeks ago and the doc said I had an "athletes" heart.

I'm really enjoying this change in my life at this stage, I'm fitter and healthier at 49 than I've been since my teens.

neilc

For me it was a way to get fit and help me stay off the fags. I'd being thinking about it for a few months without doing anything about it. Then while out for dinner for my brother in laws birthday in November 2008 I just blurted out that I was going to do DCM the following October. Once it was said I had to do it. I didn't actually start training/running till the following May but once I started I was hooked. Managed to get through that first marathon in 4:50 and haven't looked back since. PB'd Dublin by 1 hour and 1 minute this year. The next major goal is to BQ in Berlin next year, maybe a pipe dream but I'm going to give it one hell of a go.
I can honestly say starting to run is one of the best, most positive and rewarding things I've done with my life so far (obviously after family).
Neil

token56

Running has always been in the family. When I was young, around 10-14 I did a bit of training with the local club along with other sports and did the odd cross country and track race but it probably wasn't until I was 15 that I started to actually train with any consistency and started to enjoy it a lot more as I became more fit.

I suppose this was down to the fact the my aunt and uncle started taking over the training session. My uncle was himself a very good runner and an excellent motivator and well my aunt who started training us is Anne Keenan Buckley and seeing her run and getting to train with her even at that age was always a major inspiration. A lot of my cousins also started running around then and it quickly became very competitive between us and still is with a second wave of cousins coming through. It all took off from there then.

The last few years I know I haven't been that dedicated and wouldn't really call myself a runner at the moment but I know I'll get back to it soon. Just need to get completely injury free.

stepbar

My friend... And the fact that I'm crap at Gaa... Bring on Connamara 2011!

Burgman

I ran a good bit in my twenties but stopped due to marriage, emigration, children etc. After a gap of 16 years, I got involved in a mixed tag rugby tournament. I wasn't overweight and found the running aspect of it good fun. Ran the marathon race series 10 miler in 74 mins in that year and decided to get back to the running properly. Have subsequently broken 60 minutes for 10 miles and 3 hours for the marathon which proves it can be done. Don't set your sights too low. For me, I think that the big factor is your weight (I wasn't much of a drinker and never smoked). If you get your weight down and train regularly, your times will improve. But the main thing is just to get your gear on and get out the door.

tHE vAGGABOND

As part of my epic weight loss plan this last year [down 5 stone and counting] I starting from literally not being able to clumb a couple of flights of stairs in May, to my weight loss program and walking/very very slow running on treadmill the gym, from there I went and did [the fantastic] couch to 5k and toward the end of the year Im now running in the phoenix park every weekend and I have done a couple of races.

Fluorescence

I’ve always admired runners. Whether I see them out on the streets or on TV running races, they’ve always seemed so graceful and free. I tried the 100m one year in a school sports day, and even though I quite probably came last (I don’t remember :pac:) I really enjoyed it. People who could run for hours were an enigma to me.

Sometime last year, I heard about the Couch to 5k program, and it sounded really interesting. I understood the general idea behind it but never looked any further into it so I never took it up.

Fast forward to about 2 months ago: my cousin died of cancer at the age of 25. She had always been a fit, healthy person, and she had run a couple of races, including a 10k just this June. One of her instructions to her older sister was to take up running. When I heard this it sparked an old interest in me and I decided that night during her vigil that I would take up running too. That weekend, I bought my first pair of running shoes and that Sunday morning I got up at 7.30am to go out for my first run of C25k (I got up so early so no one would see me :P).

So, I’m still very much at the beginning of my running journey. Tonight I went out for the Week 8 Day 2 run of C25k, covering 2.2 miles in the 28 minutes (a far cry from the 10min mile pace the programme calls for but I don't care). I’m a long long way off running the kinds of distances most of you are used to, but everyone has to start somewhere right? :P

Daniel S

Lads, you're all lying...




It was obviously some beoure at school.

marchino

nov 07 fractured skull and brain surgey
*advised to start running to help increase blood flow to brain*
jan 08 started jogging aged 20
feb 08 joined m'gar harriers
july 10 won Achill half Marathon aged 22

ecoli

mtb_kng wrote: »

Lads, you're all lying...




It was obviously some beoure at school.

haha yep because we all know that in the end the girls ditch the soccer and rugby lads to fall all over the skinny long distance guys

mitresize5

was very fit my early 20's and played rugby & football at a decent level. Came down with a career ending injury called 'wimmin n booze'

saw myself on tv on June 2008 and realised I'd turned into a fat man - the following week was in Kilkee and saw the Hell of the West Triathon and thought it was the most amazing thing I'd ever seen..... finished it this summer and was quite proud of myself

MaroonTam

Used to Mountain bike a lot when I was in my teens, 50mile days were the norm then learned to drink and to drive (not simultaneously).
A few years after that I used to play 5 a side (badly) a lot.

After moving to Ireland I did nothing for about 4 years. Put on about 2 stone. Mid 2008, the wife and her friend looked to join up with a local fit 4 life (it was called meet and train at the time), so I was roped in. First run was 4 miles - did not feel great, but kept plugging away.

Now? too much time reading Boards.ie, discussing training plans and trying to schedule my entire life around race calendars. 1 marathon down, next one paid for... Suffice to say I am hooked

Nules10

Broken Heart Best thing to have happened to me

jazu

for me, one word, ****in countryman, thats two words, i know

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JgPnGUEVczE

RubyK

I was sporty enough in school, was part of the local athletics club and was on a basketball team. Illness put an end to all that (and the rest of my hobbies) in my late teens.

Joined a gym in my mid 20's, and even though I enjoyed it, I always admired outdoor runners, but hadn't the confidence to get out there myself. Roll on May 2009, when I forced myself out of the house at 6.00am to run on the beach (where hopefully, no-one would see me). Spent the rest of the summer running up and down it, 3 times a week. Found the love for it, and signed up for my first road race - 10KM - in September 09, and followed on with a couple of 10 milers and halfs, before completing DCM 2010.

I absolutely love it (although some days I have to remind myself that I do!). I find it a great stress-buster and head-clearer.

Roll on the 2011 race calander.

outforarun

Moved next to Phoenix Park around 2 years ago and it just dragged me in.

Conception End of 2008.

Started with a Boot camp in the Park I wanted to get a feel for how fit I was. Mostly didn't enjoy the Boot Camp stuff too much jumping up and down. But one evening we just ran the whole session, up and down hills, it was getting dark as well and we had to watch out not to trip on tree roots, rocks, potholes whatever. Pretty much everyone hated that session but I just loved it. Got a guilty pleasure as well from overtaking and lapping some of the other people there.

Gestation Summer 2009

Bought a pair of decent runners and then some casual unstructured summer running in the Park. Used my mobile to time myself. Worked up to 10K distance and was happy to just keep doing that in around 50 minutes.

Runner Born End of 2009

Henry had handled the ball to Gallas and we all know what happened next.
Furious. Riled up on Guinness and needed something else to think about and quickly. Was watching with a mate of mine in a pub in town, we'd talked often enough about trying a 'proper' race. So we turned our backs on Paris and Henry and Domenech and shook there and then on running the Cork Marathon in 2010.

anymore

Forrest Gump - seriously !:)

jcsmum

I'm not really sure why I started. Maybe curiosity to see if I could

I entered my first race the Rathfarnham 5k in Sept 09 & I haven't looked back since. Absolutely love it.

It's envigorating, stress-relieving, inexpensive (except for my garmin, my kayanos, my nike tops etc. etc...). And most non-runners are pretty much in awe of us! You get the 'aren't you great!', 'you ran 26.2 miles!!', 'you got up at 6.30am to run!!', 'you're going out running in THAT??' (rain, wind, cold, tornado......) :cool:

heffsarmy

A bet got me into running. Bet a friend over a few pints that I would be his time. Just kept plodding away after that.

ocnoc

Dragged out to the community games. Races were too short. I was too slow.
Time drags on. Extended family are mad into orienteering. Went to a few races. Got lost. Trained a little. Didn't get as lost. Came paddy last in a lot of cross country races.
Disliked athletics. Stuck to orienteering. Got invited to go to a training camp with the national junior squad. Realised I was very strong but still got lost.

Got lost less. Got stronger. Was approached by the HPO of IMRA asked me to run the Junior Trials. Wasn't interested.
Trained a little harder. Did an IMRA run. Thought it was too easy. Went back to orienteering. Did an open mountain race. We won. Tried mountain running again. Got my ass kicked. Trained a little harder. Joined an athletics club. Ran a few XC's. Didn't finished as last as last time. Went back to mountain running. I won. Did more orienteering. Orienteer'ed better, massive buzz. Proper off road/off trail/in bog and peat hags and serious climbs mountain running, bigger buzz. Mountain running made me a stronger orienteering.

Training hard all winter... Waiting.... 2011.. who knows what it holds

Cartman78

Was in my mid-20's and in-between jobs so was stuck at home for a few months.

A few times a week I'd cycle down to the local soccer pitch and do a few laps. Gradually started doing more laps and one day decided to run down to the pitch (about a mile away).

Did this for a few weeks and then my non-specialist-cheapo trainers gave out, went to the local sport shop, said to the assistant i was looking for running shoes and she goes (...drumroll....) "Oh sure....are you doing the Dublin Marathon?"....the rest is history:D

Mike D

Had to do something after giving up smoking 4 years ago and started running. 100 yards and it nearly killed me! then slowly built it up to 1 mile and so on till I did the Raheny 5 in 2007. That sold it to me. I love the race atmosphere and I was truly bitten by the running bug. 1 marathon and several 10Ks and halfs later and I am still enjoying it. Doing London Marathon this year and hopefully a couple of halfs and 10ks too!

I agree there is also a bit of Kudos from non runners who are in awe of your achievements and that can often rub off on them and get them started.