Week 9 R3 90 minutes done,Rio & all that

[MichaelH070862]

Well I crossed the line arms outstretched to roaring crowds and the reality struck home this is Essex not Brazil and I had just finished the final run of my C25K. I left the house at my usual time to begin my 5 minute warm up did not bother with Mapmyrun today as I just wanted to enjoy myself and away we go 5 minutes done and the run starts keeping a nice steady pace round the corner over the bridge and we are on the first incline next target the Fox & Hounds can't celebrate it's still shut what happened to all day drinking keep going passed the village hall and right turn passed the residential home keep going right turn into my road to complete the first lap passed my house down to the alley way and back up the incline passed the surgery through the second alley way right turn passed the cemetery turn right again and we are into the final part of the run increase in pace and we are done 5 minute cool down and it is over. I have now run faster,further and for longer than I ever thought possible rough guess today about 5.5 km after warm up/cool down. I can honestly say it has been a blast and I achieved my target of finishing before my 54th birthday which is on Sunday. If I made any mistakes I didn't join until nearly halfway through and this forum has been great the stories fun the debates brilliant I now feel fully qualified to advise my wife on sports bras after listening to the girls points of view.

Finally it has been fun running with musketeers we adopted the motto all for one and one for and left no one behind we pushed when we had to laughed when we need to and became friends as only you can on a forum like this one.

I would to close with some lines of poetry I think are quite apt

From Invictus

I am the master of my fate

I am the captain of my soul

Secondly from Hassan....The Golden Journey to Samarkand

We are the Pilgrims ,master we shall go

Always a little further, it may be

This is Michael aged 53 years 11 months & 29 days signing off for the moment

[McFitty Graduate]

Soooooo Happeeeeee😀😀😀

First musketeer home and in jubilant and poetic mode too. WELL DONE YOU!!! Just done a tiny victory lap round the kitchen on your behalf. Fabulous post. Fabulous run. See you under the Graduation tree with the fizz later! 🍸🎈🍸🎈🍸🎈🍸🎈🍸

[MichaelH070862 Graduate in reply to McFitty]

Decided when you are going out yet

[McFitty Graduate in reply to MichaelH070862]

Just got back. Squeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

[RunaroundSue in reply to McFitty]

Well done. And Happy Birthday.

I was pretty pleased to manage the 2 x 8 minutes on my birthday so I can imagine you are celebrating

[MichaelH070862 Graduate in reply to RunaroundSue]

Getting to the end makes it all the sweeter

[PippiRuns]

A huge congratulations to you Michael! On graduating both the c25k programme and the Sports Bra Professional programme. Any celebration plans?

Have a wonderful day!

[MichaelH070862 Graduate in reply to PippiRuns]

Not yet got to think about that one

[OldPossum]

Sounds fantastic. Congratulations 🍾🍾🍾 and Happy birthday for Sunday too 🎂

Will be keeping my eye out for the rest of you too today 😀

[MichaelH070862 Graduate in reply to OldPossum]

Thanks

[TheHack Graduate]

Congratulations, it is not the end but merely the beginning? Looking forward to reading the success of the remains musketeers in their quest for graduation. All for one....

[MichaelH070862 Graduate in reply to TheHack]

Hope they have as good a one as I did and you're right this is not the end

[lightweightkate Graduate]

Congratulations Michael. Great post and sounded like a wonderful run. So pleased for you 😀🎉👏. Happy Birthday for Sunday

[MichaelH070862 Graduate in reply to lightweightkate]

Thanks good luck to you today aswella

[Hidden]

Congratulations! Another graduate this week- coming along like buses!! Well done you on the distance too that is amazing. And happy birthday for Sunday!!

[MichaelH070862 Graduate in reply to Hidden]

I must have been in the zone I went of a bit quick but managed to maintain it and there you are job done

[Hidden in reply to MichaelH070862]

It's fantastic. I won't even reach 4K for graduation so am in awe of anyone who runs 5k in the thirty minutes!

[MichaelH070862 Graduate in reply to Hidden]

When I did it the first time I'll admit it scared me a bit because I thought I might have peaked to early and there could have been a good chance of injury but I got away with it and I suppose it spurred me to push that little bit hard like the line say's Always a little further, it may be

[Hidden in reply to MichaelH070862]

Well done you. I guess I am wary following injurying myself a few months ago in the programme so am sticking to the slow and slow down mantra ! After graduation I'll work up to 5 k however long it takes.

[MichaelH070862 Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Having read your posts about your path to recovery and getting back in the saddle so to speak has been impressive I think most would have fallen by the wayside but as has been said numerous time we can take as long as we like it is up to us

[aliboo70]

Congratulations! 😊😆 lovely positive post and great that you have you new forum pals to complete graduation with😊

[MichaelH070862 Graduate in reply to aliboo70]

I think it is better if you can finish as a group I know we all start at different times but people seem to migrate to those at the same stage as them

[Sandraj39 Graduate]

Big congratulations and good luck with the next stage of your running journey🙂!

[MichaelH070862 Graduate in reply to Sandraj39]

Thanks

[PP_1234 Graduate]

Congratulations and well done!

[MichaelH070862 Graduate in reply to PP_1234]

Thanks

[MichaelH070862 Graduate]

Having had a chance to reread my post those of a certain age may remember a certain programme on ITV in the 70's and a similar phrase he can run faster,further and for longer. It wasn't intentional by any means.

[pollyp1 Graduate]

Brilliantly done, enjoy your day and happy birthday for Sunday.

[MichaelH070862 Graduate in reply to pollyp1]

Thank you very much

[Big_fella Graduate]

Well done Sir. I congratulate you! And I join you on that podium. My W9R3 also done this morning! Bloody marvellous, isn't it! 50 years 11 months and 14 days.

[MichaelH070862 Graduate in reply to Big_fella]

It's absolutely brilliant you will be on a high all day

[Hidden]

Brilliant!! Nearly missed this one as you went early. Enjoy you're celebrations

[MichaelH070862 Graduate in reply to Hidden]

Thanks might be able to go out later now

[poppypug Graduate]

Sir Michael of Kent ! First past the post

Many Many Congratulations to you on your Graduation ! This is such a fantastic achievement , you should be very proud of yourself !

A lovely positive post , its been great following your progress on here .

Remember, this is just the beginning ......... xxx

[MichaelH070862 Graduate in reply to poppypug]

just for you and slightly of topic have a look at BBC local Suffolk a lady is doing harnesses for pugs

[poppypug Graduate in reply to MichaelH070862]

Oh thank you ! They look great !

That first one looks very similar to my hubbys old regimental colours xxx

[MichaelH070862 Graduate in reply to poppypug]

I don't think it will fit him though

[poppypug Graduate in reply to MichaelH070862]

Ha ha ! xxx

[MichaelH070862 Graduate]

Well I did what I set out to do in my first post oh so long ago graduate before I was 54 and job done onwards and upwards

[melly4012 Graduate]

CONGRATULATIONS!!! Sounds like a lovely run and so glad you enjoyed it. Don't forget to ask for your shiny new badge!! Well done you!!

[MichaelH070862 Graduate in reply to melly4012]

Going to wait until the last one is in that is what the musketeers decided to do

[melly4012 Graduate in reply to MichaelH070862]

Good plan!

[Irishprincess Graduate]

Forget about Rio. This is more exciting. A massive well done to you and now the fun just begins. Enjoy life as a graduate 😀

[MichaelH070862 Graduate in reply to Irishprincess]

This is 10 times better

[Ullyrunner Graduate]

Congratulations Michael - great feeling isn't it. Now it's time to plan your new running adventures!

[MichaelH070862 Graduate in reply to Ullyrunner]

I'm off next week so I'll put that to good use deciding where to go next

[Ullyrunner Graduate in reply to MichaelH070862]

The world is your oyster now - mix it up a bit to find out what you like - distance, speed, trail, races, parkrun, orienteering, fartleks. It's all there waiting!

[MichaelH070862 Graduate in reply to Ullyrunner]

Oh so much choice could be difficult to decide I might try the C25k+ aswell

[aostler Graduate]

Well done😀 and happy birthday 🎂

[Irish-John Graduate]

Congratulations now-Runner-of-Kent and hope everyone spoils you rotten on Sunday. ☺Great post on so many levels ☺

[MichaelH070862 Graduate in reply to Irish-John]

Thanks good luck with your run you are an inspiration to all who think they can't do it if they try