Hello, a note to celebrate my completion of the couch to 5k programme - and hopefully as an encouraging shout out type thing to anyone finding it a bit more eventful than a straight 9 week course... just keep at it! Started last June...absolutely loved the sense of achievement I got from my first few weeks, got quite emotional at times, having thought big old bookworm nerdy girl that I am would never ever be seen running in my life, and yet here I was. Weeks four to six got a bit spaced out as I missed some of the runs and took more than the single week before moving on, just to make sure I felt comfortable. Then in August, disaster struck when I sprained my ankle quite badly, so that was me out of action for about six weeks. Seriously, I kept trying, and realising it really wasn't going to work. Finally, back to it with an ankle brace, started again at week four, and then proceeded to have an enormously stressful Autumn, between work and moving house. By then I had got to week 7, and couldn't manage the three times a week runs, or the mental energy to move on up as it were - so I just kept doing week 7 til about December, occasional runs, maybe twice a week, sometimes less, sometimes more. Back at it in January, again I just focussed on keeping it going, so fixated on Week 8 for a long time. Eventually, April saw the final breakthrough into week 9, psyched myself up enough to do the first two runs, and then got such a horrible cold I thought that was it, I'd be stuck on the two runs a week for ever with that final run eluding me... so in a fit of bloodymindedness I decided if I was going to sit on the couch feeling sweaty and breathless I might as well be running... so my final graduation run was carried out in the rain, with a head thick with cold - but I did it. Fabulously and unfeasibly chuffed with myself. Then got the flu, so maybe it wasn't the wisest move...
Anyway, there we are. I finally made it, thinking ten months ago that such a thing was utterly impossible. Since completing the programme I've been chugging along repeating week 9, and intending to move on to the C25K+ runs to up my speed, and to enter a 5k race. After that, well, who knows. It's a world turned topsy turvy now, normal rules no longer apply; anything's possible! (within reason of course...)
So yes, if in doubt, just keep at it, for however long it takes. That's my tuppence worth. Here endeth etc.
xClare
W9R3 & C25K completed today
I did it, I actually did it. C25k complete. 
Nearly there - after 7 months!
Week 9 - C25K completed!!!
Turned 63 last month, completed C25k today.
