I've done it! I've actually completed C25K!!!!... - Couch to 5K

Couch to 5K

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I've done it! I've actually completed C25K!!!! :D W9R3

piggyland1 profile image
piggyland1Graduate
26 Replies

65 days, 27 runs, and 9 weeks later, I did it! I actually managed to graduate! I cannot believe it.

I always thought I would know exactly what to say when the day came, but to be honest I don't. I guess I am what they call "speechless." I guess I am meant to talk about my experience with C25K, so here goes...

I remember my first run. I had attempted 2 runs trying to run a full 5k the week before starting the plan, and they failed miserably. I managed a couple of minutes before I nearly collapsed. I decided that now was as good a time as any to start C25K, this thing I had been pondering over for years. I went on to the nhs website just to read more about it, and before I knew it, I was reading the comments from people who were doing C25K, or grads. I decided if obese middle aged people could do it, then a fit (haha yeah right!) 14 year old girl like me should be able to it. I was astonished how hard i was to run a minute, so for you guys on you first couple of weeks, don't worry we have all been there, and found it near impossible as well. But somehow you pull through. Not sure how. I guess our body is cleverer than we think. Anyway..

Week 2 came around and I was starting to get into the programme now. I had started to get a few ideas about what i was going to do after the plan, and I couldn't wait to graduate (already haha!). Run's were getting harder and weather was getting worse for some reason, but without fail, 3 times a week I was out there running. Because that is what it is about really. It's not really about whether it takes you 9 weeks to run 5k. It is about giving it your everything and then some, and powering through any pain, and at the end of the day, knowing you tried your absolute hardest.

By week 3, I discovered this amazing website. It encouraged me (well you guys encouraged me) even more, and I was adamant that eventually I would get my green grad badge and I would write this blog post. So thank you for your lovely comments and support :) I remember being so proud of myself for running 3 minutes, and I got my dad to start the programme (currently on w7) and it was this week I got myself some professional running shoes. This was probably one of the best weeks in the whole thing :')

Then there was week 4. I like to refer to this week as devil week. 5 minutes of running turned out to be one of the hardest things I ever had to do in my life. And not in a good way. It was also starting to get icy outside (welcome to England baby), and my mum wasn't keen on my going outside running. I did it anyway hahaha. I remember running in the snow, and looking like a snowman hahaa. I also did my first (and only) run on a treadmill as it was too slippy ouside by the end of the week.

I was scared as poop for W5, but I actually found this week one of the easiest. I have no idea why, it just was? I found 20 minutes surprisingly easy, and I was so proud of myself. However I still had doubts if I could complete 30 minutes, but I decided to stop worrying and planning and just go with the flow and see what I can do.

Week 6 was also pretty easy. I reminisced in doing a bit of W1 again at the end of one of my W6 runs, and I could not believe how my body had changed. 1 minute no longer felt like a lifetime, it felt like 10 seconds! Crazyy!

Week 7 was one of the worst weeks for me, ever. I was terrified for my next runs, and I started to hate running and really started to question if I could do this. On my W7R2 thanks to bad food and dehydration, I nearly fainted and threw up by the end of my 25 mins. I am so glad I kept going though, go past me!! :D

Week 8 was a blur, but in a good way. My distances were all great and I was starting to get back on track with running and looking forward to my runs and graduating!

And that takes us to now. Every run this week I did 5k in the 30 mins, and I am so proud of how far I have come. This is definitely my favourite blog, and it made me realise just how great this plan is, and how much it can change your life. I used to hate excerice, now if I am bored, excerice is thing I turn to. Funny how much things can change in 9 weeks eh? ;)

Dear future me (and anyone else reading this), never give up on your running, no matter how hard it seems, give it your best, and you will succeed. Now lets do the C25K+ podcasts!! :D

Sorry for this being the longest blog EVVERRRR, but hey guys, you'll forgive me right? After all I have only flipping GRADUATEDD!!! AHHHHHHH! :D :D Now give me my green badge! How do I get it haha?

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piggyland1 profile image
piggyland1
Graduate
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26 Replies

Great blog, loved the story of your journey, enjoy the smiling and your badge when you get it :-)

piggyland1 profile image
piggyland1Graduate in reply to

Haha thank you :) I have it now! Yaayyy! :D

Caledonia profile image
CaledoniaGraduate

Mega congratulations. I'm really pleased for you and your well deserved achievement. Good luck with your future running plans :)

piggyland1 profile image
piggyland1Graduate in reply to Caledonia

Aw thank you! :) I did the C25K+ podcasts today, and I found it really hard to keep the beat she was saying, I found it far too slow :S And I didn't improve distance, so I don't know if there is any point in doing them but we shall see...

jonut profile image
jonutGraduate

Excellent blog! Well done you. We started and finished at the same time. Click on "Feedback" and ask for our green badge.

piggyland1 profile image
piggyland1Graduate in reply to jonut

Ah thats so cool! Well done on graduating! And getting your lovely green badge! :D

caz1_ca profile image
caz1_caGraduate

Hahaha well done. :-) Use the feedback button at the top of the page and ask for your badge, or contact admin. Fabulous blog, week 7 was my worst week too.

Best of luck with the 5k+ :-)

piggyland1 profile image
piggyland1Graduate in reply to caz1_ca

Thanks :) I don't actually like it to be honest, it is making me run slower than I normally do, so maybe I should stop? Any advice?

caz1_ca profile image
caz1_caGraduate in reply to piggyland1

If you are running faster than the speed podcast I'd say well done and you probably don't need to be following it. Maybe try one of the other podcast and see how that goes. Personally I'm running nowhere near fast enough. Laura and I have differing views on what is a slow jog. Haha. :-)

greenlegs profile image
greenlegsGraduate

What a fantastic graduation blog!

It really gives the flavour of what this programme is like - and it's fascinating to see just how similar everyone's experience of it is, whatever the age, shape or size - we all have our ups and downs (and can't those downs go looooow!)

Well done for pushing through those barriers - and inspiring your dad too! :)

Keep on running, and enjoying it too - oh, and brilliant speed too! :)

piggyland1 profile image
piggyland1Graduate in reply to greenlegs

Thanks! The blog ended up far too long in the end, but oh well! ;)

greenlegs profile image
greenlegsGraduate in reply to piggyland1

No, I'd disagree - I like long blogs. Much more interesting! :)

greenlegs profile image
greenlegsGraduate in reply to greenlegs

Oh - and you have a lovely green badge!

LMS2110 profile image
LMS2110Graduate

Fabulous news, many congratulations. :) Sounds as if you've made a positive decision about your entire future! Well done you! Bask in some glory ;) then enjoy the follow-up programmes too. Lots of luck, Linda x

piggyland1 profile image
piggyland1Graduate in reply to LMS2110

Thank you! :)

Clawmum profile image
ClawmumGraduate

Congratulations, good luck with the future running, I too graduated tonight and am planning to try the C25K+ so good luck see to at the next milestone

piggyland1 profile image
piggyland1Graduate in reply to Clawmum

Well done! Let me know how you do on C25K+!

gdeann profile image
gdeannGraduate

Congratulations Graduate! :-) Onward and upwards! :-) Gayle

karenmac70 profile image
karenmac70Graduate

Congratulations!!! Your blog can be as long as your want after all you have certainly earned that right!! Lovely journey sounds so similar to so many of ours too and will be an inspiration to those just starting or already on the course. Now go and enjoy your running!!

piggyland1 profile image
piggyland1Graduate in reply to karenmac70

Thank you, will do! :)

Olliebollie profile image
OlliebollieGraduate

Brilliant blog and well done! Youtr happiness shines of the page xx keep on running!

piggyland1 profile image
piggyland1Graduate in reply to Olliebollie

Thank you! Glad to share my happiness haha :) x

Anniemurph profile image
AnniemurphGraduate

Congratulations on your graduation :) And your blog was brilliant as well - keep up the good work!

piggyland1 profile image
piggyland1Graduate in reply to Anniemurph

Thank you, I will do! :)

nomorejellybelly profile image
nomorejellybellyGraduate

Well done. I should get my son who is almost 14 to read your blog. He couldn't run for 60 seconds let alone 30 minutes & over 5k. I bet you'll be running marathons before you know it! It's my graduation run today so I'll hopefully share my C25K story later. I'm not quite up to covering your distance yet (4.71 km on run 2) but then I am an old fogey compared with you at 46!!! Congratulations and look forward to hearing how you get on. Claire. X

piggyland1 profile image
piggyland1Graduate in reply to nomorejellybelly

Yes definitely do! Everyone assumes that because of our age we should be able to complete the programme easily, but it really isn't easy for any of us.

Guess you have done the run now, how did you do? And 4.71km is brilliant! You're not too far off 5K at all!

Looking forward to see your blog, and your badge! :D

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