From scream to dream!!!

[LikeMumLikeDaughter]

Woof woof woof woof...oh no...my alarm is off...time to get up.

Laura is waiting for us...oh no... W5R3...I can't do this...20 MINUTES...there must be a mistake with my podcast!

We get ready and I hear my hubby saying that he will be joining us. Great! Now I CAN'T be beaten in a 20 minute run if hubby runs for 60 min or more!

We discuss our route and grab our water bottles. Off we go, Bella (Labrador), 14 yo daughter, fit hubby, Laura and I.

The brisk walk soon gave way to a jog. I'm excited! I'm going to run for 20 min! 3 mins into it and I'm struggling for breath...my mouth is getting dry and I realise that I need to regulate my breathing...okay...that's better...

Ten minutes into the running and I get angry at Laura for not saying '19 minutes gone'...however, she does not retaliate...just encourages me to keep on going...I share the halfway news with my partners...my daughter screams: 'I want to give up now!' I try to be encouraging but do not have the energy to talk...'you can do it!'...is all I manage to spit out...

I look around and see hubby with a smile pasted on his face...what on earth is making him happy?...he pushes on and encourages the girls to keep on going...deep down I'm glad he is here

Another scream...daughter is 30 seconds behind us... I look back briefly just to make sure that wasn't"t a death scream. She is alive and put my shoulders back, look forward and concentrate...last 5 minutes...Laura please tell me that I'm nearly there...Bella is happy...not really understanding this fuss...

Happy feeling showers me all of a sudden! I'm going to make it...I shout at my daughter words of encouragement...we are 60 seconds from the end of our run! Smiles are replacing the cries and screams...legs are stronger and I go a bit faster...oh my...I'm have been running for 20 minutes...yippee!!!!

Laura becomes my best friend! She says 'you can now slow down'...thanks! I will! We are (daughter and I) over the moon! We give a collective high-five and briskly carry on walking home...

What a dream! We are alive! We did it!

Thanks virtual friends for the encouragement.

It IS possible to complete W5R3!

[AncientMum Graduate]

Well done all 3 of you ( and pooch!) How lovely to have a run as a family. I'd love that but both daughters and hubby are much taller than me so I'd end up sprinting to try keep up ( recipe for ignominious failure on AncientMums part!) x

[IannodaTruffe Mentor]

Told you so.... Congratulations and good luck with the rest of the programme.

[spoonierunning Graduate]

Well done.

Great write up felt like I was there with you.

[Ullyrunner Graduate]

Lovely post! Well done all three of you. - how nice to be able to run together.

[Hidden]

Brilliant post. Well done on completing week 5 - it's a turning point in the programme, the first long run. Please treat week 6 with respect though - the return to intervals is not a soft option and catches people out at times. Take it slow and steady and this will get you through. Good luck with the next run and best wishes.

[Becca66 Graduate]

Well done! That 20min run looks terrifying, and it's such a buzz once you've done it. Keep on going…

[tomlertoos Graduate]

Your happy smile shines through this post....I bet even Bella was smiling. Well done you and, as Fitmo says, go gently into WK6....

[LikeMumLikeDaughter]

Thanks all for the kind words and encouragement. They are sure appreciated! Well deserved rest day today. Tomorrow 5.40am we go for W6! I'm excited about this programme!