How life changing

Looking back on when our group started the C25K program life was so much easier although probably didn’t seem it at the time. Doing our runs three times a week after the school drop off was a nice routine that fitted in with our lives. I was fortunate enough to only have a few hours of work a month that I could mostly do whenever suited me. (I finished full time work when I had my eldest and although technically an employee, only covered sickness, holidays, maternity leave etc. and pick up any special projects that need doing.)

The lockdowns did their best to disrupt our running and limited our running group sizes, but we all took our own paths to progress once we had completed the C25K. What started out as a method of getting a bit fitter and an incentive for some to lose weight almost turned into an obsession. A year or so after we had started, we all were running at least 6 days a week and a 5K run has turned from what was thought to be our ultimate goal to just the distance we run if short of time.

When the lockdowns and restrictions ended getting back to a regular run with our entire group was impossible as new routines and responsibilities limited the times we could all meet up. My work has dramatically increased as more and more projects have come in and cover for colleagues is becoming more regular. Getting up early or running later in the evening is the only way I can fit in my daily run. A weekend run with 3 or 4 of our group is the best we are managing now.

I feel that at the moment I am only able to just maintain what I have so far achieved as I have not been increasing my distance or duration for a few months now. However, with all that is going on, with the increased stress and pressure, my daily run is may saviour. No matter what sort of day I have had, once my running shoes are on and I am out of the door it all melts away. A run in the morning lifts my sprit too and after my run and shower feel I am ready to take on whatever the day throws at me. I now can’t imagine a life without running.

[GoGo_JoJo Graduate10]

Yes indeed. I think back to my "before c25k" days and compare how little I did in a day then, to what I squeeze in now (30 miles of running, workout every day, sea swim twice a week) and am both horrified by how I wasted my precious time and how I have changed my priorities to do what matters.

I learned very early on in c25k that "exercise is good for mental health" was not just a line I had heard more than once from GPs, it was, and still is very true.

It's a Narnia of sorts, and I'm glad I found my way through too 👍🏻😁

[nowster Graduate10 in reply to GoGo_JoJo]

After the reign of the White Witch, I hope! 🤣

(Always winter, but never Christmas.)

[GoGo_JoJo Graduate10 in reply to nowster]

🙈🤣 I must confess I don't remember the details, just a magical land beyond the wardrobe! 🤣

[nowster Graduate10 in reply to GoGo_JoJo]

"They say Aslan is on the move." 🦁

We borrowed the readings of the novels by Sir Michael Hordern on LP from the local library.