Great effort acarmody! Actually when I first started running I would do it at night or very early in the morning, it was a hot summer in Dubbo. My area I lived in was comparatively safe and well lit....then as winter '07 came along I moved to doing it immediately after work. With my current schedule being a uni student helps. However I am starting a teaching prac late april, coupled with a 40 minute-each-way commute, will be pressed for time in doing longer runs during the week, but will still make sure I make time to do my 'long run' of a weekend. I see working parents with children train for marathons so I figure why can't I? I am currently training for Canberra Half Marathon on 13th April, then a few weeks after that a half marathon in Bathurst, City to Surf in August, and the big one, Sydney Marathon 23 September.
As for weight loss, as of New Years I was 94.5kg, now 89.9. I used to be as high as 137kg, that was 2006, now last few years been hovering around 80-92kg. Main thing that got most of the weight off was counting calories and doing a crap load of exercise. Elliptical trainer was very useful here. Since then, though, I have had some difficulty keeping it off. Have tried - calorie counting, low carb, meal replacement, weight watchers, gabriel method, and quitting sugar and even vegetarianism.
However I picked up a book called 'the bottom line diet'. Is basically calorie counting. It suggested using the 'myfitnesspal' app, which I started using and it's really helped. Coupled with this I have also read 'the weight escape' a book which explores the psychology of weight loss. The latter book I believe is the most important book anyone should read if considering weight management. I hope to get well into the low 70s for the marathon, to make me run faster with reduced chance of injury.
