Now if I’d timed things so that this run happened in a couple of weeks when my little town is hosting the British Firework Championships it would have made a much better backdrop than the aftermath of an airshow!
So just a gentle quiet run - no crowds - no tv coverage (must remember to pay the license fee) just lots of birds doing flypasts who saw me running and decided it was time to leave the country. And now I really do feel like a runner. Thirty minute runs - seriously - running for the length of ‘Eastenders’! - And more interesting too
And if the Run of Runs may seem a little anticlimactic - let me just say that it has changed my life.
Three months ago I gave up smoking and ten weeks ago I took up running. The effect of both these things has been life changing. Two things I didn’t believe I could do and two things that I have gone and done and will continue to do.
There is a simplicity about running - all it needs is a person willing to stretch themselves a little bit, push the envelope and rise to a challenge - and yet the results are mind boggling. I wouldn’t have achieved this if it weren’t for all your support - it makes a big difference, so thank you. So now I’m going to try to improve my time for 5K, go for a run with Running Daughter (who is very proud of her Dad naturally) and this week I join a running club and Heaven help them! Now where’s the Party, the badge and the fireworks???
I shall of course continue to keep you updated with ‘My Adventures in the Running Trade’ and try to support all those new runners who like me possibly don’t believe it is possible. I am going to treat myself to some running gear for winter - no idea what to wear - kilts are going cheap I hear - oh and a gps watch thingy - I’m going to stick with Map My Run for now and wait for the Apple Watch which comes out in January - nobody seems to know what it will do but it certainly looks very pretty. Thanks again and now for a cuppa in the Graduate Common Room - What Ho Jeeves run my bath and get those trainers polished!
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Runon
Graduate
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Many many congratulations to you on your graduation . It has been an absolute joy following your progress on here . You have enthralled us all with your entertaining posts and your marvellous sense of humour , it has been brilliant
Its so lovely that you can run with your daughter , and give her a good run for her money too , I bet
This programme DOES change your life , I agree, and what with giving up smoking as well , you have given yourself a wonderful gift.
Right, I did make an effort for your graduation ceremony, I wore the tiara, ( the big one ) with the matching ear rings and my ballgown, though its a bit nippy today Oh , and the dancing girls are coming by later along with the fireworks ha ha
Enjoy your Graduation day Runon, big bear hug for you ((( )) and I like your little placard, think you might have started a trend there
All the very best to you , and enjoy your cuppa. Cheers , my friend xxx
Thank you soooo so much Poppy - you have been a termendous support to myself and everyone on this site. I shall continue to post as my running career develops - the important thing now is to keep it up and keep it feeling new by doing different things - running with the dancing girls for one! Thank you for putting on the ballgown in spite of the weather - are you going running in it?
I suspect running daughter will beat me hands down - her competitive streak is scary (I think it bagan with Monopoly aged 6) but then I can still beat her at fencing so I see this as an equaliser
I was going to put up a pic of some fireworks for you, but sadly my technical ability has completely let me down. Anyway, I will shortly be drinking a cup of earl grey in your honour - here's to you my friend.
I am honoured by the Earl Grey - many thanks to you wonderful Useitorloseit. And congratulations on having to will power to fight on this morning - well done XX
Hi Running Knitter and thank you for the Pom Pom Shakes Yes it seems that now I am using my lungs in stead of abusing them. Do you knit Graduation Hats
Many thanks b450. Yes I'm joining the local running club on Wednesday evening - it will be strange because I have never run in the evening - I think I shall eat afterwards!
Yaaaay!!! The flags are out!!! Well done!!!! So pleased for you! Great post! You always make me laugh! Ooooh and I spot a shiny badge!!!!! One more for me then I will be joining you in that common room!!! Enjoy your tea! And do you know when you actually sit down and watch Eastenders, it really is a long time!!!! well done you!!
Thank you Toonlou - I shall keep a seat for you in the Common Room. Yes I like the shiny badge very much - never thought I 'd get this far - been a fun journey with loads of supportive people. Let's be honest, Eastenders actually feels more like an hour :))
As Monty Python once remarked "Nice one centurion, like it, like". Very well done, excellent achievement both on the running and quitting smoking front. Daughter should be rightly proud of you.
Don't be too disappointed at the lack of celebrations to see you over the finishing line. In my head I was followed by a marching band, ticker tape parade and have opened several supermarkets and village fetes since I graduated. You should do too.
I personally have started the Stepping Stones podcast so I still get to listen to the lovely Laura who I pined after for a while, but this has got me thinking about what next?
Anyway, do what's right for you, we have done the most important and challenging thing and that was to get off our backsides and get out there!
Thank you Herbie - Yes Runing Daughter is rest proudbut I am even more proud of her Yes I love your village fete idea so this afternoon I am launching and naming a trans-atlantic liner as well as my own Eau de Parfume and branded running tights.
I'm looking forward to stepping stones - aminly because I have no idea what to expect which is one of the things that kept me going all these weeks - I like surprises and that first 20 minute continuous run was quite a surprise!
Good luck with your running too my friend.
Onwards and upwards
Hooray and well done ! Hope you have lots of running fun with the club and with your daughter. All the best.
Thank you Henpen. I'm looking forward to a lot of running fun now
Ha ha, you are a Stepford Runner now and we will never let you go...Congrats on your graduation, I've so enjoyed your posts! He he, another slap 'ed joins the ranks....
Don't worry Herb, there's loads to do after Laura. You have yet to discover the divine Miss Murphy! She's the polar opposite of Laura. Say n' more!
Well done Runon for completing the run of runs! I was giving it large with me pom poms but you never showed. You must have been running in the opposite direction. Funny that! Ne'er mind have an ob nob instead.
Great stuff! You're a proper runner now. You have to run your legs off now. It's the law. Well done for packing in the coffin nails. I did, and the booze. Never missed em for a minute thank goodness
Leg running off will commence shortly MissWobble. Yes sorry about running away from you - I thought you were directing aircraft... just had a hob nob thanks. It's not goingt to be so much as running with my daughter as keeping up with her!!! Thanks again for all your support - you are a star :))
Very well done Runon. I'm raising a celebratory cup of tea in your direction and cutting the graduation lemon drizzle cake as soon as I stop typing. Happy happy post graduate running
Thank you Aussie - I'm already having to watch out for speed cameras :)) (I wish) The alternative of course is that I emigrate to Australia for the winter
Ah forgot about those - and poisonous spiders - ah but Ancient Mum - we are runners - we are brave - we will squish them. Besides they don't seem to have done Aussie any harm
Aussie lives in London. He left there to get rid of the afore mentioned magpies, spiders and snakes!! lol And speak for yourself. You may be brave when it comes to spiders, but I'm a cowardly custard.
Ah that explains a lot - thank you Ancient Mum. Perhaps I should go to New Zealand instead. That's a good place - imagine building a whole country just for The Lord of the Ring movies - amazing
Wow, congratulations!!!!! So lovely you can run with your daughter now, I bet she is dead proud and joining a running club..? Impressed, a brave step, let me know how you get on. I likewise run in the morning & alone, so hesitant to jump into the world of public running just yet... Congratulations!!!!! X
Yes it is nice to have a sport we can share - I tried to get her into sword fencing but she didn't think the guys were handsome enough
I'll definitely let you know how I get on with the running club. A joiner was doing some work at my house and we got talking about running and he said he belonged to this local running club and that I should go along - so now I'm committed and can't get out of it
Hi Runon .... I haven't been around for a while, so have missed your build-up posts. Many, many congratulations on Graduating AND, I think (!), joining a running club. Nice to be able to share a common hobby with your daughter. Well done!
Many thanks MamaMia - yes running is a good common hobby for myself and Running Daughter - I am giving her a rope to pull me along and well done to you getting all week 9ish. Go for it and smash the horrid gremlins. Grrrr...
Tee hee ... extra weight training for your daughter then!!!!
Not a gremlin in sight for my run 2. Think they got bounced off with my extra minute on the first run!!! That'll l'arn 'em for sitting at least one on each shoulder Just to keep them in their place, I ran for an extra 30 seconds ... just so as to reach 4km of running too. I'm ready for my Graduation run on Wednesday and will get ready to "Gremlin Bash" ... just in case they feel inclined to show up!
Giving up smoking and running seem like a lot of work and needs determination and hard work ! You should be very proud of yourself
You have been one of the first people I have got to follow on the site and you have been a huge support for myself and seeing you graduate is just great news !
Congratulations and please keep us posted with your running development and the APPLE watch certainly
Hi Zeinab - I don't think you could have picked a madder chap to follow - but I really appreciate your kind words.
Between you and me Zeinab, (but don't let anyone else know) I am very proud of myself and have had a bit of a fixed grin on my face all day. But you are not far off graduation - the last weeks kind of sail by. I had a couple of ups and downs but the thing to remember is that they are normal - and one should never see bad runs as a set back - just as part of the learning curve.
Very good luck and I shall definitely be posting on further progress - Ah you have reminded me I need to tell my children they are buying me a little watch for my birthday! :))
Thankyou superstar panther chap - I love fun. And seriously thank you for all the support - I would have done a lap of honour at the end but that would have made it a 10K!
Hoopla!!! Aww, thank you Atomic - you are especially kind (I sha'n't tell anyone about you sneaking a peek at the forum). But I shall certainly tell you all about future adventures - I plan to have a lot of them
Psst. Don't work to hard - you need to save your energy for wk 8 :))
Thanks Birdy - I love the shiny badge too - I shall polish it every runday - it has been a brilliant graduation day. I felt I had to take Laura with me on my last c25k run if only to hear her say 'that's it you can slow down'. Instead of going into the warm down walk, I simply stopped and took it all in. Then whooped and yayed. Thank you for all your support Birdy.
Many many thanks Janet for all the support - yep I'm looking forward to the day when I can outrun daughter (I wish). Running has helped with keeping stopped on the smoking lark too. I shall run on and on and on... no going back - indeed my first run as a graduate tomorrow. XX
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Graduation Run complete!
Graduation 🎓 run 🏃♀️ complete
Graduation run completed 
Graduation run complete - yay!
W9R3 Graduation Run Completed at Parkrun 
