I can't quite believe this...I ran for 21 minu... - Couch to 5K

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I can't quite believe this...I ran for 21 minutes!

lycranotlikely profile image
lycranotlikelyGraduate
20 Replies

I've been looking forward to this morning for 2 weeks. Whatever happened I was going to complete the 20 minutes (all this was a daydream you understand). In reality I couldn't see how two 8 minutes runs could make me anywhere near capable of running 20 minutes.

The first 3 minutes I couldn't see how I'd even get to the end of 5 minutes but suddenly it was 5 and I felt OK; my legs weren't heavy and my breathing had settled down and I knew I'd definitely get to 10. Once Laura had said 10 minutes I knew for certain that barring accidents, like one of these silly excuses for dogs running under my feet, I would make it.

I wasn't silently begging Laura to tell me I'd finished, I wasn't aware of her dreadful music I was just running cos I knew I could! In fact I was planning what I'd write in my blog and on my Facebook page (my running has been a secret from everyone except our sons and my GP). My run felt truly fantastic.

The down side is that notpheidippides is still not well and spent my run sitting on a park bench with his camera. So when Laura said I'd done the 20 minutes and I wasn't back at said bench I just had to keep running till I reached him which was more than a minute but I just want to record 21 for myself ...I can't stop grinning :-) Bring on the rest of the program I know I'm up for it :-)

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lycranotlikely
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20 Replies
Beek profile image
BeekGraduate

WELL DONE YOU! 'Running cos I knew I could' says it all. Our minds are our greatest strengths. Self belief goes a long way. Pleased you are getting so much out of this to grin all day! Enjoy!

Thanks for the inspiration to keep going. Can't say I get much feel good yet but posts from people like you are keeping me going.

lycranotlikely profile image
lycranotlikelyGraduate in reply toBeek

Beek...you can do it. The program takes you there! Slow and steady as greenlegs says.

Well done you - 21 mins is quite something especially with no walking breaks - I'm about a week behind you so still seems like a massive mountain is in front of me to run constantly like that.

lycranotlikely profile image
lycranotlikelyGraduate in reply to

Don't worry Matthew you'll do it...Laura starts the run by saying "trust the program" and that's all you have to do - apart from running slowly and steadily.

in reply tolycranotlikely

thanks for that - it's been blind trust & faith in the program which has got me so far - so should be okay I hope...

Well done - quite an achievement. I'm dreading the thought of having to run for 3 mins tonight so 20 mins seems out of reach at the moment (although I know its not a million miles away!) :)

lycranotlikely profile image
lycranotlikelyGraduate

You'll do it :-) Slow and steady and utter belief in the program:-)

sheffkezz profile image
sheffkezzGraduate

Wow facebook official!!!! I am finishing week 7 this week and still the only person who knows is my other half. Still not ready to go 'public', maybe after graduation.

lycranotlikely profile image
lycranotlikelyGraduate in reply tosheffkezz

I decided to do it after w5R3 because when I made the decision I was sure I wouldnt even get there!! If you know what I mean. So when I did I was so thrilled I had to share it with my small group of friends! All the best for your last 2 weeks.

gdeann profile image
gdeannGraduate

:-) :-) Smashing! :-) :-) Congratulations!! :-) Gayle

lycranotlikely profile image
lycranotlikelyGraduate in reply togdeann

O thanks Gayle ...that's how much I'm smiling.

dylan-norman profile image
dylan-norman

Woohoo! what a star! I don't know which is better; the fact that you ran for 21 minutes, or the massive amount your self confidence has increased over the past month! Both are truly amazing.

" I was just running cos I knew I could" has to be the best quote yet :-)

Big grins here for you too.

lycranotlikely profile image
lycranotlikelyGraduate

Well....I was!!! :-)

greenlegs profile image
greenlegsGraduate

That's made me grin hugely too! :) :) So very happy for you. I knew you could do it. :)

Hope NP (can't spell the long version!) is feeling much better very soon.

lycranotlikely profile image
lycranotlikelyGraduate in reply togreenlegs

Thank you greenlegs. I chant your mantra at the start of every run. You've helped me feel I can do it my way and hopefully succeed.

lycranotlikely profile image
lycranotlikelyGraduate in reply togreenlegs

NP on second lot of antibiotics and not feeling like running yet. But he's much faster than me...the right sort of legs!...so will easily catch up with me. He's being a super suppport even though he's not running.

lola465 profile image
lola465Graduate

That's brill - well done you!!

And thanks for the encouragement. I hope in 4 days I can say with equal chufftness that I did it too :-)

neverrunbefore profile image
neverrunbefore

It's been good to see this :-) I have this run coming up tomorrow and was starting to get a bit worried already. 20 minutes sounds crazy to me, but, here goes!

Khrissy profile image
KhrissyGraduate

I don't think anything beats the feeling of getting THAT run out of the way :D

Huge congratulations and well done!

lycranotlikely profile image
lycranotlikelyGraduate in reply toKhrissy

Thank you Khrissy. You're right! It sort of looms as soon as you hear about it.

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