The final weekend of Xmas Quest and news about... - Couch to 5K

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The final weekend of Xmas Quest and news about next weeks new quest

Realfoodieclub profile image
RealfoodieclubGraduate
27 Replies

The Xmas Quest Weekend is finally here.

I wish everyone luck if they are going for the final push this weekend.

For those that have achieved their quest well done

And for those of us that have had a little struggle there is always the next one. At least we are still here trying.

Are you ready to get your thinking hats on for your next quest it will run from Monday until the weekend of the 4th/5th January 2014.

If your looking for a bit of inspiration. Nerdio is organising a virtual Boxing Day run for all members. It sounds like a great idea. Here is the link

healthunlocked.com/couchto5...

Also another good idea is Legions Jantastic group here is the link for even more inspiration.

healthunlocked.com/couchto5...

If you think its too much to choose don't worry, you could always do them all.

Happy running.

Rfc x

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Realfoodieclub profile image
Realfoodieclub
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27 Replies
Realfoodieclub profile image
RealfoodieclubGraduate

Well my quest went a bit sideways. After setting it all up, my iron levels went skew whiff. (I am sure its a technical running term)

So here goes, what I have achieved from the quest. I was hoping to run 5km park run. But that has not been feasible.

Pros

I have not run less than twice a week

I have learnt interval training

I have kept my determination to run

I have paid my money and entered my triathlon.

Cons

I refuse to accept any. I am still here doing it.

Fitfor60 profile image
Fitfor60Graduate

I love your 'cons' Fantastic attitude I think you should be adding to your pros --' motivating others' . I hadnt graduated when you started quest but have been reading posts and its obvious you have helped lots of people set goals. You should be proud Think I am ready to think of joining you all in next quest Thank you for doing this Hope your iron problems settle down soon

Tready profile image
TreadyGraduate

Congratulations on all your Pros. I have achieved my goal to run 10k, although on a treadmill, I haven't managed many runs outside as I'm recovering from a knee injury. Unfortunately I won't be able to do the park run I'd planned tomorrow, as it's my wedding anniversary and my husband has announced that he's taking me away for the day and night. Good luck to everyone running tomorrow :)

deb54 profile image
deb54Graduate

Had my c25k tshirt on ready for parkrun and sorted a Santa suit for jingle jog tomo. Achieved more than expected at parkrun with a new PB of 29.19! Going to have to have 29 mins as a target soon. Well chuffed. Won't do as well tomo as have good mates over tonite and it is a busy day of cooking then supping. Will update! RFC! Love you!

ju-ju- profile image
ju-ju-Graduate

I'm not sure I hit mine but I beat my PB at parkrun (29.11)and did my fastest mile at 7.46 mins. I have joined a HM in march and I'm keen to do a 10k race before then. Running is so hard at this time of year but I'm hopeful for next year as new job starts in march so no more very long commutes up the M5.....

You really are an inspiration and your determination shines through... You clearly have found the panther in you... Hold into that and well done!!!

runningnearbeirut profile image
runningnearbeirutGraduate

Well I'm almost at the end of my bridge to 10k plan. I just need to do the last run - 1 hour and that will be my target met.

BUT I had a mega-fail this morning. Can I say it wasn't my fault??? I had such good intentions. Got down to the sea front, put my money in the parking meter and no ticket came out. Tried another meter. Same thing. No more money, not to mention a bit frustrated by this point. Dilemma - risk a fine or give up? Gave up.

Came back home, but it's just so COLD out there (4 degrees not counting the windchill) and keeps raining (it was snowing earlier, but none settled as everywhere is so wet). So I wimped out, and now I have the excuse of a Christmas do this afternoon...

Not sure when I'll reach my target, but I'm quite confident that I'll manage it .... one day!

Realfoodieclub profile image
RealfoodieclubGraduate in reply to runningnearbeirut

You didn't fail. No run is worth paying a fortune for unless your signing up for a charity race. You will definitely manage it.

Soozz profile image
SoozzGraduate

Love your pros and cons, rfc. Just completed 'The Quest' with my very first Parkrun. It was great, perhaps a bit harder than I expected, my time was just over 31 mins. Lovely people, so encouraging! Thanks for suggesting the Quest, it kept me motivated when the days got cold/wet/dark; have just signed up for Jantastic!

notbad profile image
notbadGraduate in reply to Soozz

Well done Sooz - great time and wonderful that you enjoyed the atmosphere. :-)

Legion profile image
LegionGraduate in reply to Soozz

Wow! Fabulous time Soozz. :-D Looking forward to my Parkrun next Saturday (nervously!) and hoping to come in under 40 minutes.

notbad profile image
notbadGraduate

Well done everyone - reading about all your endeavours has spurred me on with mine. My aim was to do as many parkruns as I could and although I did not do every week I have ran 4 and volunteered 1, and enjoyed them all. Found today really hard, lack of sleep due to next doors loud music in the early hours (grrr!), felt like hard work but was amazed to see my time was 26.37 (it was 27.58 at the start of quest), so it seems this new strategy has really worked for me.

Thanks rfc and all other questors (?) for support and inspiration! :-)

Aftabs profile image
AftabsGraduate

My aim was a sub 22min 5km and I managed this mornings Parkrun in 22:12 which was a new PB but slightly off my target. I'll try and reach the target in the next two weeks and will then set a new objective.

Funnygirl3 profile image
Funnygirl3Graduate

Really good to hear everyone is doing so well, it's not easy with the shorter days and dark nights.

I'm afraid I'll be with you in spirit but the body has had a set back after falling over Bella the dog last week whilst out running! Although I got up and carried on with my run the bad bruising (possibly cracked ribs) has meant that any "bouncing" movement is just too uncomfortable :(. I'm having to resort to slower exercise until all is healed.

Good luck to all with your quests. Hope to be back pulling on the running shoes in a week or so - may need to go back to week 6 or 7 to build up the fitness but it'll be nice to hear Laura again.

Merry Christmas everyone :) Thanks for all your support and inspiration over the last few months

Markee profile image
MarkeeGraduate

At the beginning of this week I said that I had failed my quest. Whilst it is true that I did not achieve a 5k run in under 38 minutes (probably a bit ambitious anyway) I have achieved rather a lot from attempting the quest.

Today I ran 5k in 40:31, a new PB. The quest has focussed my running and 'made' me run more 5k distances (twice a week), I've been checking my pace and increased my speed.

So - not a fail! :)

It is an achievement, just not the same achievement as intended!

Realfoodieclub profile image
RealfoodieclubGraduate in reply to Markee

Yay. That's the spirit. I am seriously thinking of banning the word fail.

Legion profile image
LegionGraduate in reply to Realfoodieclub

Perhaps 'revise goal setting' could be an alternative? ;-)

Legion profile image
LegionGraduate in reply to Markee

Well done Markee. :-) Your 5K speed is about the same as mine (I think I did 40:55 on Friday and just scraped in under 40 yesterday morning. Hoping to run a new PB (if it's not too hilly!) at my first Parkrun next Saturday.

mummystar profile image
mummystarGraduate

Today I ran my second Parkrun, and found it as much fun as last time, but that little bit more muddy...I don't do mud at the best of times so it was a real grin and bear it job...

So my main quest was to just keep running and try complete the 5k in less than 40 minutes - which I did today with (Christmas) bells on - 36:35 (my PB is 36:32 - how annoyingly close!).

Today I ran around half the course - with no music or Laura or intervals beeping out at me - which I'd never done before. Quite near the start I realised I'd not pressed start on Runkeeper and then the earphones started playing up and I just realised that I could either continue getting annoyed with them or just throw them at my hubby and daughter to look after whilst I ran the second lap - apart from they were standing much further off the course than they were last time and - grrr, that could be where those vital 3seconds were lost - grr!!!

I actually quite liked it. Granted, the sound of my own breathing is a tad scary but it can only improve and that's going to be another target for me for the next quest - getting the stamina and confidence in my ability to run without music and without stopping - it's going to be hard, but I'm more than up for it!

Happy running everyone :)

Twizzle53 profile image
Twizzle53Graduate

I didn't make my quest but I'm happy with my achievements during it non the less. Today I completed all the parkruns I set out to do at the start of the quest (4). I didn't manage to meet my other target of 5k in 35 mins but that was a very ambitious target. However over the last few weeks I have shaved off at least two minutes.

This quest has been very motivating so big thanks to RFC for organising it all :-0

PS: Can someone tell me how I put a smiley emoticon into my posts please?

Realfoodieclub profile image
RealfoodieclubGraduate in reply to Twizzle53

Ref PS, I need to learn how to do that too.

mummystar profile image
mummystarGraduate in reply to Realfoodieclub

Smiley face is a colon followed by right hand bracket... : ) but without the space :)

Twizzle53 profile image
Twizzle53Graduate

Thank you Mummystar :)

vikicats profile image
vikicatsGraduate

So I didn't achieve my targets but I didn't fail.

I knocked 30 seconds off my 5k personal best, now just under 33 minutes and I have run 8.5k.

I gave myself last week off as it was very busy and decided I didn't need to beat myself up about not running. Went back out today and equalled my new PB. :-)

I have also set myself some motivational targets across the year by entering different events. A 7k in February, an 8 mile in June and a half marathon in October. That should keep me going. Also signed up for jantastic.

Thanks realfoodieclub for this quest, looking forward to the next one.

Viki :-)

Legion profile image
LegionGraduate in reply to vikicats

Those sound like great targets, Viki. I'm not sure I'm ready to commit to anything more than 5K at the moment but I do hope to start on a 10K programme in the spring, depending on work commitments/time/weather!

Anniemurph profile image
AnniemurphGraduate

Thank you so much for setting this up, rfc, and congrats on your wonderful list of pros. I agree with fitfor60, you need to add 'motivating others' :)

In terms of my quest - I did it! I decided to go for the easier option and ran for 4k in my 30 minutes. It wasn't easy, but I'm very pleased, considering that I was struggling to do more than 7 minutes when I joined your quest. So my next goal is easy - the dreaded 5k :D

Legion profile image
LegionGraduate

I really enjoy reading how everyone is doing on the Quest. This is such a great way to get motivated and, like c25k, feels much nicer than 'going it alone'. Thanks Rfc for the brilliant idea.

I'm happy to report that I reached my 60 miles/6 weeks target (64 miles in fact). :-D I didn't manage to do 10 miles every week, but it averaged out (3 weeks at 10+ miles). ;-) I'm also really pleased that I did manage to do 10 miles for the last week of the quest, with 3 x 5K(or more) runs. I didn't get to do Parkrun on the 14th, due to work shifts, but I plan to do my first one next Saturday instead. Feeling somewhat nervous about that. :-O

Overall, I feel the Xmas Quest has been a real success. Although it wasn't one of my goals 6 weeks ago (when I was still in the middle of re-doing c25k), I now go out and cover 5K at least twice a week. I think I already have my next set of goals in mind (for the mini-quest) so I will go and post those in the appropriate place now. :-)

Jellymum profile image
JellymumGraduate

My quest started with some difficult runs followed by a grotty cold. I decided to take the pressure off myself and i dropped my speed goal to concentrate on my distance goal of 5 miles. Well on Friday I set out in some fine drizzle with my husband and I decided to go for it - 5 miles, no pressure with speed and off we plodded. I have to say it was the most enjoyable run I've had for ages - wind, rain, coast paths as well as roads, couple of slight hills. At one point we even had a caravan blocking the road so took a swift detour - I was determined not to stop for anything. Got to the 5 mile point and I decided I may as well complete 10k as I was then heading in a homeward direction! So I achieved my goal and even surpassed it, but more importantly I really enjoyed my run. Still smiling now when I think about it!

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