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Couch to 5K
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I did it! I did it! I graduated!!!!

Morning everyone...

Today was my first run in just over a week (coz my graduation run (take 1) last Sunday was such a huge disaster - I had to WALK 3 times.. UGH!) plus I've had a niggly foot, crunchy knees and been a bit run-down with ulcers+sore throat, so I decided to take it easy and not stress about running last week.

I went out this morning in my new kit, with my new shoes on.. I ditched Laura and listened to my own music for the first time, which was a real novelty, and I had runkeeper on in the background. I made a conscious effort to take it reaaaaaaally slowly and just enjoy it and relax. Which I did. The sun was just coming up making gorgeous colours over the river, there was no one around.. just me and my doggy. And it felt good, and I could breathe, and my foot didn't hurt, and my knees didn't hurt...

So I managed 4.14 km in 32 minutes, and I'm pretty pleased with that. I feel I'm back on track with the running now, coz after last Sunday (plus a couple of hard runs before that) I was getting pretty demoralised. And I know now what the secret is... it's TAKE IT SLOW!!! At the end of today I even had the energy left to 'sprint' to the finishing post (telegraph pole)!

It's taken me quite a long time to finish this programme (but then I've been through 'quite a lot' since I started back in May) but the progress I've made doing this - we've all made - is just phenomenal!

Thank you, Laura... and thank you to everyone on here for being so supportive, and funny and friendly, and providing such a brilliant place to come for inspiration and motivation :-)

36 Replies
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Hi Petra, what a lovely description of your graduation run, it sounded beautiful.

And well done for graduating, it is a real achievement and you should feel very proud.

What next?

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Hi! Thank you, Marky.. I think for the next few weeks I might just run with my music (or, with silence and birdsong?) consolidate the 30 minute running, and aim to break the 5k barrier! Also I want to run some different routes, coz I stuck to the same one for the programme. Maybe add some hills here and there. After that I might try the Speed+Stamina podcasts, and then build up some distance.

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Congrats Petra! Be proud young lady! You pushed on and didn't give up. I think that's wonderful

Whats your next goal?

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Thank you Burgdude! I'm looking forward to trying some new routes around the lanes here, and maybe I'll throw in some hills here and there. I think for the moment I'm just looking forward to running for myself and enjoying it. Then I might have a go at the Speed+Stamina etc podcasts, then build up some more distance? Oh, and I really want to crack the 5k barrier, but I don't think that should be too difficult.. I could have carried on today, really, I wasn't knackered at all! So perhaps that's my aim for this week. :-)

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congratulations x x x it is a huge achievement x x

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thank you, loubee! :-) xx

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Congratulations glad new kit helped!

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yep, new running kit certainly helped, thanks! :-)

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Woo hoo - congratulations!! Don't forget to ask for your Graduate badge so you can show off your amazing achievement to everyone on the forum!!!

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thank you! yes, I did ask for my graduate badge earlier today.. perhaps it's like christmas and you have to wait until the next morning to unwrap it from under the tree??? ;-)

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Congratulations! Sounds like a very nice graduation run. Happy running :)

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thank you so much.. you too ;-)

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Great news Petra, its onwards and upwards now, get that badge now and start planning your next goal or you will lose momentum, even a local park run would be a good place to start. Excellent time by the way so your pace is not that slow at all!

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thanks Nelly.. yep, I'm waiting for my badge! I think I'd like to try some new routes round the lanes here, and achieve my 5k.. then try some of those other speed+stamina podcasts.. then go for some more distance. I don't think they do the park runs here in France like in the UK (not so many parks, for a start!!) and I had a quick google for races round here and the next thing is a 5k or 10k race in February about an hour away from here! Suppose I should sign up for the 10k :-D

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Isn't it a great feeling. Congratulations Petra especially on the sprint finish to the finish! Yeehaa :)

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it is a great feeling! and I feel that I can just run for myself for a bit now.. take in the countryside, listen to some music and just enjoy it.. thanks Slookie (although it was a 'sprint'.. not a sprint, but hey!)

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How fab that you finished it! Congratulations! And a great distance too! I like to run without Laura sometimes too, although I am revisiting the podcasts from time to time. Now you can just please yourself! Enjoy your running!.

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Thank you.. yeah, I've definitely got this vision in my head of me+the dog having lovely runs round the lanes while the boys are at school as the autumn weather comes on.. just enjoying it and chillaxing!! ;-)

ps.. thanks so much for the link to the swimming website.. great tips and info!

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oh.. by the way.. do you live in France too, Curly?

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Well done! Lovely achievement :) the programme really works :)

You did the right not to worry. You final run sounds great :)

Happy running :)

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Thank you so much, Net.. yep, this programme is absolutely miraculous getting me to run for 30 minutes non-stop - and enjoying it.. and looking forward to the next time! Happy running to you too :-)

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Well done - glad it went so well this time :)

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thanks uioli! ;-)

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Many congratulations, you really picked yourself up from last week and now you're a graduate ! Slow and steady, enjoy your running...now you know you can do it.

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thanks henpen! ;-)

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Congratulations Petra, you did it, yay ! :-) Despite the setbacks you've had ,you went out there and nailed it, really pleased for you, Well done ! :-) xxx

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thank you so much Poppy! :-) xx

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Well done Petra - you are an inspiration, a hero, and a RUNNER and will never be able to sit on a couch again. :)

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aww.. thanks Runon! I'm sure I'll still be able to sit on a couch once in a while again though... won't I? In any case, I'm very good at lying on couches and falling asleep on them in front of the telly when there's a good film on, so I shall just have to do more of that instead ;-)

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According to EU regulation 543b2ii - 'qualified graduates in receipt of badges may not sit on couches in excess of 45 seconds continuously' . You may have found a loophole in the 'lying down' bit but it is not in the spirit of C25K to return to being a 'pomme de terre au canapé!' Congrats again - what will you do now?

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Well done Petra! The badge looks good :)

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thanks very much, breezie.. yes, I'm quite proud of it! it'll be you soon :-)

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Oh that's fab ! So so pleased to see you get your shiny badge , you've earned it and some :)

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thanks a lot birdy.. yep, done it at last! ;-)

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Congratulations!

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Well done you 👏👏👏 You should be very proud of yourself. I am 4 runs off graduating and I can't wait!! Never thought I'd be a runner and here I am, in my middle 50's, running!! Who'd have thought? 😂😂

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