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5x50 Challenger Blog - Our International Team Rocks!!

SBG356 profile image
SBG356Graduate
36 Replies

So here it is folks, the Challenger Blog that has been sent over to the 5x50 website to be included on their web page and/or newsletter :)

I had a nice reply saying it was an amazing effort by us all and that it had been forwarded to Kelly at 5x50 who will no doubt include it in their newsletters so fingers crossed everyone that our hard work and efforts will be recognised and we will get a special mention! I think we all deserve it dont you, both those participating and those cheering us on?! ;)

I will post the link as soon as I see it appear so everyone can bask in their 15 mins of fame!

Sue

Our International Team Rocks!!

You may have heard of the NHS Couch to 5K (C25K) running plan on the NHS website…..but then again maybe not; it doesn’t seem to get a lot of PR on the outside world which is a real shame. So, if it is news to you then read on and be amazed at the plan and the 5x50 Challenger Team!

It is a brilliant nine week program that gets you off the couch and running three times a week starting with one minute runs with walking intervals and ending with a full thirty minute run and a virtual ‘Graduation Badge’ to honour your success; as good as any real winner’s medal in my eyes and we are so proud to “wear” it! It is a plan that really does work, but what makes it absolutely amazing and very unique is the wonderful community on the forum made up of new and intermediate runners as well as Graduates that offer continual support, encouragement, motivation and advice. Never critical or negative; never condescending or sarcastic; no rivalry or competitiveness; just positive, upbeat and friendly help. Simple.

So because of that, many of us have become friends as we share our journeys together from all parts of the globe with a common aim – to run, to enjoy running and to keep running! So much so that when a few mentioned joining this year’s 5x50 challenge, spurred on by a veteran from last year’s challenge and a very intrepid member carrying out her own 100 day challenge (yes, really!) we decided to create our own Challenger Team. It started with just a handful of members and as we approached the final week before the challenge started we had 26. After a big recruitment drive we grew within that week to 71 members, 62 of which are tracking activity! Last year there were just three from the forum. What an increase! What a result! What a Team!!

Our wonderful Team, NHS Couch to 5K(C25K) 5x50.co.uk/team/nhs-couch-t... consists of all levels of runners, graduates and those still working towards graduation; all ages including many in their fifties and some in their sixties; from different parts of the world including the UK, Italy, Belgium and the USA. When someone is struggling we are there to help pick them up. When they are feeling negative we offer the positive. Our daily postings on the forum of what we are doing, how we are mixing up the activities, how we are progressing and improving, the humorous take on it and the times we don’t give up despite hurting are a constant source of inspiration to us all. Without this team spirit and the unwavering support of those of the community not able to take part but still waving their virtual pom-poms, many of us would have by now fallen by the wayside. A big Thank You to all!

We have a marvellous Techie (Malcy, please take a bow!) who has blown us away with creating data spreadsheets that capture our tracking from the website on a daily basis, updated every hour and loaded into stats, graphs and charts showing averages and total distances, splits between activity types for every single member plus instant links to their page on the website. It is our unique and special toy but we are happy to share it here mmcinteractive.com/5x50/ind... It is a brilliant tool that has also helped keep us motivated from day one. But you know what is even more brilliant? Drum roll please……………………..

As at day 30 we have collectively broken the 11,200 km barrier averaging 180kms per member or 6kms per day! That is from London to Buenos Aires. That is 3 ½ times north to south of Australia. That is once around the moon. That is incredible!

We don’t like to brag, but you know what, we have every reason to brag! We are the biggest challenger team with active members tracking this year! I am sure we are the most international team and what is more our NHS C25K Team rocks!!

Let’s see what we have achieved by day 50….bring it on!

To find out more about the plan visit nhs.uk/LiveWell/c25k/Pages/...

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SBG356 profile image
SBG356
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36 Replies
Malcy profile image
MalcyGraduate

Superlative! If that doesn't prove the worth of C25K, nothing will.

Malcy profile image
MalcyGraduate

Oh yes - and we passed the 12,000 kilometer mark today. Wowee Zowie!

SBG356 profile image
SBG356Graduate in reply toMalcy

We are just the best!!!! :D

PastyMan profile image
PastyManGraduate

Great read Sue .... wish I was in that gang .... hold on a wee minute! .... Yaaaaasssss :D

SBG356 profile image
SBG356Graduate in reply toPastyMan

So funny Rob!! :D You are the star, running every day even with a twisted ankle I see :O

A-maz-ing!!

jenniej profile image
jenniejGraduate

Well done Sue, that's a great write up. What a great team we are!!

SBG356 profile image
SBG356Graduate in reply tojenniej

Thanks Jennie! Feels good doesnt it?!

gdeann profile image
gdeannGraduate

Fab, Fab, fabulous!!!! We are stars and our team deserves a round of applause! Over 12,000K as of today! Just imagine what the end of the challenge will bring!! :-)

Thank you so much Sue for a truly brilliant article and the effort involved in getting it to the right people. Di's photo collage added, makes it even that much more personal.

Cheers team!! We do indeed rock!!! :-) Gayle

SBG356 profile image
SBG356Graduate in reply togdeann

We absolutely, no doubt about it, ROCK!! Thanks Gayle :)

swanscot profile image
swanscotGraduate

Super article, Sue! You managed to convey the facts with just a wee bit (ok, a big bit) of the sense of achievement we all feel as a team! ;-) I knew you were the right person to write this. :-)

SBG356 profile image
SBG356Graduate in reply toswanscot

Awh thanks Sheila, I really appreciate your comments; you are making me blush now! ;)

Rollertoaster profile image
RollertoasterGraduate

Brilliant! Really great writing Sue. Also it's very motivating and will spur us on in the last part of the challenge. Go us! What a fab team! So proud to be part of it!

SBG356 profile image
SBG356Graduate in reply toRollertoaster

Cheers Hilary! I enjoyed writing it and I'm glad if it can be used to motivate the team too, even better! :) Another two and a bit weeks to go....what are we going to do then??? I will miss it and the team spirit :(

Sx

Rollertoaster profile image
RollertoasterGraduate in reply toSBG356

I'm seriously considering following Theresa's lead and going for 100 days. (though I wouldn't mind a day off in between :) )

SBG356 profile image
SBG356Graduate in reply toRollertoaster

I agree, I could carry on too but I like the whole team thing to help keep me going. Maybe between us all we could come up with our own challenge.....

LMS2110 profile image
LMS2110Graduate

Terrific article, well done Sue. What is the anticipated readership? Is the NHS website going to crash under the deluge of new applicants for C25K? Oh, wouldn't it be wonderful to realise the dream of being part of a nation which really cares about the health and well being of its people. I'm ready for the next challenge - I guess 365 is too much to hope for? :) ;) :D Linda x

SBG356 profile image
SBG356Graduate in reply toLMS2110

That is aiming high Linda but like the positive thinking! :)

Well I want my cut of the commission if they do get swamped and we can split it between us all!! ;)

Sx

DeliaItaly profile image
DeliaItalyGraduate

Thanks Sue, excellent work! What next...?

SBG356 profile image
SBG356Graduate in reply toDeliaItaly

I think we have to come up with something to fill the void that will be left! :)

getsetgo profile image
getsetgoGraduate

Great! Well done Sue and thanks for all the hard work.

TJFlute profile image
TJFlute

Fingers crossed that Kelly uses it in their newletter; it's so upbeat and enthusiastic about the challenge I'm sure they will. :) Thank you again for all your hard work, Theresa x

rosn123 profile image
rosn123Graduate

Very well written! I feel proud to be part of it, albeit with more walking than running at the moment.

wilmacgh profile image
wilmacghGraduate

Fantastic article. Another great team effort.

Khrissy profile image
KhrissyGraduate

That is just fantastic, really well written. As a newbie graduate and recent professional coucher, I really wasn't sure about joining but got swept up in the enthusiasm. Now I'm so glad and while I struggled at first, it's now a way of life to do something every day. Please let's cook up a new challenge once this is over to keep the momentum going?

swanscot profile image
swanscotGraduate

I'm definitely planning to keep going when the 50 days are up, but maybe will just do it and not record it (except for recording running, walking and cycling on my Garmin). I sort of feel that if it's part and parcel of daily life why make a fuss?

When I signed up for this challenge a couple of people asked my why I was doing it, since they knew I did some exercise practically every day already. I think I agree with them. I don't need a 'Challenge' to keep my going. And, despite me making daily updates (and sharing photos) on my Facebook page, I don't think I'm convinced any of my FB friends to do a daily 30 minutes of exercise.

Poppy2010 profile image
Poppy2010Graduate

Yay! Go team C25K! Lovely article, makes me feel so good to be a part of it! I'm already feeling a bit sad that it's coming towards the end; wll definitley need a new challenge after this one. :-)

Lovely pics too, a poster of dedicated people enjoying this new fitter life; all brought together by this great program, and supportive blogs, cheering everyone's successes and helping those struggling! :-)

Happy happy happy running everyone! ;-)

Thank you for putting all the hard work in on this and to greenlegs for the picture thingy magig and Malcy for the website. I really do love it all THANKS :D

gingernut49 profile image
gingernut49Graduate

Thank you Sue for the write-up - I'm thrilled to be part of the team!

pinkhat profile image
pinkhatGraduate

Love it - well done! I'm just sad that some kind of technical glitch is stopping my tracking going to our team total - cause I've been notching them up like I can't believe, mostly from a new-found enjoyment of cycling. A collective pat on the back to us all!

SBG356 profile image
SBG356Graduate in reply topinkhat

That is such a shame :( Have you emailed them to ask them to sort it out? Others had similar problems for the first week but then it got sorted.... It could all then be backdated and added and your efforts publicly recognised! We want you on our team properly!

Sue

pinkhat profile image
pinkhatGraduate in reply toSBG356

Woohoo! Just heard back that the technical glitch been sorted and the good news is that all my tracked activities can be seen - and I'm amazed to see I've clocked 400km (although only about 20 of that has been running). Hopefully it's also been added to the team total. Thanks for the advice - once again proving the value of this forum. :-)

Anniemurph profile image
AnniemurphGraduate

What a fantastic article, Sue - well done! It's so upbeat and conveys the support and the friendship on here really well. You are all an amazing team!

sfb350 profile image
sfb350Graduate

Great write up - well done !

George42 profile image
George42Graduate

Put me down as another thumbs ups, I look forward to seeing us all in the next 5x50 newsletter.

rockchick69 profile image
rockchick69Graduate

It's a great post Sue and makes me feel so proud to be part of such an amazing team. All who have made this experience so enjoyable need a huge pat on the back....not too hard though :) Di for the amazing team piccy, Malcy for the wonderful Malcymeter and you for all the admin and encouragement. All our virtual cheerleaders are also such a big part of our success.....thank you everyone :-D

thinnerandfitter profile image
thinnerandfitterGraduate

I just found this at last! I've been waiting to see what you've written and it's great! Thank you so much (and Greenlegs and especially Malcy) for all your coordination efforts. I'm intending to hand a paper copy of the blog and photo to our local leisure centre - the lady behind the desk there was very interested when I told her about the challenge as I bought my swimming ticket on Thursday.

Now I'll be checking the 5x50 site to see when our team photo and your words go live!

Thanks - Ann

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