There was the matter of a little 10K or the Great Manchester Run BUT much more importantly there was a personal audience with The Queen of The C25K Forum H.M. Poppypug!
First the race - my first... albsolutely bloody wonderful - I am addicted. Now with 40,000 runners you would think I would be able to find the start line but I must have taken a wrong turn because I ended up amongst the spectators firmly seperated by a fence from runners who were now doing their mass warm up - I did what any self respecting chap would do and hopped over the fence and joined in the warm up - now obviously being new to this malarky I stood at the back so I could make a nice gentle start BUT when the warm up finished the organisers told us all to turn around and I found myself at the front on the start line - whoops! And so I set off a little too fast and paid the price later. My overall time was about 3 minutes more than I had wished BUT I did manage to come 19,016th which I thought wasn't bad out of 40,000 - but to be honest it wasn't about times or positions for me it was about being a part of a great running event which I never would have managed this time last year - and much of that is down to the support of Poppers and her ilk on the forum. What a delightful lady she is even without the Pugs. FIlled with warmth and humour and accompanied by her wonderful husband - she has decided that as so many of these runs are now sponsored by supermarkets that she would like to start a 'Poundland Half Kilometer'! This could be a first - cut price runs!!!
The other thing that was brilliant was that I got a really good free massage by not one but two wonderful ladies called Kate and Katie - they looked slight but boy were they strong!
And finally I made my goal for Alzheimer's Research UK and just want to thank everyone who contributed - you are stars, well done - hopefully soon it will be a disease of the past.
To anyone thinking of starting C25K - remember - It can change your life!
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Runon
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What a lovely post - and a fabulous picture! Well done to you both for the 10k. I'm trying not to be jealous that you've met PP - C25K is pure magic for both health and making new running pals
Thanks Ancient Mum - you are truly a star. There will certainly be more to follow. Poppers has already highlighted her next one! Thanks for all your support XX
I love this post and I love this forum and I'm so inspired and a little bit emotional reading all these amazing race stories tonight! WELL DONE!!
Also, what is involved in a mass warm up? I'm intrigued. I only know about the 5 minute warm up walk and have often wondered how people warm up before a race; I vaguely imagined everyone walking around in circles for 5 minutes before lining up at the start!
Wonderful Basically a lot of arm waving and a few stretches and an awful lot of loud music - but what's really nice is that it breaks the ice and gets rid of those pre-race nerves - it's fabulous.
Yes Poppers needs to put this to Poundland I'm afraid the look on my face was a little Mr. Bean-ish! I also got a bit confused when people started yelling 'Come on David' - at first I thought they were shouting at other Davids and then realised they were looking at me - I thought - how do they know me before ralising that my name was above my number! Well it was my first race! :))
You see Poppers you are back on form - mocking me :)) Tee Hee - I'll tell you I could have done with a shower - never been so hot running - I think it's because of the cotton tee-shirt (I accidentally typed tree-shirt there - do trees wear shirts?) Plus I was bad and did pour water over my head - whoops! :)xxxx
Ha ha , hey I am definitely taking water with me on my next one for the first coupla k's. Blimey, it was hot wasnt it ? Funny old day cos in the morning when we got there, it was flippin' freezing !
I went in the Runon Run-in showers , it was like a car wash. I thought a coupla brushes would come down and give me a quick wax. Mind you, I couldnt see a thing when I came out, cos my specs were wet, then steamed up. Plus all the jelly babies that were shoved down my bra went all squidgy ha ha xxx
Good for you and a massive well done my dad has dementia and im considering aiming for a 10k after ive done race for life and would love to raise money for dementia uk 😀
It is a brilliant thing to do - go for it - one day in the not very distant future it will hopefully be a thing of the past. It is a good thing to work towards. Thanks Jules
Would be nice to think thats the case...such a wicked and cruel disease in all its forms so would be great to aim for...so many inspiring peeps on here 😀
What a wonderful idea, Jules. My Mum-in-Law has dementia too. It's such a cruel disease - both for the patient and for their family. We have adapted to the situation, but seeing her forget so much and seeing what (and who) the dementia 'allows' her to remember is tough sometimes.
It's gerat to have bling Northern Spirit - it's real metal too not yer plastic stuff. That Manchester place is not bad either Thanks for all your support.
Congratulations to the both of you It's great meeting fellow c25k'ers at runs I keep bumping into our very own notbad, we've done the Gateshead 10k, 10k Mo run in Newcastle and we'll be bumping into each other again at the Blaydon race on the 9th June Love this forum and all you lovely people!
And thank you too LF. This running lark really does open up a whole new world - I know Poppers said this before me but she's following me from in front - erm...!
Thanks misswobble - I need the support - Poppers is making fun of me. I just don't know - you do a 10k, take on the world, feel you are bonding and then they pull the rug from under you. Tsk tsk
Yes The Poundland C2halfK - I can see it now :)) Having said that I would have found a half K a problem a year ago!
What a lovely photo - running bringing people together (who said that - was it BT?) What a great run and you can tell you loved it!! Well done hopefully I will see you there next year!!
You are wonderful Juicy Ju and many thanks for your support and it was a real delight to meet Poppers. If I'd known you got a free massage after a 10k I would have started them sooner X
Ha! Poppypug is 'Doing Leeds' and I'm joining the Space programme so I can run on the moon - you get free oxygen and it only takes one fifth ofthe effort!
Fabulous photo of you two. And seriously well done on the run Runon. I did laugh about you facing the wrong way! Ha ha! You would have been on the telly.
It sounds such a memorable experience and for a worthy cause too. Really well done.
Hey Poppers - I slept the sleep of the just Glad the hip is not playing up too much - Nothing appears to have dropped off - slightly sore feet that are resulting in a kind of old man shuffle - but nothing that can't be cured by a mobility scooter and a couple of sticks. Calfs and knees are great - like you 'Feeling Good'. Have a wonderful brilliant day. XXX
Great stuff ! I thought I would be bent in half this morning for some reason , hey , we must be tougher than what we think
Have a fab day, be good xxx
What a lovely report - well done Runon. Free massages you say? Blimey I missed out there... I did have a Sunday roast (which was half a chicken on a plate!) And two pints of lager afterwards though so that makes up for it a little bit!
Brilliant thread My thoughts are what sort of bling would the Poundland half give? Based on the thought they'd use surplus stock or loss leaders only ... I envisage an 80's style rapper chain with a sink plug/ maybe a bath plug for those completing the full? C25K community is the best xx
Thanks Curlygurly - It is much appreciated - I speak for both of us - as Poppypug has her mouth full of jellybabies that she had stuffed down her bra! It seems a long way from my first post wondering if the 20 minute run in week 5 was a mis-print! But then it wasn't actually that long ago Thanks again X
Hey Millwalki - you'll be on the doorstep - it is certainly worth doing - get your sister to do it too. Have you thought of changing your name to Millruni ?
That's a brill read - can't believe Runon you did the same as me about not realising you were at the front when they all turned around after the warm up, what are we like eh?
Fab raising all that dosh for Alzheimer's UK, I volunteer with people with dementia and it warms my heart to know that people like you want to make a difference - thank you.
Hey Notbad - I think it is brilliant that you volunteer to help people with dementia - so thank you too - you are a star.
I probably have the worst sense of direction in the world so it is not unusual for me to do things like that - I put it down to having to hop over the barrier and then not being able to see the stage or whatever - it was just a never ending sea of people - but then when I turned around there was hardly anything in front of me except road... lots of road... and a gun going off!
It makes me very happy to know I am not the only one!
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