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Most-Hawk-4175 t1_iwd0hpm wrote

Good news. I'm a long distance runner but from age 18 to 28 I was drinking alcohol hard like almost every day, doing drugs and smoking cigarettes as well as a unhealthy diet. Pretty sure I messed some DNA up. Been pretty clean and sober except occasional alcohol for the last 10 years and got into running and hiking. I hope my exercise gives me more time cause I straight up put my body through hell when I was younger.

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mello151 t1_iwd5jha wrote

You’re an inspiration. I smoked for more than 20 years and picked up running last year. Last time i ran was in the army and I’m pleasantly surprised at how at 40 running is easier than when i was in my twenties but smoked. I really want to get into running long distance like half-marathons and up but sometimes i wonder if i missed my chance to build a base and/or just fucked my body up too much.

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Most-Hawk-4175 t1_iwd7ui1 wrote

Homie, running saved my life. It replaced all my bad and dangerous habits. In my late 20s I was skinny and kind of malnourished because of drinking but had a pretty big beer belly. I smoked cigarettes and weed and would get tired just walking to the bathroom. I occasionally used harder drugs but luckily still had the sense to stay away from that mostly. I was so sick and out of shape.

My mom got sick and almost died and that scared me. It got me to quit because she was asking me to for a long time. I quit everything and started walking on trails then jogging some. In a year I was easily running 10k, lost my beer belly and put on healthy weight. I was running half marathons within a couple years but that training can be tough and I enjoy running and hiking 20 to 30 miles a week.

You would be amazed at what the human body can accomplish. And how your body can heal. I guarantee you can run a half probably a marathon with proper training.

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TheHermitofHuron t1_iwde5ru wrote

I have been an off/on runner for years. I used to be a heavy drinker, cigarette/weed smoker, and random drug consumer(cocaine, pills, hallucinogens, mdma, etc., etc.. Which after bad benders or long stretches of debauchery, running was my "I am gonna get it together" activity.

I quit everything except for weed almost ten years ago. I have been building up my running for the last few years. Which I mainly use edibles with cannabis anymore as it interferes with my running.

It has become such an important part of my daily routine, I would be lost without it. It is no longer something I am trying to get through, as much as something I genuinely want to be doing.

It is amazing how the body can recover from years and years of abuse.

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orangutanoz t1_iwdkr4u wrote

I’ve been unable to run or bike since 2017 and I’m a heavy drinker. I stopped drinking for my most recent surgery so I wouldn’t become a huge fat ass again. Three more weeks until I can put weight on the fused ankle since nothing else has worked so far. Looking forward to cycling and possibly running on the treadmill at least very soon.

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TheHermitofHuron t1_iwdn3c8 wrote

it took me a long time to build up.

Atm my daily runs are about 7-8 miles. I dont really have ambitions beyond half marathons or 10k s.

I listen to audio books and plotted out a nice course, it is really pleasant.

Good luck, also, a huge part of my working up was walking parts of distance. Even if you walk 95 percent of it, get the distance that you plan for. If 2 miles is it, and you half to walk mile and a half, you are still making progress.

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orangutanoz t1_iwe6xun wrote

Yeah, I used to run 3 or more hours steady no problem but I’m not sure about doing it with a fused ankle. Anything has got to be better than what I had. At the very least I’ll now be able to walk on hills and loose terrain like beaches and I’ll be able to balance on one foot again. Even weight training was heavily curtailed and any household chores were pretty much out of the question. Worst six years of my life.

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mello151 t1_iwdsy0s wrote

On the flip-side, i know folks that overdid it with physical activity over the years, especially retired military, and now have fucked knees or backs. I guess there are some benefits to being a late-bloomer after all.

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fungussa t1_iwdwzmc wrote

Running is the simplest of exercises, it can be done any time of day or year and it can be quite social too. I really miss it, and had serious withdrawals for a good part of a year, after the sports specialist said that my ankle injury would end my running career.

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newtoon t1_iwgs4m2 wrote

Running is far from ideal. Knees are the weak point in that activity.

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itriedidied t1_iwhfssm wrote

Anecdotal but ... running is far better for my knees than sitting behind a keyboard all day ever was. I had had knee problems since my 20s. Took up running midlife and all the knee problems went away.

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newtoon t1_iwkiv6v wrote

Well, I understand, but knees are nevertheless neither made for sitting all day nor running (especially on hard roads), but for walking (a lot). If knees hurt after running one day later with age, it's cartilage that went away. Then, stop immediately this activity and walk (or swim too) instead. My parents are therapists and were very happy that running became a standard sport : it put food on the table...

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bagofbuttholes t1_iwfdw1z wrote

Hey I just responded to the same comment. I totally know what you mean about feeling like you missed out or screwed up too much to do long distance. I don't have any advice but I totally know how you feel. Feels bad man

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Aleblanco1987 t1_iwgaq7m wrote

>but sometimes i wonder if i missed my chance to build a base and/or just fucked my body up too much.

I worked with a dude in his early 60's that runs cross country ultra marathons. I don't know when he started running, but your goal it's definitely possible at 40!

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bagofbuttholes t1_iwfdmtz wrote

Hello older me. Good job!

I too drank (and drugged and smoked and got to 350lbs) from about 18 to 28 and have since gotten into semi long distance running and hiking. Would like to run longer but a binge led to a pulmonary embolism that started in my leg and destroyed the veins in aforementioned leg.

I too do it to try to fix what I broke. I don't have the memory I used to, either from the concussion (dui, rolled car) or drinking dxm like everyday for a couple years. It also helps keep me from going back to the bottle.

Anyway keep it up!

On a serious note though. Do you ever get upset you screwed up the 'best years'? Sometimes it's hard to be ok with what happened. Like especially with my pulmonary embolism and messed up leg. I just want to run further but my younger self screwed that up for life (at least it feels that way) unless they come up with a better treatment for varicose veins. Thinking that I have to live with this now and I can't go back now that I learned my lesson is crappy. But I digress...

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Most-Hawk-4175 t1_iwfgnmx wrote

Alcoholism is a terrible addiction. I would party binge hard in my teens early 20s then it moved to drinking by myself mid 20s. And I lost a few years to heavy drinking. Lost my friends, job, girlfriend and moved in with my mom and dad cause I wasn't functional.

My greatest regret is not spending time with my father who passed away during my alcoholism. He would often reach out and want to spend time with me or just chat but I would blow him off because I was always drunk and wanted to be left alone. It breaks my heart thinking about it because he was such a kind man. I will never get that time back I could've had with my dad.

But when my mom got sick I finally snapped out of it. Exercising, jogging, hiking and trying to be healthy and productive was my new addiction. I didn't have any major health problems once I sobered up. Luckily my mom got to see me sober up get better and I made sure we had good quality time. She and my dad didn't give up on me. She passed away a few years ago.

Now, I have a girlfriend and 2 kids of my own with a decent job. I think you and I are both lucky we survived and are alive. Many people don't survive drug and alcohol addiction. We got a second chance even though we messed up parts of our lives. I am thankful for that.

Good luck to you.

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