Totally terrified newbie - all reflective (and possibly a bit 'american self help guru' like!!!!!!

[e174]

Hi guys, a couple of things happened this week that put me in a pondering, musing state of mind. Sorry if it gets a bit 'american self help guru' but while out acing my week 6 run 2 I consolidated my thoughts and want to share them with my c25k friends.

The first thing that happened was that a woman I knew died suddenly. She was 41 (only a couple of years older than me) perfectly fit and healthy and had 2 kids. Routine operation gone wrong, a freak thing noone could have predicted. As one usually does in the face of this kind of thing I started thinking about the shortness of life and the need to enjoy it etc. By no means a new revelation but this is where my head was when the second thing occurred.......

Now, this was only a small thing but because of what happened earlier in the week that it struck a chord. In the middle of what must fast be becoming very boring conversations for my poor husband, where I was evangelising about all things c25k he turned to me and said

'I am so impressed by your running and keeping to this programme, it shows real strength of character'

A lovely thing to say that left me temporarily speechless and a little teary. I thought I was just running around a bit, looking slightly less blob like admittedly, but still..........

So, this is what my musings on these things made me realise. I, no, we, spend a huge amount of time and energy feeling negative......... I can't run, I can't get fit, i look stupid etc........... But what we all have to remember when the negativity demons try to worm their way in is that WE ARE DOING IT!!!!!! We are getting up early or going out late and trying to make ourselves better. Doing this programme and going on beyond it means that we are taking life by the scruff of the neck and declaring our intention to wring more out of it.

It DOES show great strength of character. I am particularly talking to those of us who are really plagued by the negativity demons. We have lots of lovely 'up' people like danzargo and miles_yonder who seem unstoppable in their amazing positivity. I myself am very positive (most of the time). But sometimes I think we all need reminding that we are doing a brilliant, life affirming thing!!!! Every time you think you can't do it, the next run is too scary, people are laughing and all the other old tosh we let in on difficult days, remember that.

GO US!!!!!!!

Here endeth the lesson

Emilie

[Miles_Yonder Graduate]

Em, what an absolutely splendid, encouraging post of inspiration, thank you. You're very right in what you say; it's so easy to listen to the negative voices, voices that we all hear at some point or other, but it's so important to keep going and not to stop because, as you say, we are doing an amazing thing that will benefit us both in the short and the long term. It's often difficult to stay positive in the face of running adversity, but if that hurdle can be overcome,(and it can!) it's worth pushing through and coming out the other side a better and more positive person, realising that actually, this can be done and it's not impossible after all. I'm an enormous fan of the C25K programme and talk of its merits to anyone who'll listen; (and even those who don't!) the way it's structured is great; it makes it so easy to stick to it. It should be publicised more, would be my only criticism.

Lovely post; sorry though to hear of the lady you knew who died. Such sad occurrences really are an awakener.

Happy running, everyone, always. Don't give up, no matter what!

[e174 Graduate in reply to Miles_Yonder]

Cheers miles, you are my favourite poster of positivity! Which is a brilliant new alliterative title.

Sad things are rubbish but are even more rubbish if you don't take something good from them eh?

Em

[Miles_Yonder Graduate in reply to e174]

Why, thank you, Em! Poster of Positivity; (PoP!) I like that! Yes, I agree; as sad as these things are, it is often an eye-opener to take something positive from it and turn things around for the better otherwise, as quite rightly you said, it's even more rubbish otherwise!

[Jaqs99 Graduate]

Ooh Emilie. You've got me thinking all thinks Guru y. Negativity is a cunning trap because actually it's a comfy place to stay.,, we don't have to push ourselves if our belief is that it's not worth it because we're rubbish and won't succeed. And even when we start to succeed the negative pull is there because it's where we're used to being .. comfortable in our own sense of inadequacy. So it's a double whammy achievement to break out of that spiral and discover our brilliance.., Go us indeed!!! And we have to be understanding and kind to ourselves when the negative tries to seduce us back., being brilliant is outside our comfort zone after all!! Wow thanks for triggering this train of thought... (I think) . Here endeth my Sunday sermon.

Go you. Fantastic brilliant you ...and all of us !!!!!! X. *Prying myself off couch now, as we speak!*

[e174 Graduate in reply to Jaqs99]

Excellent, maybe we should form a guru club, make dvds, make a fortune then go on Oprah and tell everyone what is what!!!!! Hee hee

You are so right about the comfort of negativity. It is often the easy option, but, like eating the cake you shouldn't, you always feel a bit tainted by it afterwards and regret it!

Hooray for running and all lovely positivity!

Em

[cacaff]

I'm a newbie to all this... And that post made me join the group. Thank you guys, you've made a sunny Sunday morning even better ( as I sit here wondering how anyone gets to week 9!)

[e174 Graduate in reply to cacaff]

That is sooooooo brilliant!!! Welcome. You get to week 9 by not worrying about week 9. Just take each week as it comes and enjoy it. Bite sized chunks is my mantra!

[Miles_Yonder Graduate in reply to cacaff]

Welcome to the community, Cacaff! I echo the sentiments of e174: don't worry about week nine for now, just concentrate on the run you're doing. The programme is structured so that it prepares you for the longer runs; they may seem impossible at first glance (we've all thought that, I hazard!) but it's totally achievable. Just don't look too far ahead into the programme as it can be a bit startling when you're in the early stages! Good luck!

[Drummond45 Graduate]

What lovely words are written here, and timely too for me. Thank you wonderful C25K peeps! xxx

[paul2014 Graduate]

Great post, Emilie and something we can all relate too I'm sure.

[AncientMum Graduate]

Lovely post Emilie and so very true. Thank you

[cacaff]

Thanks for the encouragement e174 and Miles_ How mad is this... I read your posts and then a friend suggested we go shopping at Wembley Outlet Centre. New running shoes in the bag! Not only that , there was a 5k running event on (thousands of people took part) and I'm going to be there next year as a participant, not an onlooker. ( Just got to loosen up those really sore muscles from this mornings session with Laura!)

[e174 Graduate]

Woo and indeed hoo!!!! That is absolutely brilliant! Having a goal makes it much easier on days when your head says noooooo thanks. Keep us posted as you progress through the program and you will find you are supporting new people really quickly. I have 10 runs to graduation.....can't quite believe it!

Best of luck

Emilie x