Just to say thank you

[Oldgirl]

Many, many thanks to each and everyone who has taken the time to reply to my post regarding my return from the dark side!!. Its not easy getting back out there after such a long break (5 months this time) but I love it and I suppose that's what makes me keep going. I had worked hard at the gym since new year, which helped a lot. I had been playing with the dreamills and trotting for about 15 minutes but it seemed to cause me pain in my heel so had to stop that, it was ggggrrrrrrrr time I can tell you I then tried a cross trainer, it made me into a cross trainee, more gggrrrrrrrr time Then things came together in my workouts, cross trainer became easier and I was up to 18 minutes hill work, then 14 minutes rowing, so the lungs were responding at long last. It was then a question of wait for a mild sort of day, no wind and no rain. Someone up there must have thought I deserved my day, and damn it I got it. Yesterday

The good news is today I'm non the worse for having done a longer run than I intended doing, this morning I've done 1 x 50 minutes low impact aerobics class, 1 x 45 minutes mixed high/low aerobics, 30 minutes weights in the gym and finished off with a 40 minute stretch workshop (nice and gentle and good for my tired leg muscles).

So if anyone out there is doubting they can manage exercise in their advanced years, don't doubt yourself is my philosophy, listen to your body and treat it with respect and you will benefit with putting in some work.

Happy running each and everyone of you, newbies stay in touch on here its a wonderful place for help, advice and encouragement. Learning to run won't happen over night, it can take some longer than others, but work at it, be sensible and you will complete the program and hopefully go on to run for years like me.

[LightDark Graduate]

Ah, thats lovely - congrats for picking it up again, and as one who didn't reply to your last post, i dont think - good luck!

[Ray801 Graduate]

[thinlizzyIwish123 Graduate]

What a lovely post!. I've been reading your posts for a while and to me you're an inspiration! It sounds like you didn't have it easy and at times challenging but you did it!! It's people like you that I look up to.

[Oldgirl Graduate in reply to thinlizzyIwish123]

Haha thinlizzylwish123 you would have to be on your knees to look up to me, all 5'1" of me.

[RoRoMama in reply to Oldgirl]

M y height too so I'd look straight at you - and say you set a wonderful example. Thank you do much for giving me hope.

[Tinyrun Graduate]

Wow you're training like an athlete. I'd be asleep standing up after that! Good luck with your ongoing fitness.

[alcopop Graduate]

Hey oldgirl. Well done you. This is my first comment on this site for a long time as I too have been out of action for a while. Managed 6k Wednesday so trying to follow your lead.

All the best

Alcopop

[Oldgirl Graduate in reply to alcopop]

Welcome back alcopop, although I have been out of action for 5 months I have been dipping in here once in a while, its just like coming home I know how grateful I was way back for the support I got 2 years ago when doing C25K for the second time. This is my third time of starting all over but as I've been working in the gym I just couldn't face down loading the Podcasts again so just decided to see what would happen.

Good luck on your come back, take it steady and listen to your body and all should go well for you.

[ju-ju- Graduate]

Old girl you are just the best... Your sheer grit and determination shines through everything you've ever written here and done, and you are such an inspiration to me, you have helped me so much on my journey too.... I feel like you are my auntie panther. X

[Oldgirl Graduate in reply to ju-ju-]

Aaaahhhh that's such a nice thing to say thank you. Panther Girl good luck with your 1/2M this weekend, run like the wind girl

[no-excuse Graduate]

Inspirational Oldgirl, thankyou for sharing, its you and the people like you on here that help and motivate us new runners. x

[Oldgirl Graduate in reply to no-excuse]

I shout out loud about this site because I didn't find it until I was on week 7 of C25K the second time round after being out of action for 3 months due to sciatica. Its a lovely site, full of enthusiastic like minded people all wanting the same thing, to improve their health and fitness. I'm proud to be a member of such a friendly helpful place and its all down to NHS and all of you. Good luck and happy running.

[Anniemurph Graduate]

You are an inspiration to us all, Oldgirl, and I'm so happy that your run went so well In fact, I'm going to follow your lead and be much more active on here - I abandoned this site for the Facebook page, which is great, but it was this site and all the people on it such as yourself that got me running and kept me running, so it's time to pay it back a little, I think.

[gypsydepp Graduate in reply to Anniemurph]

I think this too.

I love the Facebook page, but here is where it all started.

Us graduates need to 'pass it forward' too.

And Oldgirl........speechless xx

[Oldgirl Graduate in reply to Anniemurph]

Hi AnnieM lovely to see you, I love this site and although I don't do as much on it these days as I used to I can't not dip in. This place meant so much to me when I found it while on week 7 of C25K the second time around. It meant I was no longer alone although I was still a lone runner. My hubby was encouraging don't get me wrong, but there is only so much you can say to a couch potato and lets face it I think I was boring him by that time It will be 4 years in August since I stepped out of my front door, just 3 weeks before my 60th birthday. What a present that was that year