It's a Run-derful Life!!
Ruth (and Con) Franklin, parents to Jack (4)
After many years of being overweight and unfit, in September 2016 - a month shy of my 40th birthday - I decided enough was enough and I was going to lose weight and get fit.
After quite a complicated and stressful pregnancy, during which we found out that our son had complex congenital scoliosis (curvature of the spine), Jack was born in October 2012. Like all new mums, the first few months were a bit of a blur and the worry about our boy’s long-term prospects and organising for his medical treatment plan meant that I didn’t really focus much on myself and my own wellbeing.
Fast forward a few years and Jack is nearly 5 and will be starting school this term. The last few years of not really watching my diet, taking very little physical exercise, and watching too many Netflix box-sets, resulted in me being the heaviest I’ve been in my life; I was depressed, worried about my long-term health and decided that I needed to do something about it.
To begin with, I joined my local Slimming World group
and within a few weeks, I had lost a stone, which felt amazing – my clothes were more comfortable, I was less hot and bothered, and I began to think about getting my trainers out to start running.
A few years ago, Con decided to take up running by following the NHS’s free 'Couch to 5K' podcast program. Since then, he has achieved amazing things – even running the London Marathon to raise money for the Scoliosis Campaign Fund in 2015!
Couch to 5K is designed for everyone and anyone; it’s a very gentle and gradual 9 week program; narrated by a very nice lady called Laura,