Andy C

I was overweight and just approaching the 20 Stone mark and every week I was taking my daughter to Tae Kwon Do and the club were encouraging parents to have a go so I did.  After a couple of sessions I really realised how unfit I was.

We went away on holiday to America in 2011 and I brought my first pair of designer jeans for a long time, so I decided when I got home I would try to lose weight and carry on with Tae Kwon Do.

I didn’t want to go to a gym so I brought a reduced pair of Reebok running shoes and started running around the block, it was tough and the route was 1.5 miles around the site before Lawley had the Grazing Cow or Morrisons.

It took a few weeks but I eventually was doing the route in 15-17 minutes and I started to slowly add more distance.  A friend of mine encouraged me to enter a 10k race (Telford 10k).   After 3 months  I completed Telford 10K.  I was eating more healthily and the weight was coming off and I had caught the running bug.   I entered my first half marathon in 2013 which was Chester.  It was tough and first thing after crossing the finish line a friend asked could I do another 13 miles (to make to full marathon) – to which I replied – no chance.

Later in 2013 myself and Gaynor were the first runners in Telford to do a new course to qualify as run leaders to take out groups of runners.

Rolling onto 2014 where myself & Chris Richards took on a challenge of 3 marathon in 90 days.  I did Blackpool, Milton Keynes and Liverpool marathons  getting a time of 3:55 at the first Liverpool Rock and Roll marathon.

Since then I have completed many marathons, lots of halves 10ks and 5ks

I would say my favourite distance is half marathon and while the running has helped my weight and health so has Tae Kwon Do as in October 2015 I achieved my 1st Dan Black Belt, not too bad for an ex couch potato.

My proudest moment has to be when LRC did the first couch to 5k session in January 2013.  LRC was a new club and we expected about 20 people to turn up – we had over 100 turn up on the first night and many more joined in over the following few weeks.  Many of the participants joined LRC and took part in Market Drayton 10k in 2014.  Watching all our runners finishing their first official event was brilliant.