On June 11th this year I set out on my C25K journey and was thrilled to bits to be able to run for 1 minute 8 times. I graduated on August 10th. 🏃♀️🏅
Slowly but surely I worked my way to 5k, became a parkrun addict, started building my distance through 6k, 7k, 8k and 9k, with no dramas at all. Just lots of snails. 🐌🐌🐌
My snails have made this all possible, so today I rounded up my most trusted slow 🐌 and headed out. It was dank, grey, on and off rain and still mild enough to wear my bonkers running lady vest and crop leggings. No jacket required (hi Phil Collins 👋👋).
I can truthfully say I found the run almost easy. Not one gremlin, never a doubt in my mind I wouldn’t complete it. My breathing wasn’t an issue at all. 👍
Almost 3 circuits of my regular 3.7k route. Slightly tired legs from 8.5k onwards, but nothing really. My music gave up around the same time, so there was a momentary panic that MMR might have stopped too. Thankfully the friendly lady piped up that I’d run for 8.75k and I was able to trot merrily to my goal. I uttered a rather loud “yessss” and did the obligatory fist pump at 10k just as a gazelle streaked past me!
I kept running to get back to my car, retrieve my patient dog and take her for a celebratory walk, curtailed a bit by the heavens opening big style! 💦 💦 💦
Clearly I could run faster (not even breathing heavily at the end), but do I want to? I love my runs. I enjoy trotting along taking in the familiar lovely scenery, and I have no competitive streak at all, just with myself sometimes. So I’m going to start ju-ju’s plan next week and get to 10k all over again - see what happens. 😀
I’m volunteering at parkrun this weekend. My little pins might grumble after their effort today! 🏃♀️🏃♀️🏃🏃
I’m grinning widely. I’ve run 10k. I really have and it’s all pretty surreal! 🎉🏃♀️🎉🏃♀️🎉
Sorry this is so long. I was meaning to keep it concise. Fat chance! 😅😀😀😅
You guys have helped massively with all your support, so thank you all! ❤️
Written by
cheekychipmunks
Graduate10
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Soo happy for you cheeky, I doth my recently acquired 🎓 to you!
You have been a continued source of support & encouragement for so many others, but more than anything you are a bright & shining example of running just for oneself and the pure joy of it!
Enjoy your well deserved celebrations 👏👏👏👏👏🎉🎊🍾🎓🎓👏👏👏👏👏
Thank you Beanjo, yes snails are the best! I never knew how much they’d assist, in fact without my snail brood I’d probably have been disheartened and given up. Go snails! 🐌🐌🐌
Yay, yay and thrice yay! Absolutely fantastic - another champion of the class of 2018 😀 I must say I found 10k a bigger personal achievement than C25K, simply because it seemed so utterly unattainable at the beginning.
Not just a 'proper runner' now Cheeky, but an actual athlete 👏👏👏👏👍
Thanks Mike! Yes I agree - never in my wildest dreams would I imagine myself running 10k ever. Not even a possibility. But this amazing C25K programme and these forums are proof that anyone can do it. 👍👍🏃♀️🏃♀️🏃🏃😀😀
Thanks Sask. Yes absolutely right. I loved every moment and because I wasn’t gasping for breath at any point in the run, I was able to appreciate how far it was and how far I’d come to achieve it. 0k-10k in just under 5 months! Crazy! 🏃♀️🏃♀️😀😀👍👍👏👏
Hoorah Cheekychipmunks, I’m so glad that you didn’t let those 🦋 🦋 🦋 get the better of you. I knew you could do it. It does look like a nice green place to do it too close to the River Avon .
I think you should claim a graduation badge for your trusty 🐌 🐌 🐌 too.
Have a few days off and celebrate the fact that you did 10k. Yay! Do enjoy your volunteering at Parkrun on Saturday.
Thank you Dexy! Yes I think my snails all deserve badges and several days off! They can snooze while my dog and I go volunteering at parkrun on Saturday! 🐌 💤 😀
That’s pretty much my speed Dralimc! 😀 I was slower than that yesterday, but ordinarily that’s my benchmark for a good 5k - a slightly under 30 minute 4k. 🏃♀️😀
I don’t go much faster than 7.5 min kms, which is fine. Getting some confidence back after 3 weeks out late summer, but I do have a 4K 30 min mental block. Booked in for 5k Santa run, which will be my first public run.
Hahahaha TS, I don’t have a Bristolian account but I can do a good one. Awrite me babber? 😅
I love posting on here and passing on tips I’ve picked up. These forums are incredible, and I’m pretty sure without them there would be way less people running and enjoying it. Doubt if I’d have got this far for starters! 😀🏃♀️👍
Right it’s happening already... I’ve read several comments written by you an I imagined each of them in a strong Bristolian accent - there’s no going back now cheeky. 😁😁😁 especially that comment the other day when you said topsy-turvy!!! ⚡️
Oh yes what a fantastic achievement you did it and you enjoyed it too well done and welcome to the club. You’ve done an excellent job I’m so pleased you got there. Now you can just enjoy. Brilliant 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏🍾🍾🍾🍾🍾🍾🍾🍾🍾🍾
Aw that’s brilliant. Your story is so inspiring and reminds me to concentrate on enjoying running - for me, not anyone else. Enjoy your celebration 🍾🍾🍾
Thank you jayval. I personally don’t want not to enjoy a run. I’ve had a couple that have been a bit meh, but the vast majority have been a pure delight and I amaze myself each time that I’m actually running! 😀🏃♀️
Me too. I’ve only had one real slog so far. Sometimes I laugh in disbelief afterwards at how far I’ve come. I’ve also become a total running bore and talk about it all the time - who’d have believed that 9 weeks ago 😲😲😲
Absolutely awesome Cheekychipmunks!! So pleased for you. And what a place to be in, totally happy with what you have achieved and how you have done it, your way. Congratulations!!
Thanks so much SSF! Yes I always intended to take it slow, but I didn’t realise I’d take it slow and thoroughly enjoy every minute. Means I have more in the tank should I want to tap into it one day. 😀🏃♀️👍
Awww thanks Becky! ❤️ I’m crediting all you guys for my achievement. These forums are so encouraging, more than any other I’ve visited. In fact these are the only two I visit nowadays. 😀👍
Well done to you cheekychipmunks on your easy 10k!!!! Many congratulations! 😊👏🏻👍☀️🎓🥂🍾🏅🎉🏃♀️🤸♀️🏃♀️🤸♀️🏃♀️🤸♀️ Enjoy your time on the podium and all the very best for your onward running journey. If you can wait there a fortnight, I may be able to join you, but I think that you will be long gone by then, 😊
Thanks TC! I credit my running to all of you guys - we spur each other along which is priceless. Also my ability to embrace my inner snail and utilise that feeling to get me through pretty much any run thrown at me! 🐌❤️🏃♀️
Aww thank you Jonathan! This time yesterday I was in the middle of my run. My legs still have that lovely mildly fatigued feeling, knowing they’ve done good! 😀
Thanks - 8 days. I did a 5k and a 6k in between, and ran my 10k route the other way round, which was better because the climb to the finish wasn't quite as steep!
Thanks Millsie! I’m still floating around in a daze of happiness! I’d love to see my badge ...... pretty please? 🏃♀️👍 I did ask politely on the grad post too! 🤞
Thanks Jell! I know, I can’t believe it either! If you’d have told me I’d be running 10k in that time back in June, I’d have thought you were nuts! 🏃♀️😀🏃♀️🏃♀️🏃♀️😀🏃♀️
Hoooge congrats cheeky! There ain't no stopping you now! Where's that badge?! Must be so heavy the admin are struggling to lift it up onto the podium! 😁🏅🏃👍💪
Congratulations and enjoy that wonderful feeling of having accomplished your goal. We started C25K around the same time, so it's been great to follow your progress. You've been very sensible and patient in how you have developed as a runner and your enthusiasm is infectious! Have a great day!
Thank you FR, yes I remember you from C25K. It seems like a long time ago judging by how far we’ve come, but it’s only a few short months. Pretty amazing that programme! 😀👍
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Massive achievement. Congratulations
I did it! 10k in the bag
I ran 10k! Hip hip hooray! 
I wasn't planning to do it today...but I just ran 10k!!! 😎😎😎😎😎😎😎😎
I did it! 1st 10k run
10K this morning at last
