First Post Graduate Run! what a slog...

[Narmour]

And here was me thinking that once I had finished C25K I would instantly become as graceful as a gazelle, springing along effortlessly to the envious gaze of onlookers. But no, it was not to be. Tonight I was more like a sweating hippo, struggling along one foot after the other around my usual course. By 5 minutes in my lungs were screaming, it was raining, and if it hadn't been my first post grad run I would've turned right round and gone home for a warm cup of coffee and some nice cake. But I had something to prove to myself, it wasn't all about graduating and this run is the defining run of the programme. Knock this one out of the park and it's graceful gazelle from here on in.

So I struggled on. And on.And on. To be fair, the run was made infinitely harder by the difficult week I've been having. I've been working on the north coast this week so it's been early starts, late back, 150 mile round trips every day and 6+ hours working off a tiny boat, hauling fishing nets and generally taking a beating from the disgusting weather we've been having. So it's a minor miracle I made it out the door at all tonight. But I could see my graduation week slipping away from me and this was the one I wanted to make a good start with, so out I went.

After all my moaning and grumbling to myself throughout the run, a quick glance at Nike+ (who I have named Melinda, for the benefit of Ianno's blog) told me that I had done 4.87km in 29 minutes and 41 seconds. I could make a sub 30 5k here!! so I checked the gearbox and found an extra one lurking in the background, hoping I wouldn't notice it. I called it into action and managed a slightly faster jog (it felt like a sprint in my head) and made it in for 5k in 29.53!! A new PB. Even though it's only the 4th 5k I've done, so PB's will be coming thick and fast in the coming weeks, the first sub 30 is something to celebrate. So celebrate is what I'm doing with a nice chilled glass of honey beer. Cheers everyone!

[SBG356 Graduate]

Absolutely brilliant! How fantastic must you feel right now?! Yep, PBs aplenty now Enjoy your celebratory drink!

Sue

[katee1958 Graduate]

well done, my post grad runs are nowhere near as fast as that for 5K

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

My first post grad run was a timely reminder that I hadn't suddenly become a superhero, when I altered my route and challenged myself with the very steep hill that I normally run down, only this time I was looking up at it with 5k already on the clock. Needless to say I WILL run up it one day in the not too distant future. That sub 30min 5k is sweet. Well done, Narmour. Cheers.

[ju-ju- Graduate]

Fantastic achievement.. Well done...And I love it that we all have running in common yet totally different careers/ lives.... Yours sounds so exciting!!!!

[dylanski Graduate]

Well done, sounds just like my first post-grad week - why is it always the first 5 or 6 minutes which is so damn difficult (actually, have just found out the answer to this by reading another post - body burns carbs first, then gets to work on fat). It's funny how whenever you think you're going to have a bad run, you just seem to relax, and actually do better times.

[runningnotwalking Graduate]

Enjoy that beer Narmour - well deserved.