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Big Phil (Morris)
By John Glover

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Phil Morris decided to try running to lose some weight and get fit. He entered a 10K race and started training.

Everything went well until after the race,when he started having problems with his feet and he lost the motivation needed. 

Once he stopped running he started to pile on the pounds,and before he knew it he had ballooned up to almost 20 stone and this was when he decided to sort out those running shoes and start again, or buy new weighing scales.
Looking online he noticed DK did a beginners course so he signed on for the 2011 course.

Over the next 10 weeks he struggled puffing and blowing when only running for 30 seconds at the beginning of the course,but with the support,advice and encouragement from Frankie,Jim and John he managed to complete the course.
 
He wanted to continue with his running, but didn't want to hold anyone else back whilst they waited for him this is where he teamed up with another runner from the course namely Alison Nicholls.
 
Although they had all the support they needed from the club, they felt more at ease doing there own thing.
 
Last winter when we were leaving the club to start our run this pair would just be finishing,we passed like ships in the night.
 
Once they felt ready they rejoined the main group and although he was always at the back of the group he never felt pressurised.
 
He has continued to make vast improvements and can now be found near the front of the group instead of the back.
 
He is 4 stone lighter,a lot healthier and on the 21st October 2012 he will be running the Birmingham Half Marathon this being his first Half which he will do with no problem at all.
 
Anyone thinking about running should take Phil's advice pop down to DK and you will find a great bunch of people who are only too willing to help and support you.
 
Finally Phil has asked me to thank everyone for all of there support, because without the help from his family and DK he would be wishing he could do it instead of being able to do it.
 
Phil everyone at the DK admires and respects you on your achievement,and we all wish you well for Birmingham.
 
John.   

Phil is raising money for Acorns Children's Hospice. You can support Phil by sponsoring  him on his just Giving site http://www.justgiving.com/Philip-Morris4
Or send me an email
webmaster@dkrunningclub.co.uk

Lee Avery

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Age
44

Favourite Run / Race
I haven’t entered a formal race yet. I was going to do the Gavin Tipper at the end of beginners course but couldn’t because I was on holiday in Florida. However, I did it in spirit as I ran on holiday every other day and on the day of the race I did a 3k run and submitted my time to John by text message. It was hot humid work. I enjoy running steadily on a Tuesday and Thursday evenings. However, I really enjoy the Sunday morning runs; we go further but at a slower pace. The furthest I’ve been so far on a Sunday is 8 miles. My plan now over the next 12 months is to build on my fitness and stamina so I can increase my pace over 10k and eventually longer distances.

Why did I start running?
I went on a diet in September 2010 with weight watchers and lost 4.5 stone by March 2011. I then wanted to get fit and thought about joining a gym but I’ve been there before and wasted the money. As an alternative I took up speed walking with a view to progressing to running. At my peak I was speed walking 25 miles a week. Although I wanted to run I found I was giving up when running on my own so I stuck with the walking. At this stage I hadn’t heard of the club until my son joined the under 7's rugby and I saw a poster. I put my name down and started the course in March 2012 with John, Frankie and Jim and can now run 6 miles comfortably. I don’t believe I have been this fit since my mid twenties.


Anything Interesting or amusing about you / other comments
I must say a massive thank you to John, Frankie and Jim. Their advice and motivation has been superb and does not stop when the course finishes. If you had said that I could run at the level that I am now after only 4 months I would have laughed back in March... not now, I love it and can’t wait for Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays to come around. I would also like to acknowledge my fellow beginners I’m proud of all of us! The other great thing about the club is that there is no pressure just incentive and encouragement to keep going and improve but in your own time.

If you give it a go you won’t regret it and you will be surprised at what you can achieve! The course starts in March every year so enrol now and take up speed walking to prepare as this will stand you in good stead for when you start. Its great value for money, the advice is first class, and the people at the club are awesome...

John Gould

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Who would have believed it?

Back in March it was suggested by a member of DK Running Club, a mate of mine to join the beginner’s course. I thought “no way”.

This might be a little unusual to admit to on a runner’s web page, but for as long as I can remember and I’m over 50, I have hated running.
Then after a lot of encouragement, the desire to get a little fitter and after reading the promotional article relating to the beginner’s course on the DK web page, I signed up for the 10 weeks.

Well, a big thank you to John and Frankie. I cannot believe how much I’ve enjoyed running. 3 times a week; starting week one (mainly walking) and now running 5k without walking and now, even wanting to run further.

I’ve said it many times over the past two and a half months; John and Frankie really do have a winning formula. There has not been one week or session I haven’t enjoyed, even running on some of the wettest evenings imaginable.  

So now I’m a “proper runner”, I’m looking forward to running with the clubs proper runners and from numerous discussions with other ex-beginners, it looks like the club will be getting several new members.

So again a very big thank you to John and Frankie and to the many members who have also encouraged us and made us welcome.

Kind Regards,

John Gould

Chris Hopkins

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This is just a short hello, a brief Introduction to why I decided to Join DK running club.

In 2012 I started  a drive to lose weight and get fit; becoming a Dad in July 2011 gave me the incentive to go from Fat Dad to Fit Dad.

So I started cycling the 6 miles to and from work and changed my diet.

The weight started to come off and my fitness levels improved drastically, going from 17.5 stone to 15 stone quite quickly and also cycling to work in 30 mins rather than the 55 mins it took me when I first started.

This gave me the emphasis to look at where I would like to take my new found fitness, whether to be just happy being healthier or look at achieving targets, setting myself goals.

So this is where I find myself now and the reason I joined DK running club, I want to make continuous improvements to my fitness and my running and felt joining a running club would be a step in the right direction.

After running the DK10K this year I feel I definitely want to run more races, I can see why people become and stay members of a running club, the buzz I got from crossing the finish line was great and I want to have that feeling time and time again and having raised £255 for Action Heart would like to do more for Charity.