Graduated!! and all thanks to this place...

[Olliebollie]

First graduation.. woo hoo! Ive completed C25K! all the runs, what a great feeling, from the horror of run 1, to the steady build up of week 2, 3 and 4, the 20 minute run of week 5 that I totally couldnt see beyond, the shock of week six and then settling into the longer runs

so why thanks to this place? well i should have finished last Wednesday, had a brilliant run 2 where I did 5K for the first time, so set out for graduation run and at 12 minutes stopped running, what happened, I just dont know, kept trying to restart but it just wasnt happening, had a miserable few days where I kept away from the blogs but this morning I thought, go on and get a bit of inspiration, someone had posted about a bad run and a response was - "any run is better than no run", it was a lightbulb moment, there I was. thinking I have to keep building or at least matching all the time, so to try and build on the 5k was probably too daunting, so I set out with this new mantra and finished.

Many thanks to that blogger, who helped me more than they know and thanks to this community for all the inspiration and support along the way

goin to get me a graduation badge!!!!

[Plinth Graduate]

Well done! This place is fantastic, isn't it? I find thinking about what I'll say on here helps me to reach the end!

[ancientrunner Graduate]

Congratulations - enjoy the euphoria!! It's a great feeling.

[Aftabs Graduate]

Congratulations. I hope to join you in a week. So what's your aim now?

[Olliebollie Graduate in reply to Aftabs]

I hope to still run three times a week, first one normal route of about 30 mins, then on my second run, im going to be brave and try a bit of gradient, my route at the moment was set with a spirit level!, well not quite but almost, and the third run might try and add a bit, but firt things first, I want a new running outfit!

[PamJK Graduate]

Fantastic achievement. Well done for completing the programme. What next?

[greenlegs Graduate]

Congratulations!

Yes, sometimes backtracking a bit, slowing the pace down and just enjoying a gently slow run - or a short, faster run - can make a good change from just trying to do a bit more each time. it's ok to just enjoy it! Have fun!

[Sherbear1979 Graduate]

Congratulations, you did it! Good luck going forward.

[Oldgirl Graduate]

Many congratulations, job well done, don't forget to ask for your graduate badge.

[Rollertoaster Graduate]

Well done! Very true words too.

Now you have graduated, you have the freedom to do what you want - build speed, distance, short runs and long runs. This is just the end of the beginning!

[wilmacgh Graduate]

Well done. Stick with the running and with this blog.