NIALL ARMSDEN

ME.

25 years old and waking up every morning feeling 75 years old with slipped discs in my back and a dodgy knee from an old football injury but that doesn’t stop me being active and doing the things I
love! 2017 was a good year for me, going back to face my demons on Jacobs ladder and finishing the AEE Winter Fan Dance after a VW 2 years earlier, completed several 10kms and half marathons and finished the Asics Manchester Marathon, I bought my first house and even secured myself a new job!

WHAT DO I WANT TO ACHIEVE?

Escape the rat race and get out in the mountains more often. Improve self discipline and consistency with both training and eating healthy. Hit target weight before May. Improve both speed and strength and run a mile in under 07:30 mins. Spread the word about the benefits of exercise to improve mental health.

WHAT CHANGES AM I MAKING?

Breaking my targets down into small steps I will slowly adjust my lifestyle to create a balanced healthy life. The first focus is improving my diet, cutting junk processed foods and replacing it with whole natural foods my body will benefit from. As well as the diet I will be joining group PT sessions to improve my strength and conditioning taking part in 3 circuit sessions each week. Its time to
prioritise spending time out in the hills and mountains to improve both my fitness and mental health. The final change is learning to be consistent with diet and training will slowly help me nail each of my goals.

MY PLAN FOR 2018 AND BEYOND.

It’s on nearly everyone’s New Year resolution to lose weight but this year I’m determined to lose the muffin top. Spending up to 60 hours a week in front of a computer dispatching emergency ambulances has caught up on me after nearly 4 years, my weight has gone through the roof and my waist line has expanded. I have signed up to a 6 week weight loss programme which encourages you to change your lifestyle rather than being a short term fad diet which includes a detailed meal plan and 3 group circuit sessions each week. The goal is to lose 20lb within the first 6 weeks of training which I’m currently on track with, then lose a further 10lb before my first half marathon in the spring. Start my new job as an Emergency Medical Technician which means 18 weeks in the class room learning whilst balancing training, dieting and making time to escape out in the mountains. After volunteering at the Edinburgh marathon festival a few years back its time to go back and run the course. I will be taking on the Edinburgh Half Marathon over the May bank holiday weekend with a group of mates. June is the time to crack my first trail race of the year! Salomon trail half marathon in the world renowned Coed y Brenin forest in Snowdonia National park. Now summer is over with it’ll be time to pack up the Bergan, load up the weight and prepare for the Catterick Para 10 race in September. After half marathons in both Scotland and Wales it’s only fair I finish with one in England and my home town of Manchester. I will be aiming for a PB in the Manchester Half marathon in October. These are only a few events I already have planned and I tend to spontaneously book races and
events as I see them whilst scrolling through twitter!

MY PERSONAL PROMISE.

To be consistent with my training and diet as everybody knows consistency is key!