Graduation........ I've only gone and done it! :-)

[Wooddairy]

As many of you will know from my post last night, I have found this week extremely tough following the sudden death of our dog last weekend, but somehow I found the strength to keep going and finally managed my graduation run this morning.

I didn't think I would feel elated having gone through so many different emotions this week, it just didnt seem possible but if anything I would say I now feel relieved. I am not a quitter but knew that to graduate this week I would have to seriously focus my mind on just running and block out everything else which isnt easy. I am so glad I made it and do feel a huge sense of achievement having come so far.

Strangely I didnt use Laura for my last run and didnt really miss her! I did buy myself a Garmin forerunner 10 a couple of weeks ago though and I'm so glad I did! It has made all the difference using the virtual pacer as I now know when Im on target or not to do the distance. I only managed 4.05k for my graduation run but its my best yet as my other two 30 minute runs were under the 4k so I'm still really pleased with it and especially in this heat. I thought I was going to collapse from heat exhaustion at the end!

I havent posted a huge amount through the weeks but still want to say a MASSIVE thank you to all of you on this forum. You are all soooooo supportive of each other and its such a lovely feeling to be part of that. Hopefully from my experiences I will now be able to repay some of that kindness and be able to support others along their journey on this truly amazing path of becoming a runner!

I remember actually going into the "sweatshop" at the beginning of my journey to buy a sports bra and some earphones, feelling rather out of place as I explained to the cashier that I had only just started running and was doing 3 minutes running at a time! She must have thought aaaah bless, youre not really a runner then are you! But guess what?!! I am now!!!

Anyone reading this post that is thinking you will never get there... YES you will! I promise if you keep listening to Laura you will. Dont EVER EVER EVER give up. Please Please Please carry on no matter how tough it gets. Remember, not everyone finds it easy, I certainly didnt, I had to mentally push myself every single run, but I got there in the end and SO CAN YOU!

End of my lecture, now I must go and send a little message to the man who sorts out the "graduate" badges! whoever he may be

Sending my love to all you lovely special people out there NOW GO AND RUN! XXXXXX

[HoundDog Graduate]

Congratulations! It sounds as though you have overcome the odds and found some positive in a sad time - no mean feat. I'm a vet, and go through those emotions with people every day, but we lost our 5year old dog last year and I was completely lost - there's no way I could have kept going like you have.

Massive best wishes - your doggy would be proud of you!

Jen

[Wooddairy Graduate in reply to HoundDog]

aaah thank you Jen, I'm so sorry to hear that you have also lost a dog and at the young tender age of 5 as well, I can imagine that was extremely hard to accept. Well I salute your profession and think you all do an amazing job and yes I would like to think that my Westie "Polo" would have been very proud of me

[Beek Graduate]

Thank you for such a lovely blog! and CONGRATULATIONS for graduating! This community is so good at inspiring people that they really can achieve the 'impossible'. Enjoy your future runs - with your shiny green badge! And very well done for fighting through difficult times.

[Wooddairy Graduate in reply to Beek]

Thanks Beek, yes the impossible is there to be beaten! Thanks for all your encouragement and look forward to reading more of yours and other posts in the future

[runningmam Graduate]

Congratulations! What a great graduation blog.