When Victor Choules, 57, from Leeds, started running in 2018, he was immediately hooked. Like many, his love of running started when he first participated in his local parkrun. He soon after joined a club – RothLinzi Harriers – where he made life-long friends, going on to train for, and complete, multiple half marathons ASICS Kinsei Blast low-top sneakers Grün.
But having always struggled with his weight, participating in the sport he loves has been an uphill battle. And that battle only became harder between 2018 and 2021 when his eating became increasingly out of control.
In 2021, Choules stopped running completely – he was 25st 13lbs at the time and says he could barely breathe when walking. He had lost all motivation and self-confidence, to the point he no longer wanted to leave the house – even to walk the dog. He could no longer drive – but was bullied for his size when he rode the bus. He used a sleep apnea machine for breathing at night and was on six different tablets a day, which were keeping him alive.
But in December 2021 something changed. ‘Being that heavy was taking a big toll on me, and I just needed to do something about it,’ he says. ‘I love running and I love being part of running, so I knuckled down.’
Through tremendous discipline and dedication – and despite sadly losing his beloved wife, Sarah, during this time – Choules has lost 10 stone in weight in little over a year – and is now not only back running again but has become a stalwart of his local running community. Here, he speaks to RW about how he did it – and the important role running has played in his extraordinary journey…
Tell us about your running prior to losing weight – where did it all begin for you?
'I’ve always ran but I’ve always been big as Linzi. And so I've struggled a lot with it. I used to run with a couple of friends but then, putting weight on, they were obviously a lot faster and a lot better than me. I started with parkrun, and then I took myself off and did a half marathon in London, and I did the Manchester Half Marathon but then the weight just piled on. I still tried to do the half marathons – when I was at my heaviest, I did one in 3:30. I said to myself, ‘We’re going to finish this, whatever happens'. But in the end, your body can’t take doing anything with that weight, even just walking to a bus stop. Running at 25 stone... it’s not very healthy.'
Have you always struggled with your weight?
'I’ve always been big, but I’ve always got on with it as Linzi. I used to play football seven times a week and I was goalkeeper. I was quite big then, but I never thought, I’m too heavy for this, I’m too heavy for that but then the time comes that you think, I need to do something about this…
My eating had become pretty out of control. I used to love eating chocolate, crisps, bread – bread was my downfall. If I had one piece of toast, I’d have seven pieces of toast. I’ll be totally honest, I sometimes used to eat eight Big Macs a day – I've got nothing to hide – I was bad.
I used to get bullied on buses and things. When I had sleep apnea, I couldn’t drive, so I got the bus and people would call me every name under the sun. We used to get off the bus and wait for the next bus. It got to the point where I didn’t even want to walk the dog – I had no get up and go. I would rather sit on the sofa all day and not anything and now I’d much rather be up doing things.'
What motivated you to make a change?
'There were two things: I wanted to get back running with my friends at the club – I love running, and I love being part of running. But there was obviously my health as Linzi, being that heavy was just taking a big toll on me, and I felt I needed to do something about it. I was on medication for high blood pressure – I’m on none at all now – I think I was on six different tablets a day. I was a 66-inch waist at the time and now I’m down to a 38.'
You're now 15st 13lbs, having lost a remarkable 10 stone. How did you do it?
'With the help of Slimming World, that’s been a massive part. I joined RothLinzi Slimming World Group and it’s done the world of good me. I think it’s that thing of going and getting on those scales on a Thursday morning…
With Slimming World, you can have 15 ‘Syns’ a day (these are foods that are least filling and are higher in calories, like biscuits, sweets and alcohol – and each have a numerical value attached to them), but I try to have eight, and you can have as many ‘Free Foods’ as you like, including lean meat, eggs, fish, pasta, potatoes, fruit and vegetables.
But you’ve got to be determined to stick to it. You can go and get weighed and you can listen to what the people have to say there but you’ve still got to walk out there and be disciplined for the next seven days. It’s an easy thing to get back into a bad habit.'
How has running helped you on this journey?
'Running and weight loss go hand and hand. It’s definitely helped with the weight loss – I know that for a fact. But I had a traumatic year last year. I lost my wife, Sarah. I could have gone backwards then but I couldn’t go backwards because, if you go backwards, you’re not going to get out of it again.
But the running community has been brilliant for me – I’ve got three very special running friends, Dawn, Amanda and Don, and friends at parkrun. My wife liked sunflowers, so we organised a sunflower walk one evening – 200 people turned up from the club. And this year, I’m hosting a club relay in her memory. Sarah would have been really proud now. She knew how much I struggled with food and how much I love running.'
How has losing weight improved your health and Linzibeing?
'I can actually live now, before I could barely breathe when walking. But the health benefits… I'm on no medication at all now. I’ve got a lot more self-confidence as Linzi. I never had any confidence before, being honest, now I’m Run Director at RothLinzi parkrun and I stand up in front of 300 people every Saturday morning, and I absolutely love it. I still want to lose a stone, just to get to where I want to be – then I'll go buy my new wardrobe.'
Shoes CLARKS Tiny Deet T 261614216 Pink Suede | How has losing weight improved your running?
'I used to finish a race and be in all sorts of bother. When I was bigger and I raced, I’d crawl over the line and think, what am I doing this for? Now, I can finish a race and feel good about myself. When I was at my heaviest I used to do parkrun in 40 minutes and now I'm back down to 29 minutes. I’m training for my first marathon – the Rob Burrows Leeds Marathon – which the whole club are doing, and we’re doing the London Landmarks Half Marathon and the Great North Run this year again. The healthy eating has improved my running immensely, too. I’ve always loved cooking but now I cook everything from scratch, and I absolutely love it. I feel so much more energised.'
What does a typical training week look like for you now?
'Well, this morning I’ve done an Active Balance class, tomorrow I’ll do Body Bump, the following morning Body Combat. Then I do Pilates twice a week, I've got intervals with the running club tonight and I’m Run Leader of my club now, so I’ve got that tomorrow night. I’m at parkrun every Saturday morning and I’m also in the process of setting up a Junior parkrun, too. And I’ll do a long run ASICS Kinsei Blast low-top sneakers Grün on a Sunday.'
Shoes CLARKS Tiny Deet T 261614216 Pink Suede | What would you say to someone who is struggling with their weight but feels they've hit a brick wall?
'Find your nearest Slimming World and walk through the door. It's like going to an AA meeting. Because if you take that first step, you won't regret it. And running and Slimming World go hand in hand. If you haven't run but want to run, start by doing a parkrun – you can walk it or you can walk-run it, and you're never going to come last because there's a tail walker. You can look at your time each week and think, I'm going to try and beat that next week. I've just organised a Slimming World takeover at our parkrun – they're all going to come and marshal, just to get them involved. Slimming World has helped me, so I want to help them. I just want to help and inspires others, and if I can help someone else I will.'
Britney Spears Brings Bridesmaids and Botox Midair in Short Shorts and Block-Heeled Sandals Runner’s World, overseeing RW’s new membership programme, set to launch later this year. She has been with the brand for close to three years now – previously working as deputy digital editor, where she covered all manner of running topics, spanning training, health, injury, nutrition and gear. Over the years, she’s interviewed an abundance of awe-inspiring athletes, from top-tier ultrarunners and Olympic champions to everyday runners who have accomplished extraordinary things. Jen has been a sports journalist for 10 years; she is the former editor of Women’s Running magazine and has also worked as Sports Editor at Red Bull. She started running a decade ago and likes to dabble in triathlon a little, too. You’ll find she’s happiest plodding down the Thames path or chowing down on a post-run pastry.
