Am I the slowest graduate ever?

[Mhairiandme]

I have just graduated, and I am so proud of myself. Last night I went onto one of those interweb thingies where you can check how far you have run. Well, in 30 minutes I covered 3.3km. I know I am slow, but I didn't realize quite how slow. On the up side, it does mean I am running 10km a week (very slowly) when 9 weeks ago I couldn't manage 60 seconds!

[Bonniesingh Graduate]

Congratulations! You said it - you can run 10k a week now, when you could hardly manage 60 seconds a few weeks ago!!!! I'm sure I will have a similar speed when I eventually get there (on week 5 now). You should rightly be very proud of yourself. Remember it isn't a competition, it's about improving YOUR health and well being. And you have done that. WELL DONE!!!!

[Mhairiandme Graduate in reply to Bonniesingh]

Thanks Bonnie, and yes, I am feeling so much healthier and happier x

[AncientMum Graduate]

10k a week, sounds really good doesn't it!! Well done. As Laura says, it's not the speed it's the running that's important!

[Mhairiandme Graduate in reply to AncientMum]

It sounds great, and I am running a R4L on the 29 June, and that is only 5k!!!!!!

[poppypug Graduate in reply to Mhairiandme]

Ha ha , mine is the 29th June too ! Are you doing yours at Tatton Park by any chance ? xxx

[Mhairiandme Graduate in reply to poppypug]

I'll be in Kirkcaldy. I'm doing it with my 2 daughters aged 10 and 8, so I may *have* to walk for a while in the middle xx

[poppypug Graduate in reply to Mhairiandme]

Aw, that's lovely you are doing it with your daughters , Good Luck ! xxx

[Mhairiandme Graduate in reply to poppypug]

Best of luck to you too xx

[thinlizzyIwish123 Graduate]

Nah! Just depends on a lot of things IMO. From what the weather was like, what you ate before, how big your stride can be, what music you listened to allsorts. It's brilliant that you can run for 30mins non stop and I'm sure your speed and pace will imrpove as time goes on. You will grow from strength to strength I'm sure. Your 10km per week beats all those people on the couch! That's what I always think when I have a low motivation moment or when I think what the hell am I doing?

[Mhairiandme Graduate in reply to thinlizzyIwish123]

Thanks Thinlizzie, I think I will stick to my usual route which is taking me 30 mins at the moment. Hopefully it will get easier and faster, and then I hope to increase the distance. I run really early, and my OH is still asleep when I get in, I feel pretty smug xx

[thinlizzyIwish123 Graduate in reply to Mhairiandme]

That's how I do it. I do it early before my OH gets up and my little girl gets up. I think it's deffo the best way to fit it in to my family life.

[Mhairiandme Graduate in reply to thinlizzyIwish123]

I'm panicking a little as my OH is away for 10 days soon, and I can't leave the children on their own. Maybe I'll have to stick them in a park and run around them in circles, but that would mean running in front of others and that would be a whole new hurdle to overcome. X

[pot58 Graduate]

9 weeks ago you wouldn't have believed you could run for 30 minutes!!!! I still haven't (on week 6) and think it's great that you have:-). Now you have the confidence you can work on everything else if you want...

[Mhairiandme Graduate in reply to pot58]

Thanks Pot. I am astonished I can run for 30 mins. My confidence is improving every day, and in all areas of life. Best of luck to you, and keep going xx

[Becca66 Graduate]

I doubt you're the slowest! And you're running - as you say yourself, this is a great improvement on W1. Congrats, good luck, and keep on jogging.

[Mhairiandme Graduate in reply to Becca66]

Thanks Becca, I am so pleased with my improvement. I hope to keep my 3 runs a week going, however slow they are xx

[Jaqs99 Graduate]

Congratulations on graduating! Wahey! Definitely not the slowest ever. My graduation run was exactly 3k! I'm still not much faster but I can keep going long enough to cover 5k now. And I'm focusing on enjoying the runs and trying not to bother about speed. So enjoy experimenting with your runs, and if you want to get a bit faster then I'm sure it will come. But pat yourself on the back for your brilliant achievement

[Mhairiandme Graduate in reply to Jaqs99]

Thanks Jaqs, that makes me feel better, I have R4L in a couple of weeks and I am hoping to manage it I run with my dog, and I have to chuckle as he just does a power walk xx

[Jaqs99 Graduate in reply to Mhairiandme]

Haha. My dog (an ancient golden retriever) did the same ... and would often have to wait for me to catch up!

[Mhairiandme Graduate in reply to Jaqs99]

Gus can actually manage to have a wee as I'm moving - and he is on a lead!

[paul2014 Graduate]

Congratulations running 10km in a week is a great achievement. You can work on your pace, if that's what you want to do, over the coming months but never forget what you have achieved so far. Well done

[Mhairiandme Graduate in reply to paul2014]

Thanks Paul, 10k sounds pretty impressive doesn't it! I think I will focus on that and keep my speed to myself xx

[Hidden]

I wouldn't have thought you were the slowest...but brilliant that you managed to complete the whole programme and can now do a 30 minute run. Congratulations.

[Mhairiandme Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Thanks Henpen, I can't quite believe I can run for 30 mins. fingers crossed I'll keep it up now! xx

[Pigivi]

You are not alone

[Mhairiandme Graduate in reply to Pigivi]

Thanks Pigivi, I feel quite encouraged when I see others at the same pace. At least we are out there! xx

[poppypug Graduate]

Yep , 10k a week sounds brilliant to me ! Well done on what you have achieved so far, enjoy your future running adventures ! xxx

[Mhairiandme Graduate in reply to poppypug]

Thanks Poppypug, I don't know if I will manage to get much faster or go much further. I am definitely built for comfort and not for speed! xx

[Ullyrunner Graduate]

Well done on graduating -don't think for a moment that you are the slowest - our Bazza was boasting on here recently about taking a whole hour to do 5k! Just keep,working on your stamina - you've done so well.

[Mhairiandme Graduate in reply to Ullyrunner]

Thanks Ullyrunner, I have started to include a couple of very small inclines to my runs as I have read here that it is good for stamina. My mantra as I am going up them is "I have given birth to three children (including a 12 pounder) I can do this". I think Bazza is probably a lot fitter than me! xx

[cathymolly Graduate]

Congratulations! I graduated today as well and can assure you that you're not the slowest. I think I might take that crown as I only managed 2.7 kms in 30 mins. Hey, we can only get faster......maybe!

[Mhairiandme Graduate in reply to cathymolly]

Congratulations Cathymolly! I bet you are proud of yourself too. I'm 43 and have always hated exercise, but I have loved this programme. I do chuckle to myself if I see my shadow shuffling along, but hey even that's looking a bit trimmer! xx

[Hidden]

Four words - YOU ARE A GRADUATE...

Simples... Well done on being able to run for 30 minutes 3 times a week non-stop.. You rock! You're miles (hehe) ahead of where you were 9 weeks ago and you have the rest of your life to do whatever you want with your running... and now your life will be even longer so you'll have even more fun!

Happy running - and well done!

[Mhairiandme Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Thanks Aussie, I am pretty amazed my poor abused body can manage this, but I am feeling so much better - and looking better too If I can keep running for 30 mins 3 times a week I will be delighted, and yes, a longer healthier life would be wonderful. xx

[Mhairiandme Graduate]

Thanks KittyKat, I hope it gets a little easier over time, but I do find it hard to believe what I am able to do now. I AM a (slow) RUNNER! xx

[mrqwest Graduate]

Well done! you've graduated

Don't focus on how far you're running in 30 minutes, focus on the fact you're running!

[Mhairiandme Graduate in reply to mrqwest]

Thanks Mrq, I appreciate that. I had a good run this morning, and I do feel very pleased with myself as I run (slowly) past sleeping households xx

[Mhairiandme Graduate]

I'm a solo runner too. Just me and my dog doing his power walk alongside me. I feel if I ran with others I may get disheartened xx

[Hidden]

You have put on your running shoes, got off your bottom and have achieved what may have seemed impossible 9 weeks ago. Just think how far you have come in a 9 short weeks. You should feel very, very proud of yourself.

OK, your time (and mine) will never win an Olympic medal, but we are out there doing it. We are fitter and healthier than we were when we started, and we can call ourselves 'runners'; and you should walk tall because of it.

Times and/or distance will come with time, but the whole point of C25K is to get us out and enjoying running; and you have shown many newbies what can be achieved.

[Mhairiandme Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Thanks Sally, never thought I would be able to run for 30 minutes without stopping, never. But I may still get a medal....not for being the slowest graduate ever, I have already been pushed off that podium, but I am doing a R4L later this month, and I think I get a shiny medal at the end of that

And yes, we are out there doing this, and time passes whether we are sitting on the couch or out getting hot, pink and sweaty and I know what I would rather be doing xx

[Hidden in reply to Mhairiandme]

Good luck with the R4L. As I recall that is only open to ladies of the female persuasion, I I can't enter.

The Mrs did it some years ago, and walked and slow-jogged it.

[Mhairiandme Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Are you sure it is ladies only? I know you can buy R4L tops for men. I'm doing it with my 2 daughters with husband and son waiting at the finish line to cheers us on

[Hidden in reply to Mhairiandme]

Hi

I'm assuming R4L is Run for Life. I just checked and it is ladies only. Not even us chaps lovingly called Sally by their wife can enter.

[Mhairiandme Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Ah! Maybe it is just for support team

[Mhairiandme Graduate]

I have only at it for 9 weeks. Not quite enjoying the actual running yet, but funnily enough if I don't manage to get out for any reason, boy I miss it. I feel so much happier and positive about everything, must be the endorphins. I have also found that all of the really good whizzy runners I know are so encouraging and supportive and have never ever made me feel silly, even when I was struggling with my 60 seconds. I think we have joined a special 'club'. x

[Tattoojunkie30 Graduate]

Which is exactly the point...this program isn't about becoming usain bolt.....it's about strapping on those trainers and getting out of there, doesn't matter if it takes 15 mins or an hour to cover the distance your out there and doing it and remember you're lapping everyone on the couch!

[Mhairiandme Graduate in reply to Tattoojunkie30]

Thanks TJ, I feel so much better for getting out and just doing it. x

[Hmslawson Graduate]

I am slower! You are doing great. The idea is to get endurance to increase distance over time. Yesterday, I did 5 k for the first time but took almost an hour! But I am glad I did it that way, as otherwise I could have been scared to continue up to that distance (my highest ever being 3k before that). So you are doing fab, trust me.